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Around SBN: Upon Further Review: Bo Knows Longreads

Pirates agree to sign Kevin Correia

Here's the link per MLBTR:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Star-divide

It's a reported 2 year deal worth $8M.  I haven't seen this reported anywhere else yet.  This is the first legitimate free agent signing I've seen the Bucs make in...well, ever.  Correia is coming off a season with an ERA over 5 but he had 4.19 xFIP.  He had a 4.20 xFIP in 2009.  Last year he K'd over 7 batters per nine so thankfully he is not completely dependent on his defense.  Anyway, for the money, I think this is a pretty good deal.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.

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Interesting.

This is very acceptable. Correia won’t benefit from moving out of PETCO, but he’s a consistent pitcher who can get some strikeouts. He looks a lot better with a good defense behind him.

by Suffering Buc on Dec 7, 2010 12:08 AM EST reply actions  

Not bad. Puts a veteran presence in the rotation who has had at least some decent success in the past. xFIP has him almost exactly the same in 2010 as he was in 2009. HR rate is the biggest difference (7.8% in ’09, 14.8% in ’10).

by ElDuce on Dec 7, 2010 12:10 AM EST reply actions  

PNC should put him at about league average for that, so the xFIP isn’t misleading.

Note that last year, he threw nearly 50% ground balls. I’m thinking this means the Pirates have plans to up their infield defense, too, which makes me happy. Correia is a good pitcher with a good defense behind him. He’s a decent one as the Pirates stand now.

by Suffering Buc on Dec 7, 2010 12:13 AM EST up reply actions  

I obviously

Approve of this move more than the Olsen one.

by Slizeezyc on Dec 7, 2010 12:15 AM EST reply actions  

Especially

If there is some rearranging on the infield.

by Slizeezyc on Dec 7, 2010 12:15 AM EST up reply actions  

Makes the Olsen deal look better.

by Adam Reynolds on Dec 7, 2010 2:00 AM EST via mobile up reply actions  

I like it

If Zack Duke is worth more than 4 mil a year, than Correia certainly is a better way to spend the money.

by Brakeman8 on Dec 7, 2010 12:27 AM EST reply actions  

Hopefully we can finally put Duke to bed now

for the same money we would have paid him we now have 2 comparable pitchers.

by Mr. E on Dec 7, 2010 1:50 AM EST up reply actions  

I'd rather

put Mrs. Duke to bed.

(Thanks for setting it on a tee.)

by bucdaddy on Dec 7, 2010 1:53 AM EST up reply actions  

love it

nice+100

age of last winning season: 5

by Bobby Hill on Dec 7, 2010 9:03 PM EST up reply actions  

So ...

how do we explain away the 6.05 ERA in 2008? His ERA+s the past three years: 73, 97, 68.

by bucdaddy on Dec 7, 2010 12:32 AM EST reply actions  

You don't...

he had a bad year. But he was decent in 06 and 07. For the money this isn’t a bad pickup imo.

by Slick1 on Dec 7, 2010 12:34 AM EST up reply actions  

Yes, the 2006-2007 numbers were good.

Consider however that he was mostly working out of the bullpen then. They moved him into the rotation in September 07 and he was remarkably good for several starts until getting hammered (6IP, 5R) in thr last one, and then the next year as a more or less full-time starter was a disaster. Then he moved to San Diego and got a pitcher-friendly park and had a decent season (the 97 ERA+) but threw 198 innings. Then boom, 2010.

Makes me wonder if he has workload issues and requires a Handle With Care label. Although if he doesn’t win or can’t handle the No. 5 job he might well be an excellent addition to the bullpen, given his history.

At $4 mil, guess it doesn’t hurt to find out.

by bucdaddy on Dec 7, 2010 1:23 AM EST up reply actions  

Or...

could be that he had personal problems, like his brother dying, had a couple of really bad starts in August that inflated his ERA. I tend to focus more on the DIPS which have been decent the last couple of years. To your last point, at $4M a year I don’t see the problem with this signing.

by Slick1 on Dec 7, 2010 10:00 AM EST up reply actions  

Duke: 88, 103, 71 and ate more innings in a not-pitcher-friendly park.

by taiwania on Dec 7, 2010 1:09 AM EST up reply actions  

ERA+ is park adjusted. Whether he was pitching in a pitcher friendly park or not wouldn’t make a difference. PNC is actually a pretty nice park for a lefty, though. The stadium has one of the biggest left/right splits for hitters in the league.

by ElDuce on Dec 7, 2010 1:23 AM EST up reply actions  

you are right

i am too sad to remind this, thanks.

by taiwania on Dec 7, 2010 1:35 AM EST up reply actions  

Whether he was pitching in a pitcher friendly park or not wouldn’t make a difference.

It wouldn’t on ERA+, but it would make a slight difference on innings, since a pitcher working in a pitcher-friendly environment will tend to need fewer pitches per out, and thus be able to work deeper into games.

by Vlad on Dec 7, 2010 11:30 AM EST up reply actions  

Not sure whether or not...

…the effect would be large enough to be worth thinking about. Might need to look at it later.

by Vlad on Dec 7, 2010 11:31 AM EST up reply actions  

I like it

with an upgrade in the infield defense. The 8mil has to be insured with either a ss or 1B

by rydog2469 on Dec 7, 2010 1:18 AM EST reply actions  

Here I was thinking a minor league deal for Olsen, and maybe $2 mil for Correia. They certainly were compensated past what I expected (and in Correia’s case, past what I would have given him).

by Adam Reynolds on Dec 7, 2010 1:28 AM EST via mobile reply actions  

Just like the Nats had to do with Werth...

The Pirates have to overpay to get quality free agents to play in Pittsburgh.

by bolton on Dec 7, 2010 1:34 AM EST up reply actions  

Or in this case, non-quality FA.

by Adam Reynolds on Dec 7, 2010 1:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions  

I was joking, although maybe Correia was the Yankees’ Plan B if they don’t land Cliff Lee.

by bolton on Dec 7, 2010 1:46 AM EST up reply actions  

It seems like an agent controlled market right now.

by rydog2469 on Dec 7, 2010 1:30 AM EST reply actions  

Can't wait...

…to hear the positive spin on this one. Two years and 8 million seems like a major over-pay.

by BrianO' on Dec 7, 2010 6:53 AM EST reply actions  

Just a thought

Anyone think signing a couple of mediocre starters, and maybe another such as Kawakami, is a precursor to the Pirates moving Maholm? Perhaps he could be used in a deal for a shortstop or right fielder.

by bolton on Dec 7, 2010 11:00 AM EST reply actions  

Could be.

I’d think he might be a bit of a tough sell right now considering his collapse down the stretch, though.

by Vlad on Dec 7, 2010 11:36 AM EST up reply actions  

this is a nice change in Pittsburgh

I am a Mets fan, but because I am a Steelers fan I keep an eye on teh Pirates. this is a nice change to see them sign a FA. This is the type of guy who has potential to turn around thise numbers and be very good. hope he works out for teh team, I would like to see the Bucs compete and get 82 wins + this season

Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all

by Rickfansince76 on Dec 7, 2010 5:32 PM EST reply actions  

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