M’s Respond
That didn’t take long.
According to Ryan Divish and Larry Stone (both via twitter), Eric Byrnes has been DFA’d, and he will be replaced on the roster by Ryan Langerhans. Matt Tuiasosopo has been optioned to Tacoma, and he’ll be replaced by Josh Wilson.
It’s a start. This gives the Mariners a left-handed LF so that they have a real option to play the field and move Bradley to DH most days, allowing Junior to serve as late game pinch hitter (assuming Wak is willing to do this). And now that they have a real backup shortstop, they can actually pinch hit for Jack Wilson without too much fear, so those two moves work nicely together. Langerhans isn’t going to fix the offense by himself, but he’s a better hitter than Griffey right now, and having him in left instead of Bradley upgrades the defense as well. It’s a small improvement, but it’s improvement.
There’s more work to be done, but congratulations to the M’s front office for making some of the right moves. There’s still the issue of Sweeney’s spot on this roster, but I’ll give them until Tuesday to sort that out. They have roughly over 40 hours before the next game at Safeco. They don’t have to make that move right now.
A quick update via Shannon Drayer’s twitter: The “next move will not be a 60 day DL move.” This is noteworthy because the M’s have to clear a spot on the 40 man roster for both Langerhans and Josh Wilson, and they only opened one by releasing Byrnes. So, someone else is going away before Tuesday. However, before we all get our hopes up that the guy going away might be a right-handed hugging machine, Drayer also notes that the guy is “most likely not on the 25 man roster.”
With Byrnes gone, the last two moves of the off season have failed.
Byrnes and Garko were signed to come in to provide a right handed platoon bat, and to do it cheaply. It was a good idea, picking up guys that looked like they could hit lefties, but in general weren’t good enough to cost much. However, it failed as they both washed out.
So, will the Mariners look to try again with other players? Or will they give up on having right handers on the bench who would only be valuable in road games against lefties?
Adam S, the team is going to be a bit hamstrung if they face a lefty specialist. They can’t pinch hit for Langerhans or Kotchman. Please Jack, DFA Sweeney!
And don’t forget that thing he had on his chin. Forcing people to look at that day-glo goatee was probably more offensive than the salute.
So yeah, perspective, this isn’t the first time we’ve had something to complain about (probably why we’re so nimble hopping off the bandwagon and chucking rocks…)
Still at least two more shoes to fall today. One of course is the 2nd 40-man roster spot, and the other is the backup OF.
They are going to have a backup OF, right?
Interesting reading He Whose Blog Shall Not Be Mentioned on these transactions. It’s like he borrowed his talking points from Bush/Palin speech writers: vigorously disdaining all the alleged “finger pointing” and the “the blame game” being played in certain unnamed (but
weyou know whoweyou are) quarters. Somebody needs a hug.Blasted, JMHawkins. You beat me to Rick White. This is why I want to give up sleep.
What’s the opinion on Mike Lowell? He is rotting on the BoSox bench right now and he seems like he could work well against lefties at DH with Bradly out in Left.
I think the John Parrish Era deserves an honorable mention.
I think the John Parrish Era deserves a dishonorable mention.
There, EC…I fixed it for ya! 🙂
I say they start Jr/Sweeney in left and Bradley as dh everyday and immediately move Bradley the left. Let the pitchers hit, see how long it takes watching pitchers hit better then them for one of them to retire!
argh: Did I miss something? When did the link disappear from the right column and why?
Go over to Lookout Landing ~April 28 — more than any human being could ever want to know about the kerfluffle. That’s at least a good bit of the story apparently. At least it’s all I’ve seen.