Yanks - Signed Marte

New York Yankees - Signed P Damaso Marte to a 3-year contract.

The guaranteed portion is $12 million, consisting of $3.75 million in 2009, $4 million in 2010 and 2011, with a $250,000 buyout for 2012 or the $4 million option.  All told this is a pretty reasonable price, especially for the Yankees who can overpay a little as they should be rolling in even more cash than ever soon, even with a down economy.  Marte’s ERA had a bit of an uptick, but his peripheral numbers were the same and he should be fine as long as he’s healthy, the standard caveat for any person who makes his living throwing a baseball.  Barring a transaction we don’t know about yet, Marte will be the top bullpen lefty for the Yankees.  This might help Phil Coke as well, as the Yankees might be less worried about him with Marte available.

2009 ZiPS Projection - Damaso Marte
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            W   L   G  GS   IP    H   ER  HR  BB  SO   ERA   ERA+
————————————————————————————————-

2009        4   2  71   0   58   47   21   4  26  64  3.26   138 
————————————————————————————————-

Top Comps:  Dennis Cook, Tippy Martinez

ERA     %

66th    47

50th    76

33rd    86

ERA+    %       BB/9    %

>150    34
<1.5    0

>
140    41   
<2.0    3

>
130    53   
<2.5    8

>
120    65   
<3.0    20

>
110    76   
<3.5    29

>
100    86   
<4.0    50

>
90     93

>80     97      HR/9    %

>70     100     <0.5    25

                <1.0    70

K/9     %       <1.5    96

>9      72      <2.0    99

>8      85

>7      96

>6      99

Note: the ERA probability is compared to starter or reliever ERA percentiles, not pitchers as a whole.