How about Jon Niese

[webbrick2010]

Just 29

Been good except for this year

Pirates are looking at is as a salary dump and wouldn't want much

LEFT HANDED starter

Has to be better than Ubaldo

I'd like to give him a shot

[clapdiddy]

Just 29

Been good except for this year

Pirates are looking at is as a salary dump and wouldn't want much

LEFT HANDED starter

Has to be better than Ubaldo

I'd like to give him a shot

Well, the skeletal remains of Cy Young would be an improvement over Ubaldo.

Niese would be an improvement to Ubaldo. He also has 10 and 11 million dollar options over the next two years and could be a decent back-end starter for that kind of money.

[Redskins Rick]

Just 29

Been good except for this year

Pirates are looking at is as a salary dump and wouldn't want much

LEFT HANDED starter

Has to be better than Ubaldo

I'd like to give him a shot

Not sure about the better than Ubaldo remark.

He was bad, the whole month of June this year.

May was so-so and April was terrible.

[esmd]

His ERA is 4.87 in the National League Central. IMO, add a half run per game to that in the AL East. I dunno, his track record before this year was better than this year, but I don't think he'd be a big improvement. He did have three straight years of sub-4.00 ERA's from '12'-14, so at least he's been good in the past. I do like that they would control him for somewhat reasonable money for the next two years. I guess if the cost in prospects isn't too high...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/niesejo01.shtml

[OFFNY]

Just 29

Been good except for this year

Pirates are looking at is as a salary dump and wouldn't want much

LEFT HANDED starter

Has to be better than Ubaldo

I'd like to give him a shot

We need a starting pitcher this year.

And if Niese has not been good this year while pitching in the National League, it's highly unlikely that Duquette would part with anything of value for him.

[monarchO]

I'm on board. He won't cost anything in prospects and can take Ubaldos spot in the rotation and 40 man. If we get him now we can see with a change of scenery can he turn things around by the deadline.

[Larry18]

Starting pitching will cost a King's Ransom.

[tropicos]

Per Fangraphs:

Ubaldo_4.87 FIP & 4.88 xFIP with a high .374 BIP & low 62.7 LOB% (.6 WAR)

Niese__5.44 FIP & 4.34 xFIP with a high 22.9% HR/FB (-.4 WAR)

An argument could be made that this would actually make us worse. And Niese is having knee discomfort again.

[VeveJones007]

His ERA is 4.87 in the National League Central. IMO, add a half run per game to that in the AL East. I dunno, his track record before this year was better than this year, but I don't think he'd be a big improvement. He did have three straight years of sub-4.00 ERA's from '12'-14, so at least he's been good in the past. I do like that they would control him for somewhat reasonable money for the next two years. I guess if the cost in prospects isn't too high...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/niesejo01.shtml

Respectively, the Cubs and Cardinals are #4 and #5 in MLB in wOBA. That's WITH their pitchers in the order.

Sure, the O's and Red Sox are #1 and #2 and Jays are #6, but the Rays are 21st and Yankees are 24th. You're greatly overestimating the relative strength of hitting in the AL East compared to the NL Central.

[clapdiddy]

Per Fangraphs:

Ubaldo_4.87 FIP & 4.88 xFIP with a high .374 BIP & low 62.7 LOB% (.6 WAR)

Niese__5.44 FIP & 4.34 xFIP with a high 22.9% HR/FB (-.4 WAR)

An argument could be made that this would actually make us worse. And Niese is having knee discomfort again.

After looking at his game log, I'm not so sure about him. He's had a few good games, but he's had many more ugly ones.

[Can_of_corn]

Per Fangraphs:

Ubaldo_4.87 FIP & 4.88 xFIP with a high .374 BIP & low 62.7 LOB% (.6 WAR)

Niese__5.44 FIP & 4.34 xFIP with a high 22.9% HR/FB (-.4 WAR)

An argument could be made that this would actually make us worse. And Niese is having knee discomfort again.

I'm a stat guy.

I'm not bashing fWAR.

But I think the system needs tweaking if they have Ubaldo on pace for a 1 win season.

I understand BABIP and LOB% but the old eye test tells me those numbers are not just bad luck, they are the result of absolute meatballs that hitters are tagging.

To compare, rWAR has him at -1.3.

[Larry18]

I'm a stat guy.

I'm not bashing fWAR.

But I think the system needs tweaking if they have Ubaldo on pace for a 1 win season.

I understand BABIP and LOB% but the old eye test tells me those numbers are not just bad luck, they are the result of absolute meatballs that hitters are tagging.

To compare, rWAR has him at -1.3.

Statcast has him throwing 1506 pitches. 169 of them had exit velocities of 100 or above.

[Can_of_corn]

Statcast has him throwing 1506 pitches. 169 of them had exit velocities of 100 or above.

Such a great tool.

[esmd]

Respectively, the Cubs and Cardinals are #4 and #5 in MLB in wOBA. That's WITH their pitchers in the order.

Sure, the O's and Red Sox are #1 and #2 and Jays are #6, but the Rays are 21st and Yankees are 24th. You're greatly overestimating the relative strength of hitting in the AL East compared to the NL Central.

That's fine, you're a stat guy. I like stats too, but not as an absolute authority. I've seen too many supposedly good NL pitchers over the years come to the AL (specifically the East) and get lit up, and I've seen marginal guys in the AL go to the NL and have success. I think it's a combination of things, no DH, bigger, pitcher friendlier ballparks, overall less robust lineups, etc.

[Larry18]

Such a great tool.

I couldn't agree more.