As you probably know, the Seattle Mariners are severely lacking in RHSP depth, especially once Phillippe Aumont and Brandon Morrow went over to the darkside (aka bullpen).  AAA Tacoma’s Gaby Hernandez and Andrew Baldwin don’t look like they’re going to turn into much more than spot starters at this point, though Hernandez is still just 23.  AA West Tenn doesn’t have anything worth writing home about.  All of Seattle’s RHSP depth (or SP depth in general) is all the way down at Seattle’s A-ball affiliates– Juan Ramirez, Michael Pineda, Brett Lorin, Ben Pribanic, Nathan Adcock etc.  Picking up a few more possibilities for the upper minors can’t hurt.

The St. Louis Cardinals just officially gave up on RHSP Tyler Herron who went 46th overall in 2005 out of high school.  He’s put up some pedestrian numbers the last couple of seasons including a jump in walks this year, and there are some reports of a drop in velocity, but there are some things to like.  He’s only 22 years old, is a groundball pitcher with a decent strikeout rate who has more or less gotten the job done at the AA level.  If his control comes back he could be useful, and he’s certainly no worse than the filler we currently have at West Tenn.

Although you’ve gotta wonder why they cut ties with him.  You’d have to think he’s legitimately hurt or there are some behavioral issues.  They claim they’re releasing him because he wasn’t progressing, but that seems like an awful waste.

This guy may never be heard from again but it’s the kind of pickup I’d like to see.