Free agent signings

[nyy26wc]

At ESPN.com Rob Neyer recently used the sabermetric baseball encyclopedia to look at the chances of Tom Glavine continuing to be successful. But, does the encyclopedia also contain another sign that helps us predict his future? There is a match between Sean Casey's record and that of an all time great, but could it be a good one? Is Bret Boone the worst player ever to have a huge season? The answers to these questions, and so much more, can be found in my latest project, the player comments book, which can be preordered at
http://www.baseball-encyclopedia.com


1) The Giants signed 2B Ray Durham to a 3 year, $20.1 million contract, with a $7 million player option for 2006. Meanwhile, Marquis Grissom's contract is 2 years, $4.25 million, with a team option for 2005.

After -2 RCAA/.810 OPS and 5 RCAA/.804 OPS seasons, Durham hit .450 SLG, .374 OBA, .825 OPS in 150 games. He set a new career highs in OBA and OPS and his RCAA was tied for 2nd in his 8 year career. Durham has a .782 career OPS, compared to his league average of .776, and 41 RCAA in 1200 games. For now, Durham is the Giants new 2B, but he's be headed to the OF if Jeff Kent returns.

2) The Mariners re-signed free agents P Jamie Moyer to a 3 year contract and C Pat Borders to a minor league contract.

Moyer gets a $1.5 million signing bonus, salaries of $6 and $6.5 million in 2003-04 and then a $1.5 million salary in 2005, but that could increase by up to $6 million, based on his number of starts in 2003 and IP in 2004. Borders will make $500,000 if he makes the team.

After 5.49 ERA/-17 RSAA and 3.43 ERA/17 RSAA seasons, Moyer had a 3.32 ERA/21 RSAA in 34 starts. He has a 4.14 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.43, and 84 RSAA in 439 games and turned 40 last month.

Borders has played in only 21 games over the past 4 years and appeared in 4 with the 2002 Mariners. He has a .673 career OPS, compared to his league average of .741, and 109 RCAA in 1010 games.

3) The Redsox re-signed free agent P Frank Castillo to a 1 year, $800,000 contract.

After 3.59 ERA/22 RSAA and 4.21 ERA/5 RSAA seasons, Castillo had a 5.07 ERA/-12 RSAA in 36 games (23 starts). He has a 4.55 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.21, and 42 RSAA in 294 games.

4) The Mets re-signed free agent P Steve Trachsel to a 2 year, $8 million contract, with an option for 2005 that if becomes guaranteed if he pitches 360 innings in 2003-04, with at least 180 in 2004.

After 4.80 ERA/3 RSAA and 4.46 ERA/-7 RSAA seasons, Trachsel had a 3.37 ERA/10 RSAA in 30 starts. It was his best season since a 3.03 ERA/29 RSAA with the 1996 Cubs. Trachsel has a 4.31 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.35, and 5 RSAA in 279 games.

5) The Diamondbacks re-signed free agent CF Steve Finley to a 2 year, $11.25 million contract and re-signed free agents INF Chris Donnels and P Armando Reynoso to minor league contracts.

After 20 RCAA/.904 OPS and -7 RCAA/.767 OPS seasons, Finley hit .499 SLG, .370 OBA, .869 OPS, 19 RCAA in 150 games. He has a .778 career OPS, compared to his league average of .755, and 102 RCAA in 1980 games.

After 3 RCAA/1.126 OPS (fluke 41 PA) and -6 RCAA/.573 OPS seasons with the Dodgers, Donnels hit .425 SLG, .312 OBA, .737 OPS, -2 RCAA in 74 games (93 PA). He has a .674 career OPS, compared to his league average of .750, and -20 RCAA in 450 games.

After making just 9 starts in 2001, Reynoso missed almost the entire 2002 season. He made just 2 relief appearances, both towards the end of the season. Reynoso has a 4.74 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.30, and 16 RSAA in 198 games (spending almost half of his career in Coors accounts for that unusual ERA/RSAA combo).

6) The Astros re-signed free agent P Shane Reynolds to a 1 year, $1 million contract, with incentives that could add up to an additional $5.75 million.

After 5.22 ERA/-3 RSAA and 4.34 ERA/5 RSAA seasons, Reynolds had a 4.86 ERA/-5 RSAA in 13 starts. He has a 3.95 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.30, and 43 RSAA in 274 games. Reynolds went on the DL on June 14 and missed the remainder of the season.

7) The Phillies re-signed free agent P Dan Plesac to a 1 year, $2 million contract.

After 3.15 ERA/7 RSAA and 3.57 ERA/6 RSAA seasons, Plesac had a 4.21 ERA/0 RSAA in 60 games (19 with the BlueJays, 41 with the Phillies), in a season in which he seemed to constantly change his mind on whether he was going to retire afterwards. Pleasc has a 3.67 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.23, and 66 RSAA in 1006 games.

8) Free agents who were offered salary arbitration--

Redsox--OF Cliff Floyd
Indians--Ps Dave Burba, Terry Mulholland
Royals--P Paul Byrd
Yankees--P Roger Clemens, 3B Ron Coomer
Mariners--P Norm Charlton
Diamondbacks--P Brian Anderson, 1B Greg Colbrunn, Mark Grace
Braves--OF Darren Bragg, 1B Julio Franco, INF Keith Lockhart, P Greg Maddux
Reds--Ps Joey Hamilton, Jose Rijo
Phillies--Ps Terry Adams, Ricky Bottalico, CF Doug Glanville, C Todd Pratt
Pirates--P Brian Boehringer
Cardinals--P Chuck Finley
Giants--2B Jeff Kent

These players have until December 19 to accept the arbitration offer. If they decline, they have a January 8 deadline to re-sign with their old teams. Any free agent who is not in this list can't re-sign with his team until May 1.

9) The Expos re-signed 1B Wil Cordero to a 1 year, $600,000 contract.

After -9 RCAA/.792 OPS and -12 RCAA/.656 OPS seasons, Cordero hit .435 SLG, .337 OBA, .772 OPS, 1 RCAA in 72 games (first 6 with the Indians). He has a .762 career OPS, compared to his league average of .769, and -29 RCAA in 1069 games.

10) The Yankees re-signed free agent C Chris Widger to a 1 year, $750,000 contract.

After -10 RCAA/.766 OPS and -10 RCAA/.744 OPS seasons in 1999-2000, Widger was out of the majors in 2001 and hit .375 SLG, .337 OBA, .713 OPS, 0 RCAA in 21 games in 2002. It was the first time in his career that he avoided a negative RCAA. Widger has a .709 career OPS, compared to his league average of .779, and -46 RCAA in 488 games.

11) Free agent C Sandy Alomar Jr. says he has some interest in returning to the Indians.

12) The Pirates are reportedly very close to re-signing free agent P Brian Boehringer.

13) The Hanshin Tigers signed P Hideki Irabu to a 1 year, $2 million contract.

After 7.24 ERA/-16 RSAA and 4.86 ERA/0 RSAA (just 3 G) seasons, Irabu had a 5.74 ERA/-4 RSAA in 38 games (2 starts). He has a 5.15 career American ERA, compared to his league average of 4.69, and -36 RSAA in 126 games.

[KCBOOMER]

Originally posted by nyy26wc
8) Free agents who were offered salary arbitration--

Royals--P Paul Byrd

I cannot believe how badly the Royals have screwed this up. Anyone with an IQ that exceeds their shoe size knows the Royals absolutely must re-sign this guy to maintain what little credibility they have in KC and they have totally botched it.

[gyb13]

Originally posted by KCBOOMER
I cannot believe how badly the Royals have screwed this up. Anyone with an IQ that exceeds their shoe size knows the Royals absolutely must re-sign this guy to maintain what little credibility they have in KC and they have totally botched it.

too late

[WiredTiger]

The Royals screwed up big time on this one. They should have locked him up when they had the chance.