Washburn Signing Official

by Jeff Sullivan on Dec 19, 2005 5:24 PM PST in Seattle Mariners News, Regular

Since I know you were all waiting with bated breath...

Here's your press release. Watch as Bill says the same thing three different ways in one sentence!

"He has pitched in big games, including in the postseason, and helped a team to a World Series championship."

Still no word on the money, although the contract is absolutely four guaranteed years in length. Because Anaheim didn't offer Washburn arbitration, the Mariners aren't on the hook for a draft pick.

Personally, I'm ready to just cut our losses and call it an offseason, because I don't think I want to know what might be next, particularly if the Reed rumors have some basis in reality.

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Methinks the M's office staff worked late today

The funnier part is the Mariners mail that just went out, which reads:

"SWITCH-HITTING VETERAN TO PLAY OF & DH

The Mariners, who have stockpiled young pitching over the past 18 months through a variety of trades, signed veteran free-agent pitcher Jarrod Washburn to a 4-year deal today. Washburn, 31, is 75-57 in his career and had a 3.20 ERA last season, 4th lowest in the American League."

Something tells me that whoever prepares these emails basically did a copy-and-paste from the Everett one and forgot to change the headline.

Marinerds - a different daily dose of baseblog.

by Deanna on Dec 19, 2005 5:39 PM PST reply actions

I dunno.

It's possible that they're looking at Washburn as Reed's replacement when they deal for Arroyo.

He's going to need to learn to switch-hit pretty fast, but that's why Jeff Pentland's hanging around, right?

by Jeff Sullivan on Dec 19, 2005 5:42 PM PST up reply actions

There is hope

Career batting, albeit over 28 ABs: 286/355/286.

Okay, no there isn't, but let's try and be remotely positive: We didn't sign Jose Lima!

by Gomez on Dec 19, 2005 7:08 PM PST up reply actions

At Least

Lima would have been about 35 mil cheaper

by Scruffy Lefty on Dec 19, 2005 10:16 PM PST up reply actions

And a better interview

Lima: IT'S LIMATIME!
Glasgow: So that's what you call six earned runs in three innings?
Lima: WHAT WAS THAT?
Glasgow: Nothing, nothing.

by Gomez on Dec 19, 2005 10:19 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm hoping they're done, too.

Because the sounds of "Starting in center field and batting second, Wiiiiillllllieeee Bloooooomquist!!!" coming from the PA at Safeco on OOpening Day are NOT ones I want to hear.

by eponymous coward on Dec 19, 2005 6:47 PM PST reply actions

whistle

I'm not sure if he's seeing at least some of the same numbers we're seeing around the 'sphere, but I can't help but wonder where the hell Mat Olkin has figured into any of this (Everett, Washburn, rumors of Reed going) and whether he blew a whistle. I'm led to believe he doesn't have a lot of front-office pull, but I'm just thinking aloud. Or maybe Bavasi just dreams up some idea, then asks Olkin if any good numbers exist. Then Olkin says, "he's averages 0.94 walks per nine innings on Thursdays in games in day games in the Central time zone, but I'd be concerned about his tendencies to..." then Bavasi cuts him off before all the negative numbers come out.

Again, thinking aloud.

Sports and Bremertonians. Because we can.

by wackomann on Dec 19, 2005 7:52 PM PST reply actions

Washburn is good at night

He has a 2.56 ERA or something like that, is this just another coincidence? What are his GB/FB ratios like night V day and same for K% and BB% any different? anyone know?

by mariners124m on Dec 19, 2005 7:55 PM PST reply actions

Re: Washburn is good at night

The quick answer: Washburn's career K/BB is better during the day than it is at night.

No, I'm not sure why this is, and no, I'm not sure if it's statistically significant.

by Jeff Sullivan on Dec 19, 2005 7:59 PM PST up reply actions

Sunshine

brings warmth to his cloudy control.

by Gomez on Dec 19, 2005 10:20 PM PST up reply actions

from rotoworld

two comments from rotoworld. they seem a trifle unimpressed. i'm trying to find a silver lining here myself. he could do well april thru august...but this guy will be "out of gas" by september. m's will have to be replacing him late in the year (every year)with a triple a pitcher. and by the end of the contract it could get very ugly. anyway,rotoworld........

#1
Jarrod Washburn's four-year deal with the Mariners is worth $37.5 million.
$9.375 million per year for a 31-year-old with an iffy elbow and a declining strikeout rates. "Jarrod is a proven major league winner who immediately makes us better in the starting rotation," said GM Bill Bavasi. He's probably right, but there were other ways to get better in the rotation. And this proven winner has topped 11 victories once in his career. Dec. 19 - 10:51 pm et

#2
Pitching at Safeco Field will help Washburn's numbers for the duration of the contract, but the Mariners will be lucky to get 700 innings from him. He's thrown 740 over the last four years, but only 326 2/3 innings came during the last two. At a rumored $36 million-$38 million, this is another Bill Bavasi signing that doesn't impress us one bit. Dec. 19 - 8:23 pm et

by boxscore willie on Dec 19, 2005 8:13 PM PST reply actions

Washburn, the Winner...

Seriously, I don't hold it against him that he hasn't won more than 11 games but only once in his career. The last thing to judge a pitcher by is his Win/Loss record -- and, yes, that's even last as in after batting average. I'd rather sign a pitcher based on his batting average than his win/loss total, really.

Go M's! Mariners Morsels (aka Free George Sherrill).

by PositivePaul on Dec 19, 2005 11:19 PM PST up reply actions