Mariners signed knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, left-hander Fabio Castro, infielder Luis Rodriguez and right-hander Chris Smith, the team announced today. All four receive invitations to big league Spring Training.
Haeger, 27, appeared in nine games for the Dodgers this year. He struck out 30 batters in 30 innings, but walked 26 and posted an 8.40 ERA. He has generated strikeouts throughout his five-year MLB career, but has walked 6.4 batters per inning.
was haeger a minor league free agent?
He was cut in the middle of last season. But this is really interesting, when he;s on, he’s uhittable…And Fabio Castro is a diminiative left handed reliever whose career has been plagued by injury problems. I think he found a good place to pitch.
Luis Rodriguez on the other hand…I forget who it was, maybe Dave Cameron, but someone said that next season, Luis Rodriguez might be the Andres Torres of last season. I think he played in Japan or something and dominated there. Speaking of Japan and domination, did anybody hear anything about Tsuyoshi Nishioka?
I think he was DFA’d then outrighted; allegedly had turf-toe for a convenience DL move thrown in as well.
I think you’re right. And my bad by the way on Rodriguez…He did not play in Japan, he was with the Charlotte Knights of the International League in 2010…He had a fine season as well.
Going to be crowded there at Spring Training…..
I hope Haeger doesn’t do to the Marlins what he did to VanHalen.
Though I like the Roth era more, there were more “hits” involved with Haeger
(Strategical PUN intended)
After his stint with the Dodgers last year, I think more in terms of cartoon strips. Haeger the Horrible, anyone?
Haeger could end up a good relief pitcher for the M’s.
It’s funny how Theo Epstein gets made fun of for these type of scrap heap signings. Last winter Jack Z was the best GM in baseball if you asked anyone around these parts (:
That still the case or is he a cheap bum who should be fired now?
Jack Zduriencik has been a great addition in Seattle. No person could have predicted the 2010 season would turn out like it did.
Due to payroll cuts in Seattle over the last two seasons and the money invested in the Milton Bradley deal, the M’s are in a place where they have only 10M-15M to spend. This leaves them with little choice but to pick from the “scrap heap.”
And for the record, the Bradley mess is because of Bill Bavasi. He gave Silva a 4YR/48M deal. When Zduriencik traded Silva to the Cubs for Bradley and 9M, M’s fans everywhere were excited. In my opinion, the budget cuts in Seattle have to do with the Mariners organization unwillingness to be a team that has a payroll over 100M and lose over 100 games again.
I don’t mean to trash Jack Z at all, I think he’s a pretty good GM. It’s just funny how last winter he was like GM Jesus and now he’s (nor the vastly overrated ’10 Mariners) not even mentioned around these parts. And really, how could someone not see Seattle’s 2010 season coming? If your cleanup hitter is Casey Kotchman your team is in big trouble. Not to mention how their starting lineup is littered with guys (Adam Moore, Jose Lopez, Josh Wilson, Russell Branyan, Jose Lopez, and Justin Smoak) who can’t even touch a .250 batting average. I laughed last winter and I laugh even harder now when I think of how people were talking about how the Mariners would win the West this year. Lmao. I may have picked Oakland to win it, but I wasn’t that far off.
Jack Zduriencik put a reasonably good roster together. He invested in defensive wizards like 1B Kotchman and SS Wilson. Those picks along with others didn’t pan out. The majority of Seattle Mariner position players had career lows for 2010.
Of course it didn’t help for Seattle managers to bat 1B Kotchman 3rd, DH Griffey 5th, and to employ C Johnson.
He’s walking 6.4 batters/inning?!?!?!? Don’t you mean 6.4 per 9 innings.
As a Dodger fan, it sure seemed closer to 6.4 per inning.
I’m glad Haeger is no longer an option for the Dodgers.
I could see him doing slightly better in the more spacious Safeco Field, however. Watching him with the Dodgers, it seemed every AB resulted in either strikeout, walk, pop up or homerun.
I thought the Rangers had the best farm in baseball?
No, I was seriously wondering. I am interested in hearing about prospects and how healthy each team’s minor league system is, but that said I don’t follow the minor league system rankings at all. Last time I heard, which was, as you guessed, a year ago, the Rangers, Rays, and A’s had the best systems but the Mariners hardly cracked the top 20. I was just wondering what happened to make you think the M’s have the best system now because I’d be lying if I said I religiously follow every team’s system.