Nats eyeing Carl Pavano to help bolster rotation

Going in to the off season the Nationals identified an upgrade in starting pitchers as a point of need and to this point it is one that they have yet to really address and options are starting to thin. The Nats lost out in the race for free agent starting pitcher Cliff Lee and the list of other free agents who have already signed includes

Jorge De La Rosa- 2 years $21.5 million with the Rockies
Hiroki Kuroda- 1 year $12 million with the Dodgers
Jon Garland- 1 year $5 million with the Dodgers
Jake Westbrook- 2 years $16.5 million and 3rd year optional for $8.5 million with the Cardinals
Javier Vazquez- 1 year $7 million with the Marlins
Erik Bedard- 1 year non guaranteed with the Mariners
Kevin Correia- 2 years $8 million with the Pirates
Aaron Harang- 1 year $4 million with the Padres
Vincent Padilla- 1 year $2 million with the Dodgers

so now the Nats are left eyeing Pavano and talks between the two are expected to take place this week. So what could he possibly bring to the team?

Pavano who will be 35 by the start of the season is definitely not getting younger but his 2010 stat line of

17 wins, 11 losses, 7 complete games, 2 shut outs, 3.75 era, 1.195 whip and 221 innings pitched

says that he may have something left in the tank. At 35 years old though I wouldn’t expect a long term deal to be offered so we would more than likely be looking at a 1 or 2 year deal with a possible 3rd year option if they offer a 2 year deal for Pavano.

If they manage to sign him I advise Nats fans to not expect the same type of numbers that he had in 2010. More than likely his era will see a rise but I see no reason why an era in the low to mid 4’s should be expected from him. The thing that he brings to the Nats that they need the most is that if healthy he is an innings eater

2009- 199.1 innings pitched
2010- 221.0 innings pitched

Outside of Livan Hernandez (211.2 innings) no pitcher even came close to 200 innings pitched for the Nationals in 2010. The Nationals 2nd and 3rd best pitchers in innings pitched were Lannon (143.1 innings) and Stammen (128 innings) nobody else even reached 100 innings pitched.

The Nats bullpen had an excellent season in 2010 posting a 3.33 era which tied them for 4th best in the majors but they also led all of baseball with 545.2 innings pitched which was 1st in the MLB.  The Nats could use some starting pitching that can eat up some innings and help keep the Nats bullpen from getting overworked.

I’m not a huge fan of Pavano but it would be a signing that I can understand making and definitely would not be upset over if it happens.

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