The Giants released Jeff Suppan, according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). GM Brian Sabean says the decision was mutual, since Suppan wasn't going to make the team. The right-hander is now looking for a job elsewhere.
Suppan posted a 7.84 ERA in 15 appearances with the Brewers before they released him last year. He then appeared in 15 games for St. Louis and posted a much-improved 3.84 ERA for the Cardinals. Overall, he logged 101 1/3 innings and posted a 5.06 ERA with 4.5 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and a 40.3% ground ball rate.
Sabean signed Suppan in January to provide depth and insurance, but did not need him in the end. He could have earned $1MM for making the team.
TytheSportsGuy
Come to St.Louis, please. I’d rather have Suppan than Batista.
brewersfan33
As a Brewer fan i agree that St. Louis should have Suppan instead of Batista.
cards2WS
Jeff pitched very decent for the redbirds last year. I’d rather have Batista because of his versatility, but suppan on a minor league signing can do no harm.
Stl_Great
Come to St. Louis please. I’d rather have Suppan than Lohse.*
daveineg
I sincerely hope you get your wish. I’d love to see Suppan in the Cardinal rotation. Of course, I’m a Brewer fan.
Krizzeg
Aww man, there goes my fantasy ace…
Stl_Great
My first and second rounders’ were both released. Suppan and Wellemeyer. My team’s done for.
basemonkey
It’s a very interesting pitching landscape right now.
During the “Year of the Pitcher,” where we saw many notable standout performances, esp. by young up-and-coming young arms, it no doubt will/is having an indirect effect on the available pitching slots being competed for today, right now.
We’re seeing a lot of vets who probably would have pitched some form of servicable innings being edged out, either forced into retirement or into the minors. We’re also seeing a higher number of young “bubble” guys who may have gotten stashed in the pen in prior years, today getting released, pass thru waivers unclaimed, or sent to the minors. The only conclusion we can come to is that the overall standard of pitcher required to stay in the majors is getting higher.
brewersnrays
So much for back to back title runs
notsureifsrs
thanks for the…
well, whatever. seeya
rayking
I speculate that he retires – he made enough $$$ off that Brewers contract to turn up his nose at AAA. And he’s got a championship ring too. Sure, he could toil away in AAA for some team thin on pitching, waiting for an injury on the big club, but I don’t see that happening.
goner
St. Louis is probably the only suitable destination for Suppan, but they don’t seem to have room for him unless someone gets injured.
As a side note, I just looked up Soup’s b-r page, and realized that the Brewers paid him $40M over 4 years for a total of -1.0 WAR. By that “standard”, the $61.5M that the Giants have paid to Barry Zito over the same time period, resulting in +4.2 WAR, seems like a bargain.
Braydon Gervais
Who wants to make bets on the Yankees signing him…
Jman1213
Suppan in Yankee Stadium? As a Yankees fan, I wince at the thought.
TapDancingTeddy
I’ll bet against Suppan turning up anywhere soon. He had a staggering 1.623 WHIP and 5.11 ERA over the last two seasons in the no-DH league.
He’s clearly below replacement level and any AAA pitcher who can find the plate consistently should do just as well.
Unless Dave Duncan thinks he can fix him, I think Suppan is done.