Ray’s Ramblings: Contracts – Pitchers

Here’s a link to a review of the contracts picked up by ball clubs for batters.  

BUCHHOLZ REAMAINS IN BOSTON

Clay Buchholz, my favorite, had his $13.5 million contract option picked up the Red Sox. If you want to read a defense of why the Sox made the move check out this piece. The 32 year old righty continues to do his thing… and by that I mean the following. (1) At times he blows chunks. He posted a 5.91 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over his first 18 outings. (2) At times he dominates. In August he had a 2.86 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Over his last 14 outings he had eight victories and a 3.02 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. (3) In the end he’s just a guy. Really, they gave $13.5 million to a guy who had an 8-10 record with a 4.78 ERA in the just completed season. That same guy owns the following numbers the last three seasons: 23-28, 4.60 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 7.06 K/9 and 2.81 BB/9. Those aren’t even league average numbers folks. He’s not worth it, and he’s not worth counting on in fantasy leagues. You simply cannot trust him from start-to-start. Period.

GARCIA STILL A CARDINAL

Jaime Garcia had his $12 million option picked up by the Cardinals. He won 10 games while lasting 171.2 innings for the Cards, the only team he’s ever known. He also posted a seven year high in the ERA (4.67) and WHIP (1.37) columns, and posted a 2.99 BB/9 rate, a six year high. He’s just not a good fantasy option. Bad ratios and a track record that includes one season of 130-innings in five years leaves me uninterested. It’s the sad state of pitching that we’re in that led the Cardinals to bringing Garcia back. Still, with all the starting options the Cards have, my question is – why? Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Carlos Martinez, Alex Reyes, Mike Leake, Luke Weaver, Lance Lynn are just some of the options the Cards can turn to before they have to start worrying about a guy like Garcia.

GIANTS MAKE EASY CALL

Matt Moore will be a Giant next season as the club picked up their $7 million option on the lefty. Is a 27 year old lefty who had an up and down season in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. Still, it was an easy call for the Giants to bring him back. Over 33 starts Moore went 13-12 over 198.1 innings. His ERA was 4.08, his WHIP 1.29 which are totally league average numbers, but he did strike out 178 batters, and he’s left-handed. Should be better next season, but consistency has always been an issue for the lefty.

NATIONALS HOLD ON TO GONZALEZ

Gio Gonzalez will have his $12 million option picked up by the Nationals. Gio was very Buchholz-like in 2016 with an and down efforts all season long. Here are his monthly ERAs: 1.42, 5.23, 6.95, 2.70, 3.58 and 7.43. The end number was 4.57, his worst mark since 2009. However, he didn’t pitch much differently this season than he normally does. Check out the numbers.

If Gonzalez pitches like he did in 2016 in 2017, especially keeping that walk rate down, his performance next season will be much, much better.

ROYALS KEEP TWO

Wade Davis ($10 million) and Alcides Escobar ($6.5 million) both had their contracts picked up by the Royals. I broke down Davis in Wade Davis & LDS.

Escobar will be 30 in December. He hit .261 in 2016, one point off his career mark. He drove in 55 runs, a career best. He scored 57 runs, a three year low. He stole 17 bases, tying his mark from 2015, the lowest steals total he’s posted since 2010. For the last two seasons his OBP has been .293 which is ghastly. He’s a bad offensive player, period. He’s a poor fantasy option, period. Ned Yost still hit him first in 82 games in 2016. I don’t know who is worse – Escobar as a player or Yost as a manager?

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM EDT PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).