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The Dodgers are bringing back starting pitcher Vicente Padilla, who authored one of the best two consecutive game playoff pitching performances in club history, on a one-year deal. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports the deal is for $5.025 million, including a $1 million signing bonus and a $4.025 million base salary. Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports that "Padilla can earn an additional $1 million in incentives based on innings pitched", and that Padilla's signing bonus will be paid in 2011.
Back in December, I warned that signing Padilla might not be the best move, considering how mediocre he was in Texas prior to his resurgence in 11 starts as a Dodger:
Unless the offer is a one-year contract for a few million bucks, perhaps with some incentives built in, the Dodgers should stay away from the Vicente Padilla sweepstakes. Otherwise, he is a bad gamble.
Now, $4 million $5 million seems reasonable, given that it seems to be one of the lowest, if not the lowest, free agent contracts yet signed by a starting pitcher this offseason. “Vicente did a tremendous job for us down the stretch and his continued success in the postseason proved that he can pitch when there’s a lot at stake,” said Dodgers' GM Ned Colletti. Here are his 2010 projections:
Year | IP | ERA | FIP | BB/9 | K/9 |
2009 Bill James | 151 | 4.71 | 4.71 | 3.28 | 6.26 |
2009 CHONE | 152 | 4.91 | 4.77 | 3.55 | 6.34 |
2009 actual | 147.1 | 4.46 | 4.51 | 3.30 | 5.93 |
2010 Bill James | 141 | 4.66 | 4.73 | 3.26 | 6.19 |
2010 CHONE | 155 | 4.70 | 4.74 | 3.60 | 6.27 |
For what it's worth, Padilla did win our poll this morning over Jon Garland, so there's that!