The Dodgers are close to reaching agreement on a one-year deal with reliever Chris Perez, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports. Perez is represented by Nez Balelo of CAA Sports.
Perez, 28, posted a 4.33 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 for the Indians last season. He spent parts of four seasons as Cleveland's closer, but he lost that job late in the 2013 season after he struggled in August and September. The Indians released him in late October rather than paying him the projected $9MM he would have made through the arbitration process.
In Los Angeles, Perez likely won't have to close, or even necessarily to pitch particularly high-leverage innings. Kenley Jansen looks set to continue to be the Dodgers' closer, and righties Brian Wilson and Chris Withrow will likely be ahead of Perez on the depth chart.
Ooh, interesting signing if true. I like it if the money is reasonable.
Who cares about the money?
I predict a 3/18 deal.
Reportedly, its a 1 year deal. Most likely, Perez taking a 1 yr deal to rehab his value.
I like the deal however, LAD has one of the strongest pens in the NL now
I was making a Brandon League gist but I guess it wasn’t obvious. But, yeah, a 1 year deal for Chris Perez would be good for both sides.
That is because your exaggerated contract suggestion actually undersold League’s by 4.5M.
That is because your exaggerated contract suggestion actually undersold League’s by 4.5M.
It’s easy to criticize the League contract after his struggles last season, but we know he can be very good. The man throws five effective pitches. I think he got unlucky last year and it gave him a case of the yips. Perez is going to be a reclamation case too. If Honeycutt can fix both of these pitchers the Dodgers’ bullpen will be massive.
League wasnt that good before getting that contract.
Good enough to be one of the top closers in MLB only two seasons ago, and very effective when he came over to the Dodgers in 2012. I don’t think he’s ever had the consistency required to ever be a great closer, but he can still be plenty useful if his issues get worked out.
League was never one of the top closers in MLB. He was slightly above average in 2011, and in 2012 he lost his closer job in Seattle to Tom Wilhelmsen, who has since lost his job to Danny Farquhar. He was also pitching in Seattle, which was a pitcher’s dream. His numbers away from Safeco were pretty mediocre.
League at his best is a 7th or 8th inning guy. He has a career 6.5 SO/9 and 3.0 BB/9. That’s a really mediocre ratio.
He was one of the top in terms of saves in 2011. Sure, the classic closer is a strikeout artist, but that isn’t the only path to success. Just for fun I took a random look at others. Francisco Cordero recorded over 300 saves in his career, with a SO/BB ratio of 2.1.
eh, tied for 9th in saves… not really remarkable. Saves are a pretty poor way to evaluate a pitcher anyway.
Third in the AL, I believe, and no mean feat when you pitch for a team that loses 95 games. Again, I don’t think he’s great but I think he can be very useful if his issues get worked out. That was the point I was making.
It’s easy to criticize the League contract after his struggles last season, but we know he can be very good. The man throws five effective pitches. I think he got unlucky last year and it gave him a case of the yips. Perez is going to be a reclamation case too. If Honeycutt can fix both of these pitchers the Dodgers’ bullpen will be massive.
I really like this signing, if it happens.
If the Dodgers can fix him, then all of a sudden the bullpen is LOADED with Withrow, Perez, Wilson and Jansen from the right side and Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell from the left.
If its at a reasonable price, there’s really no reason not to. I mean, everyone scoffed at the Volquez and Marmol pickups, but those guys actually gave some solid innings. If Perez can find it, then the ‘pen is stacked. If not, well that’s fine, there’s still some solid in-house options. Granted it does depend on the money, but I love the pick-up.
If its at a reasonable price, there’s really no reason not to. I mean, everyone scoffed at the Volquez and Marmol pickups, but those guys actually gave some solid innings. If Perez can find it, then the ‘pen is stacked. If not, well that’s fine, there’s still some solid in-house options. Granted it does depend on the money, but I love the pick-up.
Bye CP. I hope things improve for the guy after some very good (and very bad) moments in Cleveland.
Bye CP. I hope things improve for the guy after some very good (and very bad) moments in Cleveland.
Jansen, Wilson, Perez, Withrow, League as righties in the pen, with Howell and Paco from the left side. I don’t see any room for a guy like Jamey Wright now. And this allows them to keep Dominguez in the minors at the start of the season. This is just my own speculation, but they now have enough back there to include Jansen in a trade if that could help to net them David Price. Just total speculation, but selling high on a reliever wouldn’t be the absolute worst thing in the world, depending on what you got back. These guys have shelf lives shorter than NFL running backs.
If you think that a trade featuring Jansen as the best piece is going to land Price keep dreaming.
Jansen is practically at Kimbrel’s level, and under team control for several more seasons. He could absolutely be the best piece in a deal to land Price. But the Dodgers won’t trade him, so the point is moot.
It would, however, open up the opportunity for the Dodgers to add someone like Withrow or Dominguez in a trade for Price (in addition to Zach Lee, Julio Urias and Joc Pederson).
I am merely speculating. There had been some speculation that the Braves could consider moving Kimbrel soon, even though it’s certainly very unlikely. My point is that relievers don’t age well, most of the time. I’ll put it another way. Which Dodger team would be the most formidable for the next 2 years: a bullpen with Wilson as the closer, and Perez/Withrow/League/Howell/Rodriguez setting him up, and a rotation of Kershaw/Price/Greinke/Ryu/Haren, OR the bullpen as is, but no Price in the rotation? Just taking the next 2 years into consideration, I think the answer to that question is the first option. That said, I realize that obviously you would have to give up quite a bit to get Price. Just saying, if Jansen is a piece that could help you get Price, it’s something that people shouldn’t just dismiss.
Can’t go wrong with a guy like this one a one year deal. Let him try and re-establish his value on a contending team and hit the open market again looking for that multi-year deal.
Still trying to buy that championship, eh? The Dodgers are the NL version of the Yankees 😛
Doesn’t every team technically buy championships? I mean isn’t that what Free Agency is?
Not the Marlins, they sell them.
Funny thing is the. Marlins have a really good player development system historically.
Not the Marlins, they sell them.
Absolutely. The only difference is some teams have a lot more to spend on buying championships. And it isn’t just free agency. The wealthier teams can spend more on development and scouting, and can afford to retain players through arbitration.
Absolutely. The only difference is some teams have a lot more to spend on buying championships. And it isn’t just free agency. The wealthier teams can spend more on development and scouting, and can afford to retain players through arbitration.
Signing Chris Perez to a 1 year deal is the 2013 version of trying to outspend everyone? Or was it the Dan Haren, Juan Uribe, and Brian Wilson signings?
Ned loves him some closer reclamation projects. Between Kenley, WIlson, Paco entering every game at least once, Withrow and some projects, the pen seems set, Donny is going to start going to the bullpen with 2 outs in the 4th now.
Lol, you probably are not far off with Donnie and his bullpen management.
THAT’S why the Dodgers need to “Donnie-proof” the roster as much as possible. If the bullpen is loaded, then it mitigates the risk when Donnie goes crazy and starts dipping in the bullpen too early of goes “lefty-righty” match-up crazy.
I imagine Paco is taking grounders at 2nd so he can face every guy that even that bats, throws, or opened a doorknob left.
Not many lefties at 2nd
nor many relievers playing second. That’s the genius of Donny Bullpen’s plan.
Perez – 6th
Withrow – 7th
Wilson – 8th
Jansen -9th
Mix in the 2 Lefties in between 6th – 8th
Jose Dominguez get more seasoning to control his 101 MPH heater
If Dodgers get Tanaka to mix with Kershaw and Greinke its checkmate for the rest of the NL with respect to St. Louis
They have basically the same team as last year.
Except a year older.
The same team that won 92 games after an abysmal first two months, and won the division by 11 games. And the same team that only got 73 games out of Kemp, 86 out of Hanley, 104 out of Puig, and 116 out of Crawford, and missed 6 Greinke starts. If this team stays healthy, and that’s a BIG if, it’s World Series or bust.
Banking on some huge “if’s” there aren’t you
Well, that’s why I said “that’s a BIG if.” But if last year’s team won 92 games, healthy seasons from half the guys in my list could put them at 100 wins. If everything comes together (125+ games out of Hanley and Kemp, and no more broken collar bones), I’d say the Dodgers are certainly capable of winning 100+ games.
Look the the division they played in. Wasnt like their were 3 or 4 legit division contenders the Dodgers beat out.
The Dodgers: The only thing in the world to get a Cubs fan to root for the Cardinals/ I am obviously jealous and cannot wait until 2019 when the Cubs can spend the same way-ish.
The Dodgers: The only thing in the world to get a Cubs fan to root for the Cardinals/ I am obviously jealous and cannot wait until 2019 when the Cubs can spend the same way-ish.
Perez – 6th
Withrow – 7th
Wilson – 8th
Jansen -9th
Mix in the 2 Lefties in between 6th – 8th
Jose Dominguez get more seasoning to control his 101 MPH heater
If Dodgers get Tanaka to mix with Kershaw and Greinke its checkmate for the rest of the NL with respect to St. Louis
Talk about adding some bullpen depth. The risk on these signings isn’t very high, but the outcome could be a shutdown bullpen, innings 7-9.
Talk about adding some bullpen depth. The risk on these signings isn’t very high, but the outcome could be a shutdown bullpen, innings 7-9.
but………….we have league
but………….we have league
Interesting, though his numbers were pretty spectacular at Safeco through his career. 2.52 ERA, 1.100 WHIP, .218/.279/.279 opponent slash line. Much better than his numbers outside of Safeco.
Though he was actually a better pitcher at Yankee Stadium, Fenway, Cellular, and Angel Stadium, than he was in Safeco. So go figure.