2010 Free Agent Starting Pitching Options

[sheetskout]

Checking the 2010 potential SP free agents (Link: http://www.mlbtraderumors...12/2010-mlb-free-a.html)

 

I am officially getting on the Rich Harden bandwagon. I think this would be a great opportunity to get a strikeout-pitcher with upside, while taking one away from a division rival. Health has always been a concern for Harden and he currently pulls around 7-million per season. I see him signing for around ten-million per year. Thoughts on Harden or any of the others on the list?

 

Starting pitchers

Brandon Backe (32)

Miguel Batista (39)

Josh Beckett (30) - $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout

Erik Bedard (31)

Kris Benson (34)

Daniel Cabrera (29)

Chris Capuano (31)

Bartolo Colon (37)

Jose Contreras (38)

Doug Davis (34)

Justin Duchscherer (32)

Adam Eaton (32)

Shawn Estes (37)

Josh Fogg (33)

Freddy Garcia (34)

Jon Garland (30) - $10MM mutual option with $2.5MM or $1MM buyout

Tom Glavine (44)

Mike Hampton (37)

Rich Harden (28)

Mark Hendrickson (36)

Livan Hernandez (35)

Tim Hudson (34) - $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout

Jason Jennings (31)

Jason Johnson (36)

Randy Johnson (46)

John Lackey (31)

Cliff Lee (31) - $8MM club option with a $1MM buyout

Braden Looper (35) - option

Rodrigo Lopez (34)

Jason Marquis (31)

Kevin Millwood (35) - Rangers can decline $12MM salary for '10 unless he reaches 180 innings in '09

Brian Moehler (38) - mutual option

Brett Myers (29)

Vicente Padilla (32) - $12MM club option with a $1.75MM buyout

Chan Ho Park (37)

John Parrish (32)

Carl Pavano (34)

Brad Penny (32)

Odalis Perez (33)

Andy Pettitte (38)

Joel Pineiro (31)

Sidney Ponson (33)

Mark Prior (28)

Horacio Ramirez (30)

Jason Schmidt (37)

John Smoltz (43)

Tim Wakefield (43) - perpetual $4MM club option

Jarrod Washburn (35)

Brandon Webb (31) - $8.5MM club option with a $500K+ buyout

Todd Wellemeyer (31)

Kip Wells (33)

Randy Wolf (33)

 

 

BOLD = Boras Client

[kramnoj]

There isn't a pitcher in that group that I am personally looking forward to. Harden doesn't interest me. Too much missed time, and he isn't even good this year. I just don't see much value in that group, unless we get a repeat of this past season where teams don't have that much money to spend.

 

I'm hoping that the Brewers will land a good pitcher with Hardy. With some luck, we could see some minor league arms step up next year when pitchers will get hurt or falter.

[KCBrewerfan34]

Lackey would be a great GET!!

[sheetskout]

Lackey would be a EXPENSIVE GET!!

Fixed. I don't realistically believe we have a shot to get the number one offering out there. Harden at least would come cheaper and has tremendous upside. I don't think he's pitched badly this year and certainly knows how to miss bats.

 

I don't see us getting anyone substantial for Hardy alone. His value has simply gone down too much.

[TheCrew07]

I don't see the Brewers spending money on significant FA pitching with over 20 million on the books for Hall and Suppan.

[fondybrewfan]

Duchsherer would be a decent buy low candidate after is injury plagued 2009. Same with Tim Hudson. I knida doubt ATL is going to pick up his option.

 

I think we will need at least 2 solid pitchers this offseason so i don't think Doug is going to break the bank on the top 1-3 guys like Lacke or Harden. That is unless he could trade a Hardy, Hart, etc for a good major league ready prospect.

[dadofandrew]

Yo

Manny

Suppan

Bush

 

Those 4 are almost certainly part of the '10 rotation. Considering they'll target a nearly ready SP for Hardy, guys like Justin D make sense, as he could easily shift to the bullpen.

[BREWCREW5]

I think the cubs will probably resign Harden. They typically have the money to keep their players, examples would be Ramirez and Dempster.

[endaround]

The guy you don't have listed, Escobar is the most intriguing. My guess is the Angles keep Lackey and let Escoabr walk. Given this shallow market but bad economy is difficult to guess what a guy coming off injury at his age will get.

[PeaveyFury]

I almost expect the Brewers to sign Doug Davis at this point- he fits a need, fits the price range, will be type B instead of type A, and would actually have a serious interest in coming here.

[DHonks]

Of that list, the only ones that I'd be intrigued by are Davis, Penny, Wolf, Lackey, Washburn, Marquis, Myers, and Bedard. Duchscherer would be okay. I'd also assume the Crew tries to bring back Capuano on an incentive laiden deal

[logan82]

It looks like a list of guys that we might offer a one or two year deal to. The best bet other than a trade looks to be signing a couple guys to short term deals until our talent in the minors can develop.

[Hate those Rodents]

We could do worse than adding Davis as our free agent signing and trading Hardy for another starter. Pair these two with Yo, Parra, and Bush. Suppan pitches as the longman out of the bullpen and as our starter if injury occurs.

[trwi7]

Hudson and Escobar would interest me on incentive laden deals.

[jvrocksaz]

Where is Ben Sheets on that list? Not that I would want him though...

[nate82]

Jason Schmidt is also a player coming off injury and will be available in free agency he maybe worth looking at.

[Invader3K]

Where is Ben Sheets on that list? Not that I would want him though...

 

The thing with Sheets is that even if he could be convinced to come back to Milwaukee (and that seems like a very remote possibility at this point), you really don't know what to expect from him. He had a serious injury, and has had a lengthy rehab. There's no way knowing if he'll ever regain his previous form. It's not like he's getting any younger, either. I don't see anyone worth seriously pursuing on that list. Lackey seems like the biggest fish on there, but I'm guessing he re-signs with the Angels. I think Melvin's best bet will be to pursue a trade for someone currently under contract.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't see Hall and Suppan being on the books for $20 million as a factor because both can be off the books for 2011.

 

I see Washburn as their number 1 priority as it was hinted that had they got him in a trade, they were ready to go all out to sign him. Piniero would be my number 2 choice. His outing against the Brewers was the most impressive performance by any pitcher they've seen this year. Bedard would be number 3.

 

Marquis wouldn't be horrible either. Davis? Oh if he came really cheap maybe.

 

I'd take a flyer on Duchsherer too only if another solid guy is added somehow.

[PilprinBuddha]

I'd sign two of the guys coming off of surgery. We can't afford a top notch starter, but 2 middle level guys could help.

 

Suppan is a middle reliever now...2-4 innings is all he is good for.

 

Looper I'd like back

 

Yo

Parra

Busch

Looper?

And two more guys off the list.

 

I expect Hardy to be dealt in the off season. If we can pick up a SP from that deal then maybe we need only one off the list with Looper.

[Tbadder]

I'd wait until everyone has signed and pick up the dregs cheap no matter who it is. I don't think Hardy or Hart will be traded unless Melvin is willing to trade low, which is almost always a mistake. I want no part of a Type A free agent.

[monty57]

I think our first effort at finding Looper's replacement will be by trading Hardy. If that doesn't go through, I could see Melvin going after a Type A if and only if one of two things happens. (1) they receive a first rounder for Hoffman and/or Cameron or (2) they end up in the bottom half of teams, so they only lose a second rounder. Losing some of Hall's salary in a trade would be helpful as well, but that's probably unlikely. It would be wonderful if they could get another top of the rotation starter to go along with Yo, and now would be a good time to do it, as it would fill a huge hole for next season, he'd be able to help usher in the next wave of prospects, and that pitcher's contract would be ending around the time we could fill our rotation with guys from the farm.

 

I really don't want to see them pull another Suppan... sign an average pitcher to a long term deal. I'd rather they spend an extra $2-4MM/year to get quality. If they can't trade for or sign a good pitcher, then try for another one-year contract like we did for Looper this season and hope it pays off.

[BrewCrewForever]

Yo

Manny

Suppan

Bush

 

Those 4 are almost certainly part of the '10 rotation. Considering they'll target a nearly ready SP for Hardy, guys like Justin D make sense, as he could easily shift to the bullpen.

I agree with Al, those four will almost for sure be in the rotation in 2010. Just gotta get a #2 type guy for Hardy and or Hart.

[twobrewers]

I am surprised by the lack of interest in Bedard. When healthy, he is dominant in the AL. In the National League, he might be a top 5 pitcher.

 

I think Bedard's situation plays out one of two ways...

 

1. Bedard takes a very reasonable 1 year deal to try and prove he is healthy before getting a bigger/longer contract.

 

2. Bedard is so injury prone that he holds out for a long term contract - fearing he might never get another long term contract. (Ala Ben Sheets last year)

 

I'd be very interested in the first scenario. And, if he does opt for that route, he would almost certainly come to the National League.

[endaround]

I selfishly don't want to deal with the media and this board if Bedard was here. A guy who often takes himself out at 100 pitches in a city that thought Sheets didn't give enough last year with 198 innings?

[Bnowell4evr]

Someone mentioned in another thread that they think Hardy to a team like the Orioles makes the most sense in the offseason. After he said that I got to looking at there team and I got to say Id really enjoy seeing Brad Bergeson pitching for us.

 

He doesn't have a great arm but he finds a way to get people out. You cant argue with his stats (currently posting a 3.48 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in the AL. Hes got a streak of 10 straight outings going atleast 6 innings something that is extremely hard for us to get out of any of our pitchers not named Yovani. Another cheap innings eater in the mold of Dave Bush who we would have under control for quite sometime wouldnt be too bad to have around.

 

Then re-sign Hoffman and go after a guy like Duchscherer who has the flexibility to go between starting and relieving.