There are six teams in on free agent reliever Luis Ayala, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN XM radio, including the Mets, Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays, Angels and Red Sox.
Ayala was an excellent value signing for the Yankees in 2011 after inking a minor league contract in February. The right-hander, who did not appear in the Majors in 2010, posted a 2.09 ERA in 56 innings last season and could land a Major League contract this trip through free agency.
Of the clubs listed here, the Mets, Jays and Rays, in particular, have several openings in their respective bullpens, while Ayala could simply provide depth for a team like the Yankees or Red Sox.
Mets!?! Didn’t they learn the last time they acquired Luis Ayala?
Do the Mets ever actually learn?
Baby steps… baby steps…
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, here’s a 3-year deal.
…..worth $36MM.
With opt-outs every year and a 4th year vesting option.
Rafael Soriano? is that you?
I think that ’11 was a career year. But I’m sure someone will overpay.
sarcasm?
Not at all? Why do you ask?
you wrote something about his stats being awful, i was referring to that
Whatever you say?
My first thought will forever be the 3 run homer to Longo to let us back into game 162 but with ground balls 50% of the time and our middle infield, Rays would be wise to sign Ayala.
I don’t see it, unless the contract is near minimum and for 1 year. He seems the definition of a fungible pitcher. He is a reliever who doesn’t strike out many, and whose last few years in the majors has seen his BB rate get a bit worse so that it is nothing special.
He got a lot of ground balls last year, but in his four previous major league seasons the rate was nothing special either, twice under 40%. ERA is hardly a worthwhile stat by which to evaluate a starter let alone a reliever, but even so, in his previous 2 major league seasons it was over 5.
Other than giving a team the chance to have another reliever in spring training to evaluate, I don’t see why any team would be willing to pursue him more avidly than any of a dozen or more relievers.
His stats ended up looking alright, but as a Yankees fan I really never felt comfortable with him in there. Marginally deserving of a one year major league contract, but definitely not a very big one.
Let in all the inherited runners, but its ok, shiny ERA preserved.
If I were the Yankees I’d let Ayala go, he had a very lucky year. He might of had a 2.09 ERA, but thats because he allowed alot of inherited runners to score. I’m not saying he’s a bad pitcher, but the Yankees can do alot better than Ayala
Whoever gets him is in for a baaaaad regression
Meh, there’s better players.
Whose list for RP aren’t the Angels in?
This is going to be an overpay for sure. But he will help out all of those teams.
One word: regression.
Buyer beware.
BREAKING NEWS : Houston Astros acquire Maicer Izturis for PTBNL or Cash
If you’re gonna make stuff up, at least try to have it make sense.
How is it that you know this, yet no one else does???
Yeah he’s going to regress. A multi-year deal from any teams is a bad decision. Something like a one year major league deal for 2 million would make sense I suppose.
He did very well last season, though. ERA+ of 212…got pretty lucky on balls hit in play. His BABIP was .282…his other peripherals like SO/9 BB/K/ didn’t really change so he had a better season than usual because he got lucky. Big surprise.
/captain obvious post
I wouldn’t mind he comes to the Rays. Jim Hickey is a great pitching coach and make Ayala progress even for one year