Man, Elmer Dessens just never gives up, does he?
Now 40 years old, the Mexican righty continues to find ways to prolong his career. It looked like he was done after a 7.15 ERA in 2007, not to mention allowing ten earned runs in four 2008 innings, but here we are in 2011 and he’ll be back in a big-league camp, trying to make the Giants on a minor-league deal that he signed today.
Dessens is a 15-year veteran with a career 4.44 ERA and 4.44 FIP. He hasn’t been above replacement level since 2007 and has never posted a strikeout rate above 6.26 K/9, but he’s continued to stick around.
Mainly a fastball/slider pitcher these days (he also tosses an occasional curve and change), Dessens still throws in the 87-89 mph range, and he does have good command of his pitches. Still, though, absolutely nobody’s fooled by his arsenal–in 2009-10 with the Mets, Dessens whiffed 30 batters in nearly 80 innings while walking 26. He’s no groundball artist, either.
It worked anyway with the Mets, thanks to a .192 BABIP in 2009 and .239 in 2010. Before you scream “regression,” do note that his line-drive rates were incredibly low both years, so perhaps Dessens is finding a way to avoid hard contact. With a career FIP exactly equal to his ERA, though, that’s more of a longshot possibility than a certainty.
Don’t expect significant contributions from Dessens in 2011, but don’t be surprised if he makes the Giants and at least eats innings without embarrassing himself. He’s surprised enough times that we probably shouldn’t be quick to write him off.