There's only so many top tier pitchers on the free agent market every year, so naturally many teams will spend the winter sifting through the leftovers after the big market clubs have had their fill. One such pitcher this offseason is the 34-year-old Doug Davis, who once upon a time (2005) was third in the NL with 208 strikeouts.
Davis is the definition of an innings eater, making at least 33 starts in five of the last six years, with the one exception being 2008, when he missed six weeks while getting treatment for thyroid cancer. Aside from taking the ball every five days, the other thing Davis does well is put runners on base. He's had at least a 1.50 WHIP every year since 2006 (he led the big leagues with 103 walks this year), but he gets by because his groundball (1.29 GB/FB) and strikeout (6.67 K/9) rates are passable.
Nothing screams back-end starter in the NL quite like like Doug Davis' resume, though there's still value in his durability and the bulk innings he provides. Davis is a Type-B free agent, though it's unlikely the Diamondbacks will offer him arbitration after he made $8.75MM in 2009. Considering he'll likely get nothing more than a one-year deal, do you see any fits for the lefty? Maybe a return to Milwaukee, or a stint in spacious CitiField?
