The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed reliever Bob Howry to a one-year deal believed to be worth between $2-3M. The deal also includes a team option for 2011 should the Diamondbacks decide to retain the 12-year veteran past 2010.
Howry will work in a setup role for Arizona, a role he’s filled with four other teams in his career. He has a respectable 3.66 ERA (3.39 in 2009) and healthy ratios of SO/9 (7.6) and BB/9 (2.9). He will bring experience to a Diamondback bullpen that features young setup men Juan Gutierrez and Esmerling Vasquez.
Despite the good career numbers, there is some cause for alarm. Howry’s SO/9 numbers have gone down in each season since 2006, falling from 8.5 to 6.5. His BB/9 numbers, which have remained low since 2004, spiked to 3.3 in 2009. His recent numbers show some trends, and not the good kind. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Howry continue to slide in Arizona, but he should remain at least a serviceable reliever.
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