Edinson Volquez interested in staying with Pirates, wants multi-year deal

Impending free agent Edinson Volquez wants to return to the Pirates:

"I think I signed in the right place with the right coaches. They made me a better pitcher this year. So, I'd like to stay here. ...

"You always want to sign for more than one year," Volquez said. "Especially now that I'm 31 years old, I'd like to sign with someone for two or three years and stay a little bit longer."

There's no reason for the Pirates to over-commit here. Volquez's ERA was a run behind his xFIP last year. This year, it's a run ahead. His xFIP last year was 4.07. This year, it's 4.31. Because he had a 5.71 ERA last year, the Pirates got him cheaply. He has a sexy ERA this season, but if there's anything the Pirates' recent successes with cheap pitchers have taught us, it's that there are better tools than ERA to predict what a pitcher will do in the future.

If the Bucs have to pay Volquez market value, and they believe in their ability to fix broken pitchers, they're better off just looking for the next Volquez instead -- and that pitcher is probably out there, whether that's Justin Masterson or Brett Anderson or someone else. I wouldn't mind if the Pirates brought Volquez back at the right price, but I see no reason to sign him to a multi-year deal. He's been a great signing, but one key to continuing to make great signings is not getting complacent.