Tigers signed Jose Mesa  to a one-year, $2.5-million contract. (12/11/06)

Full Name: Jose Ramon Mesa
Position:  P 
Born:  May 22, 1966   Place: Azua, Dominican Republic 
Height:  6-3   Weight:  225 
Bats:  Right   Throws:  Right 
High School:  Santa School (Azua,DR)   College:   
Drafted:  Signed as undrafted free agent by Toronto Blue Jays in 1981


Jose Mesa had a great first half of the season for the Rockies in 2006. He tailed off tremendously in the second half and even lost his 8th inning setup role in the pen to Manny Corpas. His main problem was letting inherited runners to score as he was effective less than 50% of the time.

Reports are that Mesa's fitness routine amazes teammates and coaches and he evidently is a very good teacher in the pen for the younger latin players who are struggling with adjusting to America and the english language.

The reports are that the Rox will offer Mesa a contract for 2007 for around the million dollar figure. I don't think there will be too many teams bidding against the Rockies so they could probably get him for half that if he really wanted to pitch again.


YEAR  TEAM       W  L   ERA  G  GS CG SHO  SV SVO   IP     H   R   ER  HR HBP  BB   SO
1987  Orioles    1   3 6.03   6  5  0   0   0 ---   31.1   38  23  21   7   0  15   17
1990  Orioles    3   2 3.86   7  7  0   0   0 ---   46.2   37  20  20   2   1  27   24
1991  Orioles    6  11 5.97  23 23  2   1   0 ---  123.2  151  86  82  11   3  62   64
1992  Orioles    3   8 5.19  13 12  0   0   0 ---   67.2   77  41  39   9   2  27   22
1992  Indians    4   4 4.16  15 15  1   1   0 ---   93.0   92  45  43   5   2  43   40
1993  Indians   10  12 4.92  34 33  3   0   0 ---  208.2  232 122 114  21   7  62  118
1994  Indians    7   5 3.82  51  0  0   0   2 ---   73.0   71  33  31   3   3  26   63
1995  Indians    3   0 1.13  62  0  0   0  46 ---   64.0   49   9   8   3   0  17   58
1996  Indians    2   7 3.73  69  0  0   0  39 ---   72.1   69  32  30   6   3  28   64
1997  Indians    4   4 2.40  66  0  0   0  16 ---   82.1   83  28  22   7   3  28   69
1998  Indians    3   4 5.17  44  0  0   0   1 ---   54.0   61  36  31   7   4  20   35
1998  Giants     5   3 3.52  32  0  0   0   0 ---   30.2   30  14  12   1   0  18   28
1999  Mariners   3   6 4.98  68  0  0   0  33  38   68.2   84  42  38  11   4  40   42
2000  Mariners   4   6 5.36  66  0  0   0   1   3   80.2   89  48  48  11   5  41   84
2001  Phillies   3   3 2.34  71  0  0   0  42  46   69.1   65  26  18   4   2  20   59
2002  Phillies   4   6 2.97  74  0  0   0  45  54   75.2   65  26  25   5   4  39   64
2003  Phillies   5   7 6.52  61  0  0   0  24  28   58.0   71  44  42   7   1  31   45
2004  Pirates    5   2 3.25  70  0  0   0  43  48   69.1   78  26  25   6   1  20   37
2005  Pirates    2   8 4.76  55  0  0   0  27  34   56.2   61  30  30   7   3  26   37
2006  Colorado   1   5 3.86  79  0  0   0   1   8   72.1   73  32  31   9   5  36   39
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career Totals   78 106 4.27 966 95  6   2 320 --- 1498.0 1576 763 710 142  53 626 1009
2006 Salary $2.515 million. One-year contract with a buyout for 2007 worth $515,000. Incentives: The greater of (a) 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 games, $25,000 apiece; or (b) 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 games finished, $50,000 each; All-Star, $25,000; Cy Young Award, $100,000; Cy Young voting/second through fifth, $50,000; Rolaids Relief Award, $100,000; Rolaids voting/second through fifth, $50,000; LCS MVP, $75,000; World Series MVP, $100,000.

12/11/06
Detroit Free Press: "ESPN.com reported Sunday night that the Tigers and right-handed relief pitcher Jose Mesa have agreed to a one-year, $2.5-million contract, pending a physical exam."

11/30/06.. addition.. Post
Mesa is believed to have received a proposal of slightly more than $1 million for the 2007 season.

9/26/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Hurdle singled out Mesa, 40, for his leadership, even though his performance has been uneven (1-5, 3.58 ERA, 46.9 percent of inherited runners scored going into Tuesday). "One of the most professional guys I've ever met from my professional coaching and managing career," Hurdle said. "Nobody is better prepared, nobody is more focused; he's in as good of physical condition as you could want anybody to be.

"The mentorship he provides for our young players, in the bullpen, initially, and now for some of the Latin players, the position players, that goes beyond the call of duty."


7/4/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Mesa's fitness routine amazes teammates and coaches. Mesa, whose previous high is 74 appearances with the Phillies in 2002, also said he has the mental strength to combat any challenges the climate may offer.

"I can go 100 appearances in this air," Mesa said with a laugh. "I have no problem. If you're in good shape and your arm is fine, you can do it.

"I think it's in your mind. If you think that nothing is going to bother you, that'll work. If you say, 'It's harder to hydrate in elevation,' that's going to get you."


4/25/06.. addition.. FOXSports.com talks about why Mesa's hot start won't last
Exhibit A: He's Jose Mesa. Exhibit B: He's Jose Mesa pitching in Coors Field. Mesa will be 40 next month, and although he's capable of a strong late-career campaign every now and again, it's probably not going to happen this season. We're not even out of April yet, so any performance to date is at least partly a function of sample size, but that's even more the case with relievers. Jose Mesa will return to being Jose Mesa at some point this season.


4/20/06.. addition.. FOXSports.com
Mesa showed his first signs of weakness Tuesday when he blew a save by allowing five baserunners (and amazingly just one run) in the eighth inning. His ERA is still just 1.17, but it will be above 5.00 to stay in no time.


3/31/06.. addition.. MLB.com
Mesa spent much of his career going for strikeouts, but climbing to the top of the strike zone sometimes drives up the pitch count because smart hitters tend to foul off those pitches. Understanding that the upper part of the zone can be dangerous at Coors Field, Mesa has been employing his two-seam sinking fastball, his slider and a split-finger changeup -- even slipping in cut fastballs -- to force grounders.


3/1/06.. addition.. MLB.com
"We think he's got plenty enough arm (to pitch as a set-up guy)," Hurdle said. "We think in changing the role for him, as we talked to him over the winter, it will give him the opportunity to lengthen a very lengthy career," Hurdle said. "We think he's got enough arm. There are other people that might not, but we think he's got plenty enough arm for that role."


2/21/06... addition... Post
Mesa was primarily a closer with the Pirates last season but is being asked to be a setup man for Rockies closer Brian Fuentes. Mesa said he's comfortable with the role.

"I've been a starter, a setup man and then I was a closer, so I've done it all in my career," he said. "I don't think that it will bother me at all."