The Reds have signed righty Vance Worley to a minors deal that includes an invitation to the MLB side of Spring Training, per a club announcement. He’ll receive an opt-out opportunity at the end of camp and can earn a $1.5MM salary in the majors, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter links).
Worley, 30, contributed 71 2/3 innings over a dozen starts and another dozen relief appearances last year for the Marlins. He ended the season with an unsightly 6.91 ERA, though his peripherals suggest there was some poor fortune baked into the results.
On the year, Worley managed 6.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, and a 48.6% groundball rate — all numbers that land near his career averages. But he stranded just 64.5% of runners to reach against him and was tagged for a .378 batting average on balls in play. While that latter mark was deserved to an extent, it appears somewhat out of line given that Worley surrendered a .405 wOBA but carried a .364 xwOBA.
Of course, Worley enjoyed much better fortune in a 86 2/3-inning stint with the Orioles in 2016, when he managed a 3.53 ERA. As ever, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. All things considered, Worley has worked at or slightly above replacement level for the past several seasons.
Cincinnati is obviously looking primarily for solid veteran depth, while Worley is no doubt intrigued by the opportunity on a staff that has many options but few sure things. It’s conceivable that he could have a shot at breaking camp with the Reds either as a starter or a reliever.
And the hits keep on coming this offseason lol … and now they will all season for opponents in Cincinnati too
If this doesn’t open the flood gates, I don’t know what will. The free agent players may as well go start their own league somewhere warm.. Baseball Out Of the Bahamas has a nice ring to it.
Hope your wrong but based on history probably not.
Check out this saying I just made up – – – “Book the World Series tickets now”. I made this up. No one has said it before.
To think those 6 words have never been spoken before. What a time to be alive
THAT’S IT! This signing will surely be the jumpstart to the rest of this offseason….
I logged on to make the same joke as everyone else it seems ha ha
With this signing the Reds become a real contender against the Cubs for the NL Central championship. They add the awesome Vance Worley to their team also including Votto, Morocco Mesoraco, and some kid named Billy. Wow. An incredible combination.
this guy had elite potential of he can put it together he could be better than Darvish
pfft, if darvish has a good season he’ll be as good as worley. vance will surely be better than Kershaw, and will lead cincinnati to october ball!
The reds front office really putting together a great ballclub for there loyal fans..lol
Worley was good. Then the mismanagement, the overcoaching. Terrible the total mismanagement of personnel league wide.
No snark. Just intrigue.
You clearly believe this. I’m not sure what you’re specifically believing.
Worley was a good pitcher with good competitive instincts. But they coached that out of him with sabermetrics and matchups, etc. It happens all the time now and it’s an absolute joke what the game is becoming.
Yes, the sabermetrics made him throw like crap the past couple of years
None of the 3 down arrows wanted to type a refute?
I always liked him to. Tough, gutty and afraid of nobody at the plate. something u don’t see in today’s game of multi millionaires. he isn’t afraid to throw inside regardless. just how many pitchers do that with all these guys now jumping over the plate before the pitcher even delivers?
years back a guy does than and he’s face down in the dirt next pitch, but not now with most all. Vanimal will throw some in now and then, one of a small handful.
I’ve watched Worley pitch enough to not have any idea where you’re getting any of this.
Agreed, JD, he has 26 HBPs over 2,894 PAs, good for a sub-1% HBP rate. That’s not the line of a guy who’s brushing hitters back constantly.
Worley’s greatest asset was a 2-seamer that got lots of called 3rd strikes, which is why – when he was on – he usually led the league in Ks looking.
However, Worley’s problem was that once hitters figured it out, they stopped taking the pitch and started fouling them off. In his career he only once averaged fewer than 15 P/IP, and he was usually throwing 100+ to get through the 6th inning (if he made it that far).
As a result, he got tired as the season wore on, and inevitably his best years were the ones where he only played for half a season. That’s also partially why that 133 IP from 2012 is still his career high.
The Vanimal surfaces again!! Loved him when he was with Pittsburgh. Then…….the wheels fell off……
It’s a low risk deal. He doesn’t need to be great but if he can make the team and help shepherd the young guys along he will be worth 1.5 million.
He benefited from the o’s good defense in 2016
Shirley Worley will be proud of her baby boy
I feel like he could be a 12-15 game winner.
I like this signing
These comments are great. Nothing more to add
Good signing. We go as far as our young Pitchers take us and then fill in next year.