Fantasy Baseball 2012: Emergency Waiver-Wire Pitcher for April 27

Mixed-league roto owners, are you in need of a waiver-wire pitcher before today's slate of games?

Here's my free-agent choice (from the majority of 12-team leagues) for one day of fantasy stardom:

 

Blake Beavan, Seattle Mariners (@ Toronto)

1. Beavan has posted respectable numbers in three outings: 1-2, 3.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 8/2 K-BB ratio. Of similar importance, Beavan went at least 6.1 innings and walked only zero or one batters each time.

2. It's a small sample size, but Beavan has better career marks on the road (1-2, 3.46 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 18/4 K-BB) than at home.

3. In 546 innings of minor league work, the 23-year-old Beavan almost had a 4-to-1 K-BB ratio (323/90). As a result, with the Rangers (before the Cliff Lee trade) and the Mariners, Beavan was a top-10 prospect in the respective organizations from 2008 to '11.

4. Weather won't be a factor tonight at Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays. Intensity isn't a concern either, as Beavan squares off against Toronto ace Ricky Romero.

5. The slate of Friday's free-agent starters is less than stellar, so I'm breaking the time-tested creeds of When in doubt, ride the veteran or All things being equal, go with the home pitcher for one day. Beavan could have a breakout game of six or seven strikeouts and two or fewer runs allowed. Just a gut feeling.

 

The Next Five For Friday

1. Carl Pavano (Twins) vs. Royals
2. Drew Pomeranz (Rockies) vs. Mets
3. Joe Saunders (Diamondbacks) @ Miami
4. Paul Maholm (Cubs) @ Phillies
5. Chris Schwinden (Mets) @ Rockies

 

A Look Back

Wednesday's selection: Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo
Final tally: 5.0 innings, one run allowed, two strikeouts...2.33 ERA, 2.00 WHIP

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.