The Mariners have signed outfielder Gabe Gross to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, according to the team's official Twitter feed. Gross is represented by Moye Sports Associates.
Gross, 31, declared free agency after being outrighted off the Athletics' 40-man roster in October. The former first-round pick of the Blue Jays hit .239/.290/.311 with one home run in 105 games for the A's last season.
What’s the point? AAA filler maybe? Geez this has been the most gawd awful, boring Mariner offseason EVER.
What’s the point? AAA filler maybe? Geez this has been the most gawd awful, boring Mariner offseason EVER.
What’s the point? AAA filler maybe? Geez this has been the most gawd awful, boring Mariner offseason EVER.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
That was a AAA post.
It has been boring yes but maybe you are unaware that the M’s had no money to spend this year. Just more competition for the backup outfielder. Otherwise he’s AAA bound. I expect Langerhans will once again be the 4th OF’er.
Who is stopping the Mariners from spending money? they had big contracts fall off the book and besides Milton Bradley being a cancer they have three players making just under 20 million and all of their other players make peanuts compared to other teams, their opening day payroll will be a whopping 85 million bucks, and that is less than the 91 million of last year and including the what I call “gift from Jojima” in where he voided his contract, they have money to spend and it sickens me the owners are content with this team, they never seem to want a left handed power bat like Adam Dunn who could crush at Safeco, which was built for left handers.
Spending more money on this team right now is exactly what we have been doing and it DOESNT work! Havent you learned from the Bavasi years? Or even last year? We have a great young system, the key now is to be patient and let them develop. Even if the M’s got Dunn, we still wouldnt contend this year and we would be stuck with yet another 30+ year old power bat with no real purpose other then homers hogging up money on the roster. {See Richie Sexson} We need to keep doing what we are doing and in 2-4 years we will be back in the running.with the young guys starting to make there mark and contracts from Bradley and co off the books. THAT would be the time to go after a monster bat to be the center peice of the line up because that would be when we would have a shot at winning. Not now.
Ben, THANK YOU FOR THIS POST! I totally agree. People need to quit with the whole “Spending all our money” concept, and start with the “Giving kids a shot” concept.
Mariners ownership…. that’s who. One of the biggest problems facing the M’s is an owner that doesn’t care about baseball. The Mariners, believe it or not, continue to be profitable. I’m looking forward to this year actually. I get to see the M’s future actually play this year instead of being blocked by overpaid aging veteran garbage. The offense might be better than people expect. We got a REAL DH this year and I think Figgins will do well moving back to 3rd base. Brendan Ryan could get his bat back with a healthy wrist and Smoak just might figure out ML pitching and live up to his hype. Guti is no slouch either. I don’t think it will be as bad as people think.
What’s the point? AAA filler maybe? Geez this has been the most gawd awful, boring Mariner offseason EVER.
You can say that three times.
Yeah, we should’ve traded for Vernon Wells and signed a guy who’s going to be 32 this year to a 7 year contract. Watch how successful these franchises are for the next few years, then reconsider if “boring” is worse than throwing money around for no reason.
Amen
The move to acquire Gross is little more than a AAA depth signing. If he performs well in spring training, he might find himself in competition with Langerhans and Gerut for the 4Th outfielder’s spot on the 25-man roster.
Nice pickup. You can’t go wrong on a minor league deal. And Gross plays all three outfield positions well enough to make a nice 4th OF, if worse comes to worst.
The guy was solid for the Rays in 2008 when he was shielded from lefties. Not sure what happened to him since then. If nothing else I’m sure he can be a good defensive replacement in left…he has a hell of a cannon.
Could be a nice addition to the M’s bench. Here’s my AL West predictions: Rangers-95-67 Angels-89-73 A’s-86-76 Mariners-63-99
My fellow mariners fans, QUIT CRYING! Boo hoo, the mariners are not wasting millions on over the hill veterans, and are signing people to minor league deals, so they can try to make the team along with the kids, yet somehow that is bad? So vladimir Guerrero would be a good signing? Spend all the money we have this year to spend so we can use him for a season, which we most likely won’t be winning it all? I mean seriously, I am gettin mad with my fellow fans. You guys want Bill Bavasi type moves, instead of moves benefiting our young kids. Which even more people seem to complain about. Love the fact you guys know that Justin Smoak is a huge bust, and Montero is going to be a superstar. Hmmm…Sooo…a 22 year old kid, who comes in the major leagues, plays what I feel was ok for a young guy, but to others, sucked. Hmmm… good evaluating. I suppose Bleaven and Lueke both suck too? Considering they have played only 1 less season, they must be bad too…Oh and Morrow man, that was terrible…cause Morrow obviously had a future in this organization, after Bavasi screwed him up. Oh and the reliever who was one of our more solid relievers, and Chavez, the young outfielder really sucks… People like you guys are why this organization continues to struggle every year. You guys whine and complain for us to throw our money away, and then say “This has bee so boring, Jack Z sucks. Why hasn’t he traded for another Cliff Lee?!?!” Let the young guys play, it’s part of rebuilding. Save up our money to when we are actually competing, and hope to grab a guy liek gross, a diamond in the rough, hopin he has a few breakout years. In other words, GOOD MOVE M’s, and I have had enough with the majority of my fellow mariner’s fans.
Can’t wait for the 2011 season!
We need to keep in mind that there are a few different guys who have massive incentive laden contracts. So there small peanuts contract right now might not stay small if they make the opening day roster.
Gross>Bradley