David Williams

Williams, who the Reds acquired from Pittsburgh for Sean Casey, is a fly-ball pitcher who actually struggled more on the road than he did at Great American Ballpark, but that wasn't enough to save him in Cincinnati. The Mets, stockpiling arms early in the season, acquired Williams for a minor-leaguer in late-May and shipped him to Triple-A Norfolk. Williams got his shot late in the year and pitched well in four of his five starts for New York. He will go to spring training with a shot at earning a roster spot, possibly in the departed Darren Oliver's spot starter, long reliever role, due to his ability to work out of trouble.

Despite missing the month of September with a sore left shoulder, Williams led the 2005 Pirates in wins with 10. He mixes average stuff with an ultra-competitive streak that seems to help get him out of jams on willpower alone. Williams appeared on the prospect radar back in 2001, when he crafted a 3.71 ERA (in 114 innings) for a Pittsburgh team that lost 100 games. Since then, the 27-year-old lefthander has battled an assortment of injuries, including surgery on his pitching shoulder. While Williams really doesn't have the consistency or stuff to be a front-line hurler, he's not a bad bottom-of-the-rotation starter. A fly ball pitcher, it will be interesting to see how his production translates to the homer-friendly Great American Ball Park.

With some promising young arms in the Bucs’ system, Williams, who has battled back from shoulder issues, is often overlooked. Manager Lloyd McClendon seems to like the lefty’s stuff and makeup though, and Williams will be given a chance to win the #5 spot in the rotation. Even if he doesn’t head north as a starter, Williams, who struck out 33 batters in 38 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .217 average, would figure remain on the short list of candidates to fill in when injuries hit, as they inevitably do.

Williams bounced back from shoulder surgery to start 16 games with Triple-A Nashville last season, going 7-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 77.1 innings. The lefty is a combined 5-12 in his two previous stints with the Bucs and will be given one last chance to make the rotation this spring.

Williams was diagnosed with a torn labrum in June and following surgery, is unlikely to return to pitch effectively in 2003.