Last week the Tampa Bay Rays signed pitcher Dan Wheeler to a contract extension, a 3-year deal through 2010 worth$10.5 million. There’s also an option for a fourth year worth $4 million, with a $1 million buyout. Set for life? You tell me.
That’s a pretty big chunk of change for a right-handed middle inning, situational and occasional set-up guy. He must be good at what he does, though his 2007 stats don’t really show that: one win, nine losses, and an ERA north of five runs a game. But, this is his ninth year in the major leagues (12-26, 4.08 career stats), so he must have something going for him. Certainly every other similar non-closer appreciates the Rays’ largesse.
Wheeler was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the 34th round in 1996. He was brought up in 1999, but released after the 2001 season. He spent a year in the Braves’ system and then made it back to the bigs with the Mets in 2003, who traded him to the Astros in August 2004. He was traded back to Tampa Bay for Ty Wigginton last July.
Middle relief is one of those positions that are absolutely essential, but frequently anonymous. The Nationals seem to have come up with one of the better ones but he’s also the least-quoted man on the roster.
I give you No. 52, Saul Rivera.
Rivera, like Wheeler, is 30 years old; Saul is 3 days older. Rivera was also a drafted player, though a much higher pick, taken in the 9th round of the 1998 draft by Minnesota out of the University of Mobile. The similarity ends there, however, as the Twins waived him to the Mets after the 2001 season, and then he was a player to be named later in a trade with Montreal. Even the Expos found him wanting, as he was packed off to the Brewers in a minor swap in June 2004. Jobless again that fall, he found himself with the Nats with a minor league deal in 2005.
Saul was called up by the Nats and made his major league debut in relief of Tony Armas on May 25, 2006. He pitched two-thirds of an inning: no hits, a walk, and he struck out Brad Ausmus. He made 54 appearances that year, earning three wins and a save with a 3.43 ERA.
Rivera’s workload increased in 2007 as he made the second-most appearances in the majors (85, second only to teammate Jon Rauch’s 88). He threw93 innings for a 3.68 ERA with four wins and three saves. For his career, his ERA is a shade below 3.60, which is three-quarters of a run beneath the league average. Remarkably consistent. Not easily replaced.
It has been reported that Rivera signed a contact in January for $436,000 — a whole lot less than Wheeler. That it took him so long to make the major leagues is somewhat puzzling. Based on stats alone, he never really had a bad year in the minor leagues. He was always just an “extra” guy. As I mentioned, he’s not particularly vociferous, so maybe that worked against him. It’s pretty clear, however, that he’s established himself, and should be a fixture in the Nats’ bullpen for the foreseeable future.
