Hardball Stitches Reporter: S1 Free Agent look back

Jessica Fletcher - contributing reporter

Greetings, dear readers! As the season continues to unfold and the race for the pennant heats up, I find myself reflecting on the flurry of the free-agent signings that took place earlier this year. Much like the twists in a well-spun mystery, some acquisitions have proven to be brilliant masterstrokes, while others have left fans questioning the motives behind them. Were these front-office decisions strokes of genius, or have a few teams been led astray by red herrings? Join me as we sift through the evidence, analyze the performances, and determine which signings have paid off - and which may have destined for the cold case files of Hardball Stitches history.

Arizona Canyon Kings

Melvin Ricarrdi - 2/$3.4M - Not a good start, the WHIP and ERA are horrendous for the set up man who has appeared in 1/3 of the CKs games.
Kazuo Shibata - 1/$1.7M - See Melvin with a worse WHIP but better ERA.
Hal Finley - 1/$1.15M - Holding his own defensively in CF but on the offensive front, he's well...offensive to hitting coaches everywhere. Only average slightly above his weight, with only a 60% success rate at stealing bases and limited power.

Baltimore IronBirds

Sparky Perez - 2/$4.0M - His WHIP is right there around Arizona's two pitchers, but the ERA is slightly better. He's also a .500 starting pitcher at the time of this review. For under $2M I'm calling this a win for a team that filled gaps elsewhere. .

Boston "Ace As If" Afflects

Jose Silverio - 3/$4M - His glove plays at 1B/COF but for some reason he's behind the plate even with that sub pitch calling ability. Sorry Afflects fans, Silverio is signed up for another 2 years. Similar to Finley, he's barely hitting above his weight but he's bringing some power and will finish the season above 25 HR without a doubt.
Glenallen Cepickky - 5/$37.5M - He's been about league average in WHIP and ERA, has a winning record through 25 starts and doesn't give up many free bases. Not sure about the 5 years but it's a solid signing for Boston given the lack of pitching avaialble.
John DeRosa - 1/$86k - Be thankful it's only a 1 year deal, that WHIP is above 2.00 and the ERA well above 10.00 - though he's only made 3 appearances. Guess there's not much to mop up in Boston these days.

Buffalo Bomb Squad

Clarence Byrne - 1/$5.1M - Sometimes I have to remind myself that the league average is 1.40 WHIP with a 4.50 ERA. That said, Clarence hasn't been too far below average and filled a bullpen need for the Bomb Squad. At least he's hasn't blown up too much this season.

Charlotte Intimidators

Erv Bermudez - 3/$13.2M - Solid add as he's been roughly league average for the Intimidators. He doesn't give up many homers and strikes out a decent amount of bats.
Moises Arruebarrena - 2/$9.6M - He isn't just stealing money - he's got a higher WHIP than a bank robber. I'm curious how many of Bermudez's games he's blown late in the game.
Santiago Merced - 2/$7.2M - At least he's been better than Arruebarrena, but that's not saying much.
Bob Kelly - 1/$2.6M - of course the cheap short contract is the player who works out. Kelly has a 1.01 WHIP and 2.60 ERA has a SuB through 27 games.
Dee Washington - League Min - He was released by Helena two days before the above guys signed, but Charlotte snatched him up - though the numbers still haven't been great.

Chicago Northsiders

Sandy Caruso - 2/$9.2M - A very respectable 1.30 WHIP, 4.24 ERA out of the pen for the Nortsiders, pitching in 43 games so far and 74 innings. He limits home runs and walks, with a K per inning pitched.
Ehire Arruebarrena - 1/$795k - Serving as a backup and hitting well for the small sample size.

Cincinnati Redlegs

Marty Ruth - 1/$445k & Junior Ryu - 1/$360k - These guys are very similar, 1.60 WHIP, 5.50 ERA. Both strike out a batter roughly ever inning pitched but also give up a lot of hits and walks while limiting home runs. If the goal is to save money to spend elsewhere, mission accomplished.

Cleveland Guardians

Paul Fukudome - 5/$24.5M w/ mutual - Just 25 years old so age shouldn't be a problem but the control is another thing. Better control and he would have gotten A LOT more money this off season. 1.58 WHIP, 5.13 ERA in 20 starts.
Curt Dunn - 5/$30M w/ mutual - a plus RF defender, hitting near .280. Not great on the base paths but continues to steal and hits in the 2 hole.
Wes Adams - 5/$25M w/ mutual - serving as a LRB but one of the more productive members of the pitching staff with a 1.38 WHIP, 4.07 ERA.
Kevin Bulger - 5/$21M - Better pitch calling catcher than many have behind the plate, hitting .245+ with double digits HR, though he also has more K than Hits.
Marvin Craddock - 3/$3.3M w/ mutual - A roster filler for $1.1M isn't awful even if he has a 1.67 WHIP and 5.00 ERA. Though wait another day or two and he probably would have signed a 1 year deal for until $800k.
Trent Cressend - 3/$8.2M w/ mutual - You'd think his mutual option would almost be guaranteed to be declined with that 2.12 WHIP and 7.62 ERA but...okay yeah, it will be declined unless he goes for a sub 1.0 whip and sub 3.50 era next year.
Javier Nieves - 5/$77M w/ mutual - Even with his best pitch being a 70 grade, I expected better numbers from him through 20 starts - 1.37 WHIP, 4.44 ERA.
Edward Westbrook - 2/$4.8M - It's Season 1 Baby seems the appropriate comment here. 1.79 WHIP, 6.75 ERA as a SuB. On the bright side has a K per inning pitched.

Colorado Springs Ranchers

Dennis Chang - 1/$3.2M - One of the best things about this guy is his 1 year contract. He'll be forget about next year and his 1.60+ WHIP / 6.60+ ERA
Santos Beltran - 2/$9.6M - Gotta regret this one, 1.83 WHIP, 6.67 ERA through 25 starts with a 3-9 record.
Ronnier Gilliam - 1/$480k - One of the servicable pitchers on the staff with a 1.47 WHIP, 4.35 ERA but like some older men he has an issue lasting an entire inning.
Roger Cowart - 1/$375k - You get what you pay for? 2.08 WHIP, 5.91 ERA through 45 innings out of the bullpen. Every inning he pitches you get 1 K, 1 BB, and 1 Hit on average.
Tony DeRosa - 1/$820k - signed late to save some money but not hitting well weighing in at 200 lbs and hitting below .215 with almost as many K as he has Hits + Runs.

Durham Corgis

Charlie Miller - 1/$4M - Roster filler because arms were limited this season. 1.60+ WHIP, 6.00 ERA as a back of the rotation arm.
Armando Ceda - 5/$63M - Has successfully closed out 33 of 40 games this season with a 1.35 WHIP and 4.14 ERA. Thankfully his contract drops for seasons 3, 4, & 5 but still remains above $10M. That's a lot for a closer with control issues.
Shae Grossman - 5/$79.9M - Similar to Ceda's contract it drops as the seasons go on. But at nearly $16M per season, you'd expect better than an 8-10 record through 25 starts. I think next season he'll hit a groove and really turns this out for the Corgis.

Fargo Mud Dogs

Jim Rhodes - 1/$365k - Hard to argue with the cost but that 7.00+ ERA has to hurt deep in the Mud but he's only pitched in barely 31 innings so this season so he really hasn't hurt the team much if you think about it.

Fresno Romans

None - Quite a bit was filled from within. Seeing them fight for the division title shows they were set up quite well entering the season.

Helena Highlanders

Steve Garneau - 1/$2.8M - Hasn't logged many innings but they've been productive as the rest of the freshly inked pitchers have.
Dylan Wagner - 2/$9.2M - Solid league average production on a good cost. 1.35 WHIP, 4.30 ERA.
Clayton Ryal - 2/$5.8M - Not sure how the guy continues to do it but this contract is fantastic for the 1.22 WIP and 3.73 ERA he's produced over 25 starts. Might be the best value contract for this Free Agency period.
Earl Brinkley - 4/$26.6M - Middle of the rotation arm producing about league average results on a pretty decent $6.7M per contract. I'll call that a win for the Highlanders.
Wil Little - 3/$14.5M - Similar to Brinkley he's been about league average at the back of the rotation. If the team would have spent a little on bats, they likely would be in a better spot on the season.

Indianapolis Speedsters

None - filled their roster in other moves

Los Angeles Labradors

Danny Beverlin - 1/$1.6M - The team started red hot, shown by their initial #9 Power Ranking but the teams has slide all the way down to #27 in the recent updates. As the only signing this offseason, this was definitely isn't helping the cause - near 2.00 WHIP and a 7.00+ ERA over 55 innings in 57 games.

Mexico City Luchadors

Xander Aceves - 2/111.2M pesos w/ mutual - another SuB putting up decently productive numbers.
Ernie Borchard - 2/119.2M pesos w/ mutual - can't imagine this option gets picked up. The guy weighs 183 and is hitting .200 on the season. Sure the team can find another player for LF - one of the easier positions to fill.
Leon McLaughlin - 3/357.5M pesos w/ mutual - Solid add on a pretty decent contract, but he's already showing some wear and tear, with that control dropping 4 points. That mutual option is no longer a sure thing. By the end of it he might be a 100% flyball pitcher.
Alex Nunez - 2/111.2M pesos - Part time bench filler = cerveza server to the starters.
Johnny Sauer - 1/19.9M pesos - SuB whose been league average and has even saved 7 of 11 games.

Montgomery Fightins

Ignacio Arendao - 2/$750k - one of the cheapest contracts you'll find given out this season, but you get what you pay for. Or don't get what you pay for in this case, he's only managed 16 innings so far this season.
Paul Luetge - 2/$2.4M - Everybody paid for pitching this year, pitching is awful in Year 1. $1.2M is a lot for a guy whose thrown 158 pitches in 10 innings of work this season.

Nashville Hot

Brandon Holmes - 1/$685k - Looking at league average outside of his record, 5-10.
Lloyd Lewis - 1/$845k - surprisingly productive for a team having a worst season ever.
Chaz Kendrick - 1/$425k - 1.49 WHIP, 5.22 ERA - in any other season I'd say demote him back to the minors, but Season 1? Keep it in rotation!
Ronnie Aldridge - 1/$815k - spared no expense this season on their FA signings, but overall they weren't decent.

New Orleans Voodoo

Anthony Crow - 3/$24M w/ team - The injury hurt a bit this season but he recovered a small amount; still a very usable starter for the team.
Kiki Ozuna - 4/$58M w/ mutual - Great add for the Voodoo and one of the reasons the team is in the position they are.
Nick Sefcik - 4/$16.4M w/ mutual - good costs for a reliever and great production out of the 28 yr old.
Gerald Simmons - 2/$5M w/ team - in hopes he repeats his .325+ avg performance this season, his option should be excepted.

New York Pizza Rats

Larry Wright - 5/$32M w/ mutual and no trade - traded to Syracuse. This isn't a trade review post, but as it stands now - NY lost this trade.
Angel Flande - 1/$780k - The WHIP is nice (never thought I'd type those words together before) but the ERA hurts as he's near 5.75.
Bob Woodward - 2/$7M - Currently at 12 HR, 17 SB on a .252 average so I guess he's getting the job done for a rebuilding team.
Sandy Pedroia - 1/$3.1M - solid add, hitting above .300 with 16 HR.
Howie Coleman - 1/$2.6M - Solid, he's looking to finish the season with 20 HR and a .275-.280 average.
Francisco Sardinas - 1/$1.5M - Belongs in the minors.
Ross Arnold - 1/$2.6M - Fills a great season 1 hole without damaging the team too much.
Yamid Rosado - Signed for league minimum but spent all of 7 mins on the team before being released. Are we sure this owner isn't a Sewer Rat himself?

Philadelphia Jawns

Marco Priddy - 1/$750k - I know it's only 3/4 million but ouch! 1.79 WHIP, 7.36 ERA over 33 innings in 41 games.
Jim Schofield - 1/$860k - doesn't offer a ton at the plate and not really a plus defender either. Oh and he offers next to nothing on the mound too.
Wei-Chung Ming - 1/$725k - only has 188 ABs this season but hitting above .285 when he does.

Salt Lake City Trappers

Tayron York - 3/$15M - Is this a SLC Trapper or Game of Thrones character? Slightly better than league average and has closed out 12 or 13 games. Solid piece to the Trappers bullpen.
Yoervis Salas - 2/$4M - Had 12 HR and 10 SB on a .240 average through 44 games but now on the shelf since with a hamstring tear that sucked that speed right out of him.
Louie Vizquel - 5/$70M - Big add for the Trappers and even though he's 9-10 through 24 games, that 1.05 WHIP and 3.66 ERA are top notch in the league. Solid move with the $10M bonus this year to save on costs over the next 4.

San Antonio Yo-Yo Bros Yo

Don Nishioka - 1/$1M - The team was looking like a contender up until the most recent power rankings. This starter has been slightly sub average, but he's a back of the rotation type that rests your frontline starters and likely is on the playoff roster just to keep the seat warm.

Scottsdale Sazeracs

Nate Gabriel - 2/$4.8M - Just a SuB but his numbers have been great. You have to question what happens if he's moved to a SuA role, does he drop off or continue the success? 1.10 WHIP, 2.82 ERA.

Scranton Paper Weights

*indicated signed by original owner - Jordan

*Delino Fernandez - 1/$1.8M - somehow found himself a starting gig.
*Alex Reinheimer - 1/$4.4M - You'd think he'd be getting a few more ABs at this cost, but only 183 of them with little to show for production.

St. Louis Archers

Grayson Ryan - 3/$17 w/ mutual - at the plate the numbers aren't great, but he's doing more than holding his own at Shortstop compared to many other at the same position in the majors.
Koji Katou - 5/$110 w/ player & no trade - Also known as a Super Max contract, he was chased by many but has the production been there? The time on the DL surely didn't help but for now through 57 games (missed 64 games) he has 22 HR with 10 SB on a .275 average.

Syracuse Firebirds

None - Let that soak in for a minute. Not a single FA add and the team is one of the top in the majors right now. Very similar team to Fresno in terms of quality at start of season.

Tacoma Armada

Bernie Julio - 1/$495k - Considering the cost and quality of pitching these days, this is a solid add. 1.57 WHIP / 4.28 ERA through 20 starts.
Dillon Rivera - 1/$327k - This one brings an aroma nobody can deny. Moving on.
Colt Fiore - 1/$505k - Is this one worse? Let's ignore but not forget these numbers are in a pitcher's park too.
York Baker - 1/$327k - league minimum contract warrants minimum production. In 60 innings he has a 1.80+ WHIP and a 6.35+ ERA.

Texas Toast

Sawyer Parker - 3/$21M w/ mutual - The only add this offseason for the playoff hopeful team though he's back of the rotation and might not see any innings come playoff time.

Trenton Thunderbolts

Chick Wood - 2/$8.9M - Doesn't offer much power, speed or high average but he's serviceable in a Year 1.
Malcom Colin - 4/$17.1M w/ mutual - These are the bullpen pieces that builds championships. Not too pricey and tons of production.
Alex Martin - 5/$57.5M w/ mutual & no trade - Don't imagine this guy moving anywhere, he's got 21 HR and 17 SB on a .286 AVG. I'll take it and even better than he's a plus defender at 3B.
Willie Brock - 1/$865k - The plate performance is awful, and while he's not a plus defender he's not a bad one either.
Jesus Alvarez - 2/$5.2M w/ mutual - A near .300 average with 10+ HR. Smart spending for one of the best teams in baseball.

Tucson Road Runners

Louie Gonzalez - 4/$20M - League average production this season, he's 6-9 with 6/10 saves.
Victor Holt - 1/$5M - Solid add, surprised he wasn't moved at the deadline since it's an expiring contract. Perhaps people think the numbers aren't true and he's due for a decline upon changing teams.
Rafael Ruiz - 2/$9.8M - Was traded and is currently on the DL for Helena. Great add for speed on the basepaths.
Gaby McKenry - 1/$5M - Limited production but it's just a one year contract. No harm done.

Vancouver Blue Heron

Darren Berge - 1/Monopoly money - Similar to a bunch of other similar bullpen pieces signed this offseason. OUCH.
Richard Woo - 5/Monopoly money - The real signing from Vancouver this season and he's been more than productive. Too bad he's wasting away in a wasted land, playing for people drunk on maple syrup.
Phil Wallace - 2/Monopoly money - Traded to back to the States to play in Scottsdale. You can't imagine the letters the team owner received from his family thanking for getting him out of that third world country and back home where he belongs.

Wallace was flipped with RP Jacque Miyakazi for prospects.

Dustan LaMarre - 2/Monopoly money - He's pitched in A+, AAA, and currently in the majors. Not great results but could be worse like Woo.
Robinson Wigginton - 2/Monopoly money - Above league average numbers paired with that 3-10 record.
Jose Moreno - 1/Monopoly money - He's really a Mountie disguised as a ball player.
Mark Ogawa - 1/Monopoly money - On a one year contract I'll take the .285+ average with 8 HR, 11 SB - though the 7 CS prove he really shouldn't be running much.

All these signings has me interested in what happen next season. Season 2 motto might just be: "No Idea: Let's Ride"