Trade Profiles: Todd Coffey

Picture Credit: CBS Sports

Today I thought I would do my trade profile on a guy most of you probably don't even know and if you do know him, it's a name you haven't heard in a while.  Todd Coffey.  Coffey is a well traveled reliever that hasn't played in the majors since 2012 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, as pictured above.  But what would the Pirates want with this guy?  I'll tell you.

Coffey is currently pitching with the Seattle Mariners' Triple A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainers.  And he has an opt out clause in his contract where he can become a free agent if he isn't in the majors by a certain day.  I'm not sure when that day is but it doesn't matter if we trade for him.  Anyway, Coffey is lighting up Triple A right now.  He has an ERA of 1.47, although his FIP suggests regression to a 3.90 ERA, an 8.84 K/9, 4.42 BB/9 and a WHIP of 1.25.  With that type of stuff he should be in the major leagues.  And why not with the Pirates?

Here's the one thing that really screams to me that Coffey could be a Pirate soon.  He's an older, well traveled, right handed relief pitcher who has never had huge success in the league but is now lighting up the minor leagues.  Remind you of anyone?  Coffey is basically the 2014 version of what Jason Grilli was in 2011.  I looked at the stats and the two guys are remarkably similar.  Coffey has a lower ERA than Grilli did in 2011 pitching for Philly's AAA squad but Grilli had a higher K/9 and lower BB/9 but not by much.  And their WHIP's are only .09 apart.  Both guys were also primed to regress but Grilli went on to perform very well in the big leagues.  So is it too much to ask or even think that lightning can strike twice?

Now don't get me wrong.  Coffey is not the perfect target.  His high walk rate scares me a bit but the Pirates have always been able to get the most out of late inning relievers who have high walk rates.  Examples include Joel Hanrahan, Chris Resop, Jeanmar Gomez, Vin Mazzaro and Jason Grilli among others.  They work with command and make sure their pitchers can deceive guys so they swing and miss at stuff that would normally net them walks.  It's the Searage and Benedict factor.  Coffey is also almost 34 years of age.  So the age increases possibility for decline in performance and injury.  But who else was 34 when the Pirates plucked him out of the minors?  You guessed it.  Jason Grilli.

Looking at Coffey I think this would be a sneaky, great move for the Pirates to make to give them a java blast in the bullpen.  He has all the makings of yet another pitcher the Pirates can grab for absolutely nothing and turn into a stud relief pitcher.  And the fact that they can get the guy without giving up any big prospects or even good prospects just makes the idea even better.  It's all just pure speculation, but knowing Neal Huntington and how the Pirates have added relief pitchers in the past, I would be pretty surprised if they don't at least check in on Mr. Coffey.