Pirates to sign Jose Veras

The Bucs agreed to sign Jose Veras to a minor league deal today – he’ll make $1M plus incentives if he makes the big leagues, and $15K each month if not. Veras is a 30-year old right handed reliever with a pretty respectable career stat line, so I think he could definitely find his way to the bullpen. The quick scouting report on him is classic Neal Huntington: throws hard, has good stuff, but with control problems. For his career, Veras is 12-9 with a 4.24 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, and 5.0 BB/9. Last year with the Marlins, he was even more effective (and wild) than that: 3.75 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 10.1 K/9, 5.4 BB/9. Veras also holds a special place in my heart. He pitched for the Yankees from 2006-2009, and found himself on PNC Park’s mound in a tie game on July 10, 2008 – the rain make up date of the rubber match for the highly anticipated Bucs -Yanks series. I was seated in the Lexus Club, and was thrilled to be there (incredibly rare opportunity for an incred...