Pitchers we didn't get

[gunnarthor]

So, here's a list of the pitcher's we didn't pursue that were mentioned as fits by many posters here during the last off season.

 

First, we got

Correia 2/10m 9-12, 95 ERA+, 178.1ip, 1.3 WAR

Pelfrey 1/4m 5-13, 77 ERA+, 146.2ip, -0.5 WAR

 

And those we didn't sign.

 

Scott Baker - Cubs - 1/5.5m 3 starts, 15ip. Missed most season w/injury

Edwin Jackson - Cubs - 4/52m 8-17 84 ERA+, 172.2 ip -0.8 WAR

Joe Blanton Angels - 2/15m - 2-14 62 ERA+, 132.2ip -2.0 WAR

Joe Saunders - Seattle - 1/6.5m - 11-16, 70 ERA+, 183ip -0.3 WAR

Liriano - Pitt - 1/1m* 16-7, 123 ERA+, 156 ip 3.3 WAR

Dan Haren - Nats - 1/13m - 9-14 78 ERA+, 162.2ip -0.4 WAR

Shawn Marcum - Mets - 1/4m - 1-10 67 ERA+, 78.1ip -1.0 WAR

Brandon McCarthy - DBacks - 2/15.5m - 5-9 84 ERA+, 122ip -0.2 WAR

Anibal Sanchez - Det - 5/80m - 14-8 158 ERA+, 177ip 4.3 WAR

Ryan Dempster - Bos -2/26.5m 8-9 89 ERA+, 169.2ip, -0.2 WAR

 

I think these were the most common names thrown out by fans. Villanueva for the Cubs was also mentioned and he had a really good year but mostly out of the bullpen. Kazmir had a decent year for Cleveland (9-9 91 ERA+, 152ip 0.9 WAR) but I don't remember anyone bringing him up.

 

* Liriano's contract had a lot of clauses and an option b/c of his arm injury during the signing period. He was paid more than 1m this year.

[Oldgoat_MN]

This goes to show what a crap shoot FA pitchers are.

If Ryan was telling the truth about players not wanting to come here I suspect that Sanchez was one of those.

Liriano needed a coach not named Anderson.

 

Unclear what we could have done this year to land real solid pitchers.

[Willihammer]

Pretty much all those guys had better years than Worley / Diamond / Hernandez / Walters / DeVries, et al

[Rosterman]

Boy, we could've spent $80 million and got that whole crew.

[old nurse]

Pretty much all those guys had better years than Worley / Diamond / Hernandez / Walters / DeVries, et al

 

All of them would be expected to have better years than Hernandez, Walters and DeVries. That it is close that Diamond and Hernandez are having as good of year as most of the pitchers listed is noteworthy, and it is not good for the FA pitchers to be compared to them. Much more was expected.

[gunnarthor]

I should also point out that I used baseball reference WAR. Fangraphs WAR is different for some players. I think that's b/c fWAR is based on fip and bWAR is based on RA (I think). So a guy who greatly outperforms or underperforms his fip, like Pelfrey, who had a 3.99 fip, was worth 2.1 WAR by fangraphs but a negative number by bWAR. Part of the problem of WAR.

[Winston Smith]

You forget how much better these guys would be with Rick Anderson coaching them!!

[nicksaviking]

Liriano needed a coach not named Anderson.

 

For a lot of Twins fans, getting rid of Anderson as opposed to Liriano was the preferred option.

 

I would like to point out that if we are basing the argument on WAR, Baker would have been a better signing than Pelfrey.

[gunnarthor]

For a lot of Twins fans, getting rid of Anderson as opposed to Liriano was the preferred option.

 

I would like to point out that if we are basing the argument on WAR, Baker would have been a better signing than Pelfrey.

 

Not really. We'd still needed a pitcher to pitch those missing innings. With Baker (and that money) out, we'd have had to rely on someone like Walters to pitch for us from spring on. So WAR is important but those innings are too.

[Dance with Disco Dan]

I remember slapping my forehead thinking about 2 years $10 million for Correia knowing McCarthy signed for 2 years $15.5 million. Goes to show what I know. For at least the first year, Correia provided more value by pitching 50 more innings at near league average (95 ERA+). Credit to TR who had more faith in Correia's ability to be durable and (relatively) effective. I thought he'd get crushed straight to Rochester.

[Alex]

I remember slapping my forehead thinking about 2 years $10 million for Correia knowing McCarthy signed for 2 years $15.5 million. Goes to show what I know. For at least the first year, Correia provided more value by pitching 50 more innings at near league average (95 ERA+). Credit to TR who had more faith in Correia's ability to be durable and (relatively) effective. I thought he'd get crushed straight to Rochester.

 

I did, too, but he's performed beyond anyone's imagination and that's still not even league average. Low risk/low reward.