Saturday, February 28, 2009

Anybody Want a Cheap but Terrible Pitcher?

The Philadelphia Phillies finally gave up on Adam Eaton on Friday and released the pitcher even though it will mean they are on the hook for his $9 million this year. This means that anyone can pick him up for the $400,000 league minimum.

The Eaton signing was one of the worst in recent years. The Phillies signed Eaton as a free agent and gave him a three year contract worth $24 million. For their hard earned cash, the Phillies got a pitcher who went 14-18 with an abominable 6.10 ERA over the last two seasons.
In frustration, the Phillies sent him to the minor leagues last year and he couldn't even get minor leaguers out. Down there, he was 0-7 with an ERA over 7!

It's hard to understand why the Phillies would have signed him in the first place for that kind of money. He had just finished an injury riddled year (which can be said about most Eaton years as he has never thrown 200 innings in a season despite being a starter) with Texas and compiled 5.12 ERA with 102 base runners in 68 innings of work. You give a guy like that a three year contract at 24 mil? Dumb.

Oh well, give the team credit for taking the hard way out and eating the contract instead of burdening their team for another season faced with Adam's curse.

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