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M’s looking to shore up bullpen for next season

Published 9:00 pm Monday, December 8, 2003

By Kirby Arnold / Herald Writer

SEATTLE – They’re not exactly dealing with a hollow shell of the bullpen that helped make the Seattle Mariners famous, but the club has holes to fill in its relief pitching before the 2004 season begins.

“Our bullpen has been such a strong part of our club, it would be nice going into the season to feel we haven’t taken a step back,” pitching coach Bryan Price said Monday, one day after the Mariners signed right-handed reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa but lost left-hander Arthur Rhodes.

First on everyone’s bullpen priority list – not just Price’s – is to replace Rhodes with a left-hander who can break bats and kill rallies, especially in the late innings against left-handed hitters.

Perhaps the surest indication that the Mariners are working on that emerged Sunday night when they didn’t offer salary arbitration to Rhodes, their lone left-handed reliever. It’s believed the Mariners wouldn’t have cut off their negotiating rights to Rhodes unless they had a serious hand in the pool of available left-handed relievers.

Manager Bob Melvin delivered a not-so-subtle hint of the Mariners’ work Monday when he discussed the need for a hard-throwing, late-inning lefty.

“Like an Eddie Guardado,” Melvin said. “But I didn’t say that.”

Guardado, who has saved 86 games the last two seasons for the Minnesota Twins, is believed to be the left-handed reliever the Mariners covet most. Guardado not only would fill Rhodes’ role as a left-handed specialist, he would be insurance in the closer role if Sasaki doesn’t return to form.

Guardado, 33, already has turned his back on the Twins’ offer of a three-year contract worth $12 million.

The Mariners have no candidates in their minor league system to replace Rhodes or even to become a second left-handed reliever, which they haven’t had on a regular basis since 2001.

The closest prospect may be Matt Thornton, who began his pro career in Everett in 1998 but has been plagued by injuries. He missed most of the 2002 season after “Tommy John” elbow surgery and struggled last season with a pinched nerve in his neck.

The Mariners sent Thornton, a starter all of his career, to the Arizona Fall League with strict orders that he be used in relief in order to gauge how ready he is for the bullpen.

“I think he would be better off with some Triple-A time,” said Benny Looper, the Mariners’ director of scouting and player development.

George Sherrill, who hadn’t played above the independent league level before the Mariners signed him last summer, had a 0.33 earned run average in 27 1/3 innings at Class AA San Antonio. Better than that, Sherrill throws his fastball in the mid-90 mph range.

“Throw the statistics out the door, especially if you’ve got velocity and stuff and can actually get the ball to the catcher,” Price said. “We’re looking for those guys, especially if they’re left-handed.”

Other lefties in the organization who pitched well in 2003 – Bobby Madritsch, Travis Blackley and Craig Anderson – are starters who the Mariners prefer to leave in that role.

Given the not-yet-ready status of their own left-handers, the Mariners are taking a hard look at what’s available around baseball. Besides Guardado, there are several who became available Sunday who may draw the Mariners’ interest:

  • Mark Guthrie finished with a 2.74 ERA and held lefties to a .280 average for the Cubs.

  • Sterling Hitchcock struggled with the Yankees (5.44 ERA) but became a force for the Cardinals after they acquired him for the stretch run (lefties hit .118 off him). He made $6 million in 2003 and wasn’t offered arbitration by the Cardinals, who chose instead to re-sign left-hander Steve Kline.

  • Ricardo Rincon of the A’s had a 1.61 ERA against lefties.

  • Gabe White went 5-1, 4.05 for Cincinnati and the Yankees, but had a 5.19 ERA against left-handers.

  • Others available are Ron Villone of the Astros, Kent Mercker of the Braves, Terry Mulholland of the Indians, Mike Myers of the Diamondbacks, Lance Painter of the Cardinals and Dan Plesac of the Phillies.

    Nobody matched up to Guardado, whose name continued to remain strong in speculation that linked him with the Mariners.

    Melvin wouldn’t say Monday afternoon that he’s waiting by the phone at home for a call on Guardado.

    “But,” Melvin added, “they have my cell number.”

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