Javier Vazquez signs one-year deal with the Florida Marlins
Pending a physical, the Florida Marlins have come to terms with veteran starting pitcher, Javier Vazquez. The deal is reportedly for one year and worth $7 million. It also includes a no-trade clause.
Vazquez will help a Marlins team that entered the off-season looking to improve their starting rotation. He’ll be added to a list that includes Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, and Chris Volstad. All five pitchers are right-handers.
While Vazquez is known for pitching a lot of innings, something that will help the Marlins keep their bullpen fresh, last season was one of his worst. He went 10-10, had a 5.32 ERA, and pitched only 157.1 innings. His average innings pitched per season is
217, and for the Marlins to be successful with Vazquez, he’s going to have to pitch 200 innings or more in 2011.
Vazquez began his career with the Montreal Expos in 1998. He played there for six years, and had a 64-68 record with a 4.16 ERA. Since then he’s bounced between many teams.
He played one season for the New York Yankees in 2004, then another for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005. In 2006 he settled down and played three seasons for the Chicago White Sox before playing the 2009 season with the Atlanta Braves. Last year he was
back in New York for one season. On four different occasions he’s played just one season for a team, so it comes as no surprise that this deal is also for only one year and holds a no trade clause.
In his career he has compiled a 152-149 record and has an ERA of 4.26. His best season came in 2009 for the Braves when he was 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA. He was fourth in Cy Young Award voting that season.
He has also made four appearances in play-off games going 1-1 with a 10.34 ERA.
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