TUESDAY EVENING UPDATE
Looks like the Nationals are about to scoop up Eddie Guardado. Here’s the report that just moved on Foxsports.com.
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Hooked up a couple of days ago with two of my favorite left-handed pitchers, both who’d love to play important roles with the Mariners next year.
Ryan Rowland-Smith will have an excellent chance of doing that in the middle of the starting rotation. It may be a tougher sell for Eddie Guardado, the popular former closer who’d love for the last kick of his career to be in the Mariners’ bullpen.
When healthy, Rowland-Smith was an innings-eating stud this year. He pitched at least six innings in nine of his last 11 starts, and went at least seven innings in eight of the15 games he started in 2009. He developed tendinitis in his triceps in April and didn’t return to the M’s until July 24.
Rowland-Smth went 5-4, 3.74 and pitched 96 1/3 innings, and if he can repeat those over an entire season, he’d be a nice way to follow the big 1-2 of Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee in the rotation. That’s not to say Rowland-Smith would slide into the No. 3 slot because manager Don Wakamatsu may want to separate the left-handers (Lee and Rowland-Smith).
Speaking of Lee, Rowland-Smith is absolutely stoked, as he might say, about the opportunity to have such an accomplished left-hander as a teammate. Here’s part of an e-mail I received over the weekend from Rowland-Smith, who’s back in his native Australia:
“Been up on the Great Barrier Reef all week, so haven’t been around a computer. But I just heard about Cliff Lee, and I am very excited. He is one guy I couldn’t wait to watch pitch in the playoffs. He is definitely a guy I admire and look up to due to what he has done and gone through in his career, and it will be great to have a guy like that around to learn from. I hope he doesn’t mind me asking him a thousand questions.”
So, brace yourself Cliff.
And Guardado? He’d love to have the opportunity to toss a shaving cream pie at Lee or any Mariner next year. At age 39, he wants to pitch another year and returning to the Mariners would be a dream finish for Guardado.
He went into the 2009 season thinking it would be his last but, during the final series against the Mariners, said he had reconsidered after talking with his family. Nearly three months into the offseason, Guardado hasn’t changed his mind and he’s set on pitching another year, provided there’s an opportunity.
“I’ve gotten a few calls,” he said. “It’s nice to know because when you’re at my age and guys are still interested, that’s pretty good. I’m going to play one more year, for sure. Hopefully I can play over there in Seattle and join you guys again.”
He did say the Mariners weren’t one of the teams to call, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they don’t. While the M’s could use a left-handed relief specialist, Guardado was hardly that with the Rangers this year. Lefties batted .333 off him with a .400 on-base percentage, .519 slugging percentage and a .919 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Righies batted .228 off him. Overall, Guardado went 1-2 with a 4.46 ERA in 48 relief appearances with the Rangers this year.
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