Shelton gets DFAd
DMZ · August 1, 2009 at 3:23 pm · Filed Under Mariners
In one sense, Chris Shelton is freed.
In another, more real sense, it’s inexplicable why Mike Sweeney is taking a roster spot while Shelton is punted.
In one sense, Chris Shelton is freed.
In another, more real sense, it’s inexplicable why Mike Sweeney is taking a roster spot while Shelton is punted.
Umm…. crap.
Doesn’t make much sense to me, either.
Chris isn’t good at hugging.
Sorry, just posted this in the other thread.
Given the available alternatives, I find this very disappointing.
I hate Miguel Batista.
Not going to lose any sleep over Chris Shelton getting DFA’d. He’s not part of the M’s plans and he isn’t going to make the difference between making the playoffs or not.
There is no reason to hate on Mike Sweeney. Whatever he’s doing it’s making Wak happy. Sweeney and Griffey retiring gracefully with the M’s is a good thing. DFA’ing a fringe ne’er-do-well is life in the big leagues.
Is it impossible that this could just be a step to him being traded for something decent? Something that everyones favorite uncle Mike Sweeney was not going to give you?
I’m reserving judgement, but I’ll be pissed if it was just that they couldnt carry Sweeney and Shelton on the roster, uber pissed.
Well thank goodness Batista is off the books after this season.
Now only two more years of Silva on the books after this year, as well as Kenji…and then the putrid Bavasi contracts will be gone.
Well, does this mean he’s gone or can he go to Tacoma if no one claims him? Regardless of his chances of making the 2009 team, it seems like a waste to punt him (although it might not necessarily be for nothing if we can work out a trade). Now, punting Batista or Sweeney for nothing….
Shelton’s presence has no effect on the rest of this season. It’s not like he’s going to pull off a mask and reveal he’s Albert Pujols in disguise.
With the playoffs realistically out of reach, a guy like Sweeney is nice to have around to keep things loose and to keep building a positive environment.
Yes, morale doesn’t show up on box scores, and the Bavasi school of a happy clubhouse is a winning club house is horribly misguided, but I think at this point in the season, keeping Sweeney around is fine.
Wish Z could punt Silva for nothing…at least that would free up a roster spot.
YOU HAVE GOT… to be kidding me.
Shelton gone? And Sweeney stays??
Judith H. Christ.
Either Shelton is the most snakebitten quality major-leaguer in recent memory, or I figure Sweeney has highly embarrassing photographs of all members of the Mariners’ FO.
Otherwise, there’s no rationale for this that I can find acceptable. Shelton isn’t on his last legs and can hit for power..Sweeney is and can’t. Their gloves are a wash, IMHO.
But Sweeney’s the one who stays????
Z, I love what you’re doing in general. But I don’t get this, on the face of it. You could’ve at least taken a look at Shelton for the next two months and figured what plans- if any- you could have for him.
You have to know Sweeney- and Griffey- have nothing left.
I don’t get this.
Well, bench RH hitter / substitute 1B / DH platoon is not much of a life, or a loss, either way. (Though I don’t know where anyone would get off calling him a “ne’er-do-well”). Given the point in the season and the surplus of those guys in the system (even with Clement gone) I can’t say I can generate much outrage. Yeah, on strictly value terms there’s no question Shelton wins instead of Sweeney (or a couple of other people) but if other considerations mean that this looks like the right decision to Zduriencik and Wakamatsu, I’m fine with that.
With Silva on the 60 DL, I think his roster spot is already free although I guess I could be wrong.
Anyways, does anybody know how Shawn Kelley’s core numbers have been lately? Is he throwing fewer strikes or missing fewer bats or anything like that? His results have been much worse. Worse to the point where I wonder if maybe he was the guy to send down. He’s clearly a talented kid and a part of our club’s future, but it looks like he has a couple problems to work out and AAA seems like a good place to let him do it. Either that or we should’ve cut Batista.
Wow… Just … wow. Really though? Really?
If Sweeney and Griffy are on this team in 2010, then I’ll be pissed. Otherwise… ehh.
Is it impossible that this could just be a step to him being traded for something decent?
Right. (People shouldn’t equate being DFA’d with being released.)
Who knows? SHELTON may even remain Mariner property, and ply his wares just a short drive away
Yeah, Sweeney should have gone instead, but honestly, it doesn’t really matter that much. It’s not like he was going to be all to valuable anyway. I don’t really care too much.
At this point, I really don’t think this is a huge deal, however, it is kind of frustrating how Sweeney almost seems like a sacred cow. That being said, the description’s of Sweeney in the clubhouse tend to annoy me. People discuss his “leadership” like he is a wise Indian sage, mixed with an adorable golden retriever. One guy can not have a positive effect on the clubhouse that it is suggested that Sweeney has.
Lastly, he is good friends with Larry the Cable Guy. I hate Larry the Cable Guy.
Ok, the more I think about this, the more annoying I find it. If I was Shelton, I would not be happy. Atleast we now Sweeney is on his ahem “last legs.”
An adorable golden retriever that’s also a wise Indian sage makes a great mental image.
it wears a Mariner cap.
I too am not wild about Sweeney, nor do I think a “positive clubhouse” is an overwhelming factor in the success of a team… But I have to admit that when I’ve heard Mariners talk about the clubhouse atmosphere this season, they often mention Sweeney’s positive effect upon it. You’re probably right, though; they do often mention Griffey as well, so I guess it’s not just “one guy.”
The only positive thing anyone has associated with Sweeney this year has been his effect on the clubhouse atmosphere. But I’d rather my team be miserable and win 100 games than be cutesy and hug and kiss each other after winning on a rare occasion. We already have a DH who can’t hit, so we punt Shelton who we know has a bat so we can keep another DH who can’t hit just because of his veteran status and his bear hugs? Oh boy, Bavasi era déjà vu.
Really? Man, that pretty much cancels any goodwill I had towards the guy. Forever. Even if his [url=http://www.mynorthwest.com/index.php?nid=374&sid=167149]babysitting[/url] contributes to Rob Johnson’s cERA.
Oops, let’s try that again:
Really? Man, that pretty much cancels any goodwill I had towards the guy. Forever. Even if his babysitting contributes to Rob Johnson’s cERA.
Annoying. Sweeney sucks. Sweeney is old. Shelton does not. Shelton is not.
Ummmm… DMZ, have you ever heard of the word ‘intangibles’???
When it comes to clubhouse character Shelton is league average. Sweeney on the other posts an impressive +2.5 win share.
I’m confused, is Sweeney a golden retriever with a Mariners cap on its head, or a sacred cow? And when you mix in the wise Indian sage, is that a western or eastern sort of Indian (the sacred cow suggests the latter, but sage rather than guru suggests the former).
Maybe he’s a golden retriever with a Mariners cap on its head riding a sacred cow across the purple sage?
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them doggies rollin’
Rawhide!
Agreed. It would really anger me if they were letting Sweeney had the everyday 1B job simply because he is such a great guy. But he has 150 PA at DH in the inaugural season of the “we all get along” era and keeping him for two more months isn’t going to affect things a whole lot. If he were to get released instead of Shelton, there might be another win, but if I’m Z, I’ll eat that win for the sake of (gasp) clubhouse chemistry (gasp).
It’s hard to argue with you guys about anything on here cause most of it makes a lot of sense. I have been reading this site daily for a couple years.
Also, I am aware club house leadership or chemistry dosen’t mean much to you guys. However, if it is in Jack we trust and we all love that guy around here. Let hime make the changes he has to make.
I think chemistry matters a lot more than we understand. What Jack and Wak are trying to do with this ballclub is create a whole new atmosphere. They are bring in new players that fit the skill set that they value. But, its not just about skills. Attitude has a huge factor with anything that you do. Let alone aa s team or an entire organization. It all starts in the head. They are changing the culture of this team. This has been a team that has forgotten how to win. It has been 8 long frustrating years of stupid management. Since we have been to the playoffs. Jack is laying the foundation to a new team and the right attitude makes a huge difference.
This is simply a terrible move.
What the last couple of weeks have given us is the gift of watching the core of our 2010 team compete for the rest of the season against major league competition–much of it fighting for playoff spots.
The continued presence of Griffey and Sweeney prevents us from better understanding what our needs will be in the offseason in the 1B/DH roles. First Clement, and now Shelton could have well helped answer those questions for us given the requisite ABs. Instead, both of them are gone for the sake of two guys who can’t hit as well as Edgar could right now…can’t run as well as Zdurencik…and make Ibanez look like Gutierrez.
Really, the huge misstep of this entire season has been the waste of our DH position.
The biggest misstep of this season is all the stuff that happened last season. I was much more sorry to Clement and even Wlad go. Heck, I think there is a decent chance he is playing 1st in tacoma next week.
From a performance standpoint, I don’t really see the a huge difference between dropping a -0.1 WAR who didn’t played enough in favor of a -0.5 WAR player, who doesn’t really play a lot. They are both in the way of Carp. And if having Sweeney and Griffey around make Wak’s first season easier, then so be it.
I am bothered that we are denying Royals fans the opportunity for a Mike Sweeney Farewell Tour. After they took Yuni off our hands, we owe them that much. Maybe we can send him back there for some delicious BBQ or something, let him retire in style…
Soooooo I don’t get it.
If you think the team is not competitive, why keep Sweeney around? He has zero long-term value to the team, and the team employs a managerial staff (and Griffey, among others) to keep the clubhouse happy, if you think that’s important. He’s not a part of the long-term plans, and he’s taking a roster spot they could use on someone interesting or useful.
If you think the team is competitive, or that they should try and win games this year, why keep Sweeney around? He can’t hit, can’t play defense. At least Shelton can hit, and play bad defense at third in a pinch in addition to first. He’s a useful part of a bench.
He was Pujolsian for one month a couple of years ago. More than Pujolsian. Sure, there was luck involved, but Shelton is young and has shown potential for being a very good hitter. Sweeney on the other hand is playing out the end of a nice career. He was a good ballplayer, but his body is held together with ace bandages and pine tar these days. Shelton has much greater odds of being a valuable hitter next year than Sweeney.
Shelton is 29 years old, past his peak. I know, that’s not perfect for everybody. But I don’t think this is that big of a deal. If Shelton were any good, then surely somebody would have offered Zduriencik a 25-year-old AA reliever for him before the trade deadline. Obviously, nobody else in major league baseball cares that much about Chris Shelton, and he will likely be in Tacoma whenever the rules say he can be.
He hasn’t done anything in the majors since 2006. Maybe he will become a right-handed Russell Branyan, but obviously his 11 Ks in 28 plate appearances this year were.
The M’s will have the same record whether Mike Sweeney or Chris Shelton is batting from the right side at DH. And Griffey probably plays better defense at 3rd, and he’s left-handed.
I guess Branyan’s back is good, and we won’t need a backup to take any reps for the rest of the season. It will be interesting to see who gets cut when Beltre comes back next week. If it is Sweeney, then no big deal. It can’t be Hanahan, because Beltre isn’t going to be an iron horse coming back so soon from surgery.
But then without Shelton or Sweeney, who do you have to back up first and DH? Bring Carp back? Tui? Nelson?
When Beltre comes back, I think Sweeney’s knees might stiffen up on him again, requiring a DL stint…
As to who would back up first… Hannahan and/or Lopez, probably. Hardly ideal, but the most likely scenario given the roster.
I’m not sure about their lives off the field, but Sweeney and Branyan have become Siamese twins on the top step of the dugout – those two dudes are completely inseparable. I hate use the word chemistry, but Shelton’s DFA could simply be the small price which allows Sweeney to chum around with Branyan long enough to keep Branyan happy and in Seattle through 2011.
From Baker:
Doesn’t make it the right decision, but 1 more month of Sweeney over someone who could contribute more for 2009 doesn’t mean a ton in the grand scheme of things.
It’s just the Willie Bloomquist, 25th-man-on-the-roster argument. Yes, if you’re trying to eke every fractional win out of the roster, it matters. If you’re no longer in contention, it doesn’t. There are still reasons to keep him up for the purposes of planning for 2010, but those fall into a bin with whole lot of other off-field considerations that we’re not privy to, so I just have to defer to the decisions made by the people who are.