Welcome to my version of the winter meetings, from my own cubicle here in Herald-land while the business of baseball heats up in Las Vegas. Like many baseball fans, I’m keeping a close eye on the reports out of Vegas, particularly as they relate to what the Mariners may be doing.
The rumblings so far are hardly shocking:
Raul Ibanez has declined the Mariners’ arbitration offer, meaning he’s almost certain to sign with another team and the M’s will get a couple of compensatory draft picks. Oh, and they’ll need to sign a corner outfielder.
Erik Bedard showed up to be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, who cleaned up Bedard’s left shoulder in September. Yocum cleared Bedard to begin a throwing program, so all is well there. Between me and you, I’m looking for Bedard to have a big year because he’ll not only be pitching healthy, he’ll be pitching for his next contract.
Trade talk seems to center around closer J.J. Putz. No surprise there, because Putz’s $5.5 million salary next year makes him a very affordable closer.
As troubling as it might be to lose Ibanez’s offense and Putz’s ability to close a game when he’s healthy, the scariest aspect of the meetings so far — as it relates to the Mariners — came from GM Jack Zduriencik this afternoon.
He said there’s a chance the M’s would move Brandon Morrow back to the bullpen if Putz is gone. Please tell me he was thinking out loud and not really serious.
Doesn’t anyone remember what happened to Morrow early this year?
The Mariners sent him to Venezuela and stretched him out as a starter in winter ball, only to shift him back to relief in spring training after they filled the rotation with Bedard. Not surprisingly, Morrow was ineffective during his early spring training outings, then shelved until mid-April because of a bad shoulder.
He recovered and pitched well in relief but, soon after the Mariners fell into their wait-till-next-year funk, there was talk again about making Morrow a starter. It generated much debate within the organization, but they decided to go ahead with the plan but realized the kid can’t be jerked around from the rotation to the pen and back anymore.
Yes, Morrow could be a short-term fix in the bullpen if the Mariners lose Putz. But this is the year Zduriencik and his front office say they are looking at the team from a long-range standpoint, and I hope they handle Morrow with that same approach.
If they view him as a starter, then leave him at that. Bouncing Morrow back and forth will ensure only one thing — that when he suffers more arm problems, nobody should be surprised.
What a shame that would be.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
