Free-Agent Right-Handed Starting Pitchers (#1-10)

*****Edit (11/27/2004-10:11 AM)--I've tweaked the system I use to rank these free-agents a little bit, resulting in some minor changes in the rankings. The top ten remained the same, the order is just a little different throughout the bottom five. The list that appears in this artilce is edited, and is the proper order, according to my rankings.****

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Now, a look at the top ten free-agent right-handed starting pitchers (RHSP).

Pitcher's scouting reports are read the same way as the positions player's were, there are just different statistics.

Just like the translated statistics for the position players, the translated statistics for pitchers are presented in the scouting reports.

All translations are courtesy of Baseball Prospectus, and are done by Clay Davenport.

Again, translated statistics are player's numbers adjusted for ballpark factors, quality of competition (hitting), and league pitching level.

Remember, these are only the first ten RHSP according to my rankings as to whom I believe is the best available.

There are twenty-two more free-agents RHSP. Numbers 11-20 will be presented in my next article, and 21-32 will be in the third and final article on right-handers.

1. Pedro Martinez (33): Signed With Mets, 4 years (53 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.90 ERA, 217 IP, 193 Hits, 26 HR, 61 BB, 217 K, 51.2 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.69 ERA, 7.7 H/9--.9 HR/9--2.1 BB/9--8.7 K/9--////Career Statistics- 2.71 ERA, 2296 IP, 1746 Hits, 175 HR, 615 BB, 2653 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 2.80 ERA, 6.8 H/9--.7 HR/9--2 BB/9--9.8 K/9--////Career K/BB of 4.31/1--////2004 represented a career-worse ERA (3.90) and translated ERA (3.69) for Martinez, as well as a tie for a career-worst in HR allowed (26), and a career-worst Hits allowed (193)////2004 was the first season since 2000 with 200+ IP for Martinez////Each of the last three seasons, Martinez's BB totals have gone up (02'-40, 03'-47, 04'-61), as have his number of Hits allowed (02'-144, 03'-147, 04'-193) ////Has spent last four seasons in Boston (slight hitter's park)////

2. Roger Clemens (42): Signed with Astros, 1 year/$18 million 2004 Statistics- 2.98 ERA, 214.3 IP, 169 Hits, 15 HR, 79 BB, 218 K, 61.3 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.04 ERA, 6.9 H/9--.6 HR/9--2.9 BB/9--8.2 K/9--////Career Statistics- 3.18 ERA, 4493 IP, 3846 Hits, 336 HR, 1458 BB, 4317 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 3.04 ERA, 6.9 H/9--.6 HR/9--2.9 BB/9--8.2 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.96/1--////Recent EqERA trend is getting better (02'-4.39, 03'-3.88, 04'-3.04)////Clemen's translated H/9 have gotten better each of the last three seasons (02'-8.4, 03'-8.1, 04'-6.9), while his IP have gone up each of the last 3 seasons (02'-180.0, 03'-211.7, 04'-214.3)////Has spent last four seasons in Houston (moderate hitter's park), and New York Yankees (slight pitcher's park)////

3. Carl Pavano (29): Signed with Yankees, 4 years (38 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.00 ERA, 222.3 IP, 212 Hits, 13 HR, 49 BB, 139 K, 62.4 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.19 ERA, 8.7 H/9--.6 HR/9--1.6 BB/9--5.2 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.21 ERA, 937.7 IP, 985 Hits, 95 HR, 271 BB, 617 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 4.27 ERA, 9.3 H/9--.8 HR/9--2.1 BB/9--5.3 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.28/1--////Only in 2004 and 2003 has Pavano amassed more than 200 IP in a season////2004 represents a career-best ERA (3.00), translated ERA (3.19), translated BB/9 (1.6), and K's (139)////2004 also represented a career-worst IP (222.3), Hits allowed (212-because of more innings pitched), and a tie for his career-worst BB (49)////Recent EqERA trend is getting better (02'-6.09, 03'-4.31, 04'-3.19)////Has spent last four seasons in Florida (severe pitcher's park), and Montreal (severe hitter's park)////

4. Brad Radke (32): Signed with Twins, 2 years ($18 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.48 ERA, 219.7 IP, 229 Hits, 23 HR, 26 BB, 143 K, 60.1 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.35 ERA, 8.9 H/9--.8 HR/9--.6 BB/9--5.5 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.23 ERA, 2088.0 IP, 2232 Hits, 269 HR, 390 BB, 1267 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 3.84 ERA, 9.2 H/9--1.0 HR/9--1.0 BB/9--5.4 K/9--////Career K/BB of 3.25/1--////Recent EqERA trend is getting better (02'-4.56, 03'-4.32, 04'-3.35)////Excluding Radke's injury-shortened 2002 season, 2004 represented a tie for his career-best BB (26), and a career best HR allowed (23)////2004 also represented a career-best ERA (3.48) for Radke////Has spent entire 10-year career in Minnesota (neutral park)////

5. Jaret Wright (29): Signed with Yankees, 3 years ($21 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.28 ERA, 186.3 IP, 168 Hits, 11 HR, 70 BB, 159 K, 40.3 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.84 ERA, 8.3 H/9--.5 HR/9--3.0 BB/9--6.8 K/9--////Career Statistics- 5.09 ERA, 758.3 IP, 796 Hits, 80 HR, 369 BB, 569 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 4.76 ERA, 9.0 H/9--.8 HR/9--3.8 BB/9--6.5 K/9--////Career K/BB of 1.54/1--//// 2004 represented a career-best ERA (3.28), a career-high K total (159), and a career-best translated HR/9 (.5) for Wright////Spent parts of the last 6 seasons, before 2004, rehabilitating from injury, or in the minors////Spent last four seasons in Atlanta (slight pitcher's park), San Diego (severe pitcher's park), and Cleveland (neutral park)////

6. Orlando Hernandez (35): Signed with White Sox, 2 years ($8 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.30 ERA, 84.7 IP, 73 Hits, 9 HR, 36 BB, 84 K, 27.6 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.07 ERA, 7.4 H/9--.9 HR/9--3.6 BB/9--8.0 K/9--////Career Statistics- 3.96 ERA, 876.3 IP, 781 Hits, 114 HR, 304 BB, 703 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 3.78 ERA, 7.7 H/9--1.0 HR/9--2.6 BB/9--6.8 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.31/1--////Since Hernandez didn't start pitching (because of injury) until after the All-Star break, naturally 2004 represented career-bests for Hernandez in Hits allowed (73), HR allowed (9), and tied a career-best for BB allowed (36), translated H/9 (7.4), translated HR/9 (.9), and K/9 (8.0)////A tired arm kept Hernandez sidelined for much of the last month of the season in 2004////Has only pitched 200+ innings once in his career (214.3, 1999-NY Yankees)////Since Hernandez was out of baseball in 2003 (arm injury) there are no identifiable trends to notice of his////Spent entire six-year career in New York Yankees (slight pitcher's park)////


7. Matt Morris (30): Signed with Cardinals, 1 year ($2.5 million) 2004 Statistics- 4.72 ERA, 202.0 IP, 205 Hits, 35 HR, 56 BB, 131 K, 13.4 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 5.24 ERA, 9.3 H/9--1.4 HR/9--2.2 BB/9--5.0 K/9--////Career Statistics- 3.53 ERA, 1184.7 IP, 1159 Hits, 107 HR, 341 BB, 869 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 3.92 ERA, 9.0 H/9--.8 HR/9--2.2 BB/9--5.7 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.55/1--////2004 represented a career-worst for Morris in ERA (4.72), HR allowed (35), translated ERA (5.24), translated HR/9 (1.4), and, excluding 2000 (only 54.0 IP), a career-worst K/9 (5.0)////Recent EqERA trend is getting worse (02'-3.87, 03'-4.07, 04'-5.24)////Other recent downward trends (last 3 seasons) for Morris include: translated K/9 (02'-6.4, 03'-5.5, 04'-5.0), translated HR/9 (02'-0.7, 03'-1.0, 04'-1.4), total HR allowed (02'-16, 03'-20, 04'-35), and untranslated ERA (02'-3.42, 03'-3.76, 04'-4.72)////Has spent entire seven-year career in St. Louis (moderate pitcher's park)////

8. Kris Benson (30): Signed with NY Mets (3 years, $22.5 million)2004 Statistics- 4.31 ERA, 200.1 IP, 202 Hits, 15 HR, 61 BB, 134 K, 22.4 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.46 ERA, 8.9 H/9--.6 HR/9--2.3 BB/9--5.3 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.28 ERA, 850.0 IP, 871 Hits, 87 HR, 316 BB, 604 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 4.47 ERA, 9.0 H/9--.8 HR/9--2.8 BB/9--5.7 K/9--////Career K/BB of 1.91/1--////2004 represented a career best translated BB/9 (2.3) for Benson////2004 was one of only two seasons in which Benson has amassed 200+ IP (217.7, 1999-Pittsburgh)////Spent last four seasons in New York Mets (severe pitcher's park), and Pittsburgh (neutral park)

9. Chris Carpenter (30): Option picked up by Cardinals 2004 Statistics- 3.46 ERA, 182.0 IP, 169 Hits, 24 HR, 38 BB, 152 K, 41.6 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.77 ERA, 8.8 H/9--1.1 HR/9--1.4 BB/9--6.9 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.59 ERA, 1052.7 IP, 1153 Hits, 135 HR, 369 BB, 764 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 4.41 ERA, 9.4 H/9--1.0 HR/9--2.6 BB/9--6.3 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.07/1--////Excluding season's in which Carpenter did not throw 150+ innings, 2004 represented a career-best ERA (3.46), Hits allowed (169), BB (38), translated ERA (3.77), translated BB/9 (1.4), and tied a career-best with 6.9 translated K/9--////Like Hernandez, since Carpenter was out of baseball in 2003 (arm injury), there are no trends to indentify////Spent last four seasons in Toronto (moderate hitter's park), and St. Louis (moderate pitcher's park)////

10. Matt Clement (30): Signed with Red Sox, 3 years (25 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.68 ERA, 181.0 IP, 155 Hits, 23 HR, 77 BB, 190 K, 36.9 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 3.85 ERA, 7.4 H/9—1.1 HR/9—3.7 BB/9—7.7 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.34 ERA, 1156.3 IP, 1057 Hits, 118 HR, 544 BB, 1028 K--////Translated Career Statistics- 4.63 ERA, 8.0 H/9--.9 HR/9—4.0 BB/9—6.6 K/9--////Career K/BB of 1.82/1--////Excluding his rookie season of 1998 (only 13.7 IP), 2004 represented a career-best total in Hits Allowed (155), and BB (77) for Clement////2004 also represented a career-worst for Clement in HR allowed (23),and translated HR/9 (1.1)//// Spent last four seasons in Chicago Cubs (slight pitcher's park), and Florida (severe pitcher’s park)////

Next up, #11-20 free-agent RHSP.

Thank you for reading.

Frank Bundy III

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email me at frnkbndy@yahoo.com.