On November 28, 2007, Francisco Cordero signed a four-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds worth $46 million. Over those four years, Cordero posted a 2.96 ERA while saving 150 games. Good job, Francisco Cordero! Way to not disappoint.
FanGraphs: Why Francisco Cordero Doesn’t Have A Job
You'd think a guy with that background and that recent performance wouldn't have too much trouble finding work as a free agent. And yet, here we are, in the middle of January, and Cordero hasn't signed a contract. His old team just signed Ryan Madson, and now it doesn't look like there are any closer vacancies left, at least among contending teams.
Why has Cordero been left out in the cold? (Where I am it is cold, so I assume it is cold everywhere.) We can’t answer that for absolute certain, but at FanGraphs, Dave Cameron has a pretty good theory:
For those who prefer numbers, the series of data points since 2007 is 33.0%, 25.4%, 21.0%, 18.7%, and 15.3%. That’s a stark transformation, and one that rightfully should put some fear into any potential suitors.
Cameron goes into more detail, and then offers the big conclusion:
Cordero might have the track record of a proven closer, but given how he pitched in 2011, he’s not going to be a shutdown reliever going forward. He’ll land a job with someone, but he’s going to have to settle for a setup role, and his days pitching the ninth inning are probably all but over.
Working to Cordero's benefit is that his ground ball rate has increased, but that doesn't offset the huge strikeout decline. Did you know that Francisco Cordero is 36 years old? He debuted in 1999. With the Tigers. Remember Francisco Cordero with the Tigers? He went to Texas in the Justin Thompson/Juan Gonzalez trade. Later he was traded to Milwaukee for Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz. Remember how Lee and Cruz were in the same trade? Good times. Good, old times.
See More:
