Tom Gorzelanny

Injuries limited Gorzelanny to just 23 appearances last season, but he gave up just one home run and two earned runs in those outings. After two effective years for the Brewers, he became a free agent this offseason. Signed by the Tigers as a free agent in January, Gorzelanny will have an opportunity to compete for a high leverage role during spring training. If all goes well, he could prove to be an upgrade over Phil Coke, as Gorzelanny has a career 2.88 ERA over 171.2 innings with a .216 batting average against as a reliever.

The Brewers needed Gorzelanny to make 10 starts in 2013, and he was average at best in that role, posting a 4.62 ERA. However, he was dominant out of the bullpen, recording a 2.70 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 36.2 innings of relief. Gorzelanny is not a power pitcher but has learned how to get big league hitters out. He'll provide the Brewers with a quality left-handed, late-inning option in 2014, but he could miss the beginning of the season, after undergoing shoulder surgery in December to fix an issue that limited him late last year.

At first glance Gorzelanny had an excellent season in long relief for the Nationals, but his drop in ERA was mainly due to good luck and a strand rate north of 80 percent. If anything, a big spike in his walk rate could point to some struggles ahead in 2013, but he is expected to serve as the Brewers' primary left-hander in the bullpen after inking a two-year deal with Milwaukee in December.

Gorzelanny spent the first half of 2011 in the rotation for the Nationals, but was sent to the bullpen in favor of Chien-Ming Wang and Ross Detwiler. It is conceivable that he can battle for a rotation spot in spring training, but it is more likely he will appear out of the bullpen. His FIP against left-handed hitters was 2.61, and he struck out 29 in 26.1 innings. His best pitch is a sweeping slider (80 mph), while he also features a change-up and a fastball that averaged 89.6 mph in 2011. Gorzelanny posted a career best 2.84 BB/9IP, but his first pitch strike percentage (53.7 percent) was its lowest since 2005.

Gorzelanny started 23 games at the back end of the Cubs' rotation last year and performed passably (119:68 K:BB ratio in 136.1 IP, 1.15 G/F). Gorzelanny features a 90 mph fastball, a slider and a changeup, modest stuff, despite his 7.9 K/9IP rate. Assuming he's not dealt before spring training (at press time the Tigers had shown interest), he's got a good chance to slot in as the team's No. 4 starter.

After coming over from the Pirates in late July, Gorzelanny pitched pretty well despite a 5.63 ERA. A bad start in Colorado and a meaningless October start against Arizona obscured what was otherwise a solid stint in Chicago - 40:13 K:BB in 38.1 IP. As a result, he's the frontrunner for the No. 5 starter spot but should have competition in camp from Jeff Samardzija, Sean Marshall and Jay Jackson.

The Pirates scratched Gorzelanny from his first spring training appearance and things went downhill from there. After one of the more promising rookie campaigns in recent Pirates history in 2007, Gorzelanny slumped so badly last year that the team had little choice but to send him back to Triple-A despite a lack of major league pitching. Gorzelanny, who went 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA and 135:68 K:BB ratio as a rookie, struggled to a 6-9 mark, 6.66 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP (up from 1.40). The 26-year-old lefty put up some encouraging numbers back at Triple-A, registering a 2.06 ERA and 33:4 K:BB ratio. Considering the alternatives Pittsburgh has with its pitchers, Gorzelanny will get all the opportunity he needs to regain his rookie season magic. He'll fight for a back-end rotation spot this spring.

Had the Pittsburgh organization shut Gorzelanny down at the beginning of September, when the lefty was showing signs of breaking down, he would have ended the season with a 13-7 record and an earned run average of 3.50. But the Pirates, desperate for their first 15 game-winner since 1999, kept pushing Gorzo out to the mound in the final month and the gutsy pitcher never refused the ball. The results? Try three losses in four decisions, a 5.77 ERA and a BAA of .355 in 34.1 painful innings. Overall, Gorzelanny threw 201.2 innings, going 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.398 WHIP. His K:BB ratio of 135:68 illustrates the success he demonstrated despite the disastrous September. It wouldn't be surprising to see Gorzo go through a sophomore slump or battle injuries (as he has throughout his career) in 2008. Still, he's the closest thing the Pirates have to an untouchable -- a hard-throwing lefty who battles like every game is his last.

Gorzelanny may be the closest thing on the Pittsburgh pitching staff to an untouchable. After being recalled on July 1, Gorzelanny posted a team-best 3.79 ERA among starters and held opposing batters to a .226 batting average. He changes speeds well and sports a fastball that reaches 94 mph. Somewhat injury prone, the 24-year-old lefty has had problems with his elbow in the past and missed a month in 2006 with elbow tendinitis. He averaged more than a strikeout per inning in the minors -- 391 in 383 innings -- and figures to continue that trend in 2007.

The 23-year-old southpaw got a September taste of the big leagues when he squared off against the Astros and veteran star Andy Pettitte in his MLB debut. Not surprisingly, Pettitte out-dueled Gorzelanny, but the young hurler showed enough to draw some loose comparisons to the veteran. Gorzelanny fields his position well, hits up to 93-94 mph with his fastball, and features a change-up as his out pitch. He's thrown just under 300 innings in three minor-league seasons, going 18-13. He'll likely start the season pitching for Triple-A Indianapolis, but could be a mid-season callup with a hot start.