Last year, I posted about my interest in the Pirates signing Oakland A's Pitcher Justin Duscherer. I've always liked the guy and wanted to see his high-upside come to the burgh. However the A's resigned him and gave him another shot. In return, Duscherer gave the A's 5 starts in April before being put on the 60 day DL... again. Most of the issues have been hip issues, which is a definite concern for a major league pitcher. However, there are some reasons that the Pirates could be able to sign him, and probably should at least try, here's just a few:
- The Pirates don't need to sign a guy that's going to be in our rotation for 5 years. They really only need someone to get them through this year, with a possible option to help next year as well. The Pirates pitching is loaded in the lower levels of the minor leagues, and some of those guys should rise quickly and be in the big leagues next year. Duscherer is about to turn 33 years old, so he is nearing the end of his big league service time, so he's not looking for a long-term contract, which bodes well for the Pirates.
- Another reason that the Pirates could get this guy is that he doesn't as much value to the teams that are looking to contend this year. Why would a contender spend their money on a guy that hasn't played anything close to a full season since 2006? The attention in free agency this year, in terms of pitching, is firstly on Cliff Lee, and secondly on guys like Jorge De La Rosa, Hiroki Kuroda, and Carl Pavano. The big teams aren't going to go after Duscherer, which gives the Pirates a chance if they get in quick enough.
- A third point to make is that Duscherer could be attracted to Pittsburgh as a low-pressure situation where he can focus on getting out there and showing the rest of the league what he can do, and then hope for a trade at the deadline to a contending team looking for a solid starting pitcher. The competition in Pittsburgh is minimal for a guy of his calibur; he would be sure of his starting job the entire year and really be able to focus on reaching some of his potential. If he can do that, he could be a major piece in a trade that could bring in some players that can answer more serious, long term issues for the Pirates.
Duscherer wants to start this year, and he might not have that option on other teams. He would immediately be the Pirates #1 pitcher on opening day if healthy, and because of his injury questions and his subsequent low value, his head cannot be big enough to not be excited by that possibility. The Pirates aren't going to fool anybody, they aren't looking for a long term deal, and neither is Duscherer. I think it's a perfect fit, go get him Neal.