Official news:

#Mariners officially sign catcher Kelly Shoppach to Major League contract. RHP Shawn Kelley designated for assignment.

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) February 7, 2013

For some time now the team has acted very sour on Shawn Kelley. I couldn't tell you why. His performance record is excellent. I don't want to condemn it as fact, but it seems to me that their dislike is rooted in his personality, clubhouse demeanor or something of that sort. That bums me out because deciding to discard useful players solely because of some perceived or intangible fault has been exactly my biggest beef with this team's management thus far.

Shawn Kelley, despite my liking of how good he has been, isn't a huge loss to the Mariners. He is, after all, a good but not extraordinary bullpen arm and bullpen arms needs to be quasi-legendary to have much of a real impact on a team. But there has to be better, less useful members of the 40-man roster the Mariners could have jettisoned at this point. I'm really hoping they have a trade lined up and that it isn't for some patsy.

Meanwhile, the Kelly Shoppach deal that we all knew was happening is now officially happened.