Jerome Williams’ Agent Doesn’t Want the Angels to Tender Him a Contract

With the impending deadline for teams to tender contracts to all arbitration eligible players coming on Monday, most fans are turning their attention to players like David Price. Players who will command a large sum of money. The Angels don’t have any large arbitration cases this year. Mark Trumbo is in for a decent raise, but until Mike Trout hits arbitration (don’t let this happen, Angels), the biggest question the team faces with most of its players whether they will or will not tender a contract.

The other day, J.C. Gutierrez got the heave-ho. Chris Nelson is expected to not be tendered a deal. Ditto, Tommy Hanson. Another player on the non-tender watch list is Angels swingman and puka shells aficionado, Jerome Williams.

The soon-to-be 32 year-old Williams hasn’t said anything about his status as a non-tender candidate, but it seems that his agent has his own opinions and is all to willing to share them:

"“I certainly hope [the Angels] don’t tender Jerome,” O’Brien said in a text message on Friday. “There are many teams he could effectively start for.”"

An effective starter, huh? Now, I admit that I have defended Jerome quite a bit in the past, he’s a great story, but let’s not go fooling ourselves here. His time with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals is fairly worthless at this point in his career. He’s a different pitcher. So let’s take a look at this numbers since returning from the far east to join the Angels.

Stats via Baseball-Reference

An ERA+ of 85 over the last three seasons is hardly “effective.” Jerome’s agent needs to get a firm grasp on reality here. Williams is a swingman. Nothing more, nothing less. He is not a league average pitcher so the idea that he could be an effective starter somewhere else is simply wrong. He has his moments where he looks like a stellar pitcher. But they are just that, moments. If the Angels were to extend Jerome a contract, his agent should say “thank you” and then sign the deal gleefully.

Or, maybe an offseason where he is trying to peddle a 32 year-old pitcher who is not nearly as good as he thinks he is will open his eyes to what the market is like out there. Good pitching gets paid a premium. Mediocre pitching will always find a job. Below league average pitchers get contracts with Spring Training invites. You may want to think about that, sir.