Dan Wheeler, anyone?

by millionairesrow on Oct 8, 2008 4:16 PM EDT Comment 41 comments

I've been looking at the potential free agent relievers and was wondering what others' thoughts are on Dan Wheeler. I've been able to see him pitch a few times in the last week or so in the Rays-White Sox series and he's been fairly impressive in the limited opportunites I've had to see him. I went over to baseball reference to get a litle better feel for his career numbers, and he seems to have had a boom or bust type pattern(welcome to the Cleveland Indians bullpen!) over the last few years. His K/BB rate seems to be pretty average to above average, all things considered, even though he doesn't seem to strike a ton of guys out.

While Wheeler's continued post-season performance will have some kind of effect with what kind of offers he receives this offseason, is he the type of RP you could see Shapiro going after this offseason? While he doesn't have a great deal of experience closing games, he does have some experience closing games, which seems to be a prerequisite for any would be Indians closer. Any guesses on what type of offers he receives?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wheelda01.shtml

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I like Wheeler, but I’m not sure if he’s substantially better than our existing options. Betancourt could bounce back and we have some unproven guys that could come up big for us (Miller, Meloan and Stevens). All things considered, Shapiro won’t be able to trade for a lights out closer and the best arm available might be Street, but he’ll come with a pretty big price tag. If all else fails then someone like Wheeler would be a pretty decent pickup, but I’d like to see the FO explore more options (both internal and external) before settling on that type of reliever.

by JP_Frost on Oct 8, 2008 4:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wheeler is not going to be a free agent after this season.

by Peter Bendix on Oct 8, 2008 4:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

All the more reason to sign him. We have to think outside the box!

"It's hard to win when you don't score." Cliff Lee, 9/28/05.

by Harry Doyle on Oct 8, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He is according to Cot’s Contracts, and they’re usually reliable. Any source that he’s not going to be a FA?

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2002/02/2008-09-free-agents.html

by millionairesrow on Oct 8, 2008 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He signed an extension early this season – maybe they haven’t updated the list since then.

by Ryan on Oct 8, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I stand corrected – my bad.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=mlb&id=2897

by millionairesrow on Oct 8, 2008 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That must not have been updated during the season. He signed a three-year extension in April. So says rotoworld and various other sources

On a side note, I’m a fan, but Wheeler had a .190 BABIP this year – fifth “best” of any pitcher who pitched at least 30 innings.

Yes, that was a lot of links

by Peter Bendix on Oct 8, 2008 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

btw, if anyone’s curious, the server automatically tags any post with five or more links in it as comment spam.

by Ryan on Oct 9, 2008 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good to know, thanks.

by Peter Bendix on Oct 9, 2008 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

so you’re saying i should be setting all my spam-bots to 4 links….

by APV on Oct 9, 2008 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Joaquin Benoit. Just saying.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Oct 8, 2008 5:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think the Tribe will have to go with quantity. Benoit is good. Pluto suggests Howry.

by odradek on Oct 8, 2008 5:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Put me down for Oldberto

by Roger Dorn on Oct 8, 2008 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Willy Mota should be available too. George Julio as well.

by odradek on Oct 8, 2008 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hear Ambiorix Burgos is really hitting his targets better.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Oct 8, 2008 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

by FredOx on Oct 8, 2008 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

zing

by Brick. on Oct 9, 2008 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d be leery of Howry. He had a down year and that might be the beginning of the end, not just an anomaly. He’s 35 and has averaged near 80 innings over the last 4 seasons.

by peter m on Oct 8, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

B-How also had a .344 BABIP this year. He had a 59/13 K/BB ratio in 70 innings.

He lost approximately one MPH off of both his fastball and his slider, but still throws 91.

Sign me up.

by Peter Bendix on Oct 8, 2008 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, we have reason to be interested, and reason not to be. If he’s not expensive, worth a try. If he is, I’d be reluctant. 35 year old relief pitchers don’t appeal to me all that much.

by peter m on Oct 8, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s younger than Borowski and Wickman, isn’t it? I think it’s better to have a guy who’s pitched in a pen for a while than it is to have a out-of-control fireballer like David Aardsma. Joel Zumaya wasn’t much help in 2008.

by odradek on Oct 9, 2008 12:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And this was because he was young? I thought it was because he was injured.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Oct 9, 2008 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because he throws out of control. Sure, his diminished capacities are the result of injury. But some broadcaster I was listening to this past season—Hamilton?—says Zoo may never be the pitcher he was.

by odradek on Oct 9, 2008 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

How about an older, out-of-control fireballer? I think this one is available.

by cleveland teamer on Oct 9, 2008 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thing is, we’ve already got Donnelly and Rincon who are “veteran” guys. I agree that experienced pitchers can be a good thing, but broken down pitchers are a bad thing (and the danger of that is great with older guys like Howry).

by peter m on Oct 9, 2008 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not suggesting, by the way, that we should keep either of those veteran guys.

by peter m on Oct 9, 2008 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chad Cordero was non-tendered by the Nationals and is rehabbing from surgery to repair a torn labrum on July 8. He’s still young, had great success, seems like a good guy and someone Shapiro wanted a couple years ago. Probably won’t be ready to join the club until June or July. Seems perfect for one of Shapiro’s “Millwood-Type” deals and one I’d like to see made.

by Otto on Oct 9, 2008 11:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

why does every possible deal the indians could make get called a millwood-type deal? this would be more of an “mulder-if-he-where-a-releiver-and-didn’t-go-to-st. louis-instead-and-had-a-labrum-tear-and-was-younger-type” deal, if you ask me.

by Brick. on Oct 9, 2008 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs