Middle relievers get ignored and Benoit has not been on my radar. The Tigers signed Benoit to a 3 yr deal for 16.5 mill. That seems like a lot . But a shutdown middle reliever can help save a lot of games. That means they will not rely on Zumaya coming back.
So is this guy a power pitcher? The Tigers are in love with fast ballers. His numbers look impressive last year but was that a freak?
Yes and no. He’s a power arm, pretty young, and I think he could be closer-type material. He’s got some injury risk, though.
I don’t know that I’d call him “pretty young.” Maybe compared to Jamie Moyer.
He’s not going to repeat his numbers from this year, but he can still be very good.
He had a really good year in middle relief. Lots of middle relievers have a really good year. The odds that he has three more great and healthy years and justifies the contract aren’t especially high.
Huh. I remember him being younger than that. Mea culpa.
For a one year deal to shore up a shaky bullpen, this is a good deal. For three years at that contract, the Tigers are going to lose out on other free agents down the road because they won’t be able to pay them.
We really liked him in Tampa. He had some great outings. He fools hitters more than blowing them off the plate. Sorry to see him go.
He may be a great counter point to Zumaya ,assuming he is healthy. Zumaya does not rely on fooling hitters.
When I first saw the thread, I racked my brain trying to remember a golfer named “Ben-Wa” who was about to steal Tiger Woods’ thunder on the golf course, but they don’t even play big tournaments in the US this time of year, do they?
Eight seasons with the Rangers organization, bub–no spring chicken here!
He’s got a decent fastball, but not overpowering. Throws a good mix of speeds & breaking pitches to stay alive in the major leagues. The Rangers mostly used him as a setup man, and briefly tried him out as a closer, which did not work out well at all. He showed flashes of greatness, but was very inconsistent, and I think they eventually cut him–couldn’t get anyone to bite on a trade. He looked much better in Tampa this season than in his very best year with Texas; it could be a fluke, or just another symptom of Arlington being the place good pitchers go to die. (Prior to 2010, that is. :D)