Brandon Webb agreed to a one year contract Sunday night with the Texas Rangers. He is slated to be their fourth or fifth starter. ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that the deal is worth $3 million dollars in base salary with a possibility of earning an additional $2 million in performance-based incentives.
Webb only made one appearance in 2009 lasting just four innings. He was forced to leave the game when he experienced severe bursitis in his right throwing shoulder. He tried to let the injury heal with rest, but finally opted for surgery towards the end of the year. His rehabilitation cost him the entire 2010 season.
Webb did, however, work out for a number of teams during the latter part of the year, pitching in a number instructional league games. His fastball was reported to be peaking in the low 80's, a drop of 5 MPH compared to when he was pitching prior to the injury. And although he threw the fastball with his trademark good sink, one scout claimed, "Scary that that is all he's got after such long rehab."
Webb averaged 227 innings pitched, 178K's, 7.1 K/9, and 2.96 BB/9 from 2004-2008. He was able to compensate for his above average strike out rate by never inducing less than an average of 64% of balls hit in play as grounders. His superb sinker made him one of the elite pitchers at that time.
If Webb is able to make his debut with the Rangers, he will essentially be pitching for the first time in two years. He has several factors working against him. One, he will be close to 32 years of age at the start of the 2011 season. Two is his marked drop in velocity. Third is recent history. Ben Sheets, Rich Harden, Chien Ming-Wang, Justin Duchscherer, and Erik Bedard all failed in their 2010 comeback attempts from arm surgery. Last is the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is notoriously known as a difficult place to pitch, especially in the heat of summer.
Therefore, it is likely that Webb will not be effective this season. Yet fantasy leagues are many times won with late-round sleepers or low dollar acquisitions of those that were shunned, some because of injury. Josh Hamilton in 2010 and Chris Carpenter in 2009 are two that should come to mind to any fantasy GM.