Welcome RP Hector Rondon to the Diamondbacks

[Ronin]

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[1Sun]

Meh. Basically a replacement level pitcher along the lines of Yoan Lopez. So-so E.R.A., poor WHIP, very poor K/9 and BB/9. Gave up 10 HR in 60 innings. I hope this isn't where the MadBum savings went.

Update: Only 1 year, $3 million with a club option for 2021. A relatively cheap deal leaving us roughly $8 million to spead. Still, I believe Ginkel and Lopez will prove to be more reliable options out of the bullpen than Rondon.

The D-Backs reliever to whom Rondon was most comparable last year (only Rondon had slightly better WAR and E.R.A. and marginally better WHIP but significantly worse K/9 and HR/9)? Andrew Chafin.

 

[Dback Jon]

Dbacks are paying $3 million
Dodgers are paying $10 million for Blake Treinen


Advantage Dbacks

 

[Ronin]

Jeff Wiser (@OutfieldGrass24)
1/8/20, 1:02 PM
Seemed like one more veteran reliever was coming, Rondon is it. Solid righty, gets ground balls, has been a little homer-prone at times.

 

[1Sun]

Jeff Wiser (@OutfieldGrass24)
1/8/20, 1:02 PM
Seemed like one more veteran reliever was coming, Rondon is it. Solid righty, gets ground balls, has been a little homer-prone at times.

1.5 HR per 9 last year. Scary number, particularly at Chase Field.

 

[1Sun]

Dbacks are paying $3 million
Dodgers are paying $10 million for Blake Treinen


Advantage Dbacks

Based on 2019 numbers, absolutely, but more because what the Dodgers are paying Treinen.

Based on 2018 and career numbers, it isn't even close.

Dodgers are clearly rolling the dice on greatness in the face of recent disaster. D-Backs are settling for known mediocrity for cheap.

I'd argue Advantage Neither. Kind of like comparing Andrew Chafin at $3 million versus Greg Holland at $10 million heading into last season (where I would want neither).

 

[Dback Jon]

Based on 2019 numbers, absolutely, but more because what the Dodgers are paying Treinen.

Based on 2018 and career numbers, it isn't even close.

Dodgers are clearly rolling the dice on greatness in the face of recent disaster. D-Backs are settling for known mediocrity for cheap.

I'd argue Advantage Neither. Kind of like comparing Andrew Chafin at $3 million versus Greg Holland at $10 million heading into last season (where I would want neither).

$10 million on a reliever would limit other steps for the Dbacks. 50/50 chance which will be better in 2020. What is know is the Dbacks are paying $7 M less for the opportunity to find out,.

 

[Ronin]

Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman)
1/8/20, 2:05 PM
Hector Rondon dbacks deal: 3 mil guaranteed for one year. Includes an option. Pending physical. ⁦‪@nickpiecoro‬⁩ 1st

 

[Ronin]

Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman)
1/8/20, 2:08 PM
Rondon 2021 option: 4 M escalates to 5 M depending on Games finished # dbacks

 

[1Sun]

$10 million on a reliever would limit other steps for the Dbacks. 50/50 chance which will be better in 2020. What is know is the Dbacks are paying $7 M less for the opportunity to find out,.

I would have preferred that the $3 million go toward a better option at 2B/CF, considering we already had at least 6 relievers on the roster who are as good or better than Rondon.

For example, I'd rather have Starling Marte at CF than Kevin Pillar at CF and Rondon in the bullpen.

 

[Ronin]

Joshua Inman (@RoofNPanelsOpen)
1/8/20, 3:16 PM
So the D-backs sign Héctor Rondón to a 3MM deal with a club option. He was dominant for Houston in 2018, and he posted a 3.71 ERA this year although his peripherals struggled with a spike in his home run rate (back to career norms) and a drop in his K-rate.

 

[Ronin]

Joshua Inman (@RoofNPanelsOpen)
1/8/20, 3:16 PM
His stuff hasn’t changed much although his slider’a swinging strike rate fell, perhaps because he was too predictable with how he used it. His ground ball rate (50%) is really good, and he’s a great bounce back candidate this season.

 

[Ronin]

Joshua Inman (@RoofNPanelsOpen)
1/8/20, 3:16 PM
This likely rounds out the D-backs bullpen with either Rondòn or Archie being the closer. It leaves enough money to make the last addition on the position player side, but it will have the be somewhat cheap.

 

[Ronin]

Kevin Pillar it is.

 

[1Sun]

Joshua Inman (@RoofNPanelsOpen)
1/8/20, 3:16 PM
This likely rounds out the D-backs bullpen with either Rondòn or Archie being the closer. It leaves enough money to make the last addition on the position player side, but it will have the be somewhat cheap.

And this is why the Rondon signing is a waste. Rondon really brings nothing to the table that we don't already have in Lopez/Ginkel/Chafin/Guerra, but he is now the difference between someone like Starling Marte in CF and someone like Kevin Pillar or (gulp) Brock Holt in our starting line-up...

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Low cost / Low risk signing. CF isn't coming from free agency it is coming from trade, where salary out gives us room.

 

[1Sun]

Low cost / Low risk signing. CF isn't coming from free agency it is coming from trade, where salary out gives us room.

Only if we are trading MLB players, rather than prospects, and only if they have noteworthy salaries. Are you thinking that Ray (our only starting pitcher with any salary of consequence) is being traded for a CF?

Meanwhile, low salary and low risk, yes (unless it ends up costing us a decent starting CF or 2B due to the salary crunch), but also low reward. His ceiling really isn't anything better than what we already had on the roster.

 

[JerkFace]

Acquiring Sterling Marte has less to do with the financial cost than the acquisition cost imo. Word is that the Pirates are asking for the moon and the sun right now.

 

[1Sun]

Acquiring Sterling Marte has less to do with the financial cost than the acquisition cost imo. Word is that the Pirates are asking for the moon and the sun right now.

My understanding is that a package of either Daulton Varsho or Carson Kelly (whichever we decide is not our long term catcher) and lower level prospects would get the deal done. They really want/need a young catcher, and we have an extra one of those.

 

[WildBB]

Someone to send in when your behind more than not. Injury insurance.

 

[1Sun]

Someone to send in when your behind more than not. Injury insurance.

And if his salary is really the reason we go cheap at CF/2B, as reported earlier in this thread, I would rather have a legitimate starting CF or 2B to pair with Ketel Marte and leave the innings from behind to the likes of Lopez, Ginkel, Guerra and Chafin.

 

[WildBB]

And if his salary is really the reason we go cheap at CF/2B, as reported earlier in this thread, I would rather have a legitimate starting CF or 2B to pair with Ketel Marte and leave the innings from behind to the likes of Lopez, Ginkel, Guerra and Chafin.

No a couple of them will be the set up relievers from 6 on.
Still think we don't have our closer yet either. Bradley?! That's playing with fire.

 

[1Sun]

No a couple of them will be the set up relievers from 6 on.
Still think we don't have our closer yet either. Bradley?! That's playing with fire.

I think Ginkel might end up settling into the Closer's role. He was pretty effective there in a tough minor league for pitchers.

Generally, a team has 11 or 12 pitchers active. We currently have the following 18 pitchers on our roster, not counting Rondon, who makes 19:

MadBum
Ray
Weaver
Gallen
Leake
Kelly
Duplantier
Young
Bradley
Guerra
Chafin
Ginkel
Lopez
Crichton
Sherfy
Clarke
Andriese
Bracho

We can eliminate the last two, as they have proved to be awful over an extended period of time.

Young likely needs to be in the bullpen and on the active roster, because as it stands otherwise, Chafin is the only lefty reliever we would have.

So...that leaves our 5 starters plus Chafin and Young as our lefty relievers, Bradley as our presumptive closer and Guerra just being signed.

Without factoring in Rondon, that leaves 3 spots (MAYBE 4 if you factor in the rule change allowing 26 to be active) for:

Whichever of Weaver, Gallen, Leake, Kelly and Duplantier end up not being in the starting rotation.
Ginkel
Lopez
Crichton
Sherfy
Clarke

If Weaver is healthy, he is right there with Ray as our best starter other than MadBum. He should be our #2 or #3.

As much as I am not a fan of Leake, he does eat innings, doesn't seem to be going anywhere and is likely cemented into the starting rotation, likely as a #4 or #5.

Gallen likely deserves the remaining spot (as a #4 or #5), leaving Kelly in the long reliever and swing role.

Duplantier really struggled as a result of being shifted to the bullpen and back. He is a natural starter and needs to remain as such. Perhaps for that reason he starts the season in AAA and is the first pitcher called up in the event a starter gets injured. If he makes the starting rotation here, then Gallen, Leake or Weaver gets pushed to the bullpen, or perhaps we go with a 6 man rotation.

That brings us to the following active pitchers:

MadBum
Ray
Weaver
Gallen
Leake
Duplantier?

Bradley
Guerra
Chafin
Young
Kelly

Which leaves 2-3 spots for:

Ginkel (who was our best reliever down the stretch last year)

Lopez (who was our best reliever last year until he was overused and had his role tinkered with too much)

Crichton
Sherfy
Clarke

Now with Rondon being signed, it is down to 1-2 spots for those five pitchers (six, if you count Duplantier).

Unless Rondon would be a clear upgrade over Ginkel and Lopez (and I don't think he is), or unless there are plans to trade some of the surplus pitchers in the immediate future (granted, a possibility), signing Rondon instead of using the money toward filling the hole at 2B/CF, or even toward a hitter off the bench, just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Ronin]

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[WildBB]

I think Ginkel might end up settling into the Closer's role. He was pretty effective there in a tough minor league for pitchers.

Generally, a team has 11 or 12 pitchers active. We currently have the following 18 pitchers on our roster, not counting Rondon, who makes 19:

MadBum
Ray
Weaver
Gallen
Leake
Kelly
Duplantier
Young
Bradley
Guerra
Chafin
Ginkel
Lopez
Crichton
Sherfy
Clarke
Andriese
Bracho

We can eliminate the last two, as they have proved to be awful over an extended period of time.

Young likely needs to be in the bullpen and on the active roster, because as it stands otherwise, Chafin is the only lefty reliever we would have.

So...that leaves our 5 starters plus Chafin and Young as our lefty relievers, Bradley as our presumptive closer and Guerra just being signed.

Without factoring in Rondon, that leaves 3 spots (MAYBE 4 if you factor in the rule change allowing 26 to be active) for:

Whichever of Weaver, Gallen, Leake, Kelly and Duplantier end up not being in the starting rotation.
Ginkel
Lopez
Crichton
Sherfy
Clarke

If Weaver is healthy, he is right there with Ray as our best starter other than MadBum. He should be our #2 or #3.

As much as I am not a fan of Leake, he does eat innings, doesn't seem to be going anywhere and is likely cemented into the starting rotation, likely as a #4 or #5.

Gallen likely deserves the remaining spot (as a #4 or #5), leaving Kelly in the long reliever and swing role.

Duplantier really struggled as a result of being shifted to the bullpen and back. He is a natural starter and needs to remain as such. Perhaps for that reason he starts the season in AAA and is the first pitcher called up in the event a starter gets injured. If he makes the starting rotation here, then Gallen, Leake or Weaver gets pushed to the bullpen, or perhaps we go with a 6 man rotation.

That brings us to the following active pitchers:

MadBum
Ray
Weaver
Gallen
Leake
Duplantier?

Bradley
Guerra
Chafin
Young
Kelly

Which leaves 2-3 spots for:

Ginkel (who was our best reliever down the stretch last year)

Lopez (who was our best reliever last year until he was overused and had his role tinkered with too much)

Crichton
Sherfy
Clarke

Now with Rondon being signed, it is down to 1-2 spots for those five pitchers (six, if you count Duplantier).

Unless Rondon would be a clear upgrade over Ginkel and Lopez (and I don't think he is), or unless there are plans to trade some of the surplus pitchers in the immediate future (granted, a possibility), signing Rondon instead of using the money toward filling the hole at 2B/CF, or even toward a hitter off the bench, just doesn't make any sense to me.

Good run down. They reassigned Sherfy. No biggie there. It looks like closer is for sure up for grabs in ST and the first two months at least. Ginkel is not one in the running right off. He'll likely make the squad and best case he'll have the chance to prove himself starting with the 7th inning.

https://arizonasports.com/story/2216648/d-backs-sign-reliever-hector-rondon-to-1-year-deal/