Pirates Sign Brendan Donnelly

In a bargain-basement move, the Pirates signed Brendan Donnelly to a one-year $1.5 million today.  It’s a good, low-cost move for a small market team that needs to spend its money wisely.

Donnelly will be 38 in 2010 (turns 39 on July 4), but he really did have a good season in 2009.  He spent half the year at Round Rock in the AAA Pacific Coast League, where he had a 1.75 ERA, and half the season with the Astros, where he had a 1.78 ERA.  You can’t really argue with that, and his ratios were good too.

Donnelly now has a career major league line, all of it accumulated after the age of 30, as follows: 3.02 ERA, 354.2 IP, 300 hits and 129 walks allowed and 343 Ks.  The only thing you can really knock him for is that he’s reputed to be a former steroid user.

Even at his advanced age, he’s got a reasonable shot at having a good 2010 at a very reasonable price.  Definitely a good little move for the Bucs.

I checked to see just how good Donnelly’s 2009 performance at Round Rock was, because my memory told me that Round Rock has traditionally been a pretty tough place to pitch.  It doesn’t appear to have been in so 2009.

The ‘09 Express hit with little power, but their pitching was pretty good.  Aside from youngsters Bud Norris and Yorman Bazardo (a couple of excellent baseball names), former Padre Clay Hensley pitched well for the Express as a starter and former Brave Chad Paronto had a sensation year in the bullpen, posting a miniscule 1.39 ERA in 44 relief appearances as Round Rock’s closer.  Unfortunately, for both the Astros and Paronto, he didn’t pitch like Donnelly when he finally got called up.

Both Hensley and Paronto would be good choices for a Japanese team to sign for 2010.  Both are coming off good AAA seasons and have substantial major league experience.  Hensley will be 30 next season and Paronto will be 34, so their best bet to make some big money playing baseball at this point is likely in Japan.

One thing to say about Paronto, however.  He’s a knee injury waiting to happen.  Along with the advanced age, he’s listed at 6′5″ and 285 lbs.  At some point, you’d think, either his knees or his back has got to give.