Find me a Pitcher

[Guest Edgy DC]

Here's 40 more-or-less free agent eligible starting pitcher guys. Sure, some of them are more likely to continue their careers than others, but there it is. Next to each is the name of one of 40 more or less active posters.

Meditate on your guy. Research him. Tell us his pluses, his minuses, his upside, his downside, his health status, what it would honestly cost the Mets to sign him, whether it would be worth it. Would it be disastrous? Just how disastrous. Tell us his pitching repetoire, his weight issues, his wife's name, his girlfriend's name, his religious positions, his criminal record, etc.

Make this the most informed web forum community thing out there. Make me proud.

Tony Armas, Jr. PIT	A Boy Named Seo
Kris Benson BAL	bmfc1
Paul Byrd CLE	Centerfield
Shawn Chacon PIT	cooby
Roger Clemens NYY	DocTee
Matt Clement BOS	Edgy DC
Bartolo Colon LAA	Elster88
Scott Elarton CLE	G-FAFIF
Josh Fogg COL	Fman99
Casey Fossum TB	Frayed Knot
Freddy Garcia PHI	Gwreck (where the deuce is Gwreck?)
Tom Glavine NYM	holychicken
Livan Hernandez ARZ	Iubitul
Jason Jennings HOU	jerseyshore
Brian Lawrence NYM	John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jon Lieber PHI	Kid Carson
Kyle Lohse PHI	martin
Rodrigo Lopez COL	Mendoza Line
Greg Maddux SD	Methead
Wade Miller CHC	metirish
Eric Milton CIN	metsguyinmichigan
Russ Ortiz SF	metsmarathon
Odalis Perez KC	Nymr83
Andy Pettitte NYY	MFS62
Mark Redman COL	OlerudOwned
Kenny Rogers DET	RealityChuck
Curt Schilling BOS	Rockin' Doc
Carlos Silva MIN	Rotblatt
Julian Tavarez BOS	seawolf17
John Thomson KC	sharpie
Brett Tomko SD	SI Metman
Steve Trachsel CHC	smg58
Tim Wakefield BOS	soupcan
Jeff Weaver SEA	SteveJRogers
David Wells LAD	TheOldMole
Kip Wells STL	TransMonk
Randy Wolf LAD	Vic Sage
Jamey Wright TEX	vtmet
Jaret Wright BAL	Willets (baby?)
Victor Zambrano BAL	Yancy Street Game

[smg58]

I get the easy one.

Steve Trachsel

age: 37 (on edit: he will turn 37 on Halloween.)

2007 stats for Baltimore: 25 starts, 140.2 IP, 6-8, 4.48 ERA
for the Cubs: 4 starts, 17.1 IP, 1-3, 8.31 ERA

health: No injuries reported, but those 4 games with the Cubs in September were clearly not good.

pros: Has had some good years, including for us, and was serviceable for most of 2007.

cons: His peak was a while ago already. Everybody's last memory of him is the miserable NLCS outing against St. Louis -- but to be fair, he may have been pitching hurt, and compared to Tom's Glavine's last game his effort looks heroic.

what he's worth: A minor-league deal. I wouldn't guarantee him anything, but if he's willing to serve as long relief and a (hopefully) occasional starter, he might have 100 decent innings in him.

[metirish]

Wade Miller.

At one time in the early part of the new millennium Miller was one of the better young pitchers in the NL, 2001 and 02 saw him achieve his best seasons compiling a 16 - 8 record with 212 innings pitched and a 3.40 ERA with 183 SO. Miller pitched 164 innings and won 15 games with only 4 losses the next season with 144 SO and 3.28 ERA.


2003 he won 14 but lost 13 and many believe that was the season his arm trouble started, apparently he pitched through pain and didn't tell the team, 04 saw him on the DL by June , Miller was a gamer though and had a 7 - 7 record in 15 starts by then. Rotator cuff surgery finished him for that season and as a FA was signed by the Red Sox for the 05 season. Started that season on the DL and pitched 91 innings with a 4 - 4 record.


The next few seasons saw him with the Cubs where he never did pitch much and was cut in August 07.


In eight seasons Miller has a 62-45 record with 743 strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA in 880.2 innings.


I really don't know that Miller has any upside other than he would cost a team nothing much in terms of a contract, probably worth an invite to spring training, would he be any use in the bull pen.


Miller was drafted in the 20th round in the 1996 Draft.

The Mets draft that year was nothing good, name there first pick?

Mets Picks


Old friend Astro Annie has a page on Miller.

http://www.brokersys.com/~j-mag/

[Guest holychicken]

Tom Glavine:

On the final day of the 2007 schedule, with the entire season on the line, Glavine took the hill. Mets fans everywhere, praying for a win, watched in absolute horror as he proceeded to let 9 people reach base and 4 to score while recording just one out. His game ended with a beaning of the opposing pitcher to walk in another run.

Doors were kicked. The walls that house Mets fans were frozen with fear, waiting to being to be punctured by fists that seemingly felt no pain. Pets cowered under chairs and tables, afraid that the wrath they were witnessing was somehow their fault. Significant others questioned whether or not they had chosen their mate wisely. Booze cabinets and beer bottles were opened and drained with great haste.

His pitching line was 5 hits, 2 walks and 7 ER over 1/3rd of an inning.

It was a big ugly ! at the end of historic pennant race collapse.

Fair or not, because of that, he ain't coming back.

'nuff said.

Oh, his wife is kind of cute and he won 300 games.

[Guest Edgy DC]

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_136725.jpgMatt Clement, like Miller, is a few summers removed from his more competitive days, and finds himself now on the fringes. He was a darn good coming starter for the Cubs during the Bartman era, though his memory kind of got lost in the shuffle of the Prior-Wood-Zambrano Show. In December of 2004, he signed a fat three-year $25 million deal with the Red Sox. They backloaded it, clearly hoping to dump him on the Mets before the mortgage came due. But he didn't even last a year and a half, and he's sapped the Sawx for over $19 mills the last two years for all of 12 starts. Pope Clement should have been so rich.

http://cache.boston.com/images/bostondirtdogs//Headline_Archives/Clement_BDD.jpgHe was actually an All Star in 2005, starting 10-2 and replacing a hurt (or hiding) Roy Halladay, but his 2006 decline appears to have begun in that season's second half, finishing just 3-4. Another theory for his second half decline is a Carl Crawford liner off of the noggin that caught him above the right ear and skipped into left field. (See photo essay at right.)

After leaving a start early with discomfort in 2006, he attempted rest and rehab, but ended up going in for arthroscopic surgery (performed by the eminent James Andrews, thank you very much) on his pitching shoulder. That was 9/26/2006. He was predictably optimistic at the time, but he hasn't appearead since, and the barely hidden subtext of this article makes me say "Yeek."

BOSTON -- The agent for Boston Red Sox pitcher Matt Clement said the right-hander will not be able to throw for several months following surgery Tuesday on his shoulder, but is expected to be able to pitch again.

Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., who performed the surgery, said he "absolutely" expects Clement will be able to pitch again, agent Barry Axelrod told The Boston Globe and the Boston Herald on Wednesday.

Andrews performed arthroscopic surgery on Clement "to address ongoing issues with his right shoulder," the team said in a brief statement Wednesday night. "

There was significant pathology

identified at the time of the surgery, which was addressed. Matt will begin with a period of rest following the procedure, followed by an extensive rehabilitation process."

Clement has been on the disabled list since mid-June.

"Matt's not going to be throwing for a few months, he'll be immobilized for some period of time, but after that it will all depend on how effective his rehab is," Axelrod told the Herald.

Axelrod compared the injury to that of NFL quarterback Drew Brees, who had a torn labrum in his shoulder and a rotator cuff injury repaired by Andrews in January and is back playing for the New Orleans Saints this season.

"There were tears. The way the doctor described it,

there were three surgeries in one

," Axlerod told the Globe.

Clement 1.0 was capable of 7.75 SO/9. He liked hard stuff. He'd get ahead wtih the 4-seamer that peaked at 93 but sat around 90, and then get the righthanders to chase the slider off the plate. He'd attack lefties inside with cutter, but just as an out pitch. He preferred to stay away. His changeup was just to show, but he might expand it if he comes back.

He was known back in the day for his thick goatee. And fans would wear fake goatees on days he pitched. If he joins the Mets, pleeease don't do that shit.

http://www.jimmyfund.org/images/red_sox_gallery/2006/scooper-bowl.jpgMatt and his wife Heather have two sons --- Mattix (3) and Madden (1) --- so you know that he's kind of vain. That must've made it even harder when Boston fans would call into IdiotSports Radio during his period of decline and refer to him as DoorMatt and HazMatt. Heather is wearing the sunglasses at right, despite there clearly being no sun. I don't really like her slouchiness either.

If he joins the Mets, pleeease don't do that shit.

Matt will be 33 in 2008 and he'll have to spend some time in the minors showing he still has something, so he'd cost the Mets little more than a spring invite and a split minor-major league contract, with the major league portion probably no more than a pro-rated million, as Brian Lawrence got $750,000.

Sheesh, I know him so well now, I kind of hope the Mets do grab him.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Brian Lawrence

Tell us his pluses:
Can be had cheap. Doesn't eat as much as most pitchers at postgame thread. Easy to beat up. Hot wifey. Humbled by recent injury, release by "hometown" Rockies and poor 2007 results.

His minuses
Had every opportunity to win himself a guaranteed invite and abused it. Not a great physoical talent, so always needs to be at his best.

His upside
A poor man's Rick Reed or Bob Tewksbury (themselves poor men's Greg Madduxes), using a slow, slower, slowest collection of wiggly creampuffs and inshoots to keep opponents off-balance. In a best-case scenario, Lawrence gets movement on his junk and it stays in the strike zone, generating a fair amount of whiffs, lots poor contact, and very few walks.

His downside
His junk lacks movement and/or escapes the strike zone -- and when both happen, look out. Capable of destruction at the hands of such offensive powerhouses as Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Washington down the stretch. No precision = no success. Does not have the physical ability to will success without having his best junk.

his health status
Had surgery to repair a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff following the 2005 season and didn't pitch at all in 2006. It is possible that further recovery from these issues could warrant consideration, but that's a question for trainers and doctors to answer. Prior to that one of Larence's calling cards was his good health -- 3 consecutive 200 innings seasons for SD between 2002 and 2004.

what it would honestly cost the Mets to sign him
A plane ticket to St. Lucie

whether it would be worth it
Not as a Plan A

Would it be disastrous?
No. But only as an emergency starter/AAA depth kind of acquisition.

Just how disastrous.
Only a true disaster if he winds up pitching too many important innings/games, after he'd already demonstrated shakiness, as happened this August. As it is, his presence would indicate one or more things have gone wrong with the frontline starters.

Tell us his pitching repetoire
His fastball is 82-85 mph, really. Not that there's anything wrong with a lack of swiftness if it moves. Lawrence used the same (lack of) stuff to become one of the top prospects in the SD organization back in the day. He and Jake Peavy came up together.

his weight issues,
None. Lawrence is listed at 6-0, 195 but appears more like 5-10, 175. He actually looks malnourished. Yo, Maripat. Cook the man some dinner.

his wife's name
Maripat. Interestingly, Maripat is the sister of another junkball pitcher, Mark Redman. Did that ever make Wifey Watch?

Best I could do:


his girlfriend's name, his religious positions, his criminal record, etc.
Lawrence is among dozens of pro athletes who played for San Diego and made their homes in the Poway area, which was imperiled by the recent fires. Lawrence apparently was in Mexico this week but checked in with wifey Maripat who reported things were OK. Dave Justice's house burned to the ground. Phil Nevin lost all the trees on his property but his home survived. Bruce Bochy's son had to come and rescue his dog (the Bochys were vacationing in France).

Lawrence was released by the Mets after his last start -- a wretched effort in which he blew a 4-0 Metly lead at Washington by failing to get lout of the 4th. There are rumors the Tigers will invite him to camp.

What was he doing in Mexico without his hot bride? Visiting pharmacies? Checking out job opps with the Mexico City Reds? I guess we've seen the last of Brian Lawrence in a Met uni but probably not the last of Lawrence, period. He'll be 32 and still but a few years removed from a 15-win season. Somebody will give him a shot.

[Guest sharpie]

John Thomson

His name is a homophone for the Georgetown basketball coach. Whether he is a homophobe I was unable to determine except that he did tell the New York Times after being traded to the Mets in 2002 that �I don�t like cities much. I like to stay by myself.� He is the only baseball player to spell �Thomson� without a �p� other than the famous-home-run-hitter Bobby Thomson.

Thomson began his career with four and one-half unspectacular years with the Rockies when he was traded in a July 31, 2002 deadline deal along with Mark Little to the Mets for Jay Payton, Mark Corey and Robert Stratton. This turned out not to be one of Steve Phillips� better moments. The Mets were making a small run in the general direction of the Wild Card at that point and promptly nosedived afterward. In his first start for the Mets on August 3 Thomson�s error led to four unearned runs and later gave up a 3-run homer to future Met Jay Bell in a 9-2 loss to Arizona. Thomson went 2-6, 4.31 for the Mets who didn�t offer him a free agent contract.

His best season was 2004 when he went 14-8, 4.31 for the Braves. He followed those up with a couple of ineffective, injury-plagued seasons.

But in 2007 his old team, the Mets, made him an offer to return. Given a choice between New York and Toronto he chose Toronto saying:

]�As far as just looking at Paul Lo Duca across the field, I�m not really into how he acts behind the plate,� Thomson said on a conference call. �I know a bit about [Toronto catcher] Gregg Zaun and I know he wants to win and he�s not going to let anything get in his way to do that, and I like that. �And then with Vernon Wells in center field, I�m not really concerned about the outfield with him out there. � Just watching the Mets� outfield, if Cliff Floyd is still there it�s not a real good fit for him out there. He can hit the ball, but as far as defense, he�s a little shaky. �I just liked what�s happening in Toronto.�

Cliff Floyd was already gone by the time he said what he said and he had never thrown to Lo Duca.
He never got to throw to Gregg Zaun either. He was injured coming out of spring training and after going 3-4 4.47 for three minor league Toronto teams he was released on June 20. The Royals signed him on June 22. He made a couple of starts for the Royals, going 1-1, 3.38 before getting hurt again. He made some minor league starts for the Royals where he went 0-3 compiling a 14.53 ERA.
He turned 34 on the 1st of this month. He was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Whether he is married or not or is a committed relationship with a member of the same sex I could not determine.

[Fman99]

Proper Name: Joshua Smith Fogg
Born: December 13, 1976
Lynn, MA
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205 lbs.
Age: 30
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Pos: SP
Experience: 6 years
2007 Salary: $3,625,000
College: Florida

Married: wife named Jessica Fogg

Nicknames: "Chesty LaRue" (I have no source on this but it sounds nice)

Career record: 60-60, 4.90 ERA

Health record: Had arthroscopic surgery in his right elbow after the 2006 season to remove bone spurs.

Scouting report (stolen openly from Mets Geek's recurring "Upcoming Series: What to Expect" taken from April 2007):

"It might be safe to say at this point that Josh Fogg just isn�t a good major league starting pitcher. And yet the Rockies still insist on marching him out there for another thirty starts. He got off to a hot start with the Pirates in 2002, and I think teams have been letting him coast ever since. Fogg�s basically a junkballer with good control. His fastball has some sink but only tops out around 88, giving him one of the slowest fastballs in baseball. He has a pretty good change and a decent curve, both of which he�ll throw often. He�ll occasionally mix in a slider, and he�s also been working on a cutter, reducing the number of pitches he doesn�t throw to one.

What to Expect: Fogg absolutely needs to hit his spots to have any sort of success. If he leaves the ball up in the zone or out over the plate he�ll be hit hard (see above). A nibbler, the only way he can pitch well is to paint the corners and hope his fastball has a little bit of sink to it. He won�t throw the fastball terribly often�just a little over half the time�and he lives on his changeup, throwing that almost 22% of the time, the fourth highest rate in the league. He also has to be careful with his curveball which he will hang from time to time."

2007 vs. Mets: Went 2-0, 15 IP, 16 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO.

Pros: The guy is the classic MLB innings-eater. He's been consistently mediocre-to-poor over the course of his career. Look at his W-L record over the past 6 years.

2002 12-12
2003 10-9
2004 11-10
2005 6-11
2006 11-9
2007 10-9

There's a pattern of some kind here. His similar pitchers list on Baseball Reference includes such "luminaries" as Rodrigo Lopez, Jason Jennings, and former-Met-turned-whiny-bitch John Thomson. Yet this is your Game 3 WS starter, amazingly.

Cons: His ESPN photo makes it look like the guy next to him passed gas and he's enjoying it somehow. Creepy.

Upside: Best case - he gets more run support and puts up a 15 win season with lousy peripherals, a la Traschel in 2006.

Downside: He clogs up a SP slot with his 5.5 ERA and 4-8 record, that Pelfrey or Humber could be auditioning in and gaining MLB experience, thereby clogging progress in the name of "veteran stability." See Lawrence, Brian or Lima, Jose.

Cost: He made $3.6 million in 2007 and put up nearly identical numbers after doing so. I'd think the Mets could get him for about the same or less (2.5-3.5 mil, give/take) on a one-year flier. Yet the Mets seem to sign 3-6 of these types of guys every spring to try and fill out the roster with SP depth (see Sele, Aaron).

Disastrous rating: from 1 to 10, about a solid 7. This guy is a seat-warmer, like the guys at the Oscars who fill in the crowd when Al Pacino gets the green-apple splatters.

[Valadius]

What about me?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Feel free to take my Victor Zambrano.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Eric Milton

I defer to my best friend Will, who is a lifelong Reds fan, the former official scorer for the Columbus Clippers and is writing a book about the history of the minor leagues.

"What do you need other than the fact that he was one of the worst free-agent signings of all time?

Part of that was his fault -- he just wasn't very good before he signed and wasn't any good after -- and part was the Reds fault: they have a freakin' launching pad, and they sign a guy who gives up the gopher ball unlike any other pitcher in a long time.

I think one year he allowed 46 homers and was on pace to break the record of 50. This was in 200 innings or less, I think. Anyway, you can look it up on BBR.

In terms of win shares, one year he was totally worthless, 0 win shares, in enough innings to qualify for the ERA title.

That level of suckitude is not easy to accomplish."

Uncle Milty was in a word, a total stiff (that's three words)."

And on my own I discovered this: While a minor leaguer in the Yankee's system, Milton got a tattoo of the Yankee logo on his pitching shoulder. He never got into a game with the Yankees, after being traded with three other players (including Cristian Guzman) to the Minnesota Twins for Chuck Knoblauch.

Milton then got a tattoo of the Twins logo on his other shoulder. He has also pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies and for the Cincinnati Reds (but we don't know which body part bears those logos.)


And that, I believe, tells us what we need to know about Eric Milton. Granted, Shea is not the launching pad that Great American is. But unless we're looking for a new Lima, we should stay clear.

Maybe we can send him to the Phillies camp?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Seven of this year's FA pitchers are graduates of the Benson Bunch -- only Derek Lowe (4year deal?) is not with them:

Benson
Leiber
Perez
Ortiz
Clement
Wright
Milton

I think of the BB as a recent messdageboard thing. I've been at this way too long!

[Vic Sage]

RANDY WOLF

Full Name: Randall Christopher Wolf
Nickname: "Wolfie"
Born: 08/22/1976
Birthplace: Canoga Park, CA
Height: 5'10" Weight: 200
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
College: Pepperdine

This left-handed power pitcher showed early promise with the Phillies, peaking at age 26 with an all-star appearance. His high K rate made him a fan favorite in Philly, where he earned a following called THE WOLF PACK. But injuries stole Wolfie's future, and for his last 3 years in Philly he averaged 16 gs and 90 ip. He was still effective when he pitched, but he pitched rarely. Wolfie had Tommy John surgery in the middle of the 05 season, and the Phillies gave up on him after 2006.

He signed with his hometown Dodgers for the 2007 season, but his injuries continued, ending his season in July with another should operation (18 gs / 102 ip). Though Randy expected the Dodgers to buy out his option for `08, he said he wants to get another shot with the Dodgers next year. But at what price?

He was scheduled to get $9 million for next season, but obviously he can't expect to make anything like that now, no matter where he pitches. And the Dodgers could probably get a hometown discount, with an incentive-laden deal.

Should we sign him? At age 31, he's not over the hill. And you could catch lightning in a bottle with him, if he could navigate his way to 30 starts. Actually, if you put him and El Duque together, the Mets would have one hell of a pitcher. But the only kind of deal that makes sense with him is the kind the Dodgers are likely to offer, and he'll take their deal to stay home.

Career highlights
Amateur career: Wolf played PONY League Baseball at West Hills, CA. He played high school baseball at El Camino Real in Woodland Hills, CA, where he was named High School "Pitcher of the Year" by the Los Angeles Times in 1993, when he threw a no-hitter and perfect game in consecutive starts as a junior, and "Player of the Year" in 1994. when he went 12-3 as a senior...in both of those seasons, pitched in the Los Angeles City Championship game held at Dodger Stadium, leading his team to consecutive city titles.

June 2, 1994: He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 25th round of the 1994 amateur draft, but did not sign. He went to Pepperdine instead, where he was Freshman 1st Team All-America, West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year, 2nd team College All-American, and West Coast Conference All-Star.

June 3, 1997: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1997 amateur draft. Player signed July 11, 1997.

1997-1999: He rose quickly through the Phillies minor league system, accumulating a 19-12 record with 296 Ks over 290 ip (46 gs). He came up to the majors June 11, 1999, at age 22.

His major league record (and salaries):
1999 (Phi) 6 - 9 / 21 gs / 121 ip / ERA+ 86 ($200,000) age 22
2000 (Phi) 11 - 9 / 32 gs / 206 ip / ERA+ 107 ($240,000) age 23
2001 (Phi) 10 - 11 / 25 gs / 163 ip / ERA+ 116 ($365,000) age 24
2002 (Phi) 11 - 9 / 31 gs / 210 ip / ERA+ 121 ($450,000) age 25
2003 (Phi) 16 - 10 / 33 gs / 200 ip / ERA+ 94 ($2,375,000) age 26 [all-star]
2004 (Phi) 5 - 8 / 23 gs / 136 ip / ERA+ 105 ($4,375,000) age 27
2005 (Phi) 6 - 4 / 13 gs / 80 ip / ERA+ 100 ($6,625,000) age 28
2006 (Phi) 4 - 0 / 12 gs / 56 ip / ERA+ 84 ($9,125,000) age 29
2007 (LA) 9 - 6 / 18 gs / 102 ip / ERA+ 97 ($7,475,000) age 30

misc file: His cousin, Sid Akins, played minor league baseball and was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team which played at Dodger Stadium...his brother, Jim is a Major League umpire...was the 2003 winner of the Phillies Community Service Award as well as the club's winner of the Roberto Clemente Award for his outstanding community service...has served as a spokesman for the Children's Miracle Network since 2003, purchasing over $6,500 in tickets each year for CMN children and their families...has participated in "Baseballers Against Drugs" free baseball clinic for inner-city kids.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

My assigned pitcher, Curt Schilling, is still busy adding to his resume. I will submit a report on him once his season is completed.

[DocTee]

I've got this Clemens, Roger guy. Anybody know anything about him?

[TransMonk]

Robert Kip Wells is a 30-year-old right handed pitcher who is a free agent after spending 2007 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Over his career he is 64-91 with a 4.63 ERA in 203 starts. He is 6�3� and 205 pounds. He supposedly has five pitches with the best being a mediocre fastball. He currently lives in Houston with his wife Emily who is his best friend�s younger sister. They have a daughter Georgia who is 5 months old.

Wells was born on April 21, 1977 in Houston, TX. He is 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA in 3 career ML outings when pitching on his birthday. He attended Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas where he was an Academic Excellence Award winner and an All-State senior going 7-1 with a 2.35 ERA in 1995. Wells led his team to the 5-A Texas state championship that same year. His team finished 32-2 and was ranked #2 in Baseball America�s national high school poll.

After being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in June of 1995, he opted to go to Baylor University where he posted a career record of 21-14 for the Bears with a 5.17 ERA and 288 strikeouts in 3 collegiate seasons. His best year was his junior campaign where he went 13-4 with a 3.71 ERA and 4 complete games and 135 Ks. He was named First-Team All Big 12 and Second-Team All American that year and established a school record with his 13th win and Baylor's only victory in the Big 12 Tournament. Baseball America named him the #1 pro prospect in the Big 12 and put him #2 on the list of the "Top 100 Names You Need to Know For 2000".

Wells was the 16th overall pick of the 1998 amateur draft. Chosen by the Chicago White Sox, Kip did not agree to contract terms until December 12th. He made his ML debut on August 2nd, 1999 and earned his first win at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. He began 2000 as the #2 starter for Chicago but bounced up and down between the big club and AAA Charlotte. He was not included on the White Sox 2000 post season roster. In 2001, the White Sox gave Wells playing time, but mostly from the bullpen. He led the AL in wild pitches and gave up 14 HRs in his limited role as a starter.

In 2002, Wells was traded to Pittsburgh where he led the team in strikeouts, innings pitched and losses, while sharing the lead in wins and starts. On August 9th, he surrendered career HR #600 to Barry Bonds. 2003 was arguably his best year when he went 10-9 with a 3.28 ERA and led all National League pitchers with a 2.12 ERA while pitching at home and had the fifth-best ERA (2.41) in day games. 2004 was less consistent and Wells was plagued by minor injuries. He underwent minor surgery on 10/05/04 to eliminate sensation of numbness he experienced in the middle finger of his pitching hand throughout season. At the end of the 2005 season, Wells had a 55-69 record and a 4.36 E.R.A. after 188 games over the course of seven seasons. Wells led the league in losses in 2005, going 8-18 on a Pirates team that went 72-90. He received the lowest amount of run support among all major league pitchers (3.07 per game average).

Kip spent much of the 2006 season on the DL after doctors repaired an artery in his right arm and then an auxiliary artery was blocked and required a vein transfer from his leg. He was traded from Pittsburgh to Texas at the trading deadline and finished 2006 just 2-5 with a 6.50 ERA in 44.3 innings. In 2007, Wells had another disappointing year, again leading the league in losses while going 7-17 for the Cardinals with a 5.70 ERA.

His pluses are behind him. It is conceivable to think that were he on a better team in his younger years it may have benefited his career more. His minuses are that he is an aging pitcher who has never really had any ML success and seems to be getting worse over the past 3 years. The Mets could possibly offer him a minor league deal and he may not even be worth that. If the Mets were going into 2008 with Wells on the starting staff it will mean that Omar has had a disastrous off-season and the team is in deep trouble.

[Gwreck]

The Phillies acquired Freddy Garcia from the White Sox for two pitching prospects, including previously heralded Gavin Floyd (who didn't impress in his 16 outings -- including 10 starts.

2007 Injuries
Garcia was hurt as early as Spring Training 2007, including an alarming spring training start against the Blue Jays where his fastball was as slow as 76 MPH. It was later revealed that while his physical at the time showed nothing abnormal, no MRI was done at the time. Further, when the Phillies acquired him from the White Sox via trade in late 2006, they didn't get a physical at the time. Garcia wound up with a delayed start to the season but basically got hit hard every time out

After a June 8 start in Kansas City where Garcia didn't get out of the second inning but gave up 7 hits and 6 runs, Garcia finally went for that elusive MRI which revealed a partial labrum tear and fraying of the rorator cuff, and Garcia was headed to Birmingham to visit Dr. James Andrews.

Surprisngly, surgery didn't happen and Garcia was suposed to be on a path of rest and rehabilitation after being shut down for several weeks. That plan didn't work, and Garcia hasn't pitched since; he had surgery to repair his right labrum in August. The final 2007 line: 1-5, 5.90 in 11 starts, 12 HR, 74 H, 19 BB and 50 K in 58 innings.

Career Overview
Garcia had been one of the most consistent starters in baseball since he broke in with Seattle in 1999, pitching over 200 innings and racking up at least 12 wins every year from 99-06 (excepting 2000, when he missed a while with a broken bone in his leg). His best season was 2001 (the year Seattle won 116 games), 18-6, 3.05. Led the AL in ERA and IP.

2005 was also a standout year for Garcia, going 14-8, 3.87 in 288 innings for the World Champion White Sox -- he also went 3-0 in 3 posteason starts, with a 2.14 ERA.

Organizational and Contract History
Garcia was originally a product of the Houston system and one of the key prospects the Astros gave up to get Randy Johnson from the Mariners. He was traded to the White Sox in the middle of the 2004 season, and then to the Phillies before the 2007 season. Garcia's never tested the free agent market before -- he signed a three year extension while with the White Sox and the last year of that was 2007.

2008 Outlook
As for what Garcia has to offer this next year? Nobody can really know. The cautious thing would be to assume that he won't be ready to start the season and might not be available until May/June. He's thrown a ton of innings in his 9 year career, including a high of 257.2 innings in 2001 (including postseason) and an average of just shy of 200 innings per season, even including his two injury shortened seasons.

It would seem that the sensible offer might be for $3 million with a club option for 2009 but with the market for pitching, who knows if that'd stay. Garcia could be real valuable for the Mets, even if he didn't pitch at the beginning of the year, particularly as relief/insurance for El Duque, and a small investment obviously isn't going to break the bank.

Miscellaneous but Undeniably Essential Information
His wife is named Glendys, and "according" to Wikipedia, his favorite liquor is Jagermeister.

="EdgyDC"](where the deuce is Gwreck?)

Still reading, just not a lot to say these days. Waiting for the playoffs to end so I can get back into baseball.

[Fman99]

Hey, I "scouted" Josh Fogg during tonight's World Series game. And this just in... he sucks ass!

2.2 IP, 9 H, 2 BB, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 K

[Guest martin]

Kyle Matthew Lohse



2007: REC 9-12 | SV 0 | ERA 4.62 | WHIP 1.37

signed with the cubs in 97. traded to the twins in 99 and made his big league debut in 2001. bounced between the reds and twins until being dealt to the phillies at the deadline to help out with their run to the east title.

native americans in the big leagues:

lohse - nolaki tribe
joba chamberlain - winnebago
jacob ellsbury - navajo

pronounced lōsh, with an o like"kosher". the S and the H in his name desperately want to change places.

notable natives of chino california:

kyle lohse
diana taurasi, uconn/wnba star
ryan atwood, the rough but good-hearted hearthrob from fox's "The OC"
chad cordero, low-hat wearing nationals closer.

the phillies were 5-2 during his starts in their overtaking of the mets in august and september, but his fortunes changed in the playoffs, and his season ended on a sour note, with kaz matsui blasting a grand slam off him in game 3 of the NL divisional series.

"I liked Lohse against Matsui, I liked him going against Matsui and one reason I liked him is because of his stuff, breaking ball, changeup and fastball.' - charlie manuel

lohse has had a nice but unremarkable career. some of his age-comparables on baseball reference:

steve trachsel
jose lima
jeff suppan

kyle has a wife, gabby, and a daughter, kameron:




people who might play him when "the kyle lohse story" movie is made:

lou diamond phillips



that guy from linkin park, the one who raps:




kyle lohse scouting report: 6'2 althletic. 94 mph fastball, with good movement on curve and slider. control not great. poor changeup. fields his position well. can get flustered on the mound.

upside: not huge. unlikely to get his ERA below 4. a good bet to be ready go every 5th day. his teeth are nice.

downside: also not great. kyle doesnt get injured very often, and will give you 150 innings of mediocre pitching every year. you probably arent expecting him to be your ace, so he will not suprise you when he only wins 7 games in 2008. lohse can be solid, and he probably will not be terrible.

what would he cost? well, at 29 he will be one of the youngest free agent pitchers on the market, and he doesn't get hurt. his agent is scott boras, so he could cost more than a comparable pitcher. i dunno, 3 years and 25 million sounds about right.

should the mets sign him? maybe, his stuff isnt all that bad. he might be a jorge sosa type that the pitching coaches can work with. although i suppose you could argue a guy like him just blocks higher ceiling guys from making it. but he could fill your 4th or 5th starter role and be adequate.

lohse enjoys spending time with his fans. he poses here with "evie"

[Elster88]

jacob ellsbury - navajo


I think it's Jacoby.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Thank god we cleared that up. I thought he meant a different guy.

[Guest martin]

Elster88 wrote: jacob ellsbury - navajo I think it's Jacoby.

most native americans drop the y in casual situations.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

Edgon dropped my y.

I don't have time to research Jon Lieber (nor wanna).

Boo. me.

[MFS62]

Andrew Eugene Pettitte
Born June 15, 1972 in Baton Rouge, LA
Bats Left, Throws Left
Height 6' 5", Weight 235 lb.

Career Records:

Regular season:
210-113 2527.7 IP, 2636H, 790BB, 1844K, 3.83 ERA, 118 ERA+, 1.355 WHIP

Post Season:
14-9, 3.96ERA, 218.1 IP, 235 H, 60 BB, 139 K (couldn't find the other stats)

Personal observations:
For a guy that big, his last name is inappropriate.
He may have the biggest nose in the major leagues since Ernie "Schnoz" Lombardi. When he's pitching to Jorge Posada, their noses are about 10 feet closer than 60' 6".

Reputation:
"Big Game" postseason pitcher
Great pickoff move (which opposing managers still claim is a balk)

Off field stuff:
Made a tv ad for selling Bibles. I'm not sure if that irritated Boss George, but that was the year that, despite his record, Boss Geaorge reportedly insisted he not be re-signed. All else written about him says he was a good guy, a good teammate and a tough competitor.

He signed with the Yankees again and many say it was for a chance to be reunited with his pitching buddy Roger Clemens.

Now that he's a free agent:

Why he'll stay with the Yankees:
He's a Yankee.
He's a winner.
He doesn't seem concerned with chasing the most money - IIRC he would have signed with the Yanks when he was let go for less than what was being offered.

Why he would sign with the Mets:
I can't come up with a good reason, or any reason for that matter.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Fman99 wrote: His fastball has some sink but only tops out around 88, giving him one of the slowest fastballs in baseball.

Dubious.

[Fman99]

="MFS62"]Andrew Eugene Pettitte Born June 15, 1972 in Baton Rouge, LA Bats Left, Throws Left Height 6' 5", Weight 235 lb. Career Records: Regular season: 210-113 2527.7 IP, 2636H, 790BB, 1844K, 3.83 ERA, 118 ERA+, 1.355 WHIP Post Season: 14-9, 3.96ERA, 218.1 IP, 235 H, 60 BB, 139 K (couldn't find the other stats) Personal observations: For a guy that big, his last name is inappropriate. He may have the biggest nose in the major leagues since Ernie "Schnoz" Lombardi. When he's pitching to Jorge Posada, their noses are about 10 feet closer than 60' 6". Reputation: "Big Game" postseason pitcher Great pickoff move (which opposing managers still claim is a balk) Off field stuff: Made a tv ad for selling Bibles. I'm not sure if that irritated Boss George, but that was the year that, despite his record, Boss Geaorge reportedly insisted he not be re-signed. All else written about him says he was a good guy, a good teammate and a tough competitor. He signed with the Yankees again and many say it was for a chance to be reunited with his pitching buddy Roger Clemens. Now that he's a free agent: Why he'll stay with the Yankees: He's a Yankee. He's a winner. He doesn't seem concerned with chasing the most money - IIRC he would have signed with the Yanks when he was let go for less than what was being offered. Why he would sign with the Mets: I can't come up with a good reason, or any reason for that matter. Later

More enjoyable was the "incident" where his kids were photographed in the Yankee dugout wearing Mets caps (that was the Little League team they were on).

[Guest Edgy DC]

Gwreck wrote: His (Freddy Garcia's wife is named Glendys... .

She's Ozzie Guillen's niece.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Among who is on the board, right now Lohse is most intriguing, but Wells might be the better bet for the short money the Mets might want to go with.

[MFS62]

Pettitte announced today (as per WFAN) that he will either stay a Yankee next year or retire.
That seems to remove him from consideration as a future Met.
I guess that also means he won't be following Joe to LA.

Later

[Gwreck]

Schilling might be an insufferable blowhard but if he truly only wants a 1 year deal I'm intrigued.