Pelfrey - What were the Tigers thinking?

[pitbull]

I'm yet to see anyone in the Detroit area much less the rest of the country understand why he was signed to a 2yr 16 mil contract with the exception of Avila. In what baseball world did he think this was a good signing. His stats so far are:

IP 21.1
H 29
BB 12
K 9
ERA 4.64
Whip 1.92

His ERA would be higher except for some timely DP ball. More BB than Ks. It would be better to acknowledge this was a terrible signing and dump him now but we know this isn't going to happen.

[joncarlos]

Maybe they are hoping he could be a useful RP after he fails as a starter? Maybe they literally had no other way to get those innings eaten? It was a really strange deal at the time. The 2nd year was just dumb.

There were other similar guys they could have gotten (Fister, Chacin, hell, even Rich Hill) that seemed like better bets for similar or less money. Maybe they should have just brought back Alfredo Simon.

[revo]

In all the years I've been using this site, when a deal gets a collective "WTF?" from the RJ community, we've been right nearly all of the time. Pelfrey is one of those guys. When he signed, my first thought was 'why?' My second thought was why on earth did they sign him for more than one year?

While he throws hard (94 mph), that's actually down almost 2 mph from last season already. And just because he throws hard, he doesn't strike anyone out (just 4.6 K/9 the last three seasons). Maybe Avila was lured by the speed?

They have Michael Fulmer knocking on the door at AAA -- how much longer can they really run Pelfrey out there?

[pitbull]

And WTF is the appropriate response. Avila could have signed nobody and he would have been miles ahead.

[Hammer]

While I think the Pelfrey sign was horrendous, it wasnt nearly as bad as the Yanks signing chase Headley to 4/$52 million prior to the 2015 season. This after coming off a pretty craptastic 2014 season. IMO, this was the worst signing in recent memory.

[chancellor]

Hammer - I'll see your Headley and raise you one really, really fat Panda.

OTOH - yeah, I can't imagine how anyone would consider Pelfrey a better option than Fulmer.

[Hammer]

Hammer - I'll see your Headley and raise you one really, really fat Panda.

OTOH - yeah, I can't imagine how anyone would consider Pelfrey a better option than Fulmer.

touche Chance

[chancellor]

I just wonder what Tampa Bay would have done if the Tigers had called and offered a mid-level prospect and $14 million for a pitcher in the minors or majors for Tampa. I realize they wouldn't get Blake Snell, but I gotta believe they'd do miles better than Pelfrey.

[Moonlight J]

It's an expensive placeholder for Fulmer.

Rays wouldn't have given Smyly back, but Moore could have been movable (still is)

[Hammer]

Chase Headley was worth 4.2 WAR in his "craptastic" 2014. And that after 3.6 wins and 7.5 (!) wins in the two previous years.

Pelfrey, on the other hand, was worth 2.0 wins in 2015 and -0.6 in 2014.


Neither are remotely close to being the worst signing in recent memory (Pujols, B.J. Upton, A-Rod, Shin-Soo Choo, Fielder, Ryan Howard, on and on).

his WAR in 2014 was 1.4 while with SD and 2.1 with NYY. His OPS that year was .700. His counting numbers for a 3B was horrific so while worst was exaggerated, it was a terrible signing especially when taking into account there seemed to be noone else interested in signing Headley at the time.

[revo]

his WAR in 2014 was 1.4 while with SD and 2.1 with NYY. His OPS that year was .700. His counting numbers for a 3B was horrific so while worst was exaggerated, it was a terrible signing especially when taking into account there seemed to be noone else interested in signing Headley at the time.

Just FYI, the Yanks have Refsnyder now playing 3B at Scranton. I went to a game there last week, and he was easily the best player in that lineup -- it wasn't even close. He smoked every ball he hit, looked extremely fast and played a solid 3B. If Headley keeps this up, I bet we see Refsnyder at 3B by the All Star Break.

[Hammer]

Just FYI, the Yanks have Refsnyder now playing 3B at Scranton. I went to a game there last week, and he was easily the best player in that lineup -- it wasn't even close. He smoked every ball he hit, looked extremely fast and played a solid 3B. If Headley keeps this up, I bet we see Refsnyder at 3B by the All Star Break.

good info. It would suck to eat 2+ years of Headly but the Yanks really need to replace him.


Sorry for the thread hijack.

[Hornsby]

Just FYI, the Yanks have Refsnyder now playing 3B at Scranton. I went to a game there last week, and he was easily the best player in that lineup -- it wasn't even close. He smoked every ball he hit, looked extremely fast and played a solid 3B. If Headley keeps this up, I bet we see Refsnyder at 3B by the All Star Break.

Man, that must be one pathetic team...Refsnyder is hitting a robust .190.

[revo]

Man, that must be one pathetic team...Refsnyder is hitting a robust .190.

Wow, look at that. Didn't even notice his stat line. Just scouted the ol' fashioned way!

[revo]

They have Michael Fulmer knocking on the door at AAA -- how much longer can they really run Pelfrey out there?

And rumors are saying Fulmer is being recalled to start Friday.