Braves' Campillo muy bueno

Those outside the Peachtree State have probably not heard of Jorge Campillo.

Actually, most of Mexico is very familiar with Campillo, who played in the Mexican League nearly a decade before coming back to Major League Baseball in 2005 via the Seattle Mariners.

But now, Campillo 29, is turning heads around every corner. After 5 strong innings this afternoon in Milwaukee (1 ER, 4 hits, 0 BB, 6 Ks), Campillo's ERA actually rose to 0.99. The converted reliever was making his third start and now has 36 1/3 innings and has a WHIP lower than his ERA.

The question now most of the fantasy world is asking: Should I pick Campillo up?

If you're pitching has been skidding and you find yourself looking up in most pitching categories, then the risk is definitely worth it.

We don't exactly know how Campillo's Mexican League success will translate to Enlgish since he was used as both a starter and a reliever. In 2004, his ERA through 14 starts was 2.04, pitching in extremely thing air - some 7,000 miles above sea level.

But Campillo comes with risks. He made a total of 8 starts in three years in Seattle, missing most of 2006 after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery.

The upside is Campillo is a much-needed starter on an injury-plagued Braves pitching staff where John Smoltz is moving to the bullpen. His strikeout rate is nearly 1 per inning and Atlanta will provide above-average run support, making a dozen wins the rest of the season possible.

Durability over a 162-game schedule will be an issue as Campillo's career high over a season is 119 IP.

It's still not a bad idea to ride Campillo as far as you can.