Free-agent Right-Handed Starting Pitchers (#11-20)

Now a look at free-agent right-handed starting pitchers (RHSP), numbers 11 through 20 (according to my ranking).

As always, each free-agent is ranked according to whom I believe is the best available.

11. Jon Lieber (35): Signed with Phillies, 3 years ($21 million) 2004 Statistics- 4.33 ERA, 176.7 IP, 216 Hits, 20 HR, 18 BB, 102 K, 27.3 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.28 ERA, 10.3 H/9--.9 HR/9--.5 BB/9--4.9 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.20 ERA, 1687.0 IP, 1819 Hits, 208 HR, 329 BB, 1223 K////Translated career statistics- 4.33 ERA, 9.4 H/9--1.0 HR/9--1.2 BB/9--5.8 K/9--////Career K/BB of 3.72/1--////Since Lieber was out of baseball in 2003 (Tommy John Surgery), there are no recent trends of his to identify////Was injured for part of 2004 season////Excluding 1995 season (only 72.7 IP), 2004 represented a career-worse for Lieber in translated H/9 (10.3), and tied a career-worst for translated K/9 (4.9)////2004 represented a career-best in BB (18), for seasons in which has had pitcher 150+ innings////Spent last four seasons in Chicago Cubs (slight pitcher’s park), and New York Yankees (slight pitcher’s park)////

12. Kevin Millwood (30): Signed with Indians, 1yr/$7 million 2004 Statistics- 4.85 ERA, 140.0 IP, 155 Hits, 14 HR, 51 BB, 125 K, 9.3 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.99 ERA, 9.9 H/9--.8 HR/9--2.9 BB/9--7.2 K/9--////Career Statistics- 3.89 ERA, 1367.3 IP, 1283 Hits, 138 HR, 422 BB, 1134 K////Translated career statistics- 4.15 ERA, 8.6 H/9--.9 HR/9--2.3 BB/9--6.4 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.69/1--////Like Lieber, Millwood was also injured for part of the 2004 season////Excluding Millwood’s rookie season of 1997 (only 51.3 IP), 2004 represented a career-worst ERA (4.85), translated ERA (4.99), translated H/9 (9.9), and translated BB/9 (2.9)////Recent EqERA trend is getting worst (02-3.64, 03-4.32, 04-4.99), as well as his recent trends in translated BB/9 (02-2.2, 03-2.5, 04-2.9), translated H/9 (02-8.2, 03-8.6, 04-9.9), un-translated ERA (02-3.24, 03-4.01, 04-4.85)////Spent last four seasons in Philadelphia (moderate hitter's park), and Atlanta (slight pitcher’s park)////

13. Russ Ortiz (31): Signed with Arizona, 4 years ($33 million) 2004 Statistics- 4.13 ERA, 204.7 IP, 197 Hits, 23 HR, 112 BB, 143 K, 33.1 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.35 ERA, 8.6 H/9--1.0 HR/9--4.8 BB/9--5.3 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.00 ERA, 1341.7 IP, 1223 Hits, 131 HR, 682 BB, 1004 K////Translated career statistics- 4.44 ERA, 8.2 H/9--.9 HR/9--4.4 BB/9--5.6 K/9--////Career K/BB of 1.47/1--//// Recent trend in ERA is getting worse (02-3.61, 03-3.81, 04-4.13), as well as Ortiz’s trends in HR allowed (02-15, 03-17, 04-23), BB (02-94, 03-102, 04-112), translated HR/9 (02-0.7, 03-0.8, 04-1.0), and translated BB/9 (02-3.6, 03-4.0, 04-4.8)////Has pitched 200+ innings each of the last four seasons////Spent last four seasons in San Francisco (severe pitcher’s park), and Atlanta (slight pitcher’s park)////

14. Woody Williams (38): Signed with Padres, 1 year($3.5 million) 2004 Statistics- 4.18 ERA, 189.7 IP, 193 Hits, 20 HR, 58 BB, 131 K, 28.5 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.52 ERA, 9.5 H/9--.9 HR/9--2.4 BB/9--5.6 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.05 ERA, 1723.3 IP, 1675 Hits, 229 HR, 572 BB, 1201 K////Translated career statistics- 3.99 ERA, 8.7 H/9--1.1 HR/9--2.4 BB/9--5.8 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.10/1--//// Even though Williams only pitched 103.3 inning in 2002, it is note-worthy that his recent trends in ERA (02-2.53, 03-3.87, 04-4.18), EqERA (02-2.78, 03-4.18, 04-4.52), translated H/9 (02-7.8, 03-9.1, 04-9.5), translated BB/9 (02-1.7, 03-1.8, 04-2.4), and translated K/9 (02-5.9, 03-5.7, 04-5.6) are all getting worse each year////Has spent last four seasons in St. Louis (moderate pitcher’s park), and San Diego (severe pitcher’s park)////

15. Corey Lidle (33): Signed with Philadelphia (2 years-$6.3 million) 2004 Statistics- 4.90 ERA, 211.1 IP, 224 Hits, 27 HR, 61 BB, 126 K, 12.3 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.95 ERA, 9.3 H/9--1.0 HR/9--2.2 BB/9--4.8 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.52 ERA, 967.3 IP, 1009 Hits, 111 HR, 258 BB, 587 K////Translated career statistics- 4.58 ERA, 9.1 H/9--.9 HR/9--2.0 BB/9--5.0 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.27/1--////2004 represented a career-worst for Lilly in Hits allowed (224), HR allowed (27), BB (61), and a tie for his career-worst K/9 (4.8-2002)////Lilly’s recent trends in Hits allowed (02-191, 03-216, 04-224), BB (02-39, 03-60, 04-61), and HR allowed (02-17, 03-24, 04-27) have all gotten worse each year////Lilly’s recent trend in total K’s (02-111, 03-112, 04-126) has gotten better each year—although, his IP has risen each year in the same period (02-192, 03-192.7, 04-211.1)////Has spent last four season’s in Philadelphia (moderate hitter's park), Cincinnati (neutral), Toronto moderate hitter's park) and Oakland (neutral park)////

16. Derek Lowe (32): Signed with Dodgers, 4 yrs/$36 million 2004 Statistics- 5.42 ERA, 182.7 IP, 224 Hits, 15 HR, 71 BB, 105 K, (-11.5) VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 5.74 ERA, 10.1 H/9--.6 HR/9--3.2 BB/9--4.8 K/9--////Career Statistics- 3.88 ERA, 1090.0 IP, 1083 Hits, 80 HR, 332 BB, 712 K////Translated career statistics- 3.85 ERA, 8.5 H/9--.6 HR/9--2.3 BB/9--5.6 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.14/1--////Lowe’s EqERA (translated ERA) has gotten worse each of the last three seasons (02’-2.57, 03’-4.48, 04’-5.74), at the same time, Lowe’s translated H/9 (02’-6.9, 03’-8.9, 04’-10.1), translated BB/9 (02’-1.6, 03’-3.1, 04’-3.2), un-translated ERA (02’-2.58, 03’-4.47, 04’-5.42), total hits allowed (02’-166, 03’-216, 04’-224), and K’s (02’127, 03’-110, 04’-105) have also gotten worse////Lowe has pitched less innings in each of the last three seasons (02’-219.7, 03’-203.3, 04’-182.7)////2004 represented a career-worst ERA (5.42) for Lowe in seasons in which he has pitched 100+ innings////2004 also represented a career-worst for Lowe in Hits allowed (224), translated ERA (EqERA- 5.74), translated H/9 (10.1) and translated BB/9 (3.2)////Spent last four seasons in Boston (slight hitter’s park)////

17. Aaron Sele (35): Signed minor league contract with Mariners 2004 Statistics- 5.05 ERA, 132.0 IP, 163 Hits, 16 HR, 51 BB, 51 K, 7.4 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.99 ERA, 10.5 H/9--.9 HR/9--3.0 BB/9--3.5 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.52 ERA, 1880.0 IP, 2068 Hits, 191 HR, 706 BB, 1268 K////Translated career statistics- 4.30 ERA, 9.6 H/9--.8 HR/9--2.7 BB/9--6.2 K/9--////Career K/BB of 1.80/1--////2004 represented a career-low for K’s (51) in any season in which Sele has pitched 100+ innings////2004 also represented a career-low translated K/9 (3.5) for Sele)////Each of the last three seasons, Sele’s translated K/9 (02’-4.4, 03’-3.9, 04’-3.5), and total K’s (02’-82, 03’-53, 04’-51) have dropped////Spent last four seasons in Anaheim (slight pitcher’s park), and Seattle (severe pitcher’s park)////

18. Paul Byrd (34): Signed with Angels, 1 year ($5 million) 2004 Statistics- 3.94 ERA, 114.3 IP, 123 Hits, 18 HR, 19 BB, 79 K, 16.2 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.50 ERA, 9.7 H/9--1.4 HR/9--1.1 BB/9--5.2 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.33 ERA, 907.3 IP, 919 Hits, 137 HR, 262 BB, 552 K////Translated career statistics- 4.51 ERA, 8.8 H/9--1.3 HR/9--2.2 BB/9--4.7 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.11/1--////Since Byrd was out of baseball in 2003 (Tommy John surgery), there are no trends of his to identify////Byrd has pitched 200+ innings only once in his career (228.3-2002), and the following season needed Tommy John surgery to repair his pitching arm////Spent last four seasons in Atlanta (slight pitcher’s park), KC (a severe hitter’s park when he pitched there), and Philadelphia (moderate hitter’s park)////

19. Brett Tomko (32): Option picked-up by San Francisco 2004 Statistics- 4.04 ERA, 194.0 IP, 196 Hits, 19 HR, 64 BB, 108 K, 26.2 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 4.43 ERA, 8.8 H/9--.8 HR/9--2.7 BB/9--4.2 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.53 ERA, 1236.7 IP, 1273 Hits, 173 HR, 407 BB, 818 K////Translated career statistics- 4.75 ERA, 9.2 H/9--1.2 HR/9--2.6 BB/9--5.1 K/9--////Career K/BB of 2.01/1--////2004 represented a career-best total Hits allowed (196) for Tomko in seasons which he has pitched at least 150 innings; under those same circumstances though, 2004 also represented a career-low for K’s (108)//// 2004 represented a career-best in translated HR/9 (.8) for Tomko; while also representing a career-low translated K/9 (4.2)////Tomko’s total in K’s (02’-126, 03’-114, 04’-108), and ratios in translated K/9 (02’-4.6, 03’-4.3, 04’-4.2) have gotten worse each of the past three seasons////Also, in each of the last three seasons, Tomko has pitched less innings (02’-204.3, 03’-202.7, 04’-194.0) ////Has spent last four seasons in four different cities: San Francisco (severe pitcher’s park), Seattle (severe pitcher’s park), SD (severe pitcher’s park), and St. Louis (moderate pitcher’s park)—Man, did he choose the right cities to pitching in, all 3 out of 4 are severe pitcher’s parks, and the other is a moderate pitcher’s park////

20. Esteban Loaiza (33): Signed with Nationals, 1 yr/$2.9 million 2004 Statistics- 5.70 ERA, 183.0 IP, 217 Hits, 32 HR, 71 BB, 117 K, 2.8 VORP////Translated 2004 Statistics- 5.24 ERA, 10.1 H/9--1.3 HR/9--3.0 BB/9--5.5 K/9--////Career Statistics- 4.70 ERA, 1663.0 IP, 1883 Hits, 210 HR, 484 BB, 1082 K////Translated career statistics- 4.49 ERA, 9.7 H/9--1.0 HR/9--2.1 BB/9--5.6 K/9--////Career K/BB of 3.72/1--////In each of the last three seasons Loaiza’s BB totals (02’-38, 03’-56, 04’-71), Hits allowed totals (02’-192, 03’-196, 04’-217), and translated BB/9 (02’-1.9, 03’-2.0, 04’-3.0) have all gotten worse////2004 represented a career-worst for Loaiza in HR allowed (32), and translated BB/9 (3.0)////Spent last four seasons in New York Yankees (slight pitcher’s park), Chicago White Sox (slight hitter’s park), and Toronto (moderate hitter’s park)////

Next, I finish the scouting reports for RHSP, with numbers 21-32.

Thank you for reading.

Frank Bundy III