Odd Man Out

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 12, 2006 5:28 AM PDT in Regular News Comment 27 comments

With Matt Lawton returning today, the Mariners will have to bump someone off the 25-man roster to make room. According to John Hickey, the most likely victim of the roster crunch is Joe Borchard, although there is an outside shot that the team goes with 11 pitchers and sends Jeff Harris back to Tacoma instead. Roberto Petagine, for all intents and purposes, is here to stay, at least for the semi-long term.

Borchard, as you know, is out of options and would have to be passed through waivers upon his removal from the active roster. As a guy with a ton of physical tools who's still reasonably young, he seems like a virtual lock to get claimed, so today could very easily end up his last day as a Mariner. We'll know for sure in a few hours.

(Note that I've been wrong the whole time, that nobody has to be DFA'd to make room for Lawton. Apparently he did remain on the 40-man roster while suspended, which I didn't think was the case.)

In other news from the same article, here's a shocker:

Jarrod Washburn is more than willing to pitch up in the strike zone, where many pitchers fear to go.

Gosh, it's almost like they have a reason for never going there.

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So we

DFAed Carvajal for no reason then?

by Matthew on Apr 12, 2006 7:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No

Our 40-man roster is full, it just happens to include Lawton. I was under the impression that a guy on the suspended list didn't count against either roster, but apparently I was mistaken.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 12, 2006 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

so then

would still have to DFA Borchard to send him to the minors?

by Scruffy Lefty on Apr 12, 2006 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

But they'd have to pass him through waivers since he's out of options, and he's real likely to get claimed.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 12, 2006 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Overheard at Last Night's Game

Putz to Sherrill to Harris: "Don't worry guys. I got your back."

I wonder if Putz will feel so badly that he carries Jeff Harris' bag over to the gate leaving for Sea-Tac.

Of course, I also hope I'm wrong and Jeff stays with the team (but you guys knew that, right?).

by kva15 on Apr 12, 2006 8:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Where you a coach of his?

and if so at what level?

by Scruffy Lefty on Apr 12, 2006 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

But when he was very young, long before I could lay claim to having any real impact on his development as a player. I was lucky enough to coach Jeff, mainly on All-Star teams, during the period he was 9-13 years old.
It's a small town, though, and when you can say you actually know a great guy like Jeff Harris, you take pride in their success. Jeff is the second major league player from our town (Dale Sveum being the other). We also have a Heisman Trophy winner (Gino Torretta).

by kva15 on Apr 12, 2006 9:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

kva15

You must be from the Pinole area. My kids swam for Pinole Swim Team in the early 1990's. My oldest boy spent a couple of years in Pinole LL before he decided he didn't like baseball. One of my other boys played Hercules-Rodeo LL for five years.

by Steve Nelson on Apr 12, 2006 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pinole/Hercules

Steve,
You are correct. Grew up in Pinole and still live in Hercules. I've been involved in baseball in this area since I was 4. Of course back then we rode horses to the games, uphill in the snow, both ways...

by kva15 on Apr 12, 2006 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If its Borchard

That means.... More Willie Ballgame roaming CF..... ugggggghhhh

by MfaninAlaska on Apr 12, 2006 9:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

That's why I'd like to see a pitcher go. Does Mateo have options? Sorry, KVA, but I believe Harris would still clear waivers. If he didn't, though, it wouldn't be a bad thing for him, though, as he'd still be in the majors. It just wouldn't be with Seattle.

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

by PositivePaul on Apr 12, 2006 10:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I Know, Paul...

but Harris has the most versatility. With this pitching staff, that versatility is going to be important. This is not a starting staff that is going to pitch deep into games consistently.

I don't think Mateo has options left. From your first big league appearance, the clock starts running. Three years later, you are out of options.

Jake Woods does have options left. He would only be optioned if Hargrove/Bavasi believe in GS enough to hand him nearly all of the left-handed middle relief assignments. Harris' splits against lefties is excellent, and he could back George up and also fill other roles (which Woods does not do as well).

So even being as objective as I can, I still think Jeff should be kept.

by kva15 on Apr 12, 2006 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

...though BECAUSE it's not the smartest move that the M's can make, they will indeed make that move.

Optioning Woods might actually make more sense for the Mariners, but we all know they make tons of senseless moves all the freakin' time.

Trying to move Borchard through waivers (to send him to the minors) does make some sense, in that we definitely have more of a stockpile of close-to-MLB-ready OF'ers than we do pitchers of the same ilk.

And if Snelling ever DOES show he can remain somewhat healthy, that will park Everett's butt on the bench...

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

by PositivePaul on Apr 12, 2006 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mateo has options

A player burns an option only when he is demoted to the minors. He does not lose an option by being on the 25-man roster. To put it another way, an option is a player's ticket to Tacoma, not to Seattle.

by Aaron on Apr 12, 2006 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, he does lose options

3 years of active service time terminates all options.

by Matthew on Apr 12, 2006 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Proof?

by Aaron on Apr 12, 2006 5:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Proof

is really easy to find. Try google.

"After three years as a pro, a player must be protected on a team's 40-man roster, or he is eligible for the Rule 5 draft (more on that later). Once he's served those three years, and assuming he is added to the 40-man roster, his club then has what are called "options" on him.

When a player is on the 40-man roster but not on the 25-man Major League roster, he is on "optional assignment." One common misconception about the rules is that a player may only be "optioned out" three times. Actually, each player has three option years, and he can be sent up and down as many times as the club chooses within those three seasons.

When you hear that a player is "out of options," that means he's been on the 40-man roster during three different seasons, beginning with his fourth as a pro, and to be sent down again he'll have to clear waivers."

by Matthew on Apr 13, 2006 7:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That doesn't really clarify it

And I will remind you that Joel Piniero was optioned to Tacoma last year, even though it was his 6th season on the 40-man roster. I stand by my assertion that a player doesn't lose an option until he is assigned to a minor league ball club, not when he is added to the 25 or 40-man roster.

by Aaron on Apr 13, 2006 6:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Harris has value. He's not spectacular but he has shown he can competently pitch as a starter and reliever in the big leagues. Someone would definitely take him.

I agree about Mateo though. He has my sympathies after losing his brother, but he clearly needs more time to get sharp. If he has options, send him to Tacoma.

My pick, otherwise, is Jake Woods. With GS52 locking down lefties, do we really even need Woods?

by Gomez on Apr 12, 2006 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There's always the adventure

or having Lawton play center.

by Mariner John on Apr 12, 2006 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

According to the radio

They have DFA'ed Guillermo Quiroz and (brace yourself Kva) optioned Jeff Harris to Tacoma.

We all should have a bit of Willie Bloomquist in us. ~Mike Hargrove

by Goose on Apr 12, 2006 1:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

what?

the hell are they doing with Quiroz?

by Matthew on Apr 12, 2006 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow...

are they going to bring Rivera back from AAA?

Don't bother me, I'm hustling.

by Phildopip on Apr 12, 2006 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is whack

Granted, Quiroz didn't show much in his whopping three at bats, but I figured he was the backup catcher for the haul. Perhaps they didn't like his game-calling in Sunday's loss. I can't imagine Rene Rivera would be much better, unless they picked up some awesome backup catcher.

And really, taking two guys off the 25 man roster to add Lawton, possibly Rivera?

by Gomez on Apr 12, 2006 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs