After 6 1/2 weeks and 15.2 IP, it looks as though Jose Valverde has returned to form in ways that only a saber analyst would appreciate. Valverde has a 8.62 K/9 rate, which is a huge improvement over last season's 6.42 K/9 rate, and is slightly better than the 8.59 K/9 rate he had in 2011 when he was 49 of 49 in save opportunities. More impressive is Valverde's improved walk rate, which is 2.87 BB/9, and is nearly a career best for the 11 year veteran. Right now Valverde's peripherals (8.62 K/9 and 2.87 BB/9) are nearly the same as Joe Nathan's (8.88 K/9 and 2.59 BB/9).

                              
Year   Age  Tm    IP BB/9 SO/9
2003    25 ARI  50.1  4.6 12.7
2004    26 ARI  29.2  5.2 11.5
2005    27 ARI  66.1  2.7 10.2
2006    28 ARI  49.1  4.0 12.6
2007    29 ARI  64.1  3.6 10.9
2008    30 HOU  72.0  2.9 10.4
2009    31 HOU  54.0  3.5  9.3
2010    32 DET  63.0  4.6  9.0
2011    33 DET  72.1  4.2  8.6
2012    34 DET  69.0  3.5  6.3
2013    35 DET  15.2  2.9  8.6
11 Yrs         606.0  3.8  9.9

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/10/2013.

The peripherals are terrific, without a doubt, but the main concern on nearly everyone's mind has been Big Potato's declining fastball velocity. Well guess what, you know who else has lost some velocity? The Texas Ranger's closer and the same Joe Nathan that I mentioned above. His fastball is clocked at 91.4 MPH, which is more than a tick below Valverde's 92.7 MPH fastball. Maybe the Texas Rangers should worry more about their closer more, and we should worry less about ours.

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