Yesterday, the New York Yankees released RHP Chad Gaudin, making him a free agent.
Last season Gaudin appeared in 31 games, starting 25 of them and allowing 146 hits and 76 walks in 147 innings. His ERA was 4.64 last season and he has a career 1.53 WHIP.
The Yankees will owe 27-year-old Gaudin 25 percent of his $2.95 million salary for this season and now he can sign with any team as he becomes a free agent.
Gaudin said he was not shocked at the decision, but was disappointed.
“To be honest with you, I’m not surprised with anything anymore. This is going to be my seventh team, hopefully. I got released last year in the spring [by the Cubs] and look where I ended up. I’m sure I’ll land with some other team and help some ballclub win. That’s all you can do.”
He’s played in four games this spring with an ERA of 8.68 in 9.1 innings.
David Lennon of Newsday reported via Twitter that the Mets were discussing Gaudin, and apparently it was a big subject of debate in the Mets blogosphere and even on SNY according to MetsBlog.
I’m not really understanding the interest in Gaudin as he doesn’t appear to be an upgrade over any of the options the Mets have now. In fact, in my opinion, I rather enjoy the direction that the bullpen competition is taking in camp.
I’ve always believed, and still do, that relievers are so hit and miss from year to year and that individual performance is hard to predict. Some of the best bullpens start off as a work in progress in which the hot hands get more looks until finally a core group begins settling in by mid May.
I’m more concerned about the rotation at this point than I am about the bullpen.
