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Around Baseball: Mariners Closer-less After Shipping Putz To Mets
By Administrator | December 11, 2008
In 2006 and 2007, Seattle closer JJ Putz was about as good as any closer in the game (seventy-six saves over the two-year period). In 2008, he struggled with both his performance and injuries (to his ribcage and elbow). So as a result, in 2009, he will find himself pitching the eighth innings in the National League rather than the ninth innings in the American League.
Late last night, the Mariners shipped him to the New York Mets as part of a three-team, 12-player trade… and as a result, Mets General Manager Omar Minaya has completely overhauled his team’s bullpen — all within a twenty-four hour period. Just hours after signing new closer Francisco Rodriguez, Minaya obtained Putz from Seattle to serve as a setup man .
New York dealt seven players — six to the Mariners and one to Cleveland — and got three in return in the three-team trade among the Mariners, Mets and Cleveland Indians. The Mets sent pitchers Aaron Heilman and Jason Vargas, outfielder Endy Chavez and three minor leaguers to the Mariners for Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green… they also sent reliever Joe Smith to the Indians in the deal. [The three minor leaguers New York sent to Seattle were first baseman Mike Carp, right-hander Maikel Cleto and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera]
In his first trade, new Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik also received five-tool outfield prospect Franklin Gutierrez from the Indians.
For its part, Cleveland got Smith (from the Mets) and 23-year-old second baseman Luis Valbuena from the Mariners.
While Zduriencik said the trade “helps all of us”, it’s hard to see where the Mariners will be better in 2009 as a result of this trade — or in 2010, for that matter.
As a result of the trade, the club is without a closer unless they want to move highly-touted Brandon Morrow into that role… most pundits think that would be a HUGE mistake, but it seems a possibility in consideration of the success the Red Sox have had with Jonathan Papelbon. Alternatively, Seattle might consider using newly-acquired Aaron Heilman in that role, but he failed in that role in New York and there seems to be little reason to believe he would succeed at it in the tougher American League.
Putz, an all-star in 2007, was 6-5, 3.88, with 15 saves (23 save opportunities) last season when he missed long stretches with injuries (ribcage, elbow)… but by the end of the season he appeared to have rounded back into form as he hit 98 - 99 on the radar gun consistently in his last few outings. My guess is that he will return to his ‘06-’07 form but be unhappy in his new role (in recent days he said he wants to remain a closer).
The key to the deal from the Seattle perspective was Gutierrez, who batted .248, with 8 HR and 41 RBI in 2008. He is a skilled defender in center field (he played right field in Cleveland because of the presence of all-star Grady Sizemore).
The Indians have a plethora of talented young outfielders and were able to sacrifice him in exchange for Smith (a submarine-style right-hander who was 6-3, 3.55, last season) and Valbuena. Indians GM Mark Shapiro said: “Joe Smith clearly goes right in the major league bullpen as a guy we’ve had long-term interest in. (He offers) a different look, complements our ‘pen well. We think he can be an important part of the back end of our bullpen”.
The trade is clearly a good one for the Mets and okay for Cleveland, but I’m not sure I would want to be a Seattle fan this morning.
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Gutierrez will have to turn into a productive, everyday major league center fielder for this trade to have merit, as otherwise it is a quantity over quality trade for Zduriencik — the kind of trade that usually ends a career rather than starts one. Gutierrez, 26, is a career .258/.308/.409 hitter over 807 major league at-bats… thus, he’s not the kind of player you usually get back when dealing a closer. But he has shown glimpses of potential and if he hits for more power with increased playing time his defense will make him (at least) an average regular.
Heilman, 30, was terrific prior to last season, primarily in a relief role (16-15, 3.21 in 208 appearances, including seven starts, from 2005 - 2007). He has said he would prefer to start, and the Mariners will almost assuredly give him that opportunity. Last year he finished the season with a dismal 5.51 ERA, but he struck out 80 in 76 innings.
The rest of the players acquired by the Mariners are chaffe and, thus, make this trade suspect. OF Endy Chavez is a light-hitting outfielder who would be a great late-inning defender on a contender, but would appear to be of little value to the Mariners. Reliever Jason Vargas was highly regarded when drafted by the Marlins but has failed to live up to expectations — though he is still young (25 yo) and left-handed. Carp, 22, hit .299/.403/.471 at Double-A last season, but he does not play defense particularly well and struggles against left-handers… the best-case scenario here seems to be as part of a platoon (probably at 1B). Carrera is likely a younger version of Chavez — with more speed and less ability in the field. According to scouting reports, Cleto is not likely to EVER wear a major league uniform.
As for the other players in the deal, Reed will likely replace Chavez at the end of the Mets bench, and Green has a chance to stick in their bullpen. Valbuena, 23, hit .303/.382/.431 in Double-A and Triple-A this season and then made his major league debut with Seattle in September (.245/.315/.347, in 45 at-bats). He’s currently hitting .280/.333/.510 in Venezuela. The scouting reports suggest he might have a major league career ahead of him — IF he works hard at his conditioning. His bat won’t play at third base, but if he sheds some weight and can remain at second base he could turn out to be a decent major leaguer.
Topics: Around Baseball |
