http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/07/bronson-arroyo-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery.html

 

 

Puts another twist on the last off-season.

I thought only max effort guys hurt their elbows?

On the same day that Nolasco has to get an MRI? Is this the baseball god's way of reminding Twins fans who are about to jump off a cliff that things could always be worse?

You know it's been a rough year on pitchers when Bronson Arroyo needs TJ surgery. We're back to death and taxes being the only certainties in life.

I thought only max effort guys hurt their elbows?

 

Right, he was supposedly Mr. Consistancy with the age caveat. So was Nolasco, minus the age caveat.

 

Whether it is free agency or the draft, people seriously over-estimate the high floor of some of the "safe" arms and injury is only a part of the reason they may not live up to the moderate expectations. Always go for high ceiling, floor be damned!

Of all the SP who got $10M+ per year and for 2 or more years this past Free Agency:

 

Ubaldo...leads MLB in BB's

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jimenub01.shtml

 

Nolasco...leads MLB in Hits & ER allowed

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nolasri01.shtml

 

Garza's shutout last week lowered his ERA below 4.00 for the first time in awhile...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garzama01.shtml

 

Arroyo's numbers...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arroybr01.shtml

 

Ervin Santana...ERA just under 4

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santaer01.shtml

 

Scott Feldman...ERA just under 4 as well

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/feldmsc01.shtml

 

Bartolo Colon...ERA just over 4.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colonba01.shtml

 

And the best of the bunch...

 

Tim Hudson...ERA at 2.53

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hudsoti01.shtml

 

Scott Kazmir

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kazmisc01.shtml

 

So at this point...that list would look something like this.

 

1. Kazmir

2. Hudson

3. Feldman

4. Garza

5. Santana

6. Arroyo

7. Colon

8. Ubaldo

9. Nolasco

I'd take Santana pretty high up there. It all still counts, but he has been left out there to take some abuse and eat innings by the Braves this year when their bullpen was tired, so his ERA has bumped up a bit from outings where he should have been out in the 4th inning, but he went 7, giving up another few runs, to help stretch the bullpen. He's pitched very well in Atlanta, as his FIP of 3.18 shows. His peripherals are even a tick better than they were in Kansas City last year.