Arbitration Avoidation: Chris Resop

The A’s acquired Chris Resop from the Pirates earlier this offseason in exchange for MiLB hurler Zach Thornton so he has yet to throw a pitch in an Oakland uniform, but the arbitration case was settled today. The A’s and Resop came to agreement on a one-year $1.35M/yr contract (he was projected to earn $1.3M). The 30 year old righty, has spent the past two seasons in Pittsburgh and in 2012 had a 0.1 WAR season with 61 appearances for 73 2/3 innings for the Bucs. He sported a 3.91 ERA, in line with his 3.96 FIP with 5.6 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 0.7 HR/9 with a great 50.4% groundball rate.

Resop looks to be a key member of the A’s bullpen in 2013 and his deal, very much so in line with a projected $1.3M seems decent value for a pitcher who prior to last year’s 0.1 WAR put together two consecutive seasons of 0.3 WAR apiece.