The BABIP and Gopher fairies really smiled on Livan this year...

His HR/9 rate is a career best 0.6

In 2008 he allowed opponents to hit .342/.375/.520 against him with 53 doubles, 3 triples and 25 homers in 811 PAs
in 2009 he allowed opponents to hit .308/.363/.470 against him with 47 doubles, 6 triples and 19 homers in 806 APs

now in 2010, batters have hit .265/.320/.380 against him with with 34 doubles, 3 triples and 12 homers in 741 PAs

basically it looks like batters simply are not making good contact against him, but then again, since 6/1 he looks a lot like the 2007-2009 Livan...

Before the 2008 season, Livan was a replacement level innings eater. The Twins gave him 5 million. That was a waste of money. In 2009, the Mets gave him 1 million after a replacement level season of inning eating. Last year the Nats gave him 900K after a replacement level season of inning eating.

So after a good year where he's quite obviously fortunate to have the record he has, he's getting the kind of contract that replacement level inning eaters get. Certainly speaks well of the smarts in the Nationals front office, and for the rest of baseball since he probably doesn't think he could get much more from another team.

His bat is worth 1 million a year.