The Deals Are Getting Smaller

The deals are getting smaller, at least in terms of impact for the signing team, if not in the actual amounts of the contracts issued.

The Angels have apparently reached a two-year deal with Joel Pineiro for around $16 million.  As I’ve written before, I just can’t get excited about Pineiro.  He had a fine year in 2009, but it was his first good year since 2003.  He had a great strikeout-to-walk ratio, but he doesn’t strike anybody out.  If he has two consecutive strong seasons for the Angels, I’ll be amazed.

Meanwhile, the Brewers signed Doug Davis to a one-year deal for a reported $5.25 million.  I like this deal much better, mainly because it’s only for one season.  Davis is three years older than Pineiro, but he’s been more consistent.

Last year, Pineiro had a road ERA of 4.07, compared to Davis’ road ERA of 4.40.  Over the last three seasons, however, Pineiro’s road ERA was 4.72, while Davis’ was 4.14.  Pineiro is certainly deserving of a bigger 2010 contract than Davis, but giving Pineiro a second year was a mistake.

Now that the Giants have signed Bengie Molina, they reportedly won’t be signing any more free agents to major league deals.  Too bad — I was hoping they’d sign Kiko Calero with the money freed up by Bob Howry’s departure. It now looks most likely that Calero will end up with the Cubs.

Instead, the Giants just signed former A’s reliever Santiago Castillo to a minor league deal.  Castillo had a bad 2009 campaign, and when the A’s found out he was really a couple of years older than he claimed when he signed (he’ll turn 30 next July 25th), they dumped him.

Castillo looks like a AAA pitcher to me.  I’ll be surprised if he spends enough time in the Show to pitch in even 20 games for the Giants in 2010.

Noting that Pineiro just got a two-year $16 million deal and the Red Sox avoided arbitration with Jonathon Papelbon by giving him a $9.35 million contract for 2010, how does Tim Lincecum not get $13 million if he goes to arbitration?