October 26, 2011
Michael Wuertz has had two straight down years, but posted a 2.63 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 2009.

Michael Wuertz was cut loose by the A's on Tuesday, paid $250,000 to go away instead of being rewarded for a second consecutive underwhelming season by having his $3.25-million option picked up.

So he's already a quarter mil to the good for 2012, and his veteran status puts his minimum salary -- if someone gives him a big-league deal -- at another half mil, so that puts him at $750,000 next year, at least, on the heels of posting a 1.87 WHIP and a 6.68 ERA while being limited to 39 games by various injuries.

Not bad work if you can get it. Question is, will he get work?

Here's a more specific question: Might he get a chance to work for the Giants?

It sounds crazy given how poorly he's pitched the past two seasons (4.31 ERA in 2010), but it might be worth keeping an eye on for a couple of reasons.

One is that Wuertz, a 32-year-old right-hander, isn't as bad as he's been the past two years. In fact, his situation calls to mind that of Giants 32-year-old lefty Jeremy Affeldt.

Affeldt was named the top setup man in baseball after the 2009 season, in which he posted a 1.73 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 74 games.

Among his stiffest competition? You got it: Wuertz.

In addition to posting a 2.63 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP in the same number of appearances, his 102 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings absolutely dwarfed Affeldt's 55 punchouts in 62 1/3 frames. When Wuertz is healthy, his slider is simply hellacious, and that's an awfully valuable commodity coming out of the bullpen.

The other reason? He might come cheap, and getting him into camp might require nothing more than a minor-league deal with a spring training invite. No harm there -- bring him in, see if he's healthy and snapping off that wicked slide piece, and if he is you give him a low-budget, one-year deal.

Just a thought.