Sweeney Re-Signs

by ~ February 12th, 2010 at 11:11 am

The Seattle Mariners have re-signed DH/1B Mike Sweeney to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training.  The official press release says he’ll be “competing for a spot,” but you can bet that this move is Seattle throwing Sweeney a bone and letting him audition for other teams, as Larry LaRue reported recently.

Sweeney isn’t likely to make the team.  He’ll have to rely on a series of unfortunate events to get him a job, including a Ryan Garko injury or complete breakdown, a rough spring for Tommy Everidge and Matt Tuiasosopo, and anything else that could make him a more attractive option.

I wonder what this could do to team morale.  Sweeney has been cited as one of the major clubhouse influences last season, if not the major clubhouse influence.  How does the team react to having him around early on only to be booted to the curb before Opening Day?  I’m sure they’ll be just fine, but you’ve got to think a few guys would be bummed out.

Update: Geoff Baker:

Mike Sweeney just said on a conference call that, sure, he thought about retiring, but wanted to be able to look himself in the mirror afterwards and have no “what if?” moments. Sweeney said Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik actually approached his agents about a coaching role this off-season.

But Sweeney feels healthy, says he’s in great shape and wants a shot at playing again. If that doesn’t work out, he’ll take a year off with his family, then ponder opportunities to get back in the game after that.

We all knew Sweeney would be more valuable in a coaching role than a playing role, so it’s nice to see that GM Jack Zduriencik is (once again) on the same page.  That Z offered him a non-roster role on the bench just further illustrates that they don’t see him making the team.

Update: Baker with some more Sweeney quotes.  Sweeney knows his role is more off the field than on it.  He says he had some other invites to camp but chose Seattle, despite the slim chances of him making it.  I’d like to know who those other teams were.

Update: Larry LaRue adds this quote:

“I talked to Don and told him,  ’I have my third baseman glove, I’ll play the outfield … They know I can hit,” he said.

Ha.

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  • http://proballnw.com Conor Dowley

    It seems to me that if he doesn’t attract interest from another team with his spring performance, the organization will find a way to keep Sweeney around the clubhouse, most likely with some sort of minor coaching role. Assistant to the Bench Coach or somesuch like that.

    • Mariners121212

      Exactly what I was thinking.

  • MarinerMan6

    Both Griffey and Sweeney would be much better off as coaches rather than taking up roster spots from deserving players. Over/under number of days (2 maybe??) into ST before we hear a tickle story about Griffey/Sweeney and how the “clubhouse culture” is like a kid in Chucky Cheese.

    Sorry to rant but it seems to the mainstream media the M’s won 85 games because of their clubhouse atmosphere neglecting the fact that the team in 2009 was much more talented than 2008. Finally, the M’s owe nothing to Sweeney. In what other profession could you be a total dead weight unable to perform your job yet they give you a ridiculous salary because the company “owes” you?? All other walks of life you are fired, plain and simple. I wish the M’s brass could grow a pair and tell Griffey and Sweeney either stay on in coaching capacity or have a nice vacation.

    • http://proballnw.com Jon

      “In what other profession could you be a total dead weight unable to perform your job yet they give you a ridiculous salary because the company “owes” you??”

      How exactly does this pertain to Sweeney?