Free agent left-hander Chris Capuano is seeking a two-year deal and is willing to wait for that opportunity to evolve if it is not currently present, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
Capuano, 35, posted a 4.26 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a 46.4 percent ground-ball rate (the best of his career in a full season) over 105 2/3 frames with the Dodgers in 2013. Though his ERA numbers have been up and down over the past four seasons, Sabermetric estimators such as xFIP and SIERA both feel that his skill-set has been that of a 3.60 to 3.97 ERA pitcher in that time.
The big factor with Capuano is health — something he's struggled with throughout his career. Capuano has twice undergone Tommy John surgery, and while he looked to have overcome his injury woes when he threw 186 and 198 1/3 innings in 2011 and 2012, respectively, he was shelved by multiple injuries in 2013. Capuano saw time on the disabled list with a calf strain and a lat strain this past season, and he also threw just 4 2/3 innings in September as he battled a groin injury. He did throw three solid innings of relief and pick up a win in Game 3 of the NLDS, suggesting that he ultimately overcame that injury as well.
Capuano has posted excellent strikeout-to-walk ratios since returning from his second Tommy John surgery. From 2011-13, there are just 25 pitchers who have thrown 450 innings or more and posted a better K/BB ratio than Capuano's 3.14.
From
seen him I feel like he deserves a 2 year 10 million dollar deal, something like that. He is good at mixing speeds and taking his game deep into games.
He’s smart, he knows how to pitch and could teach others how to do so as well. I am curious to see what he will wind up doing.
Where has his market been? 2 yrs should be easy for him. Maybe 2 years 12 million. I’m surprised that we haven’t seen his name pop up much this offseason
Looking at all the injuries in 2013, I think not so easy.
Looking at all the injuries in 2013, I think not so easy.
Capuano would be a nice fit in PIT. His high GB% fits PIT’s pitching philosophy and their infield defense and shifts would help Capuano’s ERA.
Yep. Would fit lots of places. Smart buy and probably not that much less productive than a Santana or Jimenez.
I’d offer him 2/15 plus incentives to potentially double that if he throws enough innings. His xFIP is just 3.67 suggesting he’s been unlucky (high BABIP and low LOB numbers). The M’s could use a lefty like him on a modest contract.
Why have I heard NOTHING about this guy all off-season…
If you look at the number of innings he logged in the last couple months of the season I think you will see why. A two-year deal is a bit of stretch under the circumstances.
My totally fair estimate … 1/$8M + vesting option for @ 25 starts. Year 2 at $10M. If he wants a straight 2 year deal I would go as high as 2/$12M.
At first a 2-year deal for a fragile guy like Capuano sounds nuts. However, if he’s willing to do this knowing he’s got some health things to work through and would like the stability of a 2-year deal for a lower AAV then this makes sense. On the flip side, if he or his agent thinks he’s going to get a 2-year deal for something in excess of $4 or 5 million annually, then I’m back to him being nuts.
I think the Twins will get him to mentor Gibson and other prospects.