REPORT: Braves sign Wilson Alvarez & Arthur Rhodes – www.ezboard.com
No news link yet. But it would be a good move if true. Rhodes was the best lefty reliever on the market in my opinion. He had a rough 2003 (still better than the league) but he was really good in 2001-02 and should fill the hole — never really filled last year — left by Mike Remlinger.
After disappearing from the face of the Earth when he blew out his arm, Alvarez resurfaced in 2002 in Tampa (in the last year of a big pre-injury deal), where he did nothing to warrant continuing his career. The Dodgers signed him to a minor-league deal, he eventually was called up, and was great. He started out as a reliever, but then turned to a starter at the end of the year, going 6-2 with a 2.37 ERA in that role. I’d guess that the Braves would use him as a swingman fifth starter/reliever. He was a lot better in Dodger Stadium than on the road, and while Turner Field isn’t exactly a bandbox that’s something to keep an eye on.
UPDATE: Maybe I jumped the gun. If the signings were done there’d be a news story by now and there isn’t. We’ll see.
If we can get Alvarez for the reported 2 years/$4 million, I will be very happy. Rhodes will likely command a bit more, but he would be a great addition. Very nice if we get them both.
Bill Shanks, who is more often right than not, says the Braves have signed two players. Stark, likewise, says they’ve signed Rhodes and Alvarez. We’ll see what happens, but that would be a good pair of lefty additions.
The two pitchers are like photo negatives of one another. Rhodes has been great for a while, but is coming off a down year. Alvarez has been bad (and / or injured) for quite some time, but had a very good year in 2003. I’m generally not a big fan of paying a lot for relief help, but I’d love to add Rhodes. Alvarez, however, screams fluke to me.
Wilson A has been around for ever. But I’m not sure that I can ever forgive him: he was the first player born in the 1970s to play in the Majors. He pitched in one September game with the ’89 Rangers – started, gave up three hits, two walks and didn’t get anyone out. But born in the ’70s? That made me feel old. Really, really old. Rat fink bastard!
Check out Alvarez’s page at ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?statsId=4364 At $2m he’d be taking something of a pay cut – ESPN has him with an eight BILLION dollar deal. I don’t think even Rupert Murdoch would pay that.