Thursday, December 10, 2015

Jeff Samardzija Prices New York OUT on Wei-Yin Chen


The New York Yankees are going to be frugal once again this winter, this much we know, and are likely to stay out of the deep end of the free agency pool. We’ve all watched as David Price, Zack Greinke, Jordan Zimmerman and Jeff Samardzija have pulled down big money offers without the Yankees even making an offer or as much as a phone call to their agents while the team looks to acquire a player with one-to-three years of service time in a trade. Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner have not completely ruled out a free agency signing this winter but they have stated that it will be a minor one. After seeing what the San Francisco Giants gave Samardzija after possibly the worst season of his career I think Wei-Yin Chen just got a little too expensive for the Bombers.

The Yankees have been linked to Chen for much of the offseason after the left-hander hit free agency this winter. Chen has given the Yankees headaches over the past few seasons as a member of the Baltimore Orioles and despite lackluster numbers inside the new Yankee Stadium New York remained interested in his services. Chen was offered a qualifying offer this winter and declined meaning that the Yankees would have to surrender the 20th overall pick in the 2016 Draft, remember Arizona and San Francisco lost their picks due to free agency signings, but at this moment it seems like that pick is safe.

Chen is a better pitcher than Samardzija has ever been and definitely was in 2015. Chen pitched to a 3.8 WAR, 4.16 FIP and 1.218 WHIP in 2015 which improved his career numbers to 10.0, 4.14 and 1.252. Looking at Samardzija’s disaster of a 2015 season he posted a 0.2 WAR, 4.23 FIP and 1.294 WHIP lowering his career totals to 7.1, 3.84 and 1.278. Looking at these numbers for a pair of 30-year old pitchers if Samardzija is worth five-years and $90 million then what’s Chen worth? Six years and $120 million? Not my money or not, no thank you.


The only way the Yankees are going to acquire an upgrade in the starting rotation is via trade. If the Miami Marlins want to make Jose Fernandez available then swoop him up, even if it costs the team Aaron Judge. If the Braves are willing to make a Shelby Miller for Ivan Nova and Robert Refsnyder package work then you pull the trigger. Just don’t sign Wei-Yin Chen. 

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