Twins Need Pitching

Another player I think the Twins should pursue this off-season is starting pitcher Eric Bedard.  Like J.J. Hardy, he’s one of the great potential bargains on the market this year.

The free agent market is down to begin with, given the current state of the economy.  Also, Bedard has had arm problems each of the last two seasons.  One would think he could be had at a reasonable price.

The thing is that, even with the serious arm problems, Bedard has been a great pitcher when he’s pitched.  In 2008 and again in 2009, Bedard made exactly 15 starts.   Here are his combined numbers for the two seasons:

30 starts, 11-7 record, 164 innings pitched, 135 hits allowed, 17 HRs allowed, 71 walks allowed, 162 Ks and a 3.24 ERA.  While the walks total is a little high (and high for Bedard given his career norms), the other numbers (except for total innings pitched) are great.  A 3.24 ERA would have been the fourth best ERA in the AL this year and the fifth best in 2008.

There’s no guarantee that Bedard would be any healthier in 2010, but he’ll only be 31 next season.  Even if his numbers the next two seasons are only as good as the last two seasons, he’s reasonably worth a two-year $15 million contract.  Given the Twins’ desperation for starting pitching, a hard-sell and the promise of playing on a team that (just barely) made the post-season in 2009 might be enough for the Twins to sign Bedard to a two-year deal at a reasonable price.  It’s definitely worth exploring.