Livan Signs with Mets; I Breathe Sigh of Relief

Because the Pirates have reportedly inquired as to the availability of free agent starting pitchers Braden Looper and Pedro Martinez, I have assumed that the team is looking for a veteran starter (and I support that). However, with most free agent starters remaining being retired or injured, the one that is neither had me worried. Yes, a veteran starting pitcher would be good for the team. No, a veteran starting pitcher named Livan Hernandez would not be good. Fortunately, today the Mets have signed Livan to a minor-league contract. I know Livan has had some good years, particularly for the Giants and Expos earlier this decade, and I know he was the co-MVP (along with umpire Eric Gregg) of the 1997 World Series, but he is nothing more than Zach Duke on a bad day. Maybe a slightly more resilient bad day Duke. Hernandez gave up 4 or more earned runs 18 times last season. Duke, actually, only had 13 such starts. Paul Maholm had 11!, though a bad May contained a disproportionate amount of them. Anyway, I'm probably making a big deal out of nothing here, since I had not heard the Pirates were interested in Hernandez at all. I just couldn't help but worry.

Speaking of starting pitchers, here are some free agents remaining: Paul Byrd, Scott Elarton, Chuck James, Orlando Hernandez, Pedro Martinez, Mark Mulder, Sidney Ponson, Curt Schilling, Ben Sheets. Byrd has said he'll wait until later in the season to sign with someone and everyone else has injury concerns. A one-year, incentive based deal, with an option for 2010 might be intriguing for Sheets, but other than that, meh.