The Braves are set to release veteran righty Bartolo Colon, who was designated for assignment last week, as Grant McAuley of 929 The Game / CBS Radio first reported (on Twitter). FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes that the Braves didn’t drum up any interest in Colon (presumably, any efforts to do so included Atlanta eating a vast majority of the remaining contract), and he’ll officially hit the open market today.
There have been multiple reports linking the Mets to a reunion with Colon, though Heyman notes that other clubs have some interest as well now that he can be had for the prorated portion of the league minimum — which is roughly $254K through season’s end.
Colon, 44, pitched to an awful 8.14 ERA through 63 innings with the Braves, averaging 6.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 1.57 HR/9 with a 45.6 percent ground-ball rate. Of course, despite those numbers, there’s at least some reason to be optimistic about a turnaround. Colon’s .360 average on balls in play is the highest in baseball among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched, yet he doesn’t rank anywhere near the top of the league in terms of hard contact allowed. In fact, he’s 23rd out of 129 pitchers in terms of weak contact induced, per that same innings criteria. He’s also posted a bizarrely low 48.2 percent strand rate.
That, of course, isn’t to say that anyone should expect a return to last year’s 3.43 ERA form, though. While ERA alternatives like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all suggest that Colon’s sky-high ERA is due for some correction, each still pegs him right around 5.00. And hitter-friendly SunTrust Park did no favors for Colon (8.25 ERA in 24 innings), the reality is that his ERA was also north of 8.00 on the road, where he surrendered eight of his 11 homers.
Colon’s track record of durability and affable clubhouse persona will likely appeal to a number of teams, but few contending clubs could realistically pick him up and insert him directly into the rotation. Of course, Colon could still help those teams by reporting to Triple-A to try to get back on track or by joining the bullpen as a long reliever, perhaps eventually proving himself worthy of another look as a starter.
If the Mets don’t sign, he’s retiring.
I’d imagine others will have some interest in a flyer, and I don’t think Colon by any means has a “Mets or retirement” mentality. He’s been open in the past about how much it would mean to him to pass Juan Marichal for the record of most wins by a Dominican-born pitcher, and he’s eight off that pace.
If he lands somewhere this year and performs reasonably well down the stretch, I wouldn’t even be shocked to see him try to pitch again in 2018.
Another record that would be a shame to be broken by a tainted player!
Exactly!
These are the same people who hated on Arod and Bonds while also giving Ortiz a pass.
Breaking a record held by the saintly Juan Marichal?
If we could just pretend the steroid era never happened, the stack of pages you’d have to tear out of your baseball encyclopedia would be two inches thick.
I hate that he didn’t work out for us but seeing him back in a mets jersey would only be right
I think it was a combination of age, and the new ballpark. pitching in a new ballpark isn’t easy, ask Terhan
As noted in the post, he was shelled on the road as well, with 8 of his 11 homers coming away from SunTrust.
who?
Julio teheran
No, he’s talking about Colon pitching poorly on the road giving up 8 homers outside of SunTrust.
It’s more likely than not that he’ll sign with the Mets instead of somewhere else unless a playoff contender has interest.
We will never forget the Bartolo homerun though
I think he will end up with the Mets as well, but the Orioles could sure use him. He may not be able to outrun Ubaldo Jimenez, but he can probably outpitch him.
That would atypical Angelos move
Cheap Wilpon will prey in sentimentality. Plus colon is smart enough to want to pitch in the cream puff NL east and not get slaughtered in the AL east.
Whoever signs him, I think he’s all used up.
It is yet another idiotic move to keep Matt Wisler in the bullpen as a long/blowout relief option when Colon could be used for the same purpose. Wisler could return to AA to relearn his trade while he is still young. Braves management is awful.
Except Colon’s stuff doesn’t really play out of the pen, and any pitcher is an improvement on the 25-man over him.
Colon’s pitching career may be done, but someone will want to pick him up as a pinch hitter. I mean, consider the pure entertainment value.
Colon can replace that Tomato Can of a Pitching Coach in McDowell for the O’s
I bet an AL team signs him to DH
Probably not he actually only has the one career home run and hes also up there in age. He will likely catch on with the mets but as a pitcher. I do respect the logic but i just cant see him as a DH.
Bro it was a joke lol
I am actually trying to figure out if that dude actually missed the joke, or if his retort was so dry that we all missed HIS joke…
someone will take a chance. I can see him getting signed over the all star break. possible bullpen depth. I figure this may be the last hurrah.
The last surviving Expos player may soon be done. Vive les Expos!
Thank God..like him they were a blight on MLB.
None more so than some teams now. MLB didn’t help them any and the unfortunate strike of 1994 halted a magical season for them, that they never really recovered from. I’d love to see baseball return there over some other US cities including OK City, Charlotte, Nashville, Las Vegas, etc.
What about San Antonio?
Austin, please!
Ridiculous comment – “blight.” Montreal has a long history with baseball, including providing a place for Jackie Robinson to play pro ball. “Blight,” utter nonsense.
They weren’t a blight on MLB, but there are a few cities I’d like to see get a. Ew franchise before them (Austin, Charlotte, etc.)
I don’t see why they wouldn’t move him even if they had to eat a lot of salary. It’s better than paying everything except the pro rated portion of his salary to play on another team.
I mean is anyone going to give any thing for him? Rosin bag maybe?
Except every team with any interest in him would rather wait until he’s released rather than trade for him and give up something in return. If the Braves could somehow trade him for anything, they would have already jumped at the first offer they got.
Eating? Why does every article on Colon include some reference to eating?
Because it’s a known fact that his weight has always been a problem. Even though he’s been durable, it wouldn’t hurt for him to lose about 50lbs
Might have something to do w/the fact that he’s 397 lbs…..that’s my guess….?
Uh, eating the contract…
New Nats closer!
Just retire
This has Dipsnot written all over it. He will give him a two year deal for about 25 million. Then when it doesn’t work out. He will do a press release, saying he never wanted him. And was forced by ownership and the manager to sign him.
That’s actually happened to him before though…. It’s not a fairytale
So he was forced to give 20 million to batting practice Blanton? Oh I know trading a young reliever that can throw a 100 for Tommy Hunter? Or trading another reliever for Kyle kubitza? Yes we know he didn’t want Hamilton. If he had done his job and resigned Grienki, Hamilton would have never been an Angels player. He got told do what ever it takes to resign Grienki. He offered 5 years 125 million. Grienki came back and said add one more year and you got a deal. Arte Moreno told him to give it to him. Dipsnot didn’t do it. So Arte Moreno signed Hamilton. If you can’t do what you are paid to do, someone else will step in and do it.
You’re cherry picking. You can do this for every gm in the league
You’re cherry picking. You can do this for every gm in the league
You’re cherry picking. You could do that for every in the league
I gave you multiple times Dipsnot dropped the ball. You gave me one where he didn’t want a certain player. And you ignoring all the other bad moves he’s made. And I’m cherry picking. Yeah you must eat what he eats after it passes through his system.