M's Make Their 40-Man Move
by Jeff Sullivan on May 3, 2010 11:46 AM PDT
in Seattle Mariners Transactions
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PrintNo surprises here, although I'm sure it'll still send many of you into fits:
Mariners RHP Ricky Orta has been placed on waivers for the purpose of granting him his unconditional release
I figured they'd put Orta on the 60-day DL. Shannon Drayer said it wasn't going to be a 60-day DL move. The M's split the middle.
As many have already pointed out on Twitter, the likelihood is that, after Orta clears waivers - which he likely will, since he's a 25 year old AA reliever with a fresh Tommy John scar in his elbow - the team will re-sign him, so we're probably not losing anybody. And even if we do, it's Ricky Orta. It'd be like losing a pushpin behind the desk. Aw, man, I was gonna use that pushpin to hold some shit in place. Now I have to grab another pushpin. Guess I'd better open the drawer with all of the pushpins.
The thing that's getting people upset is that the move doesn't send Mike Sweeney away, but while anyone who wanted that has his heart in the right place, it wasn't going to happen. That'll be addressed separately. If it's ever addressed, which, oh man. I'm holding out hope for a versatile righty/switch-hitter in the Ryan Doumit mold, but whatever happens, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. The corresponding 40-man roster move was never going to involve the unceremonious ejection of Mike Sweeney.
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The feeling seems to be mutual.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
by JY on May 3, 2010 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I want Alex Gordon
Yeah, it probably won’t happen. But it’s the Royals.
by Cantu Easley Winn on May 3, 2010 12:00 PM PDT reply actions
We should just use Kanekoa Texeira more often.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
by JY on May 3, 2010 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Imagine having Kanekoa Texeira and Kila Ka'aihue on the same roster.
Throw in Brandon League, and it’d all just be one big fuckin’ hula!
by Matt Erickson on May 3, 2010 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions
If Sweeney ever goes
You’d preferably want a RH bat that can play LF, DH, and even a little 1B – given the handedness of Langerhans, Bradley, and Griffey.
Versatility seems like a must, though, especially if they stick with the 12-man pitching staff
We want Bradley at DH every day, right? Unless you go high-profile, then you’re looking for a righty who can spell Langerhans against lefties, but also serve as a pinch-hitter/sub for Lopez or the catchers or whoever.
by Jeff Sullivan on May 3, 2010 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions
I wish Josh Willingham was still underappreciated by the Nats
Guessing he’s probably too expensive now.
We don't have versatility now.
We don’t have someone who can hit now.
If you can solve both, fantastic, but solve at least one of them.
Well, as long as Bradley starts more games at DH than LF, I'll be content.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling that’s not going to be the case just yet.
Milton Bradley apologist
by sanford_and_son on May 3, 2010 12:07 PM PDT reply actions
I have a feeling we're going to get lots of Sweeney sightings in the lineup over the next couple of weeks.
They’ll want to be absolutely sure Sweeney is a pile of crap before releasing him.
by eponymous_coward on May 3, 2010 12:09 PM PDT reply actions
If it's in place of Griffey, fine.
But it’s probably at the expense of Langerhans in the lineup, so BOOOOOOOO.
FUCK THE ANGELS!
by Fuckmikereilly on May 3, 2010 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Langherhans vs. lefties isn't likely to be much more productive than Sweeney.
Though striking out is better than 6-4-3, so while he might not be more productive, he would likely be less detrimental.
by Matt Erickson on May 3, 2010 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions
But you also have to factor in Langerhans' defense vs. Bradley's
by Jeff Sullivan on May 3, 2010 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions
ZiPS
has Griffey putting up a .308 wOBA the rest of the way, Sweeney a .318, and Langerhans a .313. Basically a wash.
It would basically come down to Langerhans’ D vs. Bradley’s. Not to mention cutting down on the risk of Bradley getting hurt playing the OF and having to live with Griffey or Sweeney at DH.
Though I agree with the general point,
overall hitting lines are not the same as platoon hitting lines
How do you mean?
It doesn’t appear that ZiPS’ projections are based on a full remaining season’s worth of PAs.
The ZiPS projections are based on Griffey and Sweeney filling predominantly platoon-favorable roles
by Jeff Sullivan on May 3, 2010 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Sweeney will be replaced when his replacement is here, I suspect.
Not for another backup/bench player.
I like to think that whatever gears have to turn to move Sweeney have started moving
things like this aren’t instant. Lacking internal solutions necessitates going to other teams, and many of the teams that might have something to exchange with us are not necessarily ready to do so. Unless we want Jacobs. Do we want Jacobs? Right.
It’s hard to imagine that the FO thinks it’s ok to make a run at the division with two bench spots taken up by the hitting version of a double play combo. Believe [in] Big [roster moves coming].
De Gutibus non disputandum est
by Bearskin Rugburn on May 3, 2010 12:38 PM PDT reply actions
No.
The reason I would suggest caution is he’s had good months in the past. In June of last year, he hit .324/.358/.706, nine home runs and a 24/5 K/BB in 102 at-bats. The next month he hit three home runs and struck out in nearly half his at-bats. Another reason to be cautious is about five hundred points of OPS split from left-handers to right-handers. Peguero had an incredible April, and came closer to putting everything together than we’ve ever seen from him, but the minor leagues are all about adjustment, and readjustment, and samples are made all the more wonky in the Southern League by the constant five-game sets, which make good or bad stretches more a product of competition than elsewhere.
From JY’s Minor League Wrap at USSM.
Wheeee.
It’s still weird to see myself quoted, but I like that word gets around.
"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors
by JY on May 3, 2010 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions
He's hit more
Also that would be stupid
by Graham MacAree on May 3, 2010 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Sadly, I think Sweeney is here to stay for a while
I suspect that Sweeney dodged a bullet on Sunday by not playing. While he may be terrible at hitting the ball now, he seems to have superattuned survival skills, by the way.
After the bad losses and built up frustration it probably caused a “end of the rope, show some results today or you’re gone” type situation, but Sweeney managed to avoid playing (and not getting results like usual), and he didn’t get cut like Byrnes. Byrnes was probably gone anyway, and the Byrnes DFA probably relieved some of that stress to do something about this awful situation.
With some of the stress relieved I don’t expect a super-survivor like Sweeney to be cut so easily.
But as everybody is saying, the Byrnes (and Tui) move is really not enough to salvage the team’s chances.
Another tough thing is that Sweeney does probably have more left in the bat than Junior, but Junior can’t be cut, so it complicates the situation a little.
Pushpins!
Ha-ha! Jeff!
I would rec my post if I could just because it reminded me to read your post like three times already. Excellent stuff…
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