Toe Nash said:Plus, the option is only $13m on a one-year deal -- he doesn't have to be particularly good to make that a slam dunk to pick up. 2 WAR? He's matched or (far) surpassed that 5 of the last 6 years.
I don't see it being as simplified a matter as 2 WAR = slam dunk. Lot depends on how the rotation looks to be shaping up by the end of this year. Without being overly optimistic, the 3 projected openings in the rotation right now could easily be narrowed down to one by then (through Kelly/trade/farm), at which point you might be looking at filling that last opening with:
A. An upgrade
B. Somebody capable of actually providing the possibility of a full season's worth of production
2 WAR season or not, at 31 years old and for $13m i don't see Ben automatically picking up that option and essentially marrying a 2016 rotation spot to Buchholz if he (yet again) ends the year offering more questions then answers. Sometimes it just makes more sense to cut the cord and open the door to other possibilities.
(on a side note, how great does the back structure of this contract look in hindsight)