10 Unrestricted Free Agent Starting Pitchers

[HoopsCubs]

I am quite intrigued by the notion that the Cubs are considering to sign a starting pitcher as part of their off-season wish list.

 

So, I did a quick scan of stats and data, and have listed out 10 unrestricted free agents, who stood out (i.e. for this thread I stayed away from pitchers with team options/club options and trade candidates).

 

Next to each free agent, I have listed out 9 items:

 

1. ERA/2. games started/3. innings pitched/4. hits given up/5. walks given up/6. WHIP/7. 2005 salary/8. age/9. agent.

 

AJ Burnett®: 3.44/32/209/184/79/1.26/$3.7M/28/Darek Braunecker

Paul Byrd®: 3.74/31/204/216/28/1.20/$5.0M/34/Bo McKinnis

Roger Clemens®: 1.87/32/211/151/62/1.01/$18.0M/43/Hendricks Brothers

Esteban Loaiza®: 3.77/34/217/227/55/1.30/$2.9M/33/John Boggs

Kevin Millwood®: 2.86/30/192/182/52/1.22/$7.0M/30/Scott Boras

Matt Morris®: 4.11/31/192/209/37/1.28/$2.5M+inc./31/Barry Axelrod

Jamie Moyer(L): 4.28/32/200/225/52/1.39/$8.0M/42/Himself

Kenny Rogers(L): 3.46/30/195/205/53/1.32/$3.5M/40/Scott Boras

Jarrod Washburn(L): 3.20/29/177/184/51/1.33/$6.5M/31/Scott Boras

Jeff Weaver®: 4.22/34/224/220/43/1.17/$9.2M/29/Scott Boras

 

Who or what, if anything, stands out?

 

 

Hoops

[USSoccer]

Kevin Millwood is durable, good and should be signed :D

[Neuby]

I like Burnett but think he will get a ton on the open market and worried it will hinder the Cubs in improving the offense. Hopefully Dempsters sell job will make this the place he wants to pittch.

 

Millwood- is the safest bet of the free agent bunch and still young.

I wonder if he's friends with Mad Dog.

 

Would Moyer come here to be a loogy with Ohman assuming Rusch walks?

 

Weaver is young and has electric stuff but will want a ton with Boras as his agent.

 

I like the names that might be out there for trade better Zito, Schmidt ect.

[CubinNY]

Matt Morris. He comes to the Cubs and is the second comming of Lou Broglio.

[tgk]

Who or what, if anything, stands out?

 

 

Hoops

 

Two things stand out: Clemen's ERA and the fact that Boras represents 40% of the list.

[YearofDaCubs]

Weaver was getting 9.2 mil? Ouch. Burnett is my first choice.

[JeffH]

Who or what, if anything, stands out?

 

Loaiza has bargain potential and shares the same agent with Mark Prior.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Who or what, if anything, stands out?

 

Loaiza has bargain potential and shares the same agent with Mark Prior.

 

Loaiza pitched in the most pitcher friendly park in baseball this year.

 

Home: 2.86 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 7.77 K/9, 4.13 K/BB, .233/.275/.342/.617

 

Away: 4.71 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 6.56 K/9, 2.43 K/BB, .306/.358/.435/.792

 

Stay far away.

[TheDude]

Paul Byrd and his 28 walks in 216 Innings strike me as valuable. Maybe it would rub off on some of these kids.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Clemens made twice as much as anybody else on that list this last year.

[Balsa]

Weaver has a really low WHIP. But he probably won't come cheap.

[UBlink]

Clemens made twice as much as anybody else on that list this last year.

 

And had 1/2 the ERA of all but 3.

[rawaction]

Jeff Weaver has the lowest WHIP of anyone not named Clemens. He also has the best walk rate not including Clemens and Byrd. Weaver has always intrigued me. He's a potential Matt Clement type of pitcher who can have a late breakout. He had one of his best years in BB/9, K/9, and BAA. However, he unexplicably gave up 35 HRs playing in Dodgers Stadium.

 

With Boras, he'll probably continue to be overpaid too.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Weaver, Burnett, and Millwood look nice.

[NorthsideAvenger]

Paul Byrd and his 28 walks in 216 Innings strike me as valuable. Maybe it would rub off on some of these kids.

 

Wasn't that the same theory we used when Maddux signed with the Cubs? So I doubt, Paul Bryd would help in that catergory---we just need a new PC, period.

 

I don't think the Cubs are going to land a pitcher in FA, in fact it wouldn't surprise me if the Cubs acquired a pitcher via trade/change of scenery. Say....Dewon Brazleton, Gil Meche esque. I know Hendry confirmed that he would looking for a starter in the off-season, I just not convince he will looking at the "BIG" names in FA.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Weaver is an intriguing option. Millwood would be nice as well.

 

Rogers has serious character issues, but put up a nice line this year.

 

Of course, why are we looking at a starter when we have Jerome Williams?

[mhuber92211]

Eac of these pitchers on this list will be overpaid by an abundance and be not worth it ala Pavano & Wright. If anyone I think that Byrd has the most upside as far as cost to production. He was a solid starter for the Angels this season and most likely, will remain with the team.

[Neuby]

Weaver is an intriguing option. Millwood would be nice as well.

 

Rogers has serious character issues, but put up a nice line this year.

 

Of course, why are we looking at a starter when we have Jerome Williams?

 

I think Hendry has to go into spring training looking at as is Wood will not be anywhere close to a 100 percent and that Maddux will decline.With the nagging injurys Prior has had, along with the minor one's Zambrano has for a team built on pitching I don't think Hendry views it safe to go with another question mark in Williams.

But getting Williams and Ardsma for Hawkins sure looks like a good deal.

 

I think Hendry will be shopping

Williams,Hairston,Walker, Patterson, along with fringe players like Welly, Mitre for a bigger piece of the puzzle this offseason

[Jehrico]

I like Burnett but think he will get a ton on the open market and worried it will hinder the Cubs in improving the offense. Hopefully Dempsters sell job will make this the place he wants to pittch.

 

Could that have anything to do with the VERY strange deviation from habit when Hendry gave Dempster an extension before the season was over?

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Weaver is an intriguing option. Millwood would be nice as well.

 

Rogers has serious character issues, but put up a nice line this year.

 

Of course, why are we looking at a starter when we have Jerome Williams?

 

Because we have Kerry Wood. Why put ourselves in the same mess we did this year? Back up plans are necessary. Be prepared and all that jazz.

[USSoccer]

Stay as far away from AJ Burnett as humanly possible. I want no part of a high-salary, injury prone pitcher. I'd rather have Millwood, Weaver, or Byrd off of that list, in that order, than AJ Burnett. Ceilings don't always get reached.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I like the looks of Millwood and Byrd. I'd be OK with Weaver if the price was right. Why not sign both Millwood AND Byrd, and trade Mark Prior straight up for Miguel Cabrera. Would the Fish do it? Would you??

[USSoccer]

I like the looks of Millwood and Byrd. I'd be OK with Weaver if the price was right. Why not sign both Millwood AND Byrd, and trade Mark Prior straight up for Miguel Cabrera. Would the Fish do it? Would you??

 

I don't think either side would do that.

[RockTheIvy]

What about Loaiza if you can get him cheap, say below 3 mil?

[USSoccer]

What about Loaiza if you can get him cheap, say below 3 mil?

 

Pass. I think RFK helped him out a lot.