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Astros Sign Roberto “Carmona” Hernandez to Minor League Deal

By Chris Rodriguez

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The Houston Astros signed right-handed pitcher Roberto Hernandez to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.  Formerly known as Fausto Carmona, Hernandez found a thin winter market despite posting a 4.10 ERA.  Now 34 years old, Hernandez will have an the opportunity to secure a rotation spot in major league camp as a non-roster invitee.  The Ultimate Astros blog reports that if he makes the roster, he’ll secure $2.65 million and has a clause that would allow him to opt out five days prior to opening day if he chooses to do so. 

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The Astros have been searching for a back of the rotation starter to add to their rotation over the past two months with Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito and Kyle Kendrick among those rumored to have drawn their interest.  Scott Feldman, Collin McHugh, and Dallas Keuchel are entrenched in the first three rotation spots and Brett Oberholtzer looks to be locked into the fourth if he turns in a solid Spring Training.  Hernandez, a nine year Major League veteran, pitched 164 and 2/3 innings split between the Dodgers and Phillies last season. The holder of a career 4.60 ERA and win-loss record of 67-93, he’ll act as rotation depth and potentially long-relief depth for Houston.

With a 3.99 walk per nine innings average and 1.39 WHIP during 2014, he no longer misses bats anywhere close to the rate he did during the early part of his career.  He’s become a pitcher who depends on generating groundballls with a 2014 groundball rate at 49.7 percent.  Yet despite those numbers, he’ll get the opportunity to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation with Dan Straily and Brad Peacock.  With Straily, acquired in the Fowler trade, sporting a 6.75 ERA and Peacock maintaining a 1.56 WHIP last season, Hernandez may have chosen the best situation possible to garner a starting spot in the Majors. The good news for Houston and Hernandez is that despite giving up a high numbers of hits, most of those baserunners never score, as 72.9 percent were left on base.

With Hernandez being the elder statesmen by over seven years he could be the favorite for a starter and a bullpen spot may not appeal to him considering his history as a starter.  As Peacock recovers from off-season hip surgery during Spring Training, his health may play a huge factor as to whether he beats out Hernandez for the spot.  If Peacock does, Hernandez will likely exercise his opt-out clause and take his chances on the free agent market in search of a team whose rotation was affected by injury or negative performance during Spring Training.

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