The Cubs have agreed to sign free agent starter Jason Hammel, reports
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The deal is pending a physical. Hammel,
31, posted a strong 3.43 ERA in 2012 season that was shortened due
to knee surgery, Hammel failed to repeat in 2013. Hammel saw a dive in his strikeout and ground ball rates and dealt with
elbow issues. (Hammel had reached 8.5 K/9 and 53.2% GB% in 2012, both of
which represent career highs by a substantial margin.)
Last year, he
ultimately ended up with a 4.97 ERA in 139 1/3 innings.
Prior to the long DL stints in his last two seasons, Hammel had
registered three straight years with at least 170 innings for the
Rockies. Though he averaged only a 4.63 ERA in that stretch, his numbers
were inflated by pitching at Coors Field. Fangraphs put his value at
8.9 fWAR for those three years, though Baseball-Reference saw it as a
less-impressive 4.0 rWAR.
In 8 seasons, he has a career 6.9 WAR. In 2013, his WAR was 0.0 or replacement level.
His career WHIP is a high 1.440.
It seems the Cubs are back trying to get a bounce-back starting pitcher by signing Hammel. But as injuries mount on various parts of a pitcher's body, that has to be of real concern. Even so, Hammel is probably projected to be the Cubs 5th starter this season.
It is reported Hammel will make $6 million (with another $1 million in incentives) for 2014. It is a one year deal that is more expensive than the Scott Baker contract from 2013.
