Lefty relievers are a popular offseason wish list item this year. Let's take a look at the free agent market.
- The group's ERA leader (1.50), Scott Eyre, is considering retirement. Mike Gonzalez is next at 2.42, though he may be seeking a closer job. John Grabow at 3.36 rounds out the top three.
- Gonzalez leads with a 10.9 K/9, followed by Darren Oliver at 8.01 and Ron Mahay at 7.51.
- Brian Shouse (club option) had the best control with a 2.25 BB/9. Then it's Oliver at 2.71 and Joe Beimel at 3.09.
- Grabow and Oliver led in home run prevention at 0.62 per nine. Eyre and Gonzalez were the toughest to hit.
- How about shutting down lefties? Shouse (.246), Eyre (.269), Horacio Ramirez (.288), Oliver (.295), and Beimel (.297) led in OBP against. Grabow (.284), Ramirez (.327), Eyre (.355), and Shouse (.373) led in SLG against. Combining the two, Grabow (.614), Ramirez (.615), Shouse (.619), and Eyre (.624) were your OPS against leaders. Will Ohman, injured much of the season, was excellent against lefties in 2008 (.571 OPS against).
- Shouse is the one true groundball artist of the group at 61.3%. He's an intriguing choice, but the 41-year-old tallied only 28 innings due to an elbow strain. The Rays have a $1.9MM club option with a $200K buyout for 2010. Grabow is a decent option, if not for his 5.0 BB/9. Ramirez was pummeled by righties but quietly dominated lefties in his short time with the Royals. He did not have the same success against southpaws in 2008, however.
- Projected Type A free agents: Oliver, Gonzalez, and Grabow. Type B: Shouse, Eyre, Beimel, and Ohman. Scott Schoeneweis and Ron Villone are represented by Scott Boras. Embree, Ohman, and Shouse have club options.
