Baltimore Orioles: Remaining free agent starting pitchers for Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles continue to look at the free agent market and consider not only Mark Trumbo, but also some of the pitching available.

The Baltimore Orioles‘ fans voiced their thoughts on how the team should take the draft pick attached to Mark Trumbo and use the money to sign another starter.

As discussed here, fitting a starter into the rotation would be a complicated endeavor.

But, let’s play along and say that a starter is signed. Let’s look at the options:

Under 20-Club of capable starters

1. Brett Anderson – Struggled in four games in 2016 after returning from back injury.
2. Nathan Eovaldi* – Eovaldi is considering returning to the New York Yankees, but will not pitch in 2017 due to having Tommy John surgery in August.
3. Henderson Alvarez – Has not pitched since May 22, 2015, in the majors due to shoulder concerns. Pitched in 11 minor league games in 2016.
4. Mat Latos – No injury concerns, more attitude conflicts that keep him unsigned.

Veteran free agent starting pitchers

1. C.J. Wilson – Missed all of 2016 due to shoulder surgery, may begin throwing for teams in February.
2. Jason Hammel
   Doug Fister
3. Colby Lewis
4. Kris Medlen
5. Dillon Gee
6. Brandon Beachy – Only made one appearance in rookie ball for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 after having Tommy John surgery, possible he may never pitch in the majors again.
7. Lucas Harrell – Struggled and worked out of the bullpen as a long man after being traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Texas Rangers in 2016.

Washed Up or Washed Out

1. Bronson Arroyo
2. Jered Weaver
3. Alfredo Simon
4. Matt Harrison
5. Jeremy Guthrie
6. Ryan Vogelsong
7. Edwin Jackson
8. Tim Lincecum
9. Kyle Lohse
10. Kyle Kendrick
11. Brad Penny
12. Jair Jurrjens
13. Jarrod Parker

Not Starting Material

1. Ross Detwiler
2. Erik Johnson
3. Anthony Ranaudo
4. Joe Wieland
5. Williams Perez
6. Nick Tepesch
7. Scott Diamond
8. David Buchanan
9. Ryan Brasier
10. Aneury Rodriguez
11. Eric Stults
12. Rick van den Hurk

So, where does this leave us? The not starting material is largely a group of guys who have never been used as a starting pitcher, or if they were, were not overly successful at it.

The washed up or washed out category are names you would recognize. However, many of these guys are in their upper-30s in age or struggled mightily in 2016. If you have a name on that list who could start for the Orioles over Ubaldo Jimenez and Wade Miley, let me know.

The veteran starters we will revisit in a second.

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The under-30 club is four guys who come with a ton of baggage. Latos is for his attitude, the others all injury-related. Eovaldi is out, as he won’t pitch in 2017. Here at The Baltimore Wire, we have discussed how a low-risk, high reward contract for Alvarez would be a good idea.  Brett Anderson mostly struggled to end 2016 after back surgery but has largely been a good pitcher in the major leagues.

Now, back to the veterans.

C.J. Wilson is out, as he will not be ready to start the year. As is Brandon Beachy, who unfortunately it appears will never fulfill the capable starter he once had to his career.

I don’t think Lucas Harrell is anything more than a long man on most contending pitching staffs. Same goes for Dillon Gee.

That leaves Kris Medlen, Doug Fister, Jason Hammel and Colby Lewis.

Lewis had a great year in 2016 until he got hurt, but is someone who is VERY susceptible to the home run. You may remember in 2012 when Lewis left up home runs to the first three Oriole batters on eight pitches. He allowed five home runs total in that game, but also struck out 12, a career-high and at one point retired 18 batters in a row. In fact, he was top 10 in HRs allowed in three of the last six seasons. I’d pass on him.

Medlen was once a top young pitcher for the Atlanta Braves before Tommy John surgery altered his career. Last year he was for the Kansas City Royals, his first two starts went pretty well. Then, on April 23rd, he faced the Orioles in Kauffman Stadium and got rocked. He left up seven runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings, with three walks and only two strikeouts. In fact, Medlen walked 20 people in only 24.1 innings, part of the reason his WHIP was above two. Maybe a flier on a low-risk, low-reward minor league deal with Spring Training invite, but I don’t see him as an upgrade right now.

That leaves Hammel and Fister.

Hammel, of course, is well-known in Baltimore. In 2016, he started the year 7-1 through June 4, but would up going 15-10. The 34-year-old struggled so much in August and September that he didn’t pitch in the postseason at all for the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. But, his overall number weren’t bad, with an ERA at 3.69.

Fister was a different story. His ERA was 4.64, the worst of his career. He went 12-13 and never was able to put it together in his first year in Houston. As you look at the numbers for Fister, what sticks out is that he had always been somewhat pedestrian outside of his 16-6 year in Washington in 2014.

For me, it comes down to money. Sure, you could sign Alvarez, Medlen and maybe even C.J. Wilson to contracts where if they struggle, the team doesn’t lose anything.

But, if we are talking about players who are going to contribute throughout 2017, I think the options are Brett Anderson, Doug Fister, and Jason Hammel.

Anderson’s issues are centered on durability. Last year he made over $15 million dollars for the Dodgers. There is no way he is worth that. If the Orioles could sign him for less than $5 million, I would give it a try.

As for Fister and Hammel, I would be willing to go a little higher for both, to around $8 million. Fister made $7 million in 2016; Hammel made $9 million.

I think that Hammel would be a better fit in Baltimore, due to his success pitching the AL East, but I would be ok with either of this guy in black and orange.

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The problem then would return to what to do with the extra starter.

I still don’t have an answer there.