While everyone focuses on where next Manny will be Manny, let’s take a second to look at what one of the Giants’ division rivals did right recently. The Padres signed Chris Britton to a minor-league deal. Taking Britton, who has the skill set of a good set-up reliever, and putting him in Petco Park, is like finding money. Two years ago the Padres picked up Heath Bell from the Mets, basically for free, and Bell has 173 strikeouts in 171 2/3 innings as their eighth-inning guy. With Bell set to become the closer, Britton could well play Bell to his Hoffman for the next two seasons. Just consider Britton’s work at the highest levels:
AA 16.0 2.81 13.50 4.0 0.00
AAA 85.0 2.44 8.89 4.2 0.53
MLB 89.1 3.83 5.84 2.1 1.01
I would submit that his MLB line doesn’t do him justice, as his 2008 season was spent being jerked around by the Yankees – he was sent down and recalled on the same day – twice – and went one 18-day stretch throwing only 2 2/3 innings . He had more demotions to the minors (three) than he had major-league appearances (two) in May. His stint on the DL was for a strained ribcage he no doubt incurred packing and unpacking. So I don’t judge the guy on his major-league performance with that kind of travel schedule. Britton will throw 70 above-average innings for the Padres, innings that will look statistically stunning given the run context of their home park.
Relief pitching is cheap and readily available to the team that chooses to look for it.
