David Price headlines the 2015 free agent crop. Any team that backs the truck up and pays Price will get a very good pitcher with an established track record. However, signing him does not immediately make that team automatic World Series contenders. Among those teams considering Price are the Chicago Cubs. Here is why the Cubs would be wise to sign David Price.
It's hard to argue with the stats on the back of David Price's baseball card. He led the American League in ERA this past season, posting a 2.45 in 220 ⅓ innings. As well, he won 18 games in his time between the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays, striking out 225 along the way. He has one CY Young in his pocket, from his days in Tampa Bay, and a second seems more likely than not.
When you look for a comparison to try to put a gauge on how David Price would play in the National League, the Washington Nationals' 2014 free agent signing Max Scherzer jumps out immediately. Like Scherzer, if the Cubs sign him, Price will begin his National League career at age 30. In his last season in the American League, Scherzer's FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching, basically a gauge of how good the pitcher is) was 2.85. Price's was 2.78. Scherzer's best FIP was 2.74 in 2013 with the Detroit Tigers. Price has touched 2.78 in two separate seasons.
In his first year in the National League, Max Scherzer went 14-12 with a career low 2.79 ERA. It was his first time cracking sub-3.oo ERA, something Price has done three times already in the American league. Scherzer also set a career high for strikeouts at 276. David Price's is 271, again in the American league. Further enhancing David Price's lure for the Cubs is that, over his career, he has a better WHIP than Scherzer (1.132 to 1.172) and H/9 (7.9 to 8.0).
Scherzer's 2.85 FIP and .918 WHIP this past season, it must be noted come while pitching in a division that had 3 of the 4 worst slugging teams in baseball. Whereas with Price's numbers last year, his 2.78 FIP and 1.076 WHIP were against teams where only one team was in the bottom half in slugging.
Given all these numbers, it's an easy case to make. David Price is an ace, has an ace's mentality and would be a huge addition to the Chicago Cubs rotation. His stuff will most likely project out great in the National League.
