Relievers Glover and Balfour locked in

The Rays have signed right-handed relievers Gary Glover and Grant Balfour to one-year deals, avoiding arbitration with both players.

Glover will earn $1.075 million with $25,000 in incentives. Balfour signed for $500,000.

Glover, a non-roster invitee last spring, appeared in a team-high 67 games last season and led relievers in wins (six) and inninfs pitched (77 1/3) and provide stability to a patchwork bullpen. Balfour also pitched in the late innings after the Rays acquired him on July 27 for Seth McClung.

Just four arbitration-eligible players -- 1B Carlos Pena, LHP Scott Kazmir, OF Jonny Gomes and RHP Dan Wheeler -- remain unsigned.

Comments

[LeeRoy Brown]

Why the hell would they re-sign Grant Ball-Four???

[ryan callahan]

Balfour is good. He hit a rough stretch down the road, but i really like his fastball and if he can get his slider to slide more he can be a great pitcher in the pen.

[rays fan]

alls i know about balfour is.... "ball four."

that, and brewers fans were glad to be rid of him.

[bax on board]

A "rough stretch" for a typical Ray lasts about 2 1/2 seasons.

[dave]

In Balfour's case, he had two rough stretches which sandwiched a near brilliant series of outings and which ended with 2 fine appearances.

First 4 games upon being promoted: 4.2 IP, 6 hits, 8 runs, 6 BBs, 3 Ks, 1 hr.: Horrible

Next 14 games: 15 IP, 12 hits, 2 runs, 7 BBs, 21 Ks, 0 hrs.: Too many walks, but otherwise outstanding

Next 5 games: 3 IP, 11 hits, 11 runs, 6 BBs, 4 Ks, 1 hr.: Worse than horrible

Last 2 games: 2 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 0 hr.: Nice way to finish.

Typical of a reliever with great stuff and weak command. Can be looked at as too erratic and unreliable or as promising and worth trying to develop, especially as he is coming off injuries.

For comparison, one of the most sought after relievers this off-season is Jeremy Affeldt who before 2007 had ERAs of 4.95, 5.26, 6.20, 5.91, 6.91 and who, in 2007, his best season (3.51 ERA) still walked 5 every 9 innings while striking out 7/9, not nearly as good as Balfour. Affeldt will probably get a multi-year contract worth millions.

[incredulous bax]

You mean dave, that the cheapskate Rays should overpay just like everyone else? Any student of baseball knows Mr. Ball Four stinks.

[dave]

No, I mean that they should assess the value of players intelligently, which is exactly what they are doing. Paying Balfour less than $1 million for one year is not being cheap. It is a smart use of resources. Paying Affeldt multi-millions for 3 or more years, or for that matter doing the same for Linebrink, is not evidence of being "not cheap" but of being stupid.

The explanation for that is simple. Given their stuff and command as well as their histories, there is just as good a chance that Balfour succeeds as that Affeldt does; in fact, there is probably a better chance. Before his injury, Balfour was significantly better than Affeldt was between 2004-06. So it makes a lot more sense to risk less money on a shorter contract on Balfour than much more money on a long term contract for Affeldt.

And you will have to define "student of baseball" since every commentator I have read stresses Balfour's upside, and while nobody expects him to be a star, the respected analysts consider him very promising as a middle reliever.

[teacher]

Bax, you aren't a student of baseball. You are a master of having no life.

[Charlie Troeger]

Please leave bax alone. He's entitled to his opinion which I happen to agree with.