Mediocrity Pays
By lefty
Parents — encourage your sons to learn how to throw a baseball. Another mediocre pitcher signed today for millions of dollars. This time it was Boston's turn to make a lifetime 69-75 pitcher with a 4.34 ERA into a multi-millionaire. Boston.com is reporting that the Red Sox have come to an agreement with the former Cub free agent pitcher Matt Clement. The deal will reportedly pay Clement $25 million to pitch in Boston for the next three years.
Globe staff reporter Gordon Edes reports in this story that Clement, 30, is expected to pitch in the No. 3 slot behind Schilling and Wells. His record last season was a mediocre 9-13 with a 3.68 ERA. Clement came up in 1998 with the San Diego Padres, pitched for the Marlins for one year, then spent the last three years dodging falling bricks at Wrigley field.
Red Sox fans can be encouraged, however, because although Clement has received less ink than the Yankees new pitcher Carl Pavano, he will also receive less cash than Pavano's four-year, $40 million. The two have posted remarkably similar numbers over their careers.
Both came into the league in 1998. Both have lifetime win-loss records bellow .500. Pavano is 57-58 after an 18-8 season last year which was by far his best year posting a 3.00 ERA. They share similar lifetime ERA's, with Pavano's at 4.21 just .13 below Clement. Both have played for the Marlins. Both are third day pitchers in the AL East. Clement throws more strikeouts, but he gives up more walks and home runs.
The book on Clement is that his pitches have such good movement, they elude the strike zone as well as the opponents' bats. When Clement is on, he is the perfect Fenway starter mixing strikeouts with groundouts. When he's off, look for walks and home runs. He throws some heaters and changeups and a sinking fastball in the low 90s. He also has a good hard slider. Also good for the Sox is the fact that he's getting better with experience. His last three years are stronger than his first four. So the Sox are banking on Clement being a diamond in the rough. We shall see.
