4:31pm: The Mariners confirmed the deal via press release.
8:57am: The Mariners and Franklin Gutierrez are in agreement on a one-year, $1MM contract, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes (Twitter links). The Octagon client can earn an additional $2MM via incentives, according to Rojas, who adds that Gutierrez's incentives begin when he reaches 250 plate appearances That milestone would net him an additional $200K.
Gutierrez posted a .248/.273/.503 in 141 plate appearances in 2013 — his age-30 season. A pair of hamstring injuries shelved Gutierrez for the majority of the season, marking the third straight year in which injuries have caused him to spend more than 60 games on the disabled list. Since Opening Day 2011, Gutierrez has appeared in 173 games but missed 283 games while on the disabled list.
When healthy, it's tough to deny his upside, however. The veteran inked a four-year, $20.5MM extension with the Mariners after an outstanding 2009 season in which he batted .283/.339/.425 with 18 homers, 16 stolen bases and turned in the best center field defense in the game, all totaling a stellar 6.0 WAR. Following his injuries, the Mariners made the obvious call to decline the $7.5MM fifth-year option on that contract in favor of a $500K buyout.
Gutierrez will join an outfield mix that currently includes Dustin Ackley, Michael Saunders and recent signee Corey Hart, though Seattle has other options on the 40-man roster such as Abraham Almonte, Xavier Avery and Carlos Peguero. The team has also been linked to both Nelson Cruz and Shin-Soo Choo as GM Jack Zduriencik looks to bolster a perennially low-scoring offense.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports first reported last night that the Mariners and Gutierrez were nearing a new contract.
So instead of the Tigers going after Gutierrez, they give Rajai Davis a 2 yr 10 million deal? I know Gutierrez has problems staying healthy but as the RH bat in an OF platoon he would have only been making 60-70 starts anyways. Then they could have used the money they saved on signing Gutierrez instead of Rajai and use it towards their awful bullpen.
Mariners sure have a lot of players that will be good IF they can stay healthy. LoMo, Hart and Gutierrez played a total of 126 games between them in 2013.
Was Hart’s injury a lingering one or one that typically takes a year to recover from? I know he got surgery on both knees but I wasn’t sure if he had setbacks or if it was just normal recovery…
I’m very impressed by the moves Seattle is making!
I expected him to get a $2m Base w/incentives. I “like” this move a LOT.
Some people might think you like this a bit too much… 7 of the 11 comments so far are yours, and you even responded to one of your own comments. hehehe That said, I think excitement is valid. Guti is great when he can play. Its not like he was Figgins who could have lost his starting role to a cardboard cutout…. If Guti can give us 1 full season, hopefully it’ll be enough of a show to push other OF’ers to consider coming to Seattle and maybe sign another 1 year extension.
When healthy he’s the BEST Defensive CFer in the game. Interestingly in his 151 PAs in 2013 Gutz hit 10 HRs, which avgs out to 40+ HRs if he actually hit 600-650.
I doubt he will ever be the BEST again. I also doubt he will ever have a 20 homer season, much less 40.
Guti reminds me of a guy named Brain Roberts
I’ve been saying that the past 2 years. I got curious a while back to see which team came out worse during the last 4 years, SEA or BAL. In terms of games played It wasn’t as close as I thought it would have been.
Guti 325 games for $18.625m
Roberts 192 games for $40m
SEA Lost $9.38m
BAL Lost $28.2m
you can’t count on Gutz for 600 PA’s, but 15-22 HRs on a platoon OF/DH situation and 300 PAs should be pretty doable. If he splits 50/50 time between CF & DH he could very possibly hit 500-600 PAs.
Nice move Seattle!
call it a hunch, but i’m getting the sense you like this move.
Platoon OF/DH situation and he could hit 500-600 PAs and 30+ HRs
yeah… right. you realize his career high is 18 right?
I wanted Granderson & Ellsbury in Seattle, but with the LH/RH splits in Seattle’s OF with Hart and Gutz HRs, Seattle has the cheapest OF with some very decent D and 60 HR potential between Gutz and Hart
$7M for Gutz & Hart (w/incentives) versus $37M/yr for Granderson and Ellsbury. That $30M ‘extra’ Seattle can use now to land Tanaka & Price. Interesting!
How is Seattle going to land Price with $? TB wants prospects that JZ doesn’t want to part with, not cash. Plus what good would it do for the team in 2 years when not only is Price gone, but so is the Walker & whoever else?
Nice to bring back Gutierrez as an insurance backup outfielder for defense liability. Jack Z and Scott Boras better get on the phone to inquire Shin
Soo Choo of bringing him back to Seattle on a reasonable contract signing. Then, the team can trade Nick Franklin, Justin Smoak or Jesus Montero, and either a Dustin Ackley or Michael Saunders to a team that has pitching and can use help at first & second base and outfield help if a team like the Reds can pull off the deal to move Arroyo or Bailey.
The Mariners OF and 1B is a mess just like lasr yr. I hope they can get it sorted out .
Yeah! It’s like groundhog day.
I don’t think Jack Z understands that 5 guys can’t all play 1B or LF at the same time. And you would think he would have learned from last years Catching Catastrophes and addressed that situation first, But no.
Can’t count on him to be healthy. I was hoping we’d be looking to add players without questions of their health being so prominent. Last 3 signings are injury prone guys who combined played about 3/4s of the year in 2013.
The way it works is you play one, keep the other two on the bench. Then when the first one goes down in late May, you bring in the second until late July. When he goes down the third comes in to carry you through September.
Not sure what happens if you make it to October though…
Carlos Peguero as an option, surely you jest.
I find it pretty hilarious that Peguero is still on the 40 man. King Felix hasn’t ran him out of town yet?
Yeah, how is that going to work out next year. Poor Felix is not having a good winter. Did anybody think it was odd that his house caught on fire too?