The Diamondback continue to retool, signing pitcher Russ Ortiz to a four year contract. Ortiz will get a little over $8 million per year.

I get the impression that the Diamondbacks are buying Russ' wins, not his ability. This deal reminds me of the time the Royals signed Storm Davis. Davis had gone 16-7 and 19-7 in the two years before he became a free agent. But he did that on a very good team, and his ERA was 4.36 in his 19-7 year. The Royals thought his wins came with him. His ERA went up to 4.76, and he went 7-10 for a bad Royals club.

Ortiz's ERA has gone up 3 years in a row. The Diamondbacks are not a good team. Ortiz is a good, not great pitcher. He could easily be .500 or worse with the DBacks unless the rest of the team gets better.