DEADLINE UPDATE: The Mariners did not tender a contract to pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith, but did tender pitchers Jason Vargas, David Aardsma and Brandon League. GM Jack Zduriencik said the club offered Rowland-Smith a major league contract, but the left-hander chose to look elsewhere as a free agent.
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UPDATE: The Mariners just announced that infielder Josh Wilson, one of their six arbitration-eligible players who fell under tonight’s 9 o’clock tender deadline, has agreed to a one-year contract. Still no word on other arbitration-eligible Mariners Jason Vargas, Ryan Rowland-Smith, David Aardsma or Brandon League.
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The more I spoke with baseball people during the Arizona Fall League in October and November, the more it seemed apparent that Jose Lopez had value as a hitter beyond what many Mariners fans, media and bloggers made him out to be during his difficult 2010 season.
It was common knowledge among the baseball folks that Lopez was misplaced in a Mariners lineup that batted him fourth much of the time simply because there was nobody better to put there. He floundered, for sure, in that spot and, while nobody is expecting a suddenly patient, high-on-base-percentage hitter in his next stop, the sentiment is that Lopez can help a team in the right situation.
Colorado Rockies are hoping it’s them.
They acquired Lopez from the Mariners tonight in exchange for 24-year-old right-handed pitcher Chaz Roe, a sinkerball specialist who went 9-13 with a 5.98 earned run average this year with Class AAA Colorado Springs. The Mariners made the deal just before tonight’s 9 o’clock deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players or lose them to free agency.
“Chaz is a former first-round pick with a nice arm, a 24-year-old sinker ball pitcher,” Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said in a statement from the team. “We look forward to seeing him in a Mariners uniform.
“We also want to thank Jose for his years with the Mariners. We wish him the very best with the Rockies and we’ll be pulling for him as he progresses with his career.”
Lopez leaves a Mariners organization where he started his pro career as a 17-year-old with the Class A Everett AquaSox in 2001.
Lopez, an All-Star second baseman in 2006 when he batted a career-best .282, was moved to third base this year and, while he played sufficient defense, he suffered through his worst offensive season as a regular. He batted .239 with 10 home runs and 58 RBI and, on a team that emphasizes high on-base percentage, he posted a .270 figure that was his worst since his rookie big-league season in 2004.
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