HAPPY NEW YEAR YALL!!!
Hope it’s happy…

Well, we need pitchers – 2 starters (unless we plan to use Munro/Redding/Hernandez)
Let’s see who’s left: (stats courtesy of ESPN, the baseball cube and Yahoo)

-Miguel Asencio, age 24, RHP (non-tendered) – had a mid 90s FB, but not good control and a good changeup.
2002 KC 4 – 7; 5.11 ERA 123.1 IP 64 BB 58K 4.7BB/9 4.2K/9 1.62 WHIP
2003 KC 8 starts, then needed surgery to remove bone chips: 2 – 1; 5.21ERA 48.1 IP 21BB 27K 3.9BB/9 5.0K/9 1.55 WHIP
2004 – tommy john surgery

-Andy Ashby, RHP, age 37, Free Agent San Diego — (lessee – how long has it been since he did not suck?) To make a long story short, he spent 01-03 with the Dodgers, maxed out at 183 IP in 02 with a 3.91 ERA, gave them 73 IP with a 5.18 ERA in 03, had TJ surgery 9/03: signed with the Padres in 04 and was on the DL all year – pitched a total of 2 innings.
MLB Totals: (14 Seasons) 4.12 ERA 2.68 BB/9 5.83 K/9 1.32 WHIP. Also, seems to do well at San Diego. Period. Is a ground ball pitcher, but, hasn’t done well for over 3 years.

-Pedro Astacio, RHP, age 35, Free Agent Boston –
92- 97 with LA 48 – 47 with a 4.11 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP 2.4 BB/9 and 6.2K/9
97 – 01 Rockies – 53 – 48 with a 5.07 ERA (hey, Coors) Whip 1.44 2.9 BB/9 and 8.9K/9
2001 Astros – we only got 28.2 IP we went 2 – 1 3.14 ERA 1.3BB/9 6.0K/9 1.19 WHIP
2002 Mets 12 – 11 4.79ERA 31GS 191.2 IP 63BB 152K 3.0BB/9 7.1K/9 1.33WHIP
2003 Mets NL 36.2IP – injured (and sucked) and needed shoulder surgery in June
2004 Red Sox (in the minors most of the year) 8.2 IP, sucked
MLB Totals: (13 Seasons) 118 – 109; 4.61ERA; 2.99 BB/9; 7.02 K/9; 1.37 WHIP

-Omar Daal, age 32, LHP, free agent, Baltimore
- in the bigs since 1993 for LA (93 – 95) Expos (96 – 97) Toronto (97) Dbax (98-00) Philly (00-01) LA (02) Baltimore (03) injured 04. I’m trying to be nice here, but the only years he was even basically league average were in 01 and 02
2001 Phillies 13 – 7 4.46ERA 32 GS 185.2 IP 2.7BB/9 5.2K/9 1.38 WHIP
2002 LA 11 – 9 3.90ERA 23GS (relieved in 14) 161.1IP 3.0BB/9 5.9K/9 1.21WHIP
2003 -Orioles – you don’t wanna hear. lost command and velocity of FB – ended up with 17 GS and a 6.34 ERA
2004 – out most of the year with shoulder surgery

- Shawn Estes, LHP, age 31, Free Agent Colorado — supposed to have “great stuff” but be a wimp – evidence – refused to throw at Roger Clemens’ head to retaliate for an injustice done the year before when he was not on the team. Cuz REAL men throw at ballplayers’ heads…..
ANYWAY – played for SF 95 – 01, never quite living up to “projections” made for him when he came up as a 22 year old. Had one really good year, 1997, 10-5, 3.18 ERA (but lots of walks – 4.5/9) and a decent 8.1 K/9. The Giants soured on him after 01 and he went to the Mets where he posted a 4.55 ERA in a pitcher’s park, lowered his K/9 from around 8 to 6.5 and got his wimpy ol self traded to the Reds at the trading deadline where he raised his ERA to 7.71 and lowered his K/9 to 5.5. In 03, probably at the request of Dusty Baker, he was signed by the Cubs, who needed lefties, and had a lousy year – 5.73 ERA, WHIP 1.74; last year, he pitched in Colorado (said he was a new man with a purpose) and went 15 – 8 with a 5.84 ERA 117K/105 BB.
MLB Totals: (10 Seasons) 92 – 81; 4.71ERA

- Esteban Loaiza, RHP, age 32, Free Agent NY Yankees — basically, a guy who was just below league average until 2003 when he had an absolutely amazing fluke year, (supposedly from a new cut FB and the ability to throw strikes) came in second in the Cy Young, then returned to previous El Sucko last year. (Did NOT did the Yankee lifestyle…) He had a 10 – 7 record with the White Sox/Yanks in 04 and a 5.70 ERA. Unlike all the previous pitchers, he is supposed to be a reasonably good fielder.
MLB Totals: (10 Seasons) 100 – 89; 4.70ERA; 2.62 BB/9; 5.86 K/9: 1.42WHIP

- Derek Lowe, RHP, age 31, Free Agent Boston — agent is Scott Bore-ass. You all know the Derek story – came to Boston with Varitek in the infamous Heathcliff Slocumb trade – not sure if he could be a starter – made him a reliever – oh joy, the Save-iour had come, but sucked the next year, was booed, started the next, did ever so well, even threw a no-hitter, but his ground ball inducing skill was just not the ticket with the lead gloved Boston fielders this past year, was down and out (5.42 ERA and 1.61 WHIP) until he was Da Man in the series. Oops, I mean the Yankee series (the only REAL series there, hunh) and rescued the Boston faithful with all those innings of awesome pitching. Shall I call him good and lousy to sum it up? I hear Boras wants more than 21 mill/3 years. Yeah, surrrrrrrrre.
MLB Totals: (8 Seasons) 72 – 59; 3.88 ERA; 2.74BB/9; 5.88K/9; 1.30WHIP

- Hideo Nomo, RHP, age 36, Free Agent Los Angeles — Nomo came to LA at ge 27 from Japan – was ROY in 1995. Did well for a few years, but had steadily decreasing Ks and increasing ERAs and in 98, LA figured he was washed up. Signed a 1 year deal with the Brewers in 99 – did well with that lousy team 12-8 with a 4.54 ERA. Signed a 1 year with the Tigers in 00, went 12 -4 with that terrible team and a 4.74 ERA. Signed a 1 year with Boston in 01, threw a no-hitter went 13 – 10 with a 4.54 ERA and a 10:4 K/BB ratio. LA decided they wanted him back and signed him to a 3 year contract. He did fine in 02 and 03 – went 32-19 with a 3.24 ERA and a 7.6:4 K/BB ratio. However, last year he got hurt and was, uh, um, well, just awful – 8.24 ERA. He supposedly dropped like 10 MPH on his FB and can’t locate anything.

- Darren Oliver, LHP, age 34, Free Agent Houston –
we’re talking bout a guy with a career 5.07 ERA – has spent most of his carreer with the Rangers, though. Career 3.72 BB/9; 5.33 K/9; 1.54 WHIP. in 04, he started the year with the Marlins, didn’t do real too well in relief, mostly- went 2-3 with a 6.44 ERA. We traded for him in July and he pitched mostly in relief, but started 2 games, went a whole 5 innings in the one he won and ended up pitching 14 innings with a 3.86 ERA (like his lowest by a full point in more than 10 years. Yeah, I know. Small sample size.) Anyway, he hurt his shoulder August 10th, went on the DL for a while, came back and pitched a few innings here and there, but wasn’t on the post season roster, and he was not offered arbitration.

- Odalis Perez, LHP, age 27, Free Agent Los Angeles — not sure why they don’t want him back. I’d take him. He has a good FB, change and curve. He started his career with Atlanta in 98 – spent a lot of time on the DL before needing TJ surgery in late 2000. He was traded to LA in the Russ Ortiz deal. Last year with LA, he started 31 games, was 7 -6 with a 3.25 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP and 148K: 44 BB. He did fairly well in 02 – 15 – 10; 3.00ERA 32GS 222.1 IP; 1.5BB/9; 6.3K/9: 0.99WHIP. In 2003, he went 12 – 12; 4.52ERA, 30GS 185.1 IP; 2.2BB/9; 6.9K/9; 1.28 WHIP
MLB Totals: (6 Seasons) 45 – 43 4.01ERA (included high ERAs with Atlanta) 2.51BB/9; 6.53 K/9; 1.24 WHIP.
Note: he um, sucked in the playoffs against the Cards…. but, small sample size…

- Todd Ritchie, RHP, age 33, Free Agent Tampa Bay — yall remember him – the Next Great Pitcher for Pittsburgh 99 – 01 (ahem) 35 – 32 with a 4.38 ERA and a WHIP 1.30 and a 2.5:5.8 BB/K. But in one of Dave Littlefield’s few decent trades, he traded him to the White Sox for Kip Wells, Josh Fogg and Sean Lowe. Ritchie didn’t do real too good in the AL – 5-15 with a 6.06 ERA and 4 QS – we’ll leave it there. Hey anyone can have the year from hell, right? The Brewers signed him to a minor league contract the next year, and he managed 28 IP in the bigs – lowered his ERA a full point. WOW. Last year, he spent most of the year in the minors and managed to pitch 8 innings for the Devil Rays. I KNOW he wishes he never left Pitsburgh…..Even though 1999 was his only decent year.

- Scott Schoeneweis, LHP, age 31, Non-Tendered Chicago Sox –
now how can I put it – he came up with the Angels in 2000, well hyped. Is supposed to have the famous “good” stuff, but doesn’t know how to win. Maybe because he has only a FB and change and can’t get righties out. Or something. Anyway, he started for 2 years, then Scoscia decided to try him in the bullpen, which lowered his ERA 5.48 to 4.22, even though it didn’t increase Ks or lower BBs. He complained so much about not starting that in 03 he was traded to the White Sox and in 04, they let him start 19 games. He had a 6-9 with a 5.16 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP in the mighty AL central. His ERA as a starter is over 5. On the good side, he pitches over 200 innings a year…
MLB Totals: (6 Seasons – both starting and relieving) 36 – 41 5.16ERA 223 93 3.49BB/9; 4.99K/9; 1.47 ERA

- Aaron Sele, RHP, age 34, Free Agent Anaheim –
wow – can he be washed up at age 34? He was a first rounder in 92 for Boston, came to the bigs at age 23 in 93 (can you believe that Boston actually used to have prospects that came to the bigs?) Went 38 – 33 with a 4.76 ERA from 93 – 97. Played for the Rangers’ championship teams in 98 and 99, going 37 – 20 with a 4.51 ERA in 417.2 IP and a 1.52 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9 and 7.6K/9.
He then went to Seattle as a FA for 2000 and 01 going 32-10 with a 4.10 ERA in 426.2 IP, a 1.32 WHIP, 2.6 BB/9 and 5.3K/9.
- A winner. A horse.
He signed a 3 year contract with the Angels and won a ring in 02, despite being hurt. He went 8 – 9 with a 4.89 ERA in 26 GS, pitched 160 innings with 2.8BB/9 4.6K/9 and 1.49 WHIP. He was still not his old self in 03 after surgery, 7 – 11 with a 5.77ERA in 25GS over 121.2 IP. Walks increased to 4.3BB/9 and K decreased to a career low 3.9K/9. WHIP was 1.59
2004 wasn’t much better; 9 – 4 with a 5.05ERA in 24GS (and 4 relief appearances) over 132.0 IP – again he had decreased Ks (3.5/9) and an increased WHIP of 1.62 and he required shoulder surgery during the year. He no longer has command or velocity on the FB.

- Steve Sparks, age 39 Free Agent Arizona — can you say, washed up???!!! a knuckleballer who didn’t pitch in the bigs until he was 30 – basically had exactly one good year – 2001, age 35. (Gee, he forgot to read all about performance curves, didn’t he…) Anyway, started 15 games for the TERRIBLE Dbax last year, pitched 160 innings with a 6.04 ERA. In his defense, I must say that the Dbax didn’t have good defense last year. To say the least…

- Ismael Valdez, RHP, age 31, Free Agent Florida –
He started in the majors at age 20 in 1994, pitching for LA, and did a find job for them as a starter from 95 – 99 going 63 – 54 with a 3.41 ERA. Since then, he has bounced from team to team, his one decent year in 02, pitched 146.2 innings for the Rangers with a 3.93 ERA. He went 14 – 9 in 31 GS over 170 IP for the Padres and Marlins last year with a 5.19 ERA. He does have a lifetime 4.04 ERA, but a lot of that is because of his good early years in LA. He’s another sinkerball pitcher and needs good defense.

OK – summary -
except for Odalis Perez, who isn’t washed up or El Sucko?
Maybe Miguel Acencio – but who knows what that arm is like, even though he’s only 24. Maybe a mior league contract?!

Derek Lowe might not be real too bad, especially coming to the NL, but not at Bore-ass prices.
Could any of the rest of these guys be Esteban Loaiza 2003? Sure. Anything is possible. Except pregnant men. And I kinda think that the probability we will find an ace among these losers is right about the same….

Tags: Houston Astros, MLB

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