Daniel Bard

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2007
A:  3-5-0, 6.42 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 61.2 IP, 8.2 BB/9, 5.5 K/9
A+:  0-2-0, 10.12 ERA, 3.23 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 14.8 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

Bard signed too late to pitch in 2006.  The Red Sox sent him to high A, in the uninviting environment of the California League, and he struggled badly through five starts, especially with the strike zone.  After a break in extended spring training, he moved to the low A rotation and continued to struggle.  Baseball America still rated him the Sox’ 19th best prospect after the season.

2008
A:  1-0-0, 0.64 ERA, 0.57 WHIP, 28.0 IP, 1.3 BB/9, 13.8 K/9
AA:  4-1-0, 1.99 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 49.2 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 11.6 K/9

A move to the bullpen worked out, as Bard dominated, first in low A and then, for most of the season, in AA.  Opponents managed only a .158 average against him over the two levels.  He did have some control problems in AA.  BA rated him the team’s fourth best prospect after the season.

2009
A-:  1-0-6, 1.12 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 16.0 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 16.3 K/9
MLB:  2-2-1, 3.65 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 49.1 IP, 4.0 BB/9, 11.5 K/9

Bard continued to dominate in AAA, fanning exactly half the batters he faced.  The Red Sox called him up in mid-May and he pitched well for them the rest of the season, with only mild control problems.

2010
MLB:  1-2-3, 1.93 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 74.2 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

Bard had an excellent season in a setup role, holding opponents to a 176/263/277.

2011
MLB:  2-9-1, 3.33 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 73.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 9.1 K/9

Bard actually pitched better than in 2010, although it didn’t show up in his ERA or W/L record.  Opponents managed only a 179/254/292 line against him.  He was hurt by a low strand rate of 66.2%.  His xFIP (3.05) was lower than the previous year’s (3.46).

2012
AAA:  3-2-0, 7.03 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 32.0 IP, 8.2 BB/9, 9.0 K/9
MLB:  5-6-0, 6.22 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 59.1 IP, 6.5 BB/9, 5.8 K/9

The Red Sox made the disastrous decision to move Bard to the rotation.  Whether it messed up his mechanics or something else happened, he lost the strike zone.  He went from throwing 53.2% of his pitches for strikes the previous year to 48.9%.  Boston sent him to AAA in June, then brought him back up at the end of August to pitch in relief, but if anything his problems worsened.

2013
R:  0-0-0, 10.80 ERA, 4.20 WHIP, 1.2 IP, 32.4 BB/9, 5.4 K/9
A-:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 36.0 BB/9, 18.0 K/9
AA:  0-1-0, 6.39 ERA, 2.37 WHIP, 12.2 IP, 12.1 BB/9, 4.3 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 9.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 18.0 BB/9, 9.0 K/9

The Sox sent Bard to AA to start the season, called him up for two outings in late April, then sent him back down.  He struggled with severe wildness into June, then went on the disabled list with an abdominal strain.  He returned in August, but struggled in a few rehab outings and Boston designated him for assignment.  The Cubs claimed him on waivers, but he never pitched for them and they non-tendered him in December.  He signed a minor league deal for 2014 with Texas.

2014
A:  0-0-0, 175.50 ERA, 13.50 WHIP, 0.2 IP, 121.5 BB/9, 13.5 K/9

Bard had thoracic outlet surgery before the season and wasn’t able to pitch until June.  He made four relief outings in low A, facing 18 batters and retiring only two, while walking nine and hitting seven.  Texas released him afterward.

2015
INJURED

Bard signed a minor league deal with the Cubs during the winter.  He was reportedly throwing 94-97 at the time, but he spent the entire season on the minor league disabled list.

The Pirates spent much of the 2015-16 off-season stockpiling hard-throwing, right-handed relievers, many of them with control and/or other issues.  Bard is the most extreme example.  It’s possible that his problems from 2012-15 resulted from the need for, and aftermath of, the thoracic outlet surgery, but the control and mechanical problems are long-standing in nature.  Where he ends up, or whether he’s able to win a spot on a minor league roster at all, may depend on how much progress he shows in spring training.