Free Agent Right-handed Relief Pitchers #13-24

After the long wait, here are the scouting reports for free-agent right-handed relief pitchers, numbers 13-24.

As I posted earlier, the reason for the long period of time between scouting reports was the flurry of trading activity that had taken place in Major League Baseball during the past few weeks that I absolutely had to report on.

Anyway, without further ado, here they are:

13. Esteban Yan (30): Signed with Angels, 2 years ($2.25 million) 2004 statistics- 3.83 ERA, 87.0 IP, 92 Hits, 8 HR, 32 BB, 69 K, 17.7 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.54 ERA, 8.7 H/9--0.7 HR/9--3.0 BB/9--6.6 K/9--////Career statistics- 5.17 ERA, 591.3 IP, 656 Hits, 89 HR, 220 BB, 484 K////Translated Career statistics- 4.24 ERA, 8.4 H/9--1.0 HR/9--2.8 BB/9--7.0 K/9////Career K/BB of 2.2/1--////In each of the past three seasons, Yan’s Hits allowed totals (02’-70, 03’-84, 04’-92) have gotten worse////2004 represented a career best translated HR/9 (0.7), and ERA (3.83) for Yan, while representing NO career worsts////Spent last four seasons in Tampa Bay (neutral), St. Louis (moderate pitcher’s park), Detroit (moderate pitcher’s park), and Texas (severe hitter’s park)////

14. Cal Eldred (37): Signed with Cardinals, 2 years ($600,000) 2004 statistics- 3.76 ERA, 67.0 IP, 71 Hits, 11 HR, 17 BB, 54 K, 11.4 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.76 ERA, 8.8 H/9--1.2 HR/9--1.9 BB/9--6.5 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.48 ERA, 1331.0 IP, 1305 Hits, 170 HR, 558 BB, 910 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.80 ERA, 7.7 H/9--1.0 HR/9--3.1 BB/9--6.1 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.63/1--////Since Eldred was out of baseball in 2002, there are no trends of his to identify////2004 represented a career best BB total (17) for Eldred for years in which he pitched 60+ innings////Spent last four seasons in Chicago White Sox (moderate hitter’s park), and St. Louis (moderate pitchers park)

15. Jose Mesa (39): Option picked up by Pirates 2004 statistics- 3.25 ERA, 69.3 IP, 78 Hits, 6 HR, 20 BB, 37 K, 17.9 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 2.72 ERA, 9.6 H/9--0.7 HR/9--2.3 BB/9--4.1 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.27 ERA, 1369.0 IP, 1442 Hits, 126 HR, 564 BB, 933 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.68 ERA, 8.6 H/9--0.7 HR/9--3.2 BB/9--6.1 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.65/1--////In each of the last three seasons, Mesa’s translated K/9 (02’-6.6, 03’-6.0, 04’-4.1), Hits allowed (02’-65, 03’-71, 04’-78), and K totals (02’-64, 03’-45, 04’-37) have gotten worse, while in the same period, his BB totals have gotten better (02’-39, 03’-31, 04’-20)////2004 represented NO career bests or worsts for Mesa////Spent last four seasons in Pittsburgh (neutral park), and Philadelphia (moderate hitter’s park)////

16. Dave Burba (39): Signed Minor League Contract with Astros 2004 statistics- 4.21 ERA, 77.0 IP, 70 Hits, 7 HR, 26 BB, 50 K, 8.8 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.67 ERA, 7.1 H/9--0.7 HR/9--2.7 BB/9--5.0 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.49 ERA, 1777.7 IP, 1777 Hits, 201 HR, 762 BB, 1398 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.97 ERA, 7.8 H/9--0.9 HR/9--3.7 BB/9--6.5 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.83/1--////Missed part of 2004 seasons due to injury////Spent last four seasons in Milwaukee (neutral park), San Francisco (severe pitcher’s park), Texas (severe hitter’s park), and Cleveland (neutral park)////

17. Elmer Dessens (33): Signed with Dodgers, 1 year ($1.3 million) 2004 statistics- 4.46 ERA, 105.0 IP, 123 Hits, 12 HR, 31 BB, 73 K, 5.8 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.81 ERA, 8.7 H/9--1.0 HR/9--2.2 BB/9--5.6 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.46 ERA, 914.0 IP, 1031 Hits, 115 HR, 265 BB, 550 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.72 ERA, 9.0 H/9--0.9 HR/9--2.1 BB/9--4.8 K/9////Career K/BB of 2.07/1--////In each of the past three seasons, Dessen’s translated K/9 (02’-4.2, 03’-5.2, 04’-5.6), and HR allowed (02’-24, 03’-22, 04’-15) have gotten better, while his IP has decreased in each of those same seasons (02’-178.0, 03’-175.2, 04’-105.0)////2004 represented a career best for Dessens in translated K/9 (5.6)////Spent last four seasons in Arizona (severe hitter’s park), Los Angeles (severe pitcher’s park), and Cincinnati (moderate hitter’s park)////

18. Dustin Hermanson (32): Signed with White Sox, 2 years ($5.5 million) 2004 statistics- 4.53 ERA, 131.0 IP, 132 Hits, 15 HR, 46 BB, 102 K, 12.7 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.89 ERA, 7.9 H/9--0.8 HR/9--2.9 BB/9--5.9 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.31 ERA, 1219.0 IP, 1233 Hits, 154 HR, 442 BB, 836 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.85 ERA, 7.9 H/9--1.0 HR/9--3.0 BB/9--5.1 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.89/1--////Due to a dramatic increase in IP in each of the past three seasons for Hermanson (02’-22.0, 03’-68.2, 04’-131.0), almost all of his “counting” statistics (HR, BB, K, Hits) have improved, those trends will be disregarded….but translated trends will be counted////In each of the past three seasons, Hermanson’s translated H/9 (02’-13.0, 03’-8.5, 04’-7.9) have gotten better////2004 represented NO career-bests or worsts for Hermanson////Spent last four seasons San Francisco (severe pitcher’s park), Boston (slight hitter’s park), and St. Louis (moderate pitcher’s park)////

19. Al Levine (37): 2004 statistics- 4.58 ERA, 70.7 IP, 83 Hits, 10 HR, 24 BB, 32 K, 12.3 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.72 ERA, 9.4 H/9—1.0 HR/9—2.6 BB/9—4.0 K/9--////Career statistics- 3.85 ERA, 565.0 IP, 581 Hits, 68 HR, 232 BB, 274 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.43 ERA, 4.5 H/9—0.8 HR/9—3.1 BB/9—4.3 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.18/1--////In each of past three seasons, Levine’s Hits allowed totals (02’-61, 03’-67, 04’-83), and HR allowed totals (02’-8, 03’-9, 04’-10) have gotten worse, while in that same period, his BB totals (02’-34, 03’-29, 04’-24), and translated BB/9 (02’-4.6, 03’-3.5, 04’-2.6) have gotten better////For seasons where Levine has accumulated 50+ IP, 2004 represented a career-worst ERA (4.58), translated H/9 (9.4), and tied a career-worst translated BB/9 (1.0) for Levine////Spent last four seasons in Detroit (moderate pitcher’s park), Tampa Bay (neutral park), Kansas City (severe hitter’s park when he pitched there), and Anaheim (slight hitter’s park)////

20. Terry Adams (32): Signed with Phillies, 1 yr/$500,000 2004 statistics- 4.76 ERA, 70.0 IP, 84 Hits, 10 HR, 28 BB, 56 K, 8.8 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.75 ERA, 9.0 H/9—1.1 HR/9—3.4 BB/9—6.2 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.04 ERA, 856.0 IP, 865 Hits, 60 HR, 370 BB, 687 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.75 ERA, 8.7 H/9—0.6 HR/9—3.6 BB/9—6.2 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.87/1--////In each of the past three seasons, Adam’s K/9 (02’-5.3, 03’-5.7, 04’-6.2) has gotten better////Excluding Adam’s rookie season (1995, 18.0 IP), 2004 represented a career-worst (4.76), HR allowed (10), and translated HR/9 (1.1) for Adams, while representing no career-bests////Spent last four seasons in Boston (slight hitter’s park), Toronto (moderate hitter’s park), Philadelphia (moderate hitter’s park), and Los Angeles (severe pitcher’s park)////

21. Roberto Hernandez (40): Signed Minor League contract with Mets 2004 statistics- 4.76 ERA, 56.7 IP, 66 Hits, 9 HR, 29 BB, 44 K, (-3.1) VORP////2004 translated statistics- 5.12 ERA, 9.0 H/9—1.1 HR/9—4.2 BB/9—6.2 K/9--////Career statistics- 3.39 ERA, 891.7 IP, 825 Hits, 81 HR, 377 BB, 805 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.05 ERA, 7.5 H/9—0.7 HR/9—3.2 BB/9—7.9 K/9////Career K/BB of 2.13/1--////In each of the past three seasons, Hernandez’s ERA (02’-4.33, 03’-4.35, 04’-4.76), and translated ERA (02’-3.56, 03’-4.54, 04’-5.12) have gotten worse////2004 represented a career-worst translated ERA (5.12) for Hernandez////Spent last four seasons in Philadelphia (moderate hitter’s park), Atlanta (slight pitcher’s park), and Kansas City (severe hitter’s park when he pitched there)////

22. Brian Boehringer (35): 2004 statistics- 4.62 ERA, 25.3 IP, 27 Hits, 2 HR, 17 BB, 20 K, 2.0 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 4.03 ERA, 8.4 H/9—0.6 HR/9—6.2 BB/9—5.9 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.36 ERA, 534.7 IP, 522 Hits, 64 HR, 274 BB, 632 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.86 ERA, 7.6 H/9—0.9 HR/9—4.4 BB/9—6.2 K/9////Career K/BB of 2.31/1--////Since injuries forced Boehringer to miss parts of the 2004 season, almost all of his “counting” statistics have gotten better because of the lack of IP. His 2004 “counting statistic” totals will be disregarded when it comes to identifying any recent trends that may have happened during the last three seasons; and identifying career-bests and worsts….No trends have occurred within Levine’s translated statistics during that same period////2004 represented a career-best translated BB/9 (0.6) for Boehringer////Spent last four seasons in Pittsburgh (neutral park), San Francisco (severe pitcher’s park), and New York Yankees (slight pitcher’s park)////

23. David Weathers (35): Signed with Reds, ($1.25 million) 2004 statistics- 4.15 ERA, 82.1 IP, 85 Hits, 12 HR, 35 BB, 61 K, 8.2 VORP////2004 translated statistics- 3.81 ERA, 8.1 H/9—1.0 HR/9—3.3 BB/9—3.1 K/9--////Career statistics- 4.47 ERA, 1016.0 IP, 1104 Hits, 94 HR, 456 BB, 734 K////Translated Career statistics- 4.15 ERA, 9.2 H/9—0.8 HR/9—3.6 BB/9—5.8 K/9////Career K/BB of 1.61/1--////In each of the past three season’s, Weather’s ERA (02’-2.91, 03’-3.08, 04’-4.15) has gotten worse////Excluding 1992 (only 3.3 IP), 2004 represented a tie for Weather’s career-worst translated HR/9 (1.0)////Spent last four season in New York Mets (severe pitcher’s park), Milwaukee (neutral park), Houston (moderate Hitter’s park), and Florida (severe pitcher’s park)////

24. Paul Shuey (35): Out of baseball in 2004, 2003 statistics- 3.00 ERA, 69.0 IP, 50 Hits, 6 HR, 33 BB, 60 K, 19.0 VORP////2003 translated statistics- 3.00 ERA, 6.2 H/9—0.8 HR/9—4.2 BB/9—6.5 K/9--////Career statistics- 3.57 ERA, 504.3 IP, 438 Hits, 40 HR, 256 BB, 534 K////Translated Career statistics- 3.10 ERA, 7.0 H/9—0.6 HR/9—4.0 BB/9—9.3 K/9////Career K/BB of 2.09/1--////Before an injury kept Shuey out of baseball in 2004, in each of his last three seasons before the injury, his translated H/9 (01’-8.2, 02’-7.1 03’-6.2), translated HR/9 (01’-0.3, 02’-0.5 03’-0.8), translated K/9 (01’-11.0, 02’-7.7 03’-6.5), HR allowed (01’-1, 02’-3, 03’-6), BB allowed (01’-26, 02’-31 03’-33), and K totals (01’-70, 02’-63 03’-60) had all gotten worse////2003 represented a career worst translated K/9 (6.5), and a tie for career-worst translated HR/9 (0.8) for Shuey////Spent last four seasons in Cleveland (neutral park), and Los Angeles (severe pitcher’s park)////

Next up will be the final installment of this series of scouting reports on free agents; “Left Handed Relief Pitchers.”

There are some trades that have happened that I have yet to report on, so I hope to get these "southpaw" reports out in about 1-2 weeks maximum.

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.