Chris Reitsma Signs with Mariners

by Trent on Jan 5, 2007 12:11 PM PST in Seattle Mariners News, Regular

According to ESPN, the M’s and Chris Reitsma have come to terms on a one year $2.05 million contract (includes 2008 option buyout) with a club option for 2008. He also has the ability to earn performance bonuses in both 2007 and 2008.

Reitsma is similar to all the other pitchers the M’s have brought in so far this offseason, in that he’s nothing spectacular, is a groundball pitcher and has a lot of questions surrounding him. Last year, Reitsma sucked. Twenty five percent of his fly balls went for homerun’s and the guy struggled to get anyone out. His K/9 was a lovely 4.18 and his K/BB rate was an abysmal 1.63.

In July, he underwent a season ending surgery called ulnar nerve transposition to repair a condition known as ulnar neuritis which is caused when the ulnar nerve in the elbow becomes compressed and creates numbness and sometimes pain in the fingers. In this particular case, an ulnar nerve transposition procedure (which Reitsma underwent) moves the ulnar nerve into a new tunnel of tissue created from the flexor muscles in the forearm in the hope of relieving the pressure being placed on the nerve itself. Whether he battled the problem all year or not is obviously a concern, but one would hope that the issue has been resolved.

From what I understand, Reitsma should be ready for the start of spring training and if he can somehow rebound from surgery and his disastrous 2006 season and pitch like the pitcher he was in 2004 and 2005, he’ll be useful. He posted solid 6.78 and 5.19 K/9 rates in ’04 and ’05 (respectively) and averaged 3 K per BB over both seasons as well. Factor in the defensive infield upgrade from Atlanta to Seattle. Whether or not he can rebound from last year remains to be seen, but at least the M’s aren’t going to be paying him a lot of money to find out.

There were cheaper options out there, but knowing what we know about this FO, there was very little chance that they would've taken a cheap risk when they could've paid a little more for someone with some name recognition. Would I have signed him to the deal he got, no. But there were much worse options available.

He’s not going to replace Rafael Soriano in the bullpen, but at $2.05 million in 2007, he’s got a good chance at possibly being the best free agent signing Bavasi made this offseason. Which makes me wonder if that illustrates Reitsma’s possible potential or just how bad this offseason has been.

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For over 2 million dollars

meh

by Rollo Tomasi on Jan 5, 2007 12:41 PM PST reply actions

Not bad

Given the inflated pitching salaries this year. He has more upside than I expected from a bavasi signing.

I killed a 12 pack just to watch it die...

by Dollar97 on Jan 5, 2007 12:54 PM PST reply actions

ulnar nerve

If he pitched with the ulnar nerve compression for any length of time, it likely would have contributed to his poor performance. I had a less severe case (which did not require surgery), and the effect was numbness and occasional pain in the outer half of my hand (and forearm). The hand still functioned relatively well, but the loss of feeling in the outer fingers made handling everyday objects awkward and simple tasks like typing a mild adventure. It would be the type of injury that Reitsma could potentially pitch through (as he could still hold and throw a baseball), but it would be hard to maintain consistent grips and throw accurately if half his hand was numb.

by G_ on Jan 5, 2007 1:53 PM PST reply actions

Helpful, G!

I'm curious how the recovery time for ulnar transplant surgery compares with the recovery time for TJ surgery. It appears to me that TJ is more intense and therefore would require a longer recovery time...

Iceberg, right ahead!

by PositivePaul on Jan 5, 2007 1:57 PM PST up reply actions

Five to six months

is the time table. Everything I have read indicates that he will be 100% healthy in spring training and ready for the start of the season.

by Trent on Jan 5, 2007 2:03 PM PST up reply actions

Thanks G

for the insight on it. I did some reading up before adding the info I did but hearing it from someone who has experienced it is always helpful.

Apparently, depending on the severity of the compression of the nerve, it can actually spread to the inner parts of your hands as well (thumb, index and ring fingers). Hopefully this surgery corrected any problems and he will be at full strength once the season starts (every indication is that he will be) and the fact James Andrews performed the surgery and didn't see any damage or structural prolems in the elbow itself.

Part of me hopes that he tried to pitch through pain and that's why his numbers were so bad, not that his injury occured because of some other issue(s).

by Trent on Jan 5, 2007 2:01 PM PST up reply actions

I have not read the story...

BUT JUST THE IDEA that the M's actually tried to do anything at this point makes me scream "SOB!" So loud that the other people at the school's lab, turned to look at me.

by mark s @ Lookout Landing on Jan 5, 2007 2:24 PM PST reply actions

Hi, Ron Villone 2007!

So not only do they spend a couple million to make a move, but it's a non-move. Decent bullpenners are a dime a dozen, and Reitsma is a risk on top of it. A little bit of Hendry Syndrome has rubbed off on Bavasi.

If he does return to form, I only hope he supplants Mateo as Hargrove's security blanket, as at least the team would have a better chance at averting disaster in those situations.

by Gomez on Jan 5, 2007 2:36 PM PST reply actions

Possibly...

But also consider the fact that:

A) it's essentially a one year deal since if he performs well and the option is picked up, it'll be a good signing
B) he's not blocking anyone
C) if the team blows, the M's could deal him to get something at the deadline

by Trent on Jan 5, 2007 2:41 PM PST up reply actions

Didn't Villone...

pitch well enough that a contender wanted to take him off our hands and give us a decent prospect for him? I think that's worth something. Not only did he pitch pretty well for the M's, but we parlayed his contract into a prospect before losing him to free agency. Reitsma just has to actually pitch well and maybe we'll get a double win out of the deal.

by johnbai on Jan 5, 2007 4:07 PM PST up reply actions

I'm scared

Because I agree with you.

by Graham MacAree on Jan 6, 2007 12:59 AM PST up reply actions

Yes! I knew it!

Now we just need to get a few drinks into you and we'll be cemented as best friends forever, Graham!

Hawks just won a Boise Stater of a victory. Holy crap. I saw this poor Cowboys fan at Pudge Brothers. Dude was just holding his head in his hands weeping and asking for a cigarette. Could Romo have blown it any more painfully!?

by johnbai on Jan 6, 2007 10:15 PM PST up reply actions

Yeah

At the time we got Villone, we paid $2 mil for a swingman that we ended up using as a LOOGY... but he performed well and we swung him for decent prospects.

Let's hope that's their rationale for Reitsma and that he repeats history. Who knows, with Safeco and his injury troubles (hopefully) behind him, Reitsma has a good shot. I won't knock such a success.

by Gomez on Jan 6, 2007 1:48 PM PST up reply actions

Underselling Reitsma's good years

His 04-5 campaigns were better than just decent as Dave Cameron states. 70+ innings with GB% over 50 and over 3 Ks to each BB is strongly in the good category. When he adds HR control to that (as in '05) you see a FIP under 3. When he doesn't (as in 04) it's still under 4.

If Reitsma is anything at all like 2004-5, he's a great value signing.

by Matthew on Jan 5, 2007 3:28 PM PST reply actions

Exactly

The problem is that no one trusts Bavasi (and probably rightfully so).

Reitsma, if he returns to '04-'05 form, gives the M's a competent and reliable RH bullpen arm going into 2007 to set-up Putz. Before today, the team didn't have one. Yes, there are cheaper internal options, but there are no guarantees that they would step-up and perform. In the grand scheme of things, it's not a bad move. Worst case scenario, it costs the M's $2.05 million. Average scenario, he gets dealt at the deadline for something useful. Great scenario, he fulfills his promise, gets paid $4 million and bails after 2008 OR he gets dealt for a team desperate for closer or bullpen help in July and the M's get a shiny new prospect. I don't see a whole lot of bad in this, although maybe I'm straining so hard to see the good part of the deal that I'm missing the bad.

What does interest me the most though, is what this means for future roster construction. For weeks, we've been hearing that Broussard and Reed could/would be dealt for BP depth. Today's signing pretty much solidifies the BP and pushes the M's budget that much closer to $95 million realm.

It's certainly possible that we could see the M's ditch one or both before the end of the offseason, but I'm kind of beginning to hope that BOTH Broussard and Reed are going to be with this team in 2007 on the bench. Personally, I love what they would bring to the bench depth. Reed is a cheap and perfect 4th OFer on this team next year (or maybe he'll spend some time in AAA) and could use the time on the bench to figure his swing out and quite possibly play himself into a starting role in 2008. Same goes for Broussard. He could very easily fill in at 1B or DH if needed and could be counted on to play a vital role after the trade deadline or in 2008 if Sexson is dealt or Vidro's legs pop off.

At this point, dumping these guys to dump them makes zero sense. Might as well keep them around and see what happens. Especially with Reed.

by Trent on Jan 5, 2007 6:37 PM PST up reply actions

You're not straining

this is a good signing.

I could even make a reasonable argument that end-result wise, Rafael Soriano = Chris Reitsma.

by Matthew on Jan 5, 2007 9:53 PM PST up reply actions

Matt

went over to DOV and I'm assuming it was you taking SABRMatt to task over Reitsma vs Soriano. You made a couple of terrific points, and outside of the homemade statistics he utilizes, he was making some pretty open ended arguments. Plenty of good points, good read.

BTW, they put you into a comment moderation queue, like they did to me, because you were making rational arguments and they couldn't come up with rational counter-arguments? Heh.

by Trent on Jan 8, 2007 8:54 AM PST up reply actions

Heh

thanks.

No, no mod queue as of yet. I think it's because I generally get along with everyone there except SABRMatt.

Now to be fair, the other Matt has a point that Raffy is far less hittable than Reitsma. They are not the same pitcher and Raffy is better. But I just think it's not that big of a gap. Furthermore Raffy has far greater injury risk and you have to take that into account.

by Matthew on Jan 8, 2007 10:27 AM PST up reply actions

True

but if you put homemade statistics aside, you'll notice the disparity isn't as wide. With Soriano, he's a FB pitcher. Reitsma is a GB pitcher. ATL's defense has been pretty mediocre the past couple of years whereas Seattle's D has been pretty good. Park factors. Etc. It'll be interesting to see Soriano in the humid ATL summer's too and if his FB tendencies turn into HR tendencies.

But yea, I think Soriano is the superior RP. The difference just isn't as wide as some want to admit.

by Trent on Jan 8, 2007 10:53 AM PST up reply actions

I kinda agree

that with Reed and Broussard on the bench we'd have some great depth. I think Broussard is a little more expendible and if we can get a decent offer I think we should take it. I think Reed might actually be getting a decent amount of playing time if Guillen can't throw very well. I think Reed would be good insurance to back up Guillen if he needs more time to recover.

by Edgar for Pres on Jan 6, 2007 11:07 AM PST up reply actions

Heh and he was a Brave last year.

So now it essentially becomes Soriano for Rameriz,Reitsma, and $2 million.

Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult.

by Goose on Jan 5, 2007 4:05 PM PST reply actions

Heh, indeed.

It does SORTA take some of the sting out of it. Just like when I think of the Slocumb trade as Varitek+Lowe for Moyer and Bragg for Slocumb. Not quite to that level, perhaps, but it does take SOME of the sting out...

Iceberg, right ahead!

by PositivePaul on Jan 5, 2007 4:44 PM PST up reply actions

ya

it does

by ZeZetheX on Jan 5, 2007 5:30 PM PST up reply actions

Nationals

Don't suppose Jim Bowden would be interested in releasing, say, a few top prospects for us so we might feel a little better when we hear "Washington" too?

by Josh @ Lookout Landing on Jan 5, 2007 7:30 PM PST up reply actions

Washington has top prospects?

Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult.

by Goose on Jan 5, 2007 7:52 PM PST up reply actions

Yep.

Chris Snelling and Emiliano Fruto.

Er, wait. Well, they have top prospecT (singular) anyway...

Iceberg, right ahead!

by PositivePaul on Jan 5, 2007 7:54 PM PST up reply actions

Well to be fair

I wouldn't consider Snelling a prospect anymore. He's just a good young MLB player.

Aici zace un om despre care nu se ştie prea mult.

by Goose on Jan 5, 2007 8:25 PM PST up reply actions

I would

Snelling only has twice as many at bats in the majors as Adam Jones.

by Matthew on Jan 5, 2007 9:27 PM PST up reply actions

MLB.com says...

1.35 million with bonuses to make it more based on playing time. Is it possible ESPN was reporting the bonuses as guaranteed money or is Corey Brock wrong? Or am I reading the MLB.com article wrong?

Saying Scott Brosius should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame is like saying Mark Wohlberg should be in the Catch Me If You Can Hall of Fame. - Bill W.

by Mariner John on Jan 5, 2007 10:59 PM PST reply actions