White Sox signing Mike Clevinger, making quick work of rumored interest
If you were still trying to get accustomed to the idea of Mike Clevinger being the White Sox’s first move of the offseason, the White Sox aren’t waiting for your comfort.
Friday’s rumors of strong interest have blossomed into a full-blown pending agreement, with Ken Rosenthal seeing the scoop through from start to finish.
We discussed earlier today the pros and cons of signing Clevinger, and the way the White Sox have worked wonders with previously unremarkable back-end signings in each of the last two seasons.
But there are a few differences at this point between Clevinger and Carlos Rodón/Johnny Cueto, and we’ll start with the timing. The White Sox and Rodón returned to each other at the end of January, and Cueto didn’t come aboard until early April. Clevinger is the White Sox’s first proper acquisition of the offseason, and will probably command a more lucrative commitment than the $3 million that Rodón signed for/Cueto earned in a prorated fashion.
I’m also slightly uncomfortable with the idea of Clevinger being the highest priority, because it brings to mind the way they jumped the market to sign a washed-up Adam Eaton in early December 2020. As I wrote about when the Sox DFA’d Eaton the following July, the eagerness signaled conviction they should never have possessed, and closed off areas that required stronger upgrades.
The Sox’s track record with extra starters is better than their history with bargain outfielders, and Clevinger’s presence shouldn’t mean the Sox will ease up their search for position players the way the White Sox thought Eaton addressed right field and their handedness issues. The question is mostly about what kind of salary Clevinger can command in his present, limited form, and how much that will detract from their attempts to address more glaring weaknesses.
Further updates when terms are announced.
Typical Sox signing. Someone whose last healthy and good full season was 4 years ago.
It feels like you could say that about most of the White Sox incumbent players.
I see people saying one guaranteed year. I’m hoping there’s an option tacked on it, even if it’s expensive.
I guess? It’s hard to see this being a good deal for the Sox even with an option.
Hahn making the same mistakes over and over and over again is maddening. He hasn’t learned anything in a decade on the job. Brutal stuff.
What are you talking about, dude? Dumpster diving for 5th starters is 1) utterly standard practice for teams with most of a rotation established and 2) has worked incredibly, unreasonably great for the Sox (via Katz) the past couple years. The obvious upside is Clevinger finds better health with a normal offseason and more distance from Tommy John, and with health and Katz returns to something like his Cleveland form.
There’s reasonable concerns to be had. This total nihilism is not warranted.
Smart teams* don’t make this move in November before most starting pitchers sign. They’re taken themselves out of arms that are better and with fewer question marks and will in all likeihood over pay for Clevinger because he’s usually the guy that signs in Feb after the market settles.
And seemingly everyone is forgetting/doesn’t realize that Clevinger has two TJs in his past so its ***very unlikely*** anything like 2019 Clevinger returns. 2022 Clevinger, who was a replacement level pitcher, is likely who the Sox just signed for $8m+ in Nov. before better arms signed for not much more.
*I realize at this point this is basically 27 or 28 teams when compared to the Sox depending on if you think the Pirates are smart or not. The Sox are basically “at least we’re not the Rockies!” which isn’t a great situation.
I could not agree more that there was no reason whatsoever that they needed to make this move this early. Like last year with Kelly, when he was hurt. Clevinger isn’t a terrible gamble truly, but he’s a low character guy with injury history, coming off a bad year where he got creamed in the playoffs twice. They could have waited, some other interesting arms out there that I would have liked more. This front office is hasty, and dumb.
Sox will be quite lucky if he is anywhere near what they got from Cueto last year. And if he is, so what… this isn’t their area of greatest need anyway, and yet will probably wind up being their biggest expenditure.
Clevinger has been projected for between one year $9M-$12M. The reports of “more than $8M” don’t exactly indicate an overpay given the projections.
I simply don’t care that other, more trustworthy pitchers are signing elsewhere, later and for more money. We’re all here extremely aware of the ridiculous budget constraints imposed by Jerry. Sox needed a SP with which to find a balance between 1) not spending a ton of money and 2) giving their best coach Katz talent to work with.
Clevinger clearly meets both criteria. His injury issues are a big question mark to be sure, but not any more than Rodon’s were before ‘21, nor Cueto’s combo of injury and just simple aging.
I don’t really care about the timing here. Clevinger has very little in common with Eaton otherwise.
The offseason isn’t over by a long shot, and though I’ve heard the rumors of Jerry cutting payroll, screw that. It’s absolutely and totally unacceptable to cut payroll during a “championship window” that the team tanked years to get to. It’s only worse right after we finally got rid of his personal buddy as manager. And I reserve the right to keep saying so publicly and loudly even if that’s what Jerry ultimately does 🙂
I’m going to be very interested in the terms of this deal vs. whatever Cueto signs for. Not only was Clevinger bad last year, but he also only had a .249 BABIP. I’m fairly confident there will be gains with him being another year away from surgery and with Katz helping him, but any gains will be at least somewhat offset by BABIP regression.
Welp. He’s probably going to stink. But let’s hope he doesn’t stink. That’s all I got.
Is it wrong that I don’t hate this signing (I’m sure I’ll get a lot of yeses)? I don’t think Clevinger is cooked and can be useful as a 4/5 starter, maybe even more.
If this is their fix for starting depth, I’m fine with it. I’m fine with Cease/Gio/Lynn/Kopech/Clevinger/Davis.
If they can just trade Hendricks for an outfielder or 2b fix and then sign whatever they don’t net with a Hendricks trade, I feel kinda okay with things.
Kinda.
Signing Clevinger in February wouldn’t be ideal but would at least make sense. It’s clear now that the Sox won’t sign objectively better pitchers — Taillon, Walker, Quintana, Syndergaard, Manaea, Kluber, and maybe Heaney (though I’d guess he’d get hurt with the Sox) or Wacha (not even including the guys who were QO who also fit in here but were unlikely to be Sox targets). I have no clue what team, other than maybe the Rockies, is DYING to sign Clevinger in November with so many guys on the market still. Odds are this is an overpay and takes the Sox out of the running of better pitchers, most (all) of whom haven’t had two TJs. It’s a dumb signing and a sign that Rick Hahn/the org continues to learn NOTHING from his/their mistakes.
Like I mentioned in my other post, this reminds of them signing Harrison and Kelly right away last winter, not even exploring the market. I think they signed Eaton early the prior year too if I recall correctly. Kelly was hurt and everybody knew that, and they couldn’t wait to sign him anyway.
And now this next season when Clevinger eventually lands on the DL, the narrative will be “man, the Sox just can’t catch a break with injuries”. No, Hahn is just not that bright.
I can’t believe I’m defending Hahn (I think it’s clear I’m NOT a fan), but perhaps there’s a chance that this is simply the guy Katz wanted. Perhaps there’s a chance the market might become more expensive as it develops. If this is the right guy at the right price (TBD)…maybe that’s why they pulled the trigger.
Siiiiigh. I’m trying to find the bright side. I’m trying! But this gosh damn team does not make it easy.
My thought was not that Katz really wanted the guy, but that Katz told them something like, “well, if you’re going to give me him and not someone more established, at least do it early so I have more time to work with him.”
Dunno if that’s true at all, but that’s my hope.
I always assume that Hahn wanders the halls cluelessly and anything that resembles intelligence came from the guy running the floor buffer.
On one hand, no, the market for starting pitching on 1 year deals never gets more expensive in $ amounts. i.e. I’m sure we’ll see this year’s Cueto settle for a minor league deal, and the Dodgers will probably continue to turn $4MM into 4 WAR.
On the other hand, the Sox get an offseason worth of contact with a rehabbing arm (which I’m sure we’ll hear ad nauseum out of Hahn’s mouth). Waiting through the pitcher and catcher report date in ST would be a cost all its own, so here one could justify jumping the market.
The Jays signed Robbie Ray in early November, that worked out really well. Stroman signed with the Mets a few days later, that also worked out well.
The fact that you think Syndergaard, Wacha, and Heaney are “objectively better” tells me a lot.
For 3 years he was really good.
3 years ago.
On Saturday’s White Sox Weekly, Jesse Rogers said that the deal was on the dotting Is and crossing Ts stage, including the physical, and that one year and $10-$12M was a good estimate. That’s sort of the standard former front-end starter trying to rebound contract.
They could have waited until February and signed him for $6-$8m. It’s amazing how penny wise and pound foolish this org is.
I hate Clevinger’s vibes— he’s got the hippie thing going (which is perfectly fine on its own) except Cleveland traded him in large part bc he was just a prick, to teammates and wife. Not a nice combo. Hopefully he’s not LaRochian during his time here.
I think it’s good for the baseball reasons though. Morosi reports “one guaranteed year, more than $8M” which makes it sound like 1y/$8.5M, maybe with a team option for ‘24? The ‘guaranteed’ is suggestive. Price is apparently as projected.
He’s not too old, and I think he’s a solid bounceback candidate—coming back from TJS in the lockout year, not being able to communicate w the team training staff, is tough to overcome. He’s also always been kinda injury-prone, so I’m actually kinda happy he’s signing earlier: the reshuffled training staff & Katz can direct his offseason more.
He’s had two TJs. The odds of a bounceback to anything more than a 5th starter is very small.
Two TJS isn’t very common, but it doesn’t seem to be a death sentence for a career. Piece on that: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-11-17/padres-second-tommy-john-surgery-mike-clevinger-nathan-eovaldi
Because most guys don’t come back from two TJs, that’s why.
Please the piece I linked. Most guys have two TJs when they’re 35+, or they’re career minor leaguers.
First time I can recall the Sox signing somebody of really questionable character. They have been pretty good about avoiding that over the years. But now I don’t get the sense this ownership cares all that much about who is on their roster or in their clubhouse (TLR for example). I’m only surprised because Clevinger will cost a little bit more than their typical dumpster dives.
Daryl Boston still around?
They’ve signed and tolerated jerks before if they’re good enough— Belle, for instance, for signing. Sale, Eaton, Pierzynski, Guillén, LaRoche, etc were not the most pleasant of fellows.
I should clarify that Clevinger’s wife had accused him of infidelity and being a generally shitty partner, not of DV, and Cleveland traded him when he broke COVID rules to go party. This isn’t like the Astros signing Osuna, nor does he appear to have done anything like his erstwhile teammate Bauer. I just don’t particularly like him, but there’s nothing that gives really serious pause like, say, a DUI or three.
Reese McGuire also had his incident.
carjackings are not uncommon on the south side, but usually they’re a little different
For the record they’re just as common on the north side. But also, lol
ultimately he was overexposed
If they sign Zach Eflin next I think Hahn is copying my offseason plan.
IF he’s being paid with the Benintendi and Wong $, as has been the case with multiple arms signed by the Sox in recent years, this is a terrible decision.
Otherwise, who cares. All of their #5 starter options would carry some level of risk.
I think the Brewers picked up Wong’s option so we can take him off the FA list.
been a lot of talk of trading for him is the context
Yeah, I read that they figured “if this guy is really worth at least $10 million, but we don’t want to pay that, let’s sign him for that anyway and hopefully get a little prospect or two for free when we trade him and his contract away.”
He’s a cromulent back end starter who still has some upside left. I’m alright with it. Especially since it’s only a year and maybe an option.
+1 for using cromulent.
This reminds of them signing Harrison and Kelly as soon as the ink dried on the CBA agreement last year. Not even exploring the market. Clevinger does not exactly sound like a prince of a human being.
I didn’t and don’t expect them to do much after this, other than lottery type dregs at 2b and OF. Jason Heyward? Robinson Cano? Both are left handed hitters who had good seasons within the past 10 years.
Can the Sox get someone that has some left in his career instead of getting a guy who may be good. The needs of this team are well known but seems like a retirement home for some has beens.
This does not blow my hair back, but I feel positive about it. It is possible that Clevenger saw the White Sox as one of the better teams to rebuild his value as well. They have a good track record and play in a weaker division. We really do not know all the insights into the negotiations. He has not had a huge payday yet either. This could be another good one year deal where the Sox get a starter motivated to say in the league and profit from that motivation.
Jerry is gonna love that braid
I think I found a worse photo than the previous one.
No you didn’t, so thanks, I guess?
Closes the book on a Quintana reunion I guess.
One year – 8 million deal. Just kinda Meh, what you’d expect to pay a 5th starter.
I think going off a lot of peoples comments, they are worried it’s too early. We’ve seen markets where free agent contracts absolutely exploded. So waiting could have gone the opposite way. And most likely his reps called Hahn, knowing Katz could help fix his value, if you agree, just get the 5th starter taken care of, and move to the next guy. Let’s also not judge the entire offseason, on one guy. We might trade a guy, and sign another who knows. I remember everyone absolutely loved the Polluck trade, saying the off-season was saved, look how that turned out.
I’m ok with this move and it kind of tells me that Cueto wanted a 2-3 year contract. Now we, as fans, need more from Hahn.
And Jerry 🙂
I don’t think any Sox fan could be more disappointed by 2023 as we all were during the excruciating being-stretched-on-a-rack season of 2022. Now that my expectations are the lowest they can possibly be, it leaves open the possibility of being mildly surprised in ’23 but not teeth-grindingly on edge. My hope for this rebuild died with the Larussa/Eaton signings in 20-21 offseason. But 2022 was like the ending of “A Clockwork Orange” for me.
Last year the beats reported that the White Sox believed Velasquez would have done better if Katz got to work with him more in the off-season. His numbers did improve in the second half. Not saying it’s right or wrong, but I would guess that that’s their line of thinking in making the signing so early.
I haven’t said a lot lately because A) I’ve had a lot on my plate and don’t have time to get into some drawn-out back and forth, and B) I’m a slow (one-handed) typist since my stroke. I’ll say this and then sit back and not worry about engaging any more than I have time or inclination for.
Let me preface everything by saying I’m as frustrated as anyone by how this window is being squandered. An unwillingness to make premium investments at the right time coupled with unimaginative front office vision further coupled with inferior development, scouting, training, and analytics staffs have led to where we are.
That said, the constant drumbeat of nihilism in some corners of the commentariat is driving me crazy. For some, every move must be viewed through the most negative lens one can find.
Clevinger sucked last year; therefore he must suck next year. We should have signed him in February after we failed to get Verlander or Quintana. We could have saved $2M if we waited. No one recovers from 2 Tommy Johns. This means we’re done shopping for starters. His hair is too long. But my comment isn’t even about Clevinger. He’s just the latest example.
Because we flamed out 2 years in a row in the playoffs, we can’t ever hope to beat Houston unless we upgrade most of the roster. We can’t upgrade the roster when we’re jettisoning 2 of the best players (Abreu & Cueto) from last year. Grifol can’t possibly be a good manager because he came from lowly Kansas City and the Royals didn’t hire him. Putting Colas in right is proof that they’re punting the season. Moncada, Lynn, Giolito, Kelly are all sunk costs: untradable and unlikely to earn their contracts. No free agent wants to come here because Pollock might have left money on the table to get out. On and on it goes.
Some of this stems from people putting too much stock in the last thing they saw, which for the Sox was mostly crushing underperformance. But the recent past is not future destiny. If it were, we would have won the World Series in 2006.
Cease will probably not be as good next year, though if he brings the walk rate down, he could be a lot better. But Giolito is likely to be closer to 2021 than 2022. Same with Moncada. Vaughn will probably be better than Abreu next year. Colas will probably be better than whatever hydra manned RF last year.
And if this team makes the playoffs next year, it absolutely can play deep into October, even if they’re not as good or as complete as Houston. To write off that possibility is simply wanting to see the worst possible outcome so that it aligns with your opinion of Reinsdorf and the front office.
If you read my OPP, you’ll know I want them to sign Trea Turner, Brandon Nimmo, and a better starter than Clevinger. I want them to make some trades to restock the farm system with high-upside talent. I think those moves or others like them give the Sox the best shot moving forward. But if the Sox ignore my advice, it doesn’t mean everything is hopeless. There are ways things can still work out. Too many are seeking the hopeless, and that’s what is making it such a slog to read the comments lately.
I feel better for having written all that.
Thanks for this. Well said.
I’d up-vote this several times, if I could.
Bravo, Steve. One of the best posts I’ve read in a long time.
Very well put, and with one hand no less!
This is terrific, great post. The one thing I’ll say is this:
At the start of last season, most people here were very optimistic about the 2022 season. Some even thought a WS bid was possible (a good number of the media “experts” believed this as well). Then 2022 happened. But here’s the thing–
Most of the same players that made us excited in March 2022 as still on this team. And I don’t think that’s a terrible thing.
Look, I’m no fan of Hahn (though I give him a grain of salt as he operates from the corner JR and KW constantly stuff him in), but there’s one thing I believe down to my bones–
TLR did more damage to this team, and the entire 2022 season, then we’ll ever know.
From mismanaged injuries to lack of preparation to terrible lineups to absolutely puzzling in-game calls to the utter lack of respect he surely garnered (you think the players don’t know the reason he was hired, same as we do?), he was a cancer, a plague, a blight on the entire roster.
And now he’s gone, and I’d bet heavily–very heavily–that a lot of players who regressed, slumped, and were unengaged will be reborn with him gone. Take a whole lot of bounce back, better health, and hopefully some minor–though key–additions, and this team can, possibly, be a contender.
Am I pessimistic? Sure, at times. But there is reason to believe the relentless gloom and doom left right alongside TLR.
So well said GS, like a baseball Yoda.
“This time is different with the White Sox.”
Make a list of the top FA starting pitchers on the market — Clevinger is going to be about 15th give or take (if we go purely on projected 2023 fWAR he’s 18th). The Sox have taken themselves out of the running from signing 14 better pitchers (three guys have signed already). The only other SP to switch teams of note was signed by the Angels, not exactly known for being a smart FO. This is a poor use of resources and reading the market.
Sure maybe Clevinger is better than last year, but there’s little point to that says he will be other than he’ll be another year removed from his 2nd TJ. That isn’t exactly comforting.
The issue isn’t as much Clevinger, as it is the continued lack of creativity and learning from prior mistakes by this FO. Their SP FA target was Clevinger… think about it… you don’t jump the gun for a guy like Clevinger — the difference between him and Wacha or Heaney or Manaea will probably be small next year.
I get it we’re fans, and some of us will talk ourselves into this signing and others like it from day one and others never will warm up to it. But this is the same old story over and over again from this FO. I have no reason to believe this time will be different with the White Sox.
I mean, it’s definitely possible that Hahn again misjudged the market and overpaid for Clevinger by signing him this early. It’s also possible the contract numbers will be spot on or even an underpay once the market gets going. The problem is the absolute certainty that certain people have had regarding everything White Sox these past few months that the worst case scenario is what is going to happen and there is no hope for improvements or bouncebacks. Moncada, Robert, and Eloy are always going to be injured and useless but it’s okay to sign Nimmo because he clearly won’t get injured again for us because he’s from outside the org. But the right kind of outside the org, not the wrong kind like Grifol. It’s exhausting that nearly every comment section gets overtaken with doomsday comments that makes it hard to actual discuss the merits of the actual things that are happening. Take this thread for example. There aren’t many comments about actual fit and what skillsets Clevinger brings to the table that we can work with. It’s all “overpay this” and “injury that” and “Hahn is an idiot”.
Terrific comment. It’s a feeling I’ve had rattling in my brain for a few weeks, and you nailed it on the head.
Steve-
I hope you are feeling well. I think it can look like people are more insane than they really are on here because people come here to talk/bitch specifically about the Sox. If I said the things I say on here to someone not on this board, I would probably be committed to an asylum. With that being said, at some point we do all have to decide what we are getting out of the Sox experience, and whether it’s healthy and good. I’ve seen people who take sports way too seriously, and it’s scared me enough that I have vowed never to be that person myself. I really do just want the team to put a good product on the field so I can enjoy rooting for them. Simple as that.
The team will also be a lot more fun next year with TLR gone. I despise him on multiple levels and that made it really hard for me to stay enthusiastic about the team at times.
Let’s hope 2023 is a fun year!
Don’t wanna put words in GS’ mouth, but I think he was referring to a few specific members who seem to rattle off the same absolutist comments, multiple times, for each and every article written and who- based on the 39+ upvotes- were ostensibly grating on a lot of us here
You’re welcome to put words in my mouth if you continue to do it this well.
I’ve always liked your comments. In my memory, this one is the best.
Thank you to everyone for your kind comments. Much appreciated.
I dig it. Guy has ace upside but is only paid to be our 5. I’m confident Katz can get at least that out of him.
Most of you were belly aching about Rodon returning too – I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for this specific situation.
Agreed. Good move for the Sox. I believe he’s gonna have a good year.
Onto to the offense now!
Reminds me of 2016 and the Mat Latos signing in multiple ways.
Tattoos included
The White Sox strategy involves adding large question marks onto a roster already chock full of them.
That’s a sad indictment on what this organization believes to be a “window of contention”.
It’s not a bad gamble. But at the same time it’s a pretty pathetic move for a team that believes itself to be in a “window of contention” as you said. With some luck he replaces Cueto adequately but nothing more. But it’s certainly not the worst thing Hahn has done.
Yet until they finally come to their senses and do something truly meaningful about their atrocious hitting vs RHP, there is very little reason to follow this team.
Well on a positive note, they signed a player for 8M the prior two years as well. Eaton after 2020, and Kelly last year. Those were both inexcusable and unforgivable. Signing the injured Kelly for 8.5M one of the dumbest ever. This can’t possibly turn out as bad as those two.
So by comparison this was at least not totally moronic. We can only hope that doesn’t turn out to be the highest praise Sox fans give to Hahn this winter!
Declines in velocity, K’s, ground balls… increases in fly balls, exit velocity, ERA. Going to a homer friendly ballpark with a weak defensive team. What could go wrong?
Some chance it works out decent but a turd move for a team that considers itself within a competitive window. They run this show the same way every year, with unsurprisingly predictable results. A model of futility.
I haven’t read all the comments yet, so I apologize if I’m repeating someone else. But I wish the Sox were that team that said, hey we need a 5th starter; let’s sign Verlander and move everyone else down a notch.
Clevinger was awful last year, but was good before. Maybe he’ll be awful again, maybe he’ll be good again, maybe in between. Shrug.
What’s concerning is the White Sox process almost always involves honing in on a specific target and jumping the market on (mostly) mediocre players, rather than evaluating multiple options and making the puzzle fit. What’s more concerning is these targets almost always have some non-analytical reason that makes me think the White Sox front office just doesn’t really have a good idea of the MLB player pool. The targets always have some flimsy connection for being targeted related to the fact that Jerry/Kenny/Rick only watch White Sox games and don’t really have a grasp on the rest of the league.
Clevinger: The White Sox wanted to trade for him when he was good, and saw a lot of him playing in the division. Now they’re targeting him when he sucks, probably because some scout watched him pitch once in May and thought he’s the same guy as before. A season’s worth of data on him be damned.
Mazara: The White Sox almost had a trade for him at the 2019 deadline that didn’t come through, and apparently didn’t look at any other RF options in the 2019-20 offseason.
Eaton: The White Sox had him before when he was good.
Joe Kelly: TLR knew him from St. Louis.
Pollock: TLR knew him from Arizona.
Even moves that work out have the same logic:
Rodon: White Sox had him for a long time.
Lynn: TLR knew him from St. Louis, plus they almost had a deal at the 2020 deadline that didn’t come through.
Hendriks/Graveman: Pitched against them in a first-round playoff series. Maybe not the same level of reasoning, but I could see the braintrust being like “This guy looks great, we should get him” rather than analyzing actual data.
Clearly there are some hits in there, but the chances you see them sign or trade for an under-the-radar player without any sort of connection is pretty rare.
Even a lot of minor league signings are guys that were A) previously in the White Sox system, B) previously in the Royals system (because of Getz), C) previously a famous prospect who hasn’t been good in years. You don’t see them sign 6-year free agents from random orgs who’ve just been solid pro players over the course of their careers.
God this is so ridiculously reductionist. I guess that means we should avoid Sean Murphy because the White Sox are interested in trading for him so he can’t actually be good right?
No, there is no prior connection to Sean Murphy, so that wouldn’t fit this description at all.
Also, there are lots of teams with needs at catcher and prospects that have real trade value that can acquire Sean Murphy much more easily than the White Sox, so this won’t actually happen.
Man this just reeks of a Kenny always gets his man signing. Reportedly $12 million for 4.33 ERA. So many things wrong with this. Too early. Too much money. Wrong guy. Whole rotation is RHed. Same old Sox.
Syndergaard signed a 1/$21M deal last offseason in a similar situation. Hell, Wacha signed for 1/$7M coming off two seasons of 5+ ERA, had a good season for Boston and now a bunch of people on here think 2022 is his baseline and not an outlier. I get that $12M is a lot for our budget but I don’t really think $12M is all that much for a pitcher like Clevinger these days.
This signing seems like the kind of move that the White Sox FO thinks a smart organization would make.
While the timing and dollar value pretty well disqualify that evaluation, and the current makeup of the pitching staff (L)eaves some to be desired, I find almost nothing about any 1 year deal for any pitcher worth complaining about. Very little downside here.