Rangers Agree to Sign Former Cy Young Winner Brandon Webb

Finally, it looks like the Rangers will add a pitcher to front the rotation.  It won't be Cy Young Award winners Cliff Lee or Zack Greinke, but pending a physical, it will be former Diamondback's ace Brandon Webb.

Webb has agreed to a deal with the Rangers, full of incentives because of his recent arm health issues.  He was only able to pitch four innings of one game over the 2009 and 2010 seasons.  He had his shoulder operated on by the Rangers team doctor in August 2009 and began pitching again in September 2010, but to minor leaguers.  Reports from that time said his velocity was only topping out around 83, but that shouldn't cause much worry considering he had to build up arm strength again after not throwing for two seasons.  If he can get back to what he was doing before the injury, the Rangers have another legitimate ace to lead the staff.  How good can he be?  Here's something I borrowed from TR Sullivan:

From 2005-08, Webb was 70-37 with a 3.23 ERA in 134 starts and 927 innings. During that four-year stretch, he won more games and pitched more innings than any other Major League pitcher. He also had the sixth-lowest ERA among all pitchers with at least 500 innings during that span.

Webb is an extreme ground-ball pitcher, and from 2005-08, he had the highest ground-ball percentage of any pitcher with at least 500 innings while tying for the most double plays turned behind him.

At the same time, Webb struck out 7.06 batters per nine innings and walked 2.39. His ratio of 2.96 strikeouts per walk ranked 20th among 84 pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched from 2005-08.

Once it became clear that the Rangers weren't going to end up with either Lee or Greinke, I was quietly hoping they would get involved with Brandon Webb.  He's a ground ball machine and he would fit well pitching in this hitter-friendly ballpark.  As mentioned, he won the NL Cy Young Award in 2006, he was second in the Cy Young balloting in 2007 and 2008, and he won 22 games for the D-Backs in 2008.

Obviously the main question with this guy is his health.  Can somebody who's been out so long with an arm injury, and a serious one at that, be able to come back and return to top of the rotation form?  Even if he's not Cy Young caliber at this point, can he start 30 games and give the team that veteran leader they need on the staff?  Nobody knows those answers right now, but I'm glad my team is the one taking the chance to find out.

I'll make note who is removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Webb when the signing is made official.  Same goes for Arthur Rhodes, who has still not officially been added to the roster.