Left hander starter Doug Davis is coming back for a second stint with the Brewers from the Arizona Diamondbacks after signing a one year deal that will give the veteran $5.25 million.
The deal is for one year with a mutual option of $6.5 million in 2011. Davis can also gain extra money through incentives. He will make $125,000 each for every five innings after 180 and after each start after 28. He has reached both of those incentives in five of the last six seasons.
Davis was 9-14 with a 4.26 ERA last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Despite not even winning ten games, Davis finished third in the National League with 22 quality starts, a better stat at measuring a pitchers success then wins, because wins are equally determined by a team’s offense.
Davis, who pitched for the Brewers from 2003 to 2006, was 37-36 with a 3.92 ERA in his four seasons with Milwaukee, winning over ten games in each season. His best statistical season came in 2005, when he posted a 3.89 ERA and 208 strikeouts. From 2007 to 2009 with Arizona, the left hander was 28-34 with a 4.22 ERA.
"I'm excited to pitch in front of these fans again and experience what I did a couple of years ago,” said Davis in an interview with mlb.com. “We were on our way up when I was here last, and now this team is a definite contender."
For the Brewers, the signing of Davis likely completes their starting rotation in 2010. He joins fellow left hander Randy Wolf and Yovanni Gallardo in the rotation, along with a combination of either Dave Bush, Manny Parra, and Jeff Suppan. Davis is projected to be the third starter for the Brewers, behind Wolf and Gallardo.
"You can count on him to give you a lot of games and give you a chance to win," general manager Doug Melvin said to mlb.com.
The signing of Davis stretches the Brewers payroll to $85 million, which would be the highest opening day payroll in Brewers history if the season started today. The move also doesn’t give the Brewers much payroll flexibility for in season moves, a la the CC Sabathia trade in 2008.