Toronto Blue Jays Sign Jon Rauch

Poor Jon Rauch.

In an offseason where every reliever and their mother is getting two or three-year deals, Rauch can only muster a one-year deal.

Heck, even Kyle Farnsworth was able to get an option for a second year.

It’s as if he is the red-headed stepchild of relievers this offseason.

Rauch signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend. Rauch should pull a Latrell Sprewell at his press conference and tell everyone that he isn’t sure he can feed his family with this deal.

In all seriousness, this is a good signing by the Blue Jays. The 6’11″ right-hander had a 3.12 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and averaged 7.2 K’s/9 with the Minnesota Twins last season.

What was interested about Rauch’s season in Minnesota was that he stunk at home and was really good on the road.

Here are Rauch’s home and road splits from 2010:

Home: 28.1 IP, 4.45 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 6.7 K/9, 2.6 SO/BB

Away: 29.1 IP, 1.84 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, 4.2 SO/BB

Considering that the new Target Field turned into a pitcher’s park, it’s odd that Rauch would struggle so much at home.

I can attribute the difference in ERA to Rauch’s ridiculously high Left On Base Percentage away from home. Rauch stranded 85 percent of the runners on base away from Target Field, as compared to 71 percent at home.

As for the other reasons for why Rauch struggled at home? You are going to have to ask him that question.

Rauch will join another newly signed reliever, Octavio Dotel at the back end of the Blue Jay bullpen in 2011.

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