Sherman: Arguably Worst SP Free Agency Ever

1. Arguably the worst free-agent starting-pitching class ever is upon us. Rich Hill is the best starter available. He is a terrific craftsman. He also is 37 in March, has not made it through a full season as a starter since 2007, and no team can simply wave off concerns about blisters because he relies so much on his curveball, which creates intense friction on his fingers against the ball's seams.

And the class goes down-Hill from there.

http://nypost.com/2016/10/22/verlander-deal-astros-all-in-why-mlb-hot-stove-could-be-trade-heavy/

1. Arguably the worst free-agent starting-pitching class ever is upon us. Rich Hill is the best starter available. He is a terrific craftsman. He also is 37 in March, has not made it through a full season as a starter since 2007, and no team can simply wave off concerns about blisters because he relies so much on his curveball, which creates intense friction on his fingers against the ball's seams.

And the class goes down-Hill from there.

http://nypost.com/2016/10/22/verlander-deal-astros-all-in-why-mlb-hot-stove-could-be-trade-heavy/

Wasn't this why DD took a chance on Miley?

It's not just SP. The entire FA market this year is pretty gross.

1. Arguably the worst free-agent starting-pitching class ever is upon us. Rich Hill is the best starter available. He is a terrific craftsman. He also is 37 in March, has not made it through a full season as a starter since 2007, and no team can simply wave off concerns about blisters because he relies so much on his curveball, which creates intense friction on his fingers against the ball's seams.

And the class goes down-Hill from there.

http://nypost.com/2016/10/22/verlander-deal-astros-all-in-why-mlb-hot-stove-could-be-trade-heavy/

I would argue that Jeremy Hellickson is the best pitcher on the market right now, but Hill has higher value because he's an average lefty.

It's not just SP. The entire FA market this year is pretty gross.

Pretty much. It will be better next year with guys like Arrietta hitting the market

It's not just SP. The entire FA market this year is pretty gross.

Thankfully it matches up fairly well with what the Orioles need (mid-market corner OF).

Just gonna need Tillman, Gausman and Bundy to have good years. At least two of them.

Never mind, didn't have to restart. Temporary outages may occur until 1:00 but probably not.

I need to restart the database, short outage in 5 minutes. Please save posts.

We should be good at 1-3 with Tillman, Gausman and Bundy. I think you put Miley in simply by being a lefty. If Ubaldo can continue what he did the end of last year, we're not that bad. Gallardo is depth and should be the long man to start the year.

Maybe in a pitching depressed market we can miraculously dump a couple of the dreadful 3-headed Cerberus that is Gallardo/Miley/Jimenez. What a glorious offseason that would be.

Pretty much. It will be better next year with guys like Arrietta hitting the market

And Tillman!

No way would I sign Hill to anything more than a 1yr deal. I'm still not convinced this year wasn't a fluke career year. Just look at his track record. I'd definitely look to Hellickson before hill if I was in the market for a SP. I'm of the opinion that the O's shouldn't be, unless they trade Jimenez, Gallardo, or Miley. They don't need a 7th SP.

Agreed that it's a weak overall FA class. That's why I would offer the QO to both Wieters and Trumbo. They'll both turn it down, IMO, and if our efforts to re-sign one or both aren't successful, at least we get the picks.

And Tillman!

I keep thinking he's up in 2018. Thanks.

No way would I sign Hill to anything more than a 1yr deal. I'm still not convinced this year wasn't a fluke career year. Just look at his track record. I'd definitely look to Hellickson before hill if I was in the market for a SP. I'm of the opinion that the O's shouldn't be, unless they trade Jimenez, Gallardo, or Miley. They don't need a 7th SP.

Agreed that it's a weak overall FA class. That's why I would offer the QO to both Wieters and Trumbo. They'll both turn it down, IMO, and if our efforts to re-sign one or both aren't successful, at least we get the picks.

Wieters would accept the QO again. He may be a 2/25 or 3/36 type player on the open market, so of course he will take 1/17.

We need the payroll flexibility badly with all the arbitration increases due. No QO to Wieters, please.

It is probably the worst FA market for starting pitchers ever. The year that Bedard was traded was also an awful year for SP, which is why he fetched so much in the trade.

Maybe in a pitching depressed market we can miraculously dump a couple of the dreadful 3-headed Cerberus that is Gallardo/Miley/Jimenez. What a glorious offseason that would be.