Evan Meek Doesn't Deserve an ASG Nod?

Evan Meek was selected by Charlie Manuel to represent the Pirates in this year's All Star Game next week. Evan Meek has pitched 47 innings, is holding opponents to a line of .175/.229/.253, has struck out 42 batters, and has a WHIP of 0.851. Yet somehow some national writers like to bring up his name when mentioning players that may not deserve an all start spot.

One writer (who doesn't deserve to be linked or named) threw out the fact that Evan Meek has 5 blown saves in 6 opportunities (he actually used incorrect stats, go figure). Well, first things first, Meek isn't a closer. Yet. In his one chance to save a game in the 9th inning this season, he faced 3 batters and got them all out, preserving a win over the Dodgers.

Meek has inherited 16 runners in his 38 appearances. Only 6 have scored. He has not allowed a runner to score in 27 appearances. His WHIP is good for 6th best of relievers with 30IP or more. Meek also has a RE24 of 13.03 which ranks 7th of all relievers. He also has a RAR that is higher than Arthur Rhodes, Matt Capps, and Jose Valverde, all of which are All Stars and aren't being called out by writers that have never seen them pitch.

One writer wrote that the Pirates aren't using Meek when they are ahead. Well with only 30 wins this season through 82 games and one of the worst offenses in all of baseball, it's no wonder he hasn't been given many chances to go out there with a lead. Of his 38 appearances, 27 have been with the Pirates up or down 2 runs or less. 9 times he has allowed that defecit or lead to be dwindled or extended. Seems to me 2 or less runs is a "close game".

Meanwhile, Matt Capps has had the same number of appearances with the Nationals up/down 2 or less and has allowed that lead/defecit to be dwindled/extended 11 times. So while Meek may not be put in situations where he has a lead or is closing out games, he seems to be pitching pretty well. And if you're going to clamor for Strasburg to take Meek's spot, why not clamor for Strasburg to take his teamate's spot instead?

Capps' opponent batting line is .289/.321/.429. His RAR is 5.3. His win probability is -0.65, 4th worst of all 97 relievers with 30IP or more. Yet his selection into the All Star game goes unquestioned. Why? Because he's a "closer" and has accumulated 22 saves, one of the most meaningless stats in all of baseball.

But I guess Meek is an easy target when he plays on a last place team. So rather than look at the roster more in depth, or actually watch the guy pitch, it would be easier to just call out a guy for one of the worst teams in basball who has some above average numbers rather than this guy, this guy, or this guy (who doesn't even qualify for some stats based on plate appearances) when there already is a guy named Brandon Phillips who can play multiple positions.

Meek deserves the spot. There are also much bigger snubs than Strasburg such as Votto and San Diego's league leading pitching staff. Dissing a guy just because he's used in the 6th or 7th inning rather than in the last with a lead is a joke. Hopefully Meek will get a chance to see what Charlie Manuel saw this weekend and these guys can eat their words. Congrats Evan!

Veteran Free Agent Help - Catchers

Yesterday I touched on some veteran shortstops the Pirates could target in the offseason. However, I really can't see any of them happening unless the Pirates were to trade Cedeno and receive a young SS in return. Today we'll look at catchers the Pirates could target.

Ryan Doumit will be a Pirate through 2011. He has a club option for $7.25 million in 2012 and $8.25 million 2013. The club must excercise both after the 2011 season. Doumit has never played more than 116 games in a season. Furthermore, his defense has been questionable at best. Beyondtheboxscore.com ranked Doumit last of all catchers in baseball defensively. Doumit may be terrible defensively, but for his position, he is a strong offensive catcher. Of qualified players (min 242 PAs), Doumit is 5th in batting avg in all of baseball and first in the NL with .263. He's tied for 1st in the NL with 14 doubles, and is 2nd in the NL in OPS with .763. So there is definately some give and take with Doumit.

Which brings me to my point. Could the Pirates trade Doumit? Tony Sanchez is a year or two off and the Pirates have some young starters. There are a few veteran catchers on the free agent market. This could be an offseason where the Pirates turn Doumit for other needs such as rotation help or a shortstop. Should they go that route (and part of me says don't), here are a few veteran catchers the Pirates could turn to...

Catchers

Jason Varitek - Boston Red Sox - 2011 Age: 39

Ok, you're probably right, he will most likely retire in Boston. But SHOULD Varitek consider leaving Boston, Pittsburgh should snatch him up. Varitek won't add much offensively and his defense is a wash (this year aside), but his leadership is uncanny. Based on his success in the regular season and in the playoffs, the pitching staff and the clubhouse could learn a lot from him. The Pirates will surely have to pony up a nice sum and would take a hit defensively, but the repsect and leadership qualities he exihibits could help a young team prosper in the future.

Jose Molina - Toronto Blue Jays - 2011 Age: 36

Technically Molina isn't a free agent. He has a $1.2 million club option for 2011. Also, Molina has never been a starter. However, the Pirates should do what they can to get their hands on this Molina brother. He's one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

Molina will not wow people with his bat. He's a .238 hitter in his career. But he's never thrown out less than 28% of runners trying to steal and has thrown out 41% for his career. Beyondtheboxscore ranks him as the 4th best catcher defensively in all of baseball in 2010 (it must be noted he only has 23 starts).

Molina has played for 2 World Series teams, has caught some of the league's best pitchers, and is a solid fill in. Molina's option is extremely affordable and he is still showing he has it defenively, but if the Pirates can get his hands on him and platoon him with Kratz or Jaramillo, they should, at the very least, consider it. The staff could use it.

Ramon Hernandez - Cincinatti Reds - Age in 2011: 35

Looking for a little offense? Look no further. Hernandez is a career .278 hitter in the NL. He has hit 20+ home runs twice in his career. He's never had a negative WAR in his career. Need some defense? He's also thrown out 30% of the runners that have tried to steal on him in his career and has had 1 passed ball the past 2 years.

If the Pirates are looking for a more complete player than Doumit, perhaps Hernandez could be their guy. The problem? He has an option that kicks in if he plays in 120 games, which is within striking distance as he's been in 54 games through 80. If he doesn't get to that number and becomes a free agent, I hope the Pirates look to keep him in the division.

Veteran Free Agent Help - Shortstops

Yesterday I touched on Starting Pitchers the Pirates could seek to bolster their staff and hopefully mentor their young starters. Today I'll focus on shortstops.

The Pirates still have Ronny Cedeno for another year as he will be in his final abritration year, should they choose to tender him. Bobby Crosby will be a free agent. The internal options at AAA are pretty slim as Argenis Diaz is the only real candidate there.

Shortstop

Bobby Crosby - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2011 Age: 31

Would this be the easy way out? Sure. But looking at the crop of shortstops set to be free agents next year, there really isn't anyone that stands out that the Pirates should definately consider.

Lately, Crosby has been starting and has been a slight upgrade over Cedeno. Should the Pirates choose not to tender Cedeno or send him off in a trade, I would hope that they keep Crosby. However, given what will be on the market (for now), Crosby could be had.

Juan Uribe - San Francisco Giants - 2011 Age: 31

Juan Uribe is a guy who can do it all. He can play SS, 2B, and 3B. He's even played a game in CF. The Pirates went this route when they signed Bobby Crosby this past offseason.

Uribe saw his batting average and OPS+ creep up when he moved from the White Sox to the Giants. His batting average went from .251 to .280 and his OPS+ went from 85 to 111. Staying in the National could be a benefit to Uribe offensively.

Defensively though, Uribe is a bit of a question mark. Since maxing out in 2007 with a 9.7 UZR at SS, Uribe has decline every year, sporting a -2.8 last year. Uribe's value will certainly be at 2B or 3B.

Signing a guy like Uribe would only make sense if Neil Walker doesn't cut it the rest of the year. Uribe really doesn't make much sense defensively at SS, but if the Pirates are desperate they could go that route. The other issue is money. Uribe is making $3.25 million this year and would certainly get more next year with an extremely weak 2B class. Uribe is certain to get a pay raise and a shot to start at 2B for a team. Money aside, signing Uribe does not seem to be much of an option for the Pirates as they have a few options at 2B and he would not be much of an upgrade at SS defensively.

Derek Jeter - New York Yankees - 2011 Age: 37

Just kidding...

Adam Everett - Detroit Tigers - 2011 Age: 34

Most Pirate fans are familiar with Everett because he was compared to Jack Wilson for so long. Everett is a glove first shortstop as he pretty much has no bat whatsoever. He is a career .243 hitter and has hit above .260 just once in his career.

Since Everett is a defense first player he hasn't gotten much time in Detroit and has actually seen a decline in his defensive stats. Last year was a terrible year for him as he had a career worst fielding percentage and the most errors in a season where he has played in more than 45 games.

Everett does not seem to be on much of an upswing, however a move back to the NL and it's weaker pitching could always help. However, the Pirates should only go the Everett route if Diaz is not an option or they trade for a young shortstop that will put up numbers to counteract his poor offensive stats. The Pirates aren't depending on their shortstop to win, but a guy that can hit better than .260 would be preferred. Out of all the candidates listed, I think Everett has the best chance of wearing a Pirates uniform.

Looking over the list of shortstop option, it seems like the Pirates best bet would be to see what they can get in a trade. Perhaps a contender looking for relief help could offer a younger shortstop at the trade deadline or in the offseason. The Pirates shortstop prospects are few and far between, so they should definately consider this route.

Veteran Free Agent Help - Starting Pitching

I was reading Chuck Finder's Q&A today and he made mention that the Pirates should sign a veteran starter to teach the young kids how to carry themselves and pitch. That got me thinking. Why stop there? Why just a starting pitcher? In the right situation, a veteran player can help young guys develop.

Look at the bullpen, for example. Since adding Octavio Dotel, Brendan Donnelly, D.J. Carrasco and, to some extent, Javier Lopez to complement Joel Hanrahan and Evan Meek, the Pirates have a very strong bullpen and 4 veteran relievers to show the pen how to go about their business. Hanrahan and Meek have had very succesful seasons and some credit should be given to the older guys.

So if the Pirates should decide to add a few guys for "veteran leadership" they should probably focus on Starting Pitching, Shortstop, and perhaps catcher. The bullpen may see some turnover at the deadline and will certainly see a few new faces next year. Over the next few days I'll profile a particular position and the free agents available that the Pirates might be able to target.

Starting Pitching

The Pirates have some fairly young starters and no real veteran leadership to turn to. Ross Ohlendorf and Charlie Morton could be Pirates during this youth movement and could probably use a crafty veteran to turn to when they need help.

Kevin Millwood - RHP - Baltimore Orioles - 2011 Age: 36

After 101.2 IP Millwood has a 5.22 ERA, 81K, 31BB, and a 1.515 WHIP. For the most part, those numbers do not look so appealing. However, Millwood has had a tough June. Through April and May he had given up 32 earned runs, 77 hits, and 17 walks over 74 innings. In June alone he gave up 27 earned runs, 46 hits, and 14 walks in 27.2 innings. That's a 8.93 ERA for the month of June after a combined 3.89 in April and May!

Millwood has pitched in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Texas, and Baltimore over the course of 14 seasons. He has been a pretty reliable starter, pitching less than 30 games just 3 times since his rookie season. Although Millwood had one of his most successful seasons in Cleveland, he has been more successful in the NL sporting a 3.89 ERA vs his 4.32 ERA in the AL. Looking at just the NL Central, he sports a sub 4.00 ERA against the Cubs, Astros, and Cardinals. Combining all teams but the Pirates, Millwood is 28-15 4.09 ERA vs the NL Central.

If his season continues to go the way it has, I wonder if he will want to come to a team like the Pirates after playing for a similar team in Baltimore. He is making $12 million this year and would probably command something similar, being a Boras client and all. It's somewhat unlikely the Pirates will turn to Millwood given his price tag, but perhaps they should take a chance. He would be my #1 choice.

Jamie Moyer - RHP - Philadelphia Phillies - 2011 Age: 116

There really isn't much to say about Moyer, besides the fact that he will be 48 and not 116. He has been in the game for a long time and every time you think he's done, he comes back. He won't go away! He debuted in 1986 for crying out loud. Yes, the Pirates should look towards offering him a contract. Will Moyer accept? Extremely doubtful. Why waste a year here after finally winning a World Series in 2008? I just can't see it happening and only make mention of him because Finder did. No chance!

Jorge de la Rosa - LHP - Colorado Rockies - 2011 Age: 30

De la Rosa has a career ERA of 5.13, averages about 20 HR a season, and has a 4.7 BB/9. All these signs point to a big fat no. However, de la Rosa's numbers appear to be trending upward. His K:BB and GO/AO ratios have been going up while his ERA and WHIP have all been going down since 2007. Home runs are still a problem for him, but when you play in Colorado, that seems to happen.

He tore a tendon in his finger in late April, but appears to have recovered and should return to action soon. De la Rosa is making $5.6 million this year and is definately due for a raise, especially if he continues his upward trend. De la Rosa isn't a house hold name, so the Pirates will not have to break the bank, but I'd expect close to $8-$10 million, depending on how the rest of his year goes. De la Rosa may not be a crafty veteran like a Millwood or Moyer, but he definately has some value if neither of those two would come to Pittsburgh.

Javier Vazquez - RHP - New York Yankees - 2011 Age: 34

Vazquez is having the worst year of his career since his rookie campaign. A 5.16 ERA and the lowest K:BB ratio of his career are not helping. But he still holds value. Vazquez may not be the man he was...uh, just last year, but he's been around the league and, barring any language barrier, can definately show this staff what it takes to be a winner. He has a 4.02 ERA vs the NL, which is almost an entire run better than his AL ERA. Perhaps the Pirates can squeeze that one good year out of him, get what they need out of him, and let him ride off.

Vazquez has allowed 3 runs or less in 8 of his last 10 starts, so perhaps he is on the upswing after 5 bad starts to begin the season. It will be a good idea to see if this success continues for the rest of the season as he has look much improved.

Over the past 5 years, Vazquez has received at least $11 million a season. I think in order for him to come to the Pirates, he would have to want similar, if not more, money. New York has a shot at the World Series this year and Vazquez has yet to win one. If he wins one, I wonder if he would welcome a contract to a team like the Pirates. If not, well... I wouldn't count on it.