A Few More Deals and Signings

In a classic salary dump, the Rangers sent Kevin Millwood and $3 million to the Orioles for better-than-average middle reliever Chris Ray in order to save the remaining $9 million of Millwood’s 2010 salary.  Obviously, a great move for the Orioles, who get Millwood, who pitched well last year, for $9 million and only one year’s commitment for a 28 year old relief pitcher with a career 4.11 ERA.

The Brewers surprised everyone by throwing money around like it was 2007.  They signed 33 year old Randy Wolf to a three-year $29.75 million deal, and 37 year old LaTroy Hawkins to a 2-year $7.5 million deal.  My guess is that the Brewers figure they better try to find some pitching while they still have Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun as the heart of their line-up and were willing to pay big to win now.

I suspect they’ll regret these deals, particularly the Randy Wolf signing.  He’s coming off two good years, which means his value is up, but he’ll be an old 33 next year (turns 34 in August), and he’s had a long history of arm problems.  I just can’t see him having two seasons in the next three like the last two.  Hawkins has also been paid a lot for a geezer, but at least he had a fine year in ‘09, posting a 2.13 ERA with a nearly 3-to-1 K’s-to-BBs ratio.

I’m kind of surprised that no one ever seems to learn no matter how many times long-term contracts to over-30 starters blow up in the signing team’s face.  Capable starters are hard to find, so I can understand high annual salaries, such as the $11.75 million the Yankees have now agreed to pay Andy Pettitte in 2010 or the $7.5 million the Cardinals have agreed to pay Brad Penny, but I find it hard to understand why the Brewers would have to give Randy Wolf more than two-years at $20 million to get him in their uniform.

Also, it’s almost always a bad idea to give someone who’s been a good third starter for the Dodgers or the A’s a big long-term contract.  Their ERAs almost always shoot up once they’re no longer pitching half their starts in one of the three or four best pitchers’ parks in baseball.

Finally, Japanese ace Yu Darvish, the best pitcher in the world not pitching in MLB, just became the youngest Japanese player ever to receive a 300 million yen contract (roughly $3.375 million).  He will be 23 next season, and is coming off three consecutive years in which he had ERAs as a starter between 1.73 and 1.88.  The questions are when will he become too expensive to stay in Japan and will have anything left in his arm when he does come to America after years of heavy workloads at a tender age.