Big money extension for Arroyo

Arroyo has the stones to win clutch games. Came through in big time spots a bunch for the Sox.

That said, is he worth an eight-figure signing bonus? Hell no.

 

Signing bonus is only $2.5 million. Again, considering the coin that has been spent on such proven commodities as Gil Meche and Ted Lilly, the $25 million on Arroyo will be considered a bargain.

 

Thanks for the correction, F_H.

 

As a Sox fan, I like Arroyo, and I have no feelings one way or the other for Gil Meche. But both guys are getting absurd contracts.

Meche has a career record of 55-44 with a 4.65 era. He'll be 29 in September.

Arroyo has a career mark of 47-44 with a 4.21 era. He'll be 30 later this month.

Neither of these guys are going to have a lasting impact on the game, but they will have money to spend for years to come.

 

As jagtrader said, it's simply the cost of doing business this offseason.

Still, this deal looks fantastic compared to the ridiculous coin thrown at garbage like Juan Pierre and Little Sarge.

 

Arroyo's career postseason ERA is 7.41. Not even the New York/Boston hype machine can put a positive spin on that number.

 

Jagtrader: Arroyo's post-season ERA is mostly a function of Game Three of the 2004 ALCS, when he had nothin'.

 

As long as Milton is there he won't. They should just pitch him on the road. And you are right about the moves. As Reds fan you would think we would find some luck.

 

Arroyo has the kind of arm where innings aren't a problem. He's a late bloomer (remember, the Pirates cut this guy). And in Cincinnati he appeared more relaxed out of the psychopathy of Boston. He has a live arm, the kind that innings don't really matter as much. It's a decent deal given the market and it gives the Reds their 1-2 pitchers locked up for the next four years.

 

It's also a function of a small sample size, pitching poorly in the World Series and pitching poorly in the 2005 ALDS.

I'm just refuting the "stones to win big games" BS before it becomes another of those Yankees-Red Sox myths. Arroyo has made two freakin' playoff starts and was absolutely crushed in one of them.

 

He's a late bloomer (remember, the Pirates cut this guy). And in Cincinnati he appeared more relaxed out of the psychopathy of Boston.

He's a 30-year-old pitcher who has never won more than 14 games, pitched more than 200 innings twice (205 in 2005, 240 last year), and has a career record of 47-44.

Postseason (according to baseballreference.com):
10 games, 2 starts. 17 innings, 19 hits, 14 earned runs.

He was plenty relaxed in the "psychopathy of Boston." He's a very cool customer. He's simply not a hugely talented pitcher.

The Reds are counting on him as a frontline starter, and paying him as such. Those are probably two problems. As I said before, I liked Arroyo when he was with Boston. I just don't consider him anything more than a pedestrian pitcher.

 

The difference is , they didn't have to do business this off-season. The rest of those guys were FAs.