Biographical

Portrait of Kip Wells

Kip Wells PPirates

Pirates Player Cards | Pirates Team Audit | Pirates Depth Chart

Career Summary
Years G IP W L SV ERA WARP
14 296 1338.3 69 103 2 4.71 9.7
Birth Date4-21-1977
Height6' 3"
Weight205 lbs
Age46 years, 11 months, 28 days
BatsR
ThrowsR
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..
cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA- WARP
1999 CHA MLB 7 7 35.7 4 1 0 33 15 29 2 99 8.3 3.8 0.5 7.3 0% .298 1.35 3.81 4.04 93 4.25 82.7 0.8
2000 CHA MLB 20 20 98.7 6 9 0 126 58 71 15 93 11.5 5.3 1.4 6.5 0% .345 1.86 5.58 6.02 115 7.43 143.0 -1.1
2001 CHA MLB 40 20 133.3 10 11 0 145 61 99 14 101 9.8 4.1 0.9 6.7 0% .314 1.55 4.61 4.79 105 5.40 112.0 0.5
2002 PIT MLB 33 33 198.3 12 14 0 197 71 134 21 103 8.9 3.2 1.0 6.1 0% .288 1.35 4.08 3.58 94 4.30 92.2 3.0
2003 PIT MLB 31 31 197.3 10 9 0 171 76 147 24 102 7.8 3.5 1.1 6.7 0% .253 1.25 4.32 3.28 95 3.67 76.9 4.5
2004 PIT MLB 24 24 138.3 5 7 0 145 66 116 14 93 9.4 4.3 0.9 7.5 0% .313 1.53 4.14 4.55 95 4.05 83.5 2.6
2005 PIT MLB 33 33 182.0 8 18 0 186 99 132 23 103 9.2 4.9 1.1 6.5 0% .290 1.57 5.00 5.09 116 6.01 129.3 -1.0
2006 PIT 0 7 7 36.3 1 5 0 46 18 16 3 96 11.4 4.5 0.7 4.0 0% .339 1.76 5.11 6.69 109 6.44 131.1 -0.2
2006 TEX 0 2 2 8.0 1 0 0 15 3 4 0 105 16.9 3.4 0.0 4.5 0% .455 2.25 3.31 5.63 111 8.17 166.5 -0.2
2007 SLN MLB 34 26 162.7 7 17 0 186 78 122 19 102 10.3 4.3 1.1 6.8 0% .320 1.62 4.79 5.70 103 4.73 97.9 1.7
2008 COL 0 15 2 27.3 1 2 0 29 19 22 3 97 9.5 6.3 1.0 7.2 0% .321 1.76 5.11 5.27 110 5.91 126.2 -0.2
2008 KCA 0 10 0 10.3 0 1 0 10 11 9 1 103 8.7 9.6 0.9 7.8 0% .321 2.03 6.15 8.71 127 7.58 161.6 -0.3
2009 CIN 0 10 7 46.3 2 3 0 37 22 25 5 98 7.2 4.3 1.0 4.9 0% .229 1.27 5.12 4.66 117 5.57 119.4 -0.1
2009 WAS 0 23 0 26.3 0 2 2 23 18 18 1 93 7.9 6.2 0.3 6.2 0% .275 1.56 4.23 6.49 115 6.42 137.6 -0.3
2012 SDN MLB 7 7 37.3 2 4 0 41 20 19 6 101 9.9 4.8 1.4 4.6 0% .285 1.63 5.89 4.58 117 5.35 122.7 -0.1
2006 TOT MLB 9 9 44.3 2 5 0 61 21 20 3 97 12.4 4.3 0.6 4.1 0% .000 1.85 4.79 6.50 110 6.75 137.5 -0.4
2008 TOT MLB 25 2 37.7 1 3 0 39 30 31 4 99 9.3 7.2 1.0 7.4 0% .000 1.83 5.40 6.21 115 6.37 135.9 -0.4
2009 TOT MLB 33 7 72.7 2 5 2 60 40 43 6 96 7.4 5.0 0.7 5.3 0% .000 1.38 4.80 5.33 117 5.87 126.0 -0.4
CareerMLB2962191338.369103213906359631511009.34.31.06.552%.2981.514.644.711045.06105.79.7

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA-
1999 CHA MLB AL 7 7 35.7 4 1 0 33 15 29 2 99 8.3 3.8 0.5 7.3 0% .298 1.35 3.81 4.04 93 4.25 82.7
1999 WNS A+ CRL 14 14 85.7 5 6 0 78 34 95 4 8.2 3.6 0.4 10.0 0% -.552 1.31 3.17 3.57 0 0.00 0.0
1999 BIR AA SOU 11 11 70.3 8 2 0 49 31 44 5 6.3 4.0 0.6 5.6 0% -.550 1.14 4.33 2.94 0 0.00 0.0
2000 CHA MLB AL 20 20 98.7 6 9 0 126 58 71 15 93 11.5 5.3 1.4 6.5 0% .345 1.86 5.58 6.02 115 7.43 143.0
2000 CHR AAA INT 12 12 62.0 5 3 0 67 27 38 10 9.7 3.9 1.5 5.5 0% -.750 1.52 5.36 5.37 0 0.00 0.0
2001 CHA MLB AL 40 20 133.3 10 11 0 145 61 99 14 101 9.8 4.1 0.9 6.7 0% .314 1.55 4.61 4.79 105 5.40 112.0
2001 CHR AAA INT 4 4 25.3 2 1 0 26 8 24 2 9.2 2.8 0.7 8.5 0% -.706 1.34 3.24 3.56 0 0.00 0.0
2002 PIT MLB NL 33 33 198.3 12 14 0 197 71 134 21 103 8.9 3.2 1.0 6.1 0% .288 1.35 4.08 3.58 94 4.30 92.2
2003 PIT MLB NL 31 31 197.3 10 9 0 171 76 147 24 102 7.8 3.5 1.1 6.7 0% .253 1.25 4.32 3.28 95 3.67 76.9
2004 PIT MLB NL 24 24 138.3 5 7 0 145 66 116 14 93 9.4 4.3 0.9 7.5 0% .313 1.53 4.14 4.55 95 4.05 83.5
2005 PIT MLB NL 33 33 182.0 8 18 0 186 99 132 23 103 9.2 4.9 1.1 6.5 0% .290 1.57 5.00 5.09 116 6.01 129.3
2006 PIT MLB NL 7 7 36.3 1 5 0 46 18 16 3 96 11.4 4.5 0.7 4.0 0% .339 1.76 5.11 6.69 109 6.44 131.1
2006 TEX MLB AL 2 2 8.0 1 0 0 15 3 4 0 105 16.9 3.4 0.0 4.5 0% .455 2.25 3.31 5.63 111 8.17 166.5
2006 LYN A+ CRL 1 1 6.2 1 0 0 3 2 5 0 103 4.4 2.9 0.0 7.3 0% .214 0.81 3.49 0.00 87 3.10 65.0
2006 ALT AA EAS 1 1 7.0 1 0 0 6 1 4 1 107 7.7 1.3 1.3 5.1 0% .238 1.00 4.22 3.86 103 3.98 83.4
2007 SLN MLB NL 34 26 162.7 7 17 0 186 78 122 19 102 10.3 4.3 1.1 6.8 0% .320 1.62 4.79 5.70 103 4.73 97.9
2008 COL MLB NL 15 2 27.3 1 2 0 29 19 22 3 97 9.5 6.3 1.0 7.2 0% .321 1.76 5.11 5.27 110 5.91 126.2
2008 KCA MLB AL 10 0 10.3 0 1 0 10 11 9 1 103 8.7 9.6 0.9 7.8 0% .321 2.03 6.15 8.71 127 7.58 161.6
2008 TUL AA TXS 1 1 6.7 0 0 0 6 1 8 0 99 8.1 1.3 0.0 10.7 0% .333 1.04 1.38 2.69 69 3.34 68.4
2008 CSP AAA PCL 4 4 18.3 0 3 0 32 6 15 4 119 15.7 3.0 2.0 7.4 0% .418 2.08 5.66 8.85 97 7.96 162.8
2009 CIN MLB NL 10 7 46.3 2 3 0 37 22 25 5 98 7.2 4.3 1.0 4.9 0% .229 1.27 5.12 4.66 117 5.57 119.4
2009 WAS MLB NL 23 0 26.3 0 2 2 23 18 18 1 93 7.9 6.2 0.3 6.2 0% .275 1.56 4.23 6.49 115 6.42 137.6
2009 POT A+ CRL 4 1 5.0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 106 5.4 1.8 0.0 1.8 0% .200 0.80 3.55 1.80 109 3.73 78.5
2009 LOU AAA INT 5 1 14.7 1 0 0 12 5 16 2 115 7.3 3.1 1.2 9.8 0% .278 1.16 3.76 3.06 83 4.16 87.4
2009 SYR AAA INT 2 2 11.0 1 0 0 9 2 11 1 107 7.4 1.6 0.8 9.0 0% .286 1.00 2.87 2.45 79 4.44 93.4
2011 MAZ Wnt LMP 2 2 9.0 0 0 0 6 3 10 1 6.0 3.0 1.0 10.0 0% .227 1.00 3.33 3.00 0 0.00 0.0
2011 OBR Wnt LMP 5 5 21.7 1 0 0 25 17 11 0 10.4 7.1 0.0 4.6 0% .329 1.94 4.39 4.98 0 0.00 0.0
2012 SDN MLB NL 7 7 37.3 2 4 0 41 20 19 6 101 9.9 4.8 1.4 4.6 0% .285 1.63 5.89 4.58 117 5.35 122.7
2012 TUC AAA PCL 10 8 50.7 2 4 0 60 26 22 4 106 10.7 4.6 0.7 3.9 0% .320 1.70 5.41 4.80 115 5.50 114.5
2013 SLC AAA PCL 6 6 24.3 1 3 0 35 22 9 4 108 12.9 8.1 1.5 3.3 0% .344 2.34 7.79 10.36 148 8.30 180.3

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr%
2008 681 0.4596 0.4126 0.7758 0.6326 0.2255 0.8687 0.5542 0.2242
2009 1193 0.4661 0.4116 0.7862 0.5881 0.2575 0.8654 0.6280 0.2138
2012 636 0.4104 0.4041 0.8132 0.6169 0.2560 0.9006 0.6667 0.1868
Career25100.45020.41000.79020.60750.24840.87520.61780.2098

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2009-05-31 2009-06-15 15-DL 15 13 Right Groin Strain Adductor -
2008-04-30 2008-07-21 60-DL 82 73 Right Hand Surgery Blood Clot 2008-05-06
2006-08-12 2006-10-01 15-DL 50 44 Left Foot Surgery Ligament 2006-09-01
2006-08-03 2006-08-11 DTD 8 8 Right Shoulder Inflammation -
2006-04-03 2006-06-18 60-DL 76 69 Right Shoulder Surgery Thoracic Outlet Syndrome 2006-03-06
2005-08-03 2005-08-13 DTD 10 9 Right Fingers Tear Fingernail -
2004-10-05 2004-10-05 Off 0 0 Right Hand Surgery Carpal Tunnel Release 2004-10-05
2004-09-06 2004-10-03 DTD 27 24 Right Elbow Soreness -
2004-08-14 2004-09-05 15-DL 22 22 Right Elbow Inflammation -
2004-06-14 2004-06-25 DTD 11 10 Right Hand Nerve Injury Numbness -
2004-06-02 2004-06-02 DTD 0 0 Right Hand Nerve Injury Numbness -
2003-05-18 2003-05-31 DTD 13 10 Right Fingers Blister Index Finger -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2008 COL $3,100,000
2007 SLN $4,000,000
2006 PIT, TEX $4,150,000
2005 PIT $3,175,000
2004 PIT $2,575,000
2003 PIT $370,000
2002 PIT $272,500
2000 CHA $210,000
YearsDescriptionSalary
8 yrPrevious$17,852,500
8 yrTotal$17,852,500

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
9 y 126 dBurton Rocks1 year (2012)

Details
  • 1 year (2012). Signed by San Diego as a free agent 5/6/12 (minor-league contract). Contract purchased by San Diego 6/26/12. DFA by San Diego 8/3/12. Sent outright to Triple-A 8/7/12.
  • 1 year (2011). Signed by Arizona as a free agent 3/24/11 (minor-league contract). Released by Arizona 3/31/11.
  • 1 year (2010). Re-signed by Cincinnati as a free agent 2/12/10 (minor-league contract). Released by Cincinnati 4/10.
  • 1 year (2009). Signed by Washington as a free agent 3/11/09 (minor-league contract). $0.5M salary in majors. Performance bonuses: $15,000 for 40 points, $30,000 for 60 points, $55,000 for 80 points (3 points for start, 2 points for appearance of more than 1 inning, 1 point for appearance of 1 inning or less). Contract purchased by Washington 4/19/09. Signed by Cincinnati as a free agent (minor-league contract) 7/9/09 after being DFA by Washington 6/24/09. Contract purchased by Cincinnati 7/31/09.
  • 1 year/$3.1M (2008). Signed by Colorado as a free agent 12/13/07. $1.5M in performance bonuses. Signed by Kansas City as a free agent 8/19/08 after being DFA by Colorado 8/10/08. Released by Kansas City 10/24/08.
  • 1 year/$4M (2007). Signed by St. Louis as a free agent 11/06. Performance bonuses: $0.5M for 165, 185 IP. $0.75M for 200 IP.
  • 1 year/$4.15M (2006). Re-signed by Pittsburgh 1/06. Performance bonuses: $50,000 for 195 IP. $0.1M each for 200, 205 IP. $25,000 for 210 IP.
  • 1 year/$3.175M (2005). Re-signed by Pittsburgh 1/05 (avoided arbitration). Performance bonus: $50,000 for 210 IP.
  • 1 year/$2.575M (2004). Re-signed by Pittsburgh 1/04 (avoided arbitration).
  • 1 year/$0.37M (2003)
  • Drafted 1998 (1-16).

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT W L SV G GS IP H BB SO HR BABIP WHIP ERA DRA VORP WARP
Weighted Mean?????0.0?00?.0000.000.00?0.00.0

BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Kip Wells

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2009-04-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)Given Manny Acta's limited options, is he going to stick with Joel Hanrahan at closer after his awful start, or is he going to give a guy like Jason Bergmann a shot (a failed started with good stuff and health issues)?
(Peeig13 from The Second City)
This is my darkhorse for the Nationals' closer: Kip Wells. His results have never matched his stuff as a closer and a lot of times many pitchers who fit that profile wind up being good closers for a time. Eric Gagne is a prime example. (John Perrotto)
2009-04-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)Hi John, Is your Kip Wells closer theory based on inside information or is it pure speculation? Thanks. Joe
(Swingingbunts from NY)
Theory. (John Perrotto)
2008-07-30 12:30:00 (link to chat)Any chance the Pirates can still trade one of our... er, I mean their bevy of pitchers for Ryan Howard? Oh how I yearn for 2004.
(Darven Lithelifeld from Anonymous South Side Bar)
yeah, maybe Kip Wells. LOL (John Perrotto)
2008-01-17 14:00:00 (link to chat)Am I correct to be more than a little scared about the Rockies rotation? After Cook and Francis, I see some very talented youngsters who probably need more seasoning and are likely overrated for their great stretch at the end of 2007 (Morales and Jimenez).
(Dan from Denver)
Put it this way: better to place your faith in Jimenez, Hirsh, and Morales than to have any confidence in Kip Wells or Mark Redman. You're right, this is definitely a problem area, one that figures to take the Rockies back out of the playoff picture if two of those three youngsters don't pan out. (Christina Kahrl)


BP Roundtables

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PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile

A Collaboration between BrooksBaseball.net and Baseball Prospectus - Pitch classifications provided by Pitch Info LLC


Although he has not thrown an MLB pitch in 2024, Kip Wells threw 3,523 pitches that were tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2007 and 2012, all of them occuring in Spring Training. In 2012, he relied primarily on his Sinker (91mph), also mixing in a Slider (83mph), Curve (78mph), Change (85mph) and Fourseam Fastball (90mph).