As the dollars exploded in the free-agent market this past winter, the Seattle Mariners received their fair share of the blame for igniting it.
No one should have quibbled with the five-year, $64 million deal the Mariners gave third baseman Adrian Beltre, who is 26 and coming off a 48-homer season with the Los Angeles Dodgers that led the majors.
Where the Mariners drew criticism was their decision to give a four-year, $50 million contract to Richie Sexson, a right-handed hitter with enormous power who was coming off season-ending shoulder surgery.
The wisdom of those signings was further questioned because Seattle’s Safeco Park is notoriously tough on right-handed power hitters.
“There’s good reason to be concerned about the free-agent market,” Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi said. “It’s not really safe, but I’m not sure what investments are. I think it’s safer than the Rule IV (or amateur) draft. The Rule IV draft is a lot cheaper, but high school guys usually are guys who have never played a down in the big leagues. There are crapshoots in everything you do in baseball.
“Unless you’re willing to say we’re going to a youth movement for as long as it takes, it usually gets managers fired,” Bavasi said. “And soon after that, the GM is fired.”
One month into the season, Bavasi’s job security has strengthened as the Mariners wouldn’t dare consider where they would be without Beltre and Sexson. Through 23 games, the Mariners had just 15 homers – almost half from Sexson (five) and Beltre (two). Only the lineup-depleted Houston Astros and the low-budget Pittsburgh Pirates – who, like Seattle, play their home games in an unfriendly homer park – have demonstrated less power.
Seattle finished 63-99 last season primarily because its offense ranked last in the American League in home runs and scoring. But thanks largely to the additions of Sexson and Beltre, who lead the team with 17 and 16 RBIs, respectively, and a 180-degree turnaround by ace Jamie Moyer (7-13, 5.21 ERA last year; 4-0, 2.53 ERA this April), the Mariners entered Saturday an improved 12-11 and one game behind the Angels in the mediocre AL West.
So far, Beltre and Sexson appear to be money well spent.
Trade talk gets cyberspin
Nationals GM Jim Bowden writes a weekly column for the D.C. Examiner, a fledging newspaper owned by Coloradan Philip Anschutz. Bowden recently wrote that he’s had trade communications via the Internet with fellow GMs Theo Epstein of Boston, the Rockies’ Dan O’Dowd, Oakland’s Billy Beane, San Diego’s Kevin Towers and the Dodgers’ Paul De- Podesta. Bowden also said he frequently exchanges BlackBerry trade proposals with Beane.
“Jim e-mails me trade proposals,” O’Dowd said. “I get a kick out of it. I call him back, though. I’m old-fashioned that way.”
O’Dowd said despite the advances of cyberspace, he does not think the onslaught of deals made near the July 31 trading deadline will ever be consummated via e-mail.
“No, I think those will always be made by phone call,” O’Dowd said. “The Internet does not allow you to truly understand the thoughts of the general manager you’re dealing with. You don’t hear his inflection; you can misunderstand his tone – whether he’s joking or serious.”
One more nugget from Bowden’s column: He says the top two picks in the June amateur draft will be Virginia high school shortstop Justin Upton, the brother of highly touted Devil Rays’ shortstop B.J. Upton; and Nebraska Cornhuskers third baseman Alex Gordon.
The Diamondbacks and Royals will get the first shot at those players. The Nationals pick fourth and the Rockies select seventh.
Footnotes
As 16-game hitting streaks go, the Nationals’ Nick Johnson had one of the all-time weakest. He had just 18 hits during the streak, which ended Friday, and one homer – a solo shot that came in the streak’s 16th game. …
As leadoff men, the Rockies’ and the Mets’ Jose Reyes haven’t had the splendid starts people may think. Miles entered Saturday batting .333, but his on-base percentage was also .333. Reyes was hitting .267 with a .267 OBP. Incredibly, these two leadoff men had combined for zero walks in 173 at-bats. …
Since joining the Cubs last season, closer LaTroy Hawkins has blown 10-of-17 save chances with a one-run lead. …
The three position players who had the most at-bats without a hit entering the weekend were all backup catchers: Cleveland’s Josh Bard (0-for-12), Minnesota’s Corky Miller (0-for-12) and San Diego’s Miguel Ojeda (0-for-12). …
One reason for the home run decline is the two most recent ballpark additions have been pitcher-favorable. Only 14 homers had been hit through the first 11 games at Washington’s RFK Stadium, a 1.27 per game average that ranks 28th in the 30-stadium majors. At No. 30 is San Diego’s Petco Park, which opened last year and has allowed just seven homers in nine games (.78 per game average) this year.
