Braves Add Lefty Bullpen Arm Sign Dana Eveland
By Fred Owens
Dana Eveland (seen here pitching for the Mets last season) signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves today Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
It’s nice to be right once in a while. Three days ago I wrote that two guys would be the perfect fit for the Braves pen. Yesterday they signed my first nominee David Aardsma and today they’ve apparently signed the second; Dana Eveland.
Source: #Braves signing Dana Eveland. Likely minor-league deal.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 7, 2015
Dana Eveland To The BullPen – Eventually
Drafted by the Brewers in 2002, Eveland made his major league debut with the Crew in 2005 and started five games for them in 2006. He bounced around the majors from 2007 through 2012 posting a largely unimpressive record as a starter save his five starts as a Dodger in 2011.
He spent 2013 pitching for Hanwha of the Korean Baseball Organization (league) as a starter posting a 5.54 ERA in 30 starts. That year the KBO changed baseballs and experienced an uptick in power. Pitchers averages a 4.32 ERA and 1.436 WHIP so while still high his numbers weren’t awful.
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Last season he signed with the Mets and after 12 starts and a 3.91 ERA as a starter at Las Vegas was called up. The Mets used him out of the pen instead of a starter and the high ERA and WHIP numbers vanished. In 30 appearances Eveland threw 27 1/3 innings posting a 2.63 ERA (3.21 FIP) and 1.098 WHIP striking out 27 while walking 6 – 1 intentionally- while stranding 83%of runners.
This year he signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox and spent his time at Pawtucket. He made 16 appearances with the Paw Sox throwing 23 1/3 innings posting a 1.54 ERA and 0.857 WHIP, striking out 20 and walking just three.
Like Aardsma, Eveland had a June first opt out and exercised it when he wasn’t added to the Bosox 25 man roster. He’s a heavy groundball pitcher averaging a 50% rate over his career which should suit our new tighter infield defense perfectly and his lack of walks should make Fredi Gonzalez smile.
Over his career his splits look about the same but he’s faced nearly three times the number of RHH as left. Last year with the Mets his L/R split was .241/.305/.296 vs .216/.286/.373. So it appears like all good LOOGY’s he used to facing and disposing of a RH pinch hitter.
Thanks A Wrap
Like Aardsma, Eveland signed a minor league deal and is heading to Gwinnett initially. This has sent up howls among fans eager to end the bullpen melt downs. Although there is reason to want immediate change – I do too – there are two things to consider before complaining. First both players were guaranteed a major league role or they wouldn’t have signed. Second the Braves know what they are doing in terms of player movements and have their reasons for shuffling player the way they do.
Most of us don’t know the administrivia of such things and even if we think we do we aren’t privy to the other things going on simultaneously in the front office. I have agreed with everything John Hart has done (cough cough collapse-oh) but he’s had a high positive hit ratio so far and I’ll give him this. Of course as I said to someone yesterday, maybe he’s still not done.