J.J. Putz Won’t Be Traded

by ~ July 22nd, 2008 at 10:27 pm

Yahoo!’s Tim Brown lets us know that Seattle’s J.J. Putz isn’t available for trade this season.  He says that the Boston Red Sox inquired but were turned down.

Seattle could be holding Putz back because he is indeed a fan favorite and a face of the franchise, but perhaps they’re holding on to him because they know his value is at an all time low, though you’d think they would at least find out what they could get.

To Seattle’s credit, Putz will be needed next season.  If they traded him this year Brandon Morrow could close for the remainder of the season, but he probably won’t be in the bullpen for 2009.  Josh Fields is the “closer of the future,” but he probably won’t be ready to close full-time until at least 2010.  Who would save in ’09?  Roy Corcoran?  Mark Lowe?  Maybe they could do it, but Seattle may as well keep him, let him draw a few fans while reestablishing his value, then figure out what to do down the road.

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  • BigMarinersFan

    Glad to hear this. I really like Putz and though he has had a semi-injury plagued season, he still shines. I hope the Mariners keep him honestly. This guy could end up being the next Troy Percival, Trevor Hoffman, Dennis Eckersly or Mariano Rivera. Clubs need guys like that and a closer who virtually always gets the job done is invaluable.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Dustin Shires

    What makes you think Fields won’t be ready to close until 2010? Everything I read, everything I listened to on ESPN during the Bulldogs postseason play (Georgia), everybody said he would be a face in the bullpen by September 2008. I don’t see why he’d be left out to dry until 2010. He’s got electric stuff; just as good as Morrow, if not better stuff. He could be of value to the bullpen right now.

  • rudolf

    Maybe now isn’t the time to trade him, but Putz has serious value on the market. Fortunately for the Ms, the bullpen is a perceived strength from which we can deal. Fields was drafted to fill Morrow’s hole, and eventually to replace Putz, which should happen next year. As much as I like Putz when he’s healthy, I like rebuilding with solid prospects, preferably ones that can hit a baseball, more.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    What makes you think Fields won’t be ready to close until 2010? Everything I read, everything I listened to on ESPN during the Bulldogs postseason play (Georgia), everybody said he would be a face in the bullpen by September 2008. I don’t see why he’d be left out to dry until 2010. He’s got electric stuff; just as good as Morrow, if not better stuff. He could be of value to the bullpen right now.

    I’m not saying he won’t be in the bigs until 2010, I just don’t know if Seattle will put him in the closers role straight away. From what I’ve heard they’d have him set up first to get his feet wet.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Dustin Shires

    The season is shot. Put him in it now, send Morrow down to the minors and stretch his arm out (it’s inevitable)…so start the process now…

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    ^No point. Morrow wouldn’t be able to be stretched out by the time the minor league season concludes. It’ll take him a month or more to be stretched out, unlike RRS.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Dustin Shires

    Yeah he would. When the Yankees stretched out Joba it took around a month. Give him August (and a week of September) and he’d be ready to go 5 innings, 6 innings.

  • Rob T.

    No it wouldnt because even if he starts in the minors for a month he would then reach his maximum innings pitched for the year and would have to be shut down for the rest of the year so he wouldnt be able to start in the majors this year anyway.