The money that’s being reported — $44 million over four years — is daunting, especially for a pitcher who went 13-14 in 2007.
What intrigues the Seattle Mariners about free agent right-hander Carlos Silva is what he’s done against them and the American League West the past four years with the Minnesota Twins.
Silva, considered the best in a mediocre group of free agent starting pitchers this offseason, is 3-1 with a 3.18 earned run average in his career against the Mariners at Safeco Field. He’s 16-8 with a 3.48 ERA in 32 starts against the AL West.
The Mariners won’t discuss negotiations, but a report Tuesday on Foxsports.com said the Mariners have offered a four-year, $44 million contract to Silva. The Kansas City Royals also have shown interest in Silva but so far they have balked at his request for at least $40 million over four years.
Talks with the Mariners have progressed to the point that a deal could be finalized by Thursday.
Why Silva?
Despite his losing record and 4.19 ERA with the Twins in 2007, he has been a durable starter capable of pitching deep into games. He has averaged 1931/3 innings the past four seasons, and twice he has topped the 200-inning mark in a season.
That’s important on a Mariners team whose starters struggled to pitch more than six innings per outing in 2007, putting added pressure on a bullpen that wore down late in the season.
Silva, 28, throws an effective sinker that produces numerous ground balls, and scouts say that could help him succeed at Safeco Field. He also would benefit from the Mariners’ strong left-side defense in third baseman Adrian Beltre and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.
If the Silva deal comes together, it would be the Mariners’ first significant addition of the offseason.
General manager Bill Bavasi is trying to acquire starting pitchers but so far hasn’t landed his prime free agent or trade targets in what has been a slow-developing market throughout baseball. Last month, the Mariners used the Rule 5 draft to acquire right-hander R.A. Dickey, who hopes to resurrect his career after switching to the knuckleball. He’ll go to spring training trying to make the team at the back of the rotation or in the bullpen.
The Mariners made a strong push for Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, who signed a three-year, $35.3 million contract last week with the Los Angeles Dodgers. There were reports that Kuroda selected the Dodgers despite being offered more money by the Mariners.
The Mariners also have talked about trades with the Twins for left-hander Johan Santana and the Orioles for lefty Erik Bedard. Any deal with those teams would cost the Mariners one or more of their best young prospects, particularly outfielder Adam Jones.
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