The NottaMaholmFan list

In one of the Maholm threads Vlad linked to a post about what a #1/2/3/4/5 starter really looks like, and thus is really worth. The metric used was ERA. Whether you think that's flawed is neither here nor there, it was interesting.

With all the hand-wringing over (probably) not picking up Maholm's option, I wondered what NH is thinking. Being an avowed cheapskate myself, I think he's probably thinking of dumpster diving. What might he find? Well, last offseason he might have found:

Harang, FA, $3.5M, $5M mutual option for 2012.
Vazquez, FA $7M, one year.
Humber, waivers, $500K.
Colon, FA $900K.
Capuano, FA $1.5M.
Jeff Francis, FA $2M.
Vogelsong, FA $555K.
Brandon McCarthy, FA $1M.

So most of those guys suck, right? Well, they were all in the top-90 in ERA, meaning they were essentially 1/2/3 starters in 2011.

I've generally felt Maholm is overappreciated by Pirates fans because, (shrug) I guess because he always struck out more guys than Duke. Probably more consistent, but on Duke's best days, he was better than Maholm on his.

7 months ago azibuck 13 comments 0 recs |

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Looking at the FA list for '12

i wonder what bit Cook… he had an excellent stretch relying on his GB for a while, and then lost it the last 2 years…

by BurgherKing on Oct 12, 2011 8:01 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, but I mean, I’m sure you can see the problem with a plan of:

1) Don’t pick up Maholm’s option.

2) Sign whoever the 2012 equivalent of Ryan Vogelsong is.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Oct 12, 2011 8:13 PM EDT reply actions

It's not like I have faith in NH acquiring ML talent

It’s been a clear failing of his. But these 8 guys were freely available, and there will be cheap options available this year too that will surpass modest expectations. I’m speculating this is what NH is thinking.

These were just guys in the top 90 in ERA that I eyeballed that I was pretty sure were FA or otherwise on one year deals, (and I verified that). Going another 30 or 60 deep, I think it’s fair to say these types of guys are available. I don’t know what his plan is for the $9.75M per se, but I think he’s thinking he can find a guy to at least come within spitting distance of Maholm’s modest production.

I think Maholm is worth 9M/year on the market, but he’s not worth 9M next year to the Pirates. We can disagree on that, but I just don’t think this situation is indicative that the org has punted 2012. I think the year is sort of a dead spot in the development of their plan.

by azibuck on Oct 12, 2011 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with azibuck. I like Maholm well enough, but I don’t get the anger over this decision. Everyone’s arguing about a guy who has no long-term future with the club. Even if the option is picked up, the Pirates will be done with Maholm by this time next year. I’d rather sign 2 or 3 players from the bargain bin and hope for some Karstensesque luck. Maybe next season will be another “year of the pitcher.”

by bolton on Oct 13, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I absolutely agree

Paul Maholm is worth $9.75m to someone…but not the Pirates.

The issue is this: he was not worth $9.75m to the Pirates in June, either. He is not a part of our long-term vision now…and he was not a part of it back in June.

I feel the problem is not that we are not exercising the option, it is that we weren’t going to exercise it back in June — when we could have obtained something for him. Maholm should have been traded when his value was at its highest, especially when you consider there was only an outside shot of the team exercising his option and retaining him for 1 more year — a year of control that COULD have increased his value to another team even more.

by insane_sanity on Oct 13, 2011 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions