The way he's pitching would have you believe Jesse Chavez is a highly rated up-and-comer just scratching the surface of his potential. But he's actually a 30-year-old journeyman who has failed to capitalize on repeated opportunities at the big-league level.
Only when Al Melchior observed on a recent edition of Fantasy Baseball Today that Chavez has significantly altered his arsenal from earlier in his career did I open myself to the possibility of him becoming something more.
That was before Chavez's latest start, a nine-strikeout effort against Angels Monday night. Back-to-back starts with nine strikeouts and no walks is notable for any pitcher, regardless of age or track record. The cutter he worked to develop last year seems to have made a difference.
Chavez is still far from a sure thing, but since we really don't know where his new arsenal will take him, this hot start is a wave worth riding. As one who benefited from Esteban Loaiza's newfound cutter in 2003, I'd be a fool to ignore it.