2014 IPP: Jeurys Familia

[Benjamin Grimm]

It was moderately popular last year, so we'll try it again this year. IPP stands for Individual Player Predictions. These will be threads where we share our expectations of how a player will perform in the current year. Feel free to make your predictions as specific or as vague as you like. (You can find a listing of the 2013 IPPs here.)

Jeurys Familia will make the team out of spring training and will be in that muddle of indistinguishable middle relievers. He'll appear in about 40 or 50 games, typically only pitching to a few batters in each.

(I know, I said the exact same thing about Josh Edgin. I'm afraid I no longer pay much attention to middle relievers that I can say anything of substance about them.)

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Big club out of spring training. Injury midyear derails promising season somewhat. Back late.

36 G (w/ 1 spot start), 44 2/3 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 46 K, 20 BB, 3 HR allowed

[MFS62]

I'm more optimistic. I see him becoming a key setup man, even spot closer by the end of the year.
He has nasty stuff, and is just wild enough to keep batters loose.
51G, 62 IP, 21BB, 59 K, 3.17 ERA, 1.31WHIP.

Later

[smg58]

I'll say 45 IP at a 3.50 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

[Guest d'Kong76]

We're gonna love 2014 Familia. ¡gusta mucha!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

who the hell knows. Good?

[batmagadanleadoff]

I still get him mixed up with Jennry Mejia.

[Edgy MD]

Beast. 100 innings of setup glory. Seemingly throwing two innings every other day with Wendellian tirelessness. A grass roots movement grows demanding he be installed as closer, blaming Jeff Wilpon for their lack of satisfaction.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Christ, I'm really tough on my adopted kids.

[Edgy MD]

Your first sentence in that thread, if'n' I recall correct, tagged him as Mejia lite. Damned if he hasn't stayed on that track.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Here's the Baseball Prospectus entry from its 2014 annual, released just before last season began:

Two years ago, Familia seemed a future fixture in a rotation, or perhaps the end of a bullpen. Well, a lackluster 2012, elbow surgery in 2013 and wildness in the Arizona Fall League have at least answered that question: he's a reliever. Still, he's likely to be a very good one. The post-surgery velocity still approaches triple-digits, and the slider still buckles knees. Familia may need more time than most due to some maturity concerns, but when he finally gains a measure of control, opposing hitters won't be any less afraid.