Benitez Interest Limited?
Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal has a Giants source who indicated that the Marlins are the only team so far to show interest in Armando Benitez. With another dire report on J.J. Putz's elbow, perhaps the Mariners will reconsider. If they think he could handle the pressure, perhaps the Phillies would get involved.
The Benitez discussion seems to have grown old for some Giants fans.
Aside from Benitez and Jorge Julio, possibly available relievers include Byung-Hyun Kim, Scott Linebrink, Chad Cordero, Akinori Otsuka, Rheal Cormier, Rudy Seanez, Rick Bauer, and Scott Feldman.
3 of the 8 you listed are Rangers. Don't the Rangers need pitching instead of trading it away?! How foolish of them!!
Posted by: mtex | March 16, 2007 at 10:36 AM
I don't get at all why the Giants are so eager to move Benitez, unless they are thinking he is going to suck and that his trade value is only going down from here. It's not like they have some stacked bullpen.
OTOH- I would think that there would be more teams willing to take a flyer on Benitez in a set up role. If he's healthy and as good as just two years ago, you could do a lot worse.
Posted by: jakec | March 16, 2007 at 10:57 AM
I think more teams would be willing to take a shot on Benitez if he wasn't due for a absolutely crazy $7.6M this year.
Posted by: ae | March 16, 2007 at 11:14 AM
ae, if they are even talking to the Marlins, clearly the Giants are willing to pick up a ton of that salary.
Posted by: jakec | March 16, 2007 at 02:52 PM
The talk has been the Giants pay for all of Benitez's salary while the Marlins give up a good prospect: Petit has been the name I've seen in the media.
The reason Benitez is being offered around is that, as someone noted, he pointed the finger of blame at other players and not himself for his troubles last year, and very publicly too.
If he hadn't done that, the Giants would probably be OK with going with him into opening day. Bochy has been toeing the company line and saying that he hopes Armando is back and pitching for the Giants. But I don't see how he returns to the clubhouse with that hanging over his head.
I would also noted, that just because teams are looking at certain relievers doesn't mean that they are available (or easily available).
Posted by: obsessivegiantscompulsive | March 16, 2007 at 04:37 PM