Rotation Depth

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 9, 2006 5:08 PM PST in Seattle Mariners Regular News

Whether or not he turns out to be this year's Aaron Sele or this year's Damian Moss has yet to be seen, but for what it's worth, the Mariners have signed the weathered remains of Kevin Appier to a minor league contract. A man who has the right arm of a med school cadaver, Appier hasn't seen significant action since August of 2003, and is coming off a year spent rehabbing his throwing elbow.

Before getting hurt, Appier was one of the best pitchers in the American League, but then 1998 happened, he tore his labrum, and everything went south. A big bounceback 2001 campaign in New York bought him some more time, but two years later his luck ran out and he found himself making emergency starts for the Royals. Since then, Appier has retired twice and thrown a total of four Major League innings. Nevertheless, he's determined to give it one last try, and after a busy offseason of tryouts he's settled on the Mariners, presumably because they like his veteran guile and he likes their crappy rotation.

If Appier's stats pre-double retirement mean anything, then the M's (or, hopefully, the Rainiers) will be getting a flyball pitcher who misses a bat every now and then while having occasional problems finding the strike zone. Which, I suppose, is what you should expect from a guy who's still clinging to what used to be a tremendous splitter since his fastball has dipped below 90. If his arm is feeling as good as his agent says it is, he probably wouldn't be terrible, but the upside is rather limited. Still, this is a team that needs all the 6th starters it can get its hands on, so taking a flier on Kevin Appier after the Rangers made a similar move with Brian Anderson isn't a bad idea. If it works, you've got a functional and determined veteran starter to push Joel and Gil, and if it doesn't, whatever, you did a good deed in giving the guy another shot. And hey, in the meantime, autograph seekers at Cheney Stadium will probably be ecstatic to have a guy they've actually heard of.

Why Kevin Appier, you ask?

Why not?

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I actually like

the move to pick up Appier. Sure he has had problems recently but he seems like one of those pitchers who's style is not hurt as badly when he gets older. He could be a good alternative to Harris if somebody goes down. At least it gives me something for me to watch in spring training. I don't know about the Vina signing. I doubt he'll make it through spring training.

by Edgar for Pres on Jan 9, 2006 7:29 PM PST reply actions

Why?

Why bring in old washed up pitchers when you can give the roster spot to a young arm. And bringing in Vina makes even less sense. I thought prior to this offseason we were going for a youth movement and building up to be contenders two or three years down the road. If Bavasi wants to contend here and now he needed to get a quality front of the rotation starter and a left handed bat with power who isn't named Carl Everett. I want the M's to still sign Durazo but haven't heard anything about him.

"the dumbest player I've ever met." --Larry Bowa, on Vincente Padilla

by AgentProvocateur @ Lookout Landing on Jan 9, 2006 8:31 PM PST reply actions

Re: Why?

Appier as a guy you grant a rotation spot to out of ST is a stupid idea. Hopefully Hargrove's preference for veterans doesn't come into play here.

Appier as a guy you stash in Tacoma in case none of the younger arms are ready if/when disaster strikes is perfectly fine.

These are minor league contracts. By themselves, they mean absolutely nothing.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 9, 2006 9:17 PM PST up reply actions

I agree that granting him a rotation spot...

is a stupid idea. But why on earth would you stash Appier in Tacoma when his spot could be filled with someone younger. Plus what is your take on this:

"He tried a second comeback in 2005 when he signed a minor league contract with the Royals, the team for which he pitched from 1989-99. But after going 0-1 with an 8.71 ERA in 10 1-3 innings over five spring-training games, Kansas City asked him to accept to a Triple-A assignment to begin the season. He refused."

My take is that he will only stick around if he makes the ballclub.

"the dumbest player I've ever met." --Larry Bowa, on Vincente Padilla

by AgentProvocateur @ Lookout Landing on Jan 10, 2006 7:03 AM PST up reply actions

Re: I agree that granting him a rotation spot...

We only have so many young arms who can start in AAA. Once Appier starts blocking more talented prospects, it's time to bid him farewell, but I don't see that being the case, at least not early in the season.

As for the quote, I'm not sure. You'd think all these injuries and crappy seasons would have humbled the guy, but if he's determined to go somewhere else if he fails to make the team out of ST, then it's no big loss. Fortunately, there are a bunch of other guys like Appier who you could stash away in Tacoma in case the original isn't willing.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 10, 2006 9:13 AM PST up reply actions

BTW

is Moss still with us? I know we have Foppert and Livingston still in Tacoma. Baek is gone.

"the dumbest player I've ever met." --Larry Bowa, on Vincente Padilla

by AgentProvocateur @ Lookout Landing on Jan 10, 2006 9:58 AM PST up reply actions

Don't bet on it.

He'll be at another team's camp this spring.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jan 10, 2006 10:09 AM PST up reply actions

You bring in the old washed up pitcher

to help the young guys. None of the young guys are going to be ready (I hope they are) at the start of the season. Don't rush them. They still need to learn alot. All our young pitchers would get shelled without at least another half of a year in AAA. We have all seen players that come up and get killed. Then they just never seem to put it together because it is hard to learn how to pitch in the majors. I can't justify Vina but I really doubt he will play.

by Edgar for Pres on Jan 9, 2006 8:51 PM PST reply actions

Yes

The converse is to throw a youngster who isn't ready, and hasn't learned how to make adjustments at the big league level, to the wolves and risk damaging his possibly fragile confidence.

I'd rather bring in Appier, pay him next to nothing, and hope he pans out on a zero-risk flier, than, say, bring in Byung Hung Kim and hope he figures out how to stop sucking. Sure, it's no lock BK will suck... but it's no lock that Appier will definitely suck either. It's not likely he'll do great... but then again what's it really costing us if he doesn't? I can't imagine there are better guys to NRI or that would cost equally less.

by Gomez on Jan 9, 2006 9:19 PM PST up reply actions

There is ...

... no harm at all in rounding up a bunch of guys like this and bringing them to spring training. There are no guarantees they'll get roster spots. There are many more NRIs to be issued, so let's keep it all in perspective.

If either Appier or Vina played a single regular-season inning in a Mariner uniform, I'd be very surprised.

"It is always darkest before the dawn ... which makes it the perfect time to steal your neighbor's sports section."

by Jim Thomsen on Jan 9, 2006 10:55 PM PST reply actions

NRI's that come to mind from last season...

Eric Owens, Benji Gil, Ricky Gutierrez, Terry Mulholland, Jamey Wright...

NRI's aren't the end of the world.

by Devin on Jan 10, 2006 12:07 AM PST reply actions

I'm having flashbacks...

of Aaron Sele...

Do I Have to Love These Guys?

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Jan 10, 2006 8:09 AM PST reply actions

Um, guys.....

Think!

Brining in NRIs like Sele and Appier is bad only if you have younger guys with more upside who are READY. If all your young guys aren't ready, are gonna do worse and would get damaged if you threw them in now, then you'd be bloody stupid not to use the Appiers and Seles of the league.

Now...who do you think is ready to step in RIGHT NOW. (And the first ones who say Livingston or Foppert get kick in the rear for bloody stupidity)....

by rtang on Jan 10, 2006 2:57 PM PST reply actions