Jeff Weaver

Weaver was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque in April and spent the rest of the season in Los Angeles, making 28 appearances (seven starts) and posting a surprising 3.65 ERA in 79 innings. In his new role as a swingman, Weaver posted the highest strikeout rate of his long career (7.3 K/9IP), making it likely he winds up with a major league job to start 2010. We're just not sure if that job is in Los Angeles.

Despite tying for the A.L. lead in shutouts with two, Weaver spent most of last season on the precipice of losing his rotation spot. Indeed, six starts in with a 14.32 ERA it looked like Weaver wouldn't be a Mariner come Mother's Day. But a six-start summer stretch in which he posted a 1.67 ERA bought him a lot of time. Weaver was still fundamentally the same pitcher, though, with a lightweight fastball and plenty of junk, putting the ball in play and relying on defense and luck. After his mid-summer dream, he posted a 5.28 ERA the rest of the way. The Mariners, who paid $8.325 million for what a Triple-A pitcher could produce, won't bring back Weaver in 2008, but Weaver will find a home because some club will think it can coax Summer Jeff into showing up for every start. Unfortunately, Weaver is just not that good.

Even though Weaver won some big games for St. Louis in September in October, the Cardinals felt their 2007 rotation would be stronger without him in it. He still has excellent control and is only 30, but he has a career ERA of 4.58 and has proven too hittable in the recent past.

At press time, Weaver was the best unsigned pitching free agent. One of three Scott Boras pitching free agent clients, the talk about Weaver has been surprisingly quiet. The good news about him is that he seems to have stabilized his career after a rocky road in New York. The bad news is that while he'll have games where he's absolutely dominant, he's never developed into the ace that many thought he would when he came up with Detroit. Unless he lands at a launching pad, don't worry too much about the park effects - his home/road splits with the Dodgers weren't too severe.

What a difference a year makes. Weaver was run out of New York, but settled in nicely in L.A. last season. The main difference between 2004 and 2003? He gave up 11.92 H/IP in 2003, but in 2004 reduced that number to 8.96, which was in line with the rest of his career. Expect another solid season from him in 2005.

Traded to the Dodgers in the Kevin Brown deal, Weaver gets an opportunity to escape the demons that chased him in New York. There were some rumors of a subsequent trade by the Dodgers, but as of press time they had not yet come to fruition. If Weaver stays with the Dodgers, he gets to pitch in his native Southern California, pitching in one of the more pitching-friendly venues in the league, with perhaps the best middle-infield defense behind him (but, alas, the worst middle-infield offense).

Despite losing his rotation spot after last season's trade to the Yankees, Weaver pitched pretty well in relief and spot start duty for the Bombers, posting a 57/15 K/BB ratio and a 4.04 ERA in 78 innings. He did give up 12 home runs in that span, however, after allowing just four in 121 2/3 IP in cavernous Comerica Park. Still, assuming he lands a spot in the Yankees rotation, Weaver, who has improved every season of his career, has a lot of upside with the Yankees’ big bats behind him.