Why the Brett Anderson Signing was a Waste of $10 Million

A source told ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that the Dodgers and Brett Anderson have agreed on a deal that will bring the left-hander to LA with a 1-year $10 million contract that also has possible incentives of $4 million. Reportedly the incentives will start at 150 innings pitched, which clearly means that Brett will be the #5 starter behind the newly signed Brandon McCarthy. This is bad news though for the right-handed Juan Nicasio, as he was listed as the #5 before the signing of Anderson, but Nicasio and other potential starters still will have a good shot at the #5 spot, considering Anderson is always injury-prone.

Injuries have ruled Brett Anderson’s career as the starting left-hander has pitched in as many as 30 innings, but that number has been dropping since, as over last 3 years he has averaged to start in just 10 games. He has shown flashes of solid stuff though when he is healthy, as 190 innings of his career have been with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.179 WHIP. Obviously the key for Anderson is to stay healthy, considering that his career FIP (basically a pitcher’s true ERA without the impact of his team’s defense) is lower than his career ERA. He was the #7 prospect according to Baseball America going into the 2009 season, so that is probably what Dodger’s Friedman saw as he likes potential in his players who have numbers to prove it.

The only good thing that comes of this signing is if Brett is put into the bullpen, where he could be a quality reliever. Overall though this is a waste of $10 million, as the Dodgers should have used it towards a free-agent reliever who is worth $10 million, or a pair of relievers who are both worth $5 million/year. Anderson is a type of free agent that a team goes for at the end of the offseason when a spot needs to be filled on the 40-man rotation. The bullpen is the concern for the Dodgers from here on out during the winter. Sure they need another starter, and a another lefty is nice to have, but not one who is injury-prone, especially when the Dodgers rotation is injury-prone already. This waste of money gets a C- grade as a lefty is more valuable than a righty, but considering that relievers like lefty Craig Breslow and right hander K-rod are out on the market, the $10 million should have been invested elsewhere.