Diamondbacks Bullpen

[clpp01]

DENVER -- The Rockies formally announced today that left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis has agreed to a four-year contract through 2010 with a club option for 2011. Financial terms were not disclosed, per club policy.
Francis, 25, went 13-11 with a 4.16 ERA (199.0 ip, 92 er) in 32 games/starts for Colorado in 2006, his second full season in the major leagues. The Rockies' first round selection (ninth overall) in the 2002 June draft, Francis has led the Rockies in wins each of the last two seasons and joins Pedro Astacio as the only pitchers in franchise history to record multiple seasons of 13 or more victories. Just seven other left-handers in the major leagues have compiled at least 13 victories in each of the last two seasons: Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, Cliff Lee, Andy Pettitte, Kenny Rogers, Johan Santana, and Barry Zito. Already the winningest left-hander in Colorado history, Francis has gone 30-25 with a 4.91 ERA in 72 games/starts in his major league career.

Francis tied for the team lead with 32 starts this past season and ranked third on the staff in innings, strikeouts (117), and quality starts (15). Opposing batters hit just .250, the 10th-lowest mark in the National League. Opponents had a .322 on-base percentage against Francis in '06, lowest among Rockies starters, as he also had the best strikeout to walk ratio on the staff at 1.70. His 4.16 ERA was the fourth-lowest single season figure in franchise history, the second-lowest ever by a lefty. He tossed a complete game two-hit shutout on July 24 vs. St. Louis, one of three games this season in which Francis took a no-hitter into the 5th inning.

Francis is now signed through his final year of arbitration. He would have been eligible for arbitration for the first time after the 2007 season.

Rockies and left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis agree to a four-year contract

I really dislike that "terms not released per club policy" line

Edit: Rotoworld has the deal listed as 4 yrs/13.25 million with a 7 million option for 2011

[matt]

Not a bad deal

[shoewizard]

I think our lineup, being skewed more towards righthanded batters at the moment, will do OK against Francis going forward. But you just hate to see divisional foes making smart moves.

[levski]

conor jackson is happy