Dodgers Add Veteran Right-Hander

With Brad Penny signing a contract with Boston and Derek Lowe apparently poised to sign with the NY Mets, the Dodgers added a 30-year-old free agent, Claudio Vargas who has pitched for Montreal, Washington, Arizona. Milwaukee and the Mets.

CLAUDIO VARGAS
6-3 225 Br tr
Born- June 19, 1978
Signed as a free agent December 31, 2008

Vargas, a 30-year-old right-hander known for working very slowly, has recorded records of 12-10 and 11-6 over his six year Major League career.

The veteran righthander has been around. Signed as a free agent by the Florida Marlins in 1995, he was granted free agency in 1999, re-signing the same day with the Marlins. In 2002 he was traded to Montreal and Arizona selected him off waivers in 2005. In 2006 he was traded to Milwaukee and then was released in March of 2008 only to sign with the New York Mets as a free agent.

Vargas will reportedly earn the Major League minimum salary of $400,000, but can add an additional $1.4 million with incentives.

Vargas' best season was with the Diamondbacks in 2006, when he went 12-10 with a 4.83 ERA in a career-high 30 starts, plus one relief stint. He was part of a six-player trade between the DBacks and Brewers after that season and went 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA in 2007 for the Brewers.

He was one of five Brewers pitchers battling for three open spots in the starting rotation during spring training this year before the Brewers released him after attempts to trade him failed.

Vargas signed a Minor League deal with the Mets on April 10, and he was 3-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 11 big league appearances for the Mets, including four starts, before New York designated him for assignment on June 25.

Vargas will turn 31 on June 19. His record:

Claudio Vargas

year	team   w-l   era   gm    gs  sv  in   h  bb   so  whip
2003	Mont	6-8  4.34  23   20  0  114  111  41   62  1.33
2004	Mont	5-5  5.25  45   14  0  118  120  64   89  1.56
2004	Wash	0-3  9.24   4    4  0   13   22   7    5  2.29
	Ariz	9-6  4.81  21   19  0  120  124  40   90  1.37
2006	Ariz  12-10  4.83  31   31  0  168  185  52  123  1.41
2007	Mil    11-6  5.09  29   23  1  134  153  54  107  1.54
2008    Mets    3-2  4.62  11    4  0   37   33  11   20  1.19
 Totals       46-40  4.94 164  114  1  703  748 269  496  1.45