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Wanna get a K? Reviewing 2010's free agent pitchers
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Everybody used to love Chris (Photo: AP).
While the Orioles have set forth a “grow the arms, buy the bats” player development philosophy, their young rotation is in need of some experience to help steady the young arms. The club won’t look to add a high-profile free agent to a multi-year contract, but could look to bolster their roster with a mid-tier veteran for one or two years.
Below are the free agent starting pitchers this offseason, according to MLB Trade Rumors. See anyone of interest?
Brandon Backe (32)
Cha Seung Baek (30)
Miguel Batista (39)
Erik Bedard (31) - Type B
Kris Benson (34)
Daniel Cabrera (29)
Chris Capuano (31)
Aroldis Chapman (22)
Bartolo Colon (37)
Jose Contreras (38)
Doug Davis (34) - Type B
Justin Duchscherer (32) - Type B
Adam Eaton (32)
Shawn Estes (37)
Josh Fogg (33)
Jon Garland (30) - $10MM mutual option with $2.5MM or $1MM buyout - Type B
Tom Glavine (44)
Mike Hampton (37)
Rich Harden (28) - Type B
Mark Hendrickson (36)
Livan Hernandez (35)
Shawn Hill (29)
Tim Hudson (34) - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Jason Jennings (31)
Jason Johnson (36)
Randy Johnson (46) - Type B
John Lackey (31) - Type A
Cliff Lee (31) - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout - Type A
Braden Looper (35) - $6.5MM mutual option with possible buyout - Type B
Rodrigo Lopez (34)
Jason Marquis (31) - Type B
Brett Myers (29)
Vicente Padilla (32) - Type B
John Parrish (32)
Carl Pavano (34) - Type B
Brad Penny (32)
Odalis Perez (33)
Andy Pettitte (38) - Type B
Joel Pineiro (31) - Type B
Sidney Ponson (33)
Mark Prior (28)
Horacio Ramirez (30)
Jason Schmidt (37)
Ben Sheets (31)
John Smoltz (43)
Brett Tomko (37)
Tim Wakefield (43) - perpetual $4MM club option - Type B
Jarrod Washburn (35)
Brandon Webb (31) - $8.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout - Type B
Todd Wellemeyer (31)
Kip Wells (33)
Randy Wolf (33) - Type A
The above list doesn’t boast many “Type A” starters, but a number of aging vets are worth ruling out. Guys like Tim Wakefield, Andy Pettitte, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine would rather sit out 2010 on a rocking chair than toil with the cellar-dwelling O’s.
Other players can pretty much be ruled out based on recent lackluster stints with the team. Don’t look for Sidney Ponson, Adam Eaton, or Daniel Cabrera in orange and black anytime soon, thankfully. Erik Bedard wasn’t popular with the media, but he was the last real Orioles ace. Alas, he can’t stay healthy enough to be counted on to anchor a rotation.
Candidates like Ben Sheets and Brandon Backe represent considerable injury risk as well. Neither hurler was able to stay upright in 2009, and the last time Mark Prior made a major league start Chris Rock was still funny.
Players like Mariners pitcher/poet/murder mystery writer Miguel Batista don’t offer a guaranteed upgrade over the O’s internal options.
The O's would benefit from a talent upgrade in the form of a Rich Harden, Braden Looper, Jason Marquis, Joel Piniero, or one-time Yankees softee Carl Pavano, but are they willing to give up the compensation necessary to obtain these “Type B” free agents?
The team could dig deeper into the free agent market to sign an injury risk player with upside but likely wouldn’t want to offer a player of that caliber more than a chance to compete in spring training.
Well, dear reader, do you see any diamonds in the rough or classified free agents worth a gander?
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