Last August, after Huddy’s ankle was destroyed, I advocated a trade for Brewers starter Kyle Lohse.
DOB today mentions Lohse as a possible replacement for Timmy, along with John Lackey, though I’ve yet to hear a good reason why the Red Sox would trade a guy who was marvelous in the postseason and is owed just under $16 million in a contract that runs through 2015.
Lohse is a more likely bet to be moved, but he would cost some prospects (J.R. Graham and Joey Terdoslavich?) and is owed just $1 million less over the next two years than Huddy.
Much as I love Timmy, Lohse would be a smarter investment. He’s three years younger, for one. And the last three years have been by far his best.
He’s averaged 200 innings since 2011 with a 3.19 ERA. Lohse hasn’t posted a WHIP higher than 1.168 over that period, averaging less than 40 walks a year. Huddy’s numbers aren’t quite as good, though the differences are minimal. Age and durability are the primary advantages when it comes to Lohse.
And forget about A.J. Burnett, who has said he may retire if he can’t work out a deal with the Bucs. That’s probably bullshit, and the 37-year-old would almost certainly bag a bigger contract than Huddy.
I’m guessing FW goes for a low-risk/potential decent-reward route with a free agent like Roy Halladay or 34-year-old Colby Lewis, who posted a 3.93 ERA and averaged 8.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 80 starts with the Rangers since 2010. But Lewis last pitched in July 2012 due to elbow and hip surgeries.
Scott Kazmir, who’ll be 30 on Opening Day, bounced back in a big way last season, averaging over a strikeout per inning while demonstrating much-improved control. Of all the names mentioned, the guy the Mets traded for Victor Zambrano would be my choice, but odds are Kazmir will be priced out of the Braves’ range just like every player not named B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla.
ROWLAND'S OFFICE 