Injury Putz pressure on Mariners bullpen

April 4, 2008 @ 07:04:34

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Tim Heaney

Despite an opening series win over the Texas Rangers, the Seattle Mariners were tagged with their first big loss of the season. Closer J.J. Putz (ribcage) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, April 2, after suffering from some discomfort in his right side against the Rangers. An MRI performed after the game revealed Putz is suffering from costochondritis - in layman's terms, an inflammation of the cartilage attached to the rib in his right side.

However, the Mariners have dodged a bullet with the injury because it is not a soft tissue or oblique injury; both usually take longer to heal. Putz reportedly said that the injury felt like an ice pick was being driven into his side, but the injury is believed to be just a mild one. Putz will refrain from throwing until the inflammation goes down. The team has yet to release a timetable for his return, but he could return a couple of weeks after he is eligible. The question now becomes what to do to replace Putz.

Starter Miguel Batista recorded the save Wednesday, but the team used him as a last-minute option because of the injury news. He bypassed a regular bullpen session, allowing him to work as the closer with an already overworked bullpen. The team does not consider him part of the solution at this time.

Options to replace Putz

Having Baltimore Orioles closer George Sherrill or Atlanta Braves closer Rafael Soriano - both former Seattle relievers - surely would look good now for Mariners fans. Lacking a true (and experienced) setup man, manager John McLaren has stated he will go with a closer-by-committee approach to try and replace Putz. "Try" is the operative word there; it will be tough for anyone to replicate what he brings to the table. Sure, he has blown one save already this year, but his 40 saves, 1.38 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 82 strikeouts last year pegged him as one of the best closers entering 2008.

The first option to replace Putz could be relief pitcher Mark Lowe. Due to an elbow injury, Lowe threw in just four games in 2007. In fact, he has just 22 innings pitched in the majors. With his big chance coming in 2006, Lowe was stellar when toeing the rubber of a big league park, allowing just four runs in 18 2/3 innings while striking out nine. He does need to work on his walks (he gave up nine that year), but that should come as he gets a better feel for the strike zone (read: throws more innings). He has also hit 100 mph in the past with his fastball. On a side note, the elbow will still be an issue for Lowe to begin the season. The team has used him in just two-thirds of an inning this year and did not want him pitching three days in a row. The procedure on his elbow was not that common in baseball and carried with it the risk of never throwing again.

The next option to replace Putz is relief pitcher Sean Green. He has had a mixed start to the season, striking out three in 2 2/3 innings but also allowing two hits and two walks. Green has posted a 1.58 WHIP in his career, which likely means a few dicey save situations should he be given the chance. If you are struggling for saves or strikeouts, he could give you some opportunities, but his high ERA and WHIP could hurt your team.

Relief pitcher Eric O'Flaherty is another option but will most likely match up against left-handers. At this juncture he appears to be behind Lowe and Green in the pecking order. O'Flaherty has already struggled this year by allowing three runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Like Green, he gives up a lot of hits, which makes him an inconsistent option as a reliever.

There are also two minor league options that could return before Putz is off the disabled list. Reliever Arthur Rhodes (elbow) is currently at extended spring training and recently pitched on back-to-back days. Rhodes has 30 career saves, with 13 of them coming since 2003. It should be noted he is recovering from Tommy John surgery and has not pitched in the majors in more than a year. His experience makes him a candidate to close once he returns - but maybe not the top one.

Relief pitcher Brandon Morrow (shoulder) might be the better option. He dealt with some shoulder issues during camp and was sent to Double-A West Tennessee to work through them. He had been slated to start the season as a setup man, a role he held down for most of last year. If he can work through his injury issues, the flamethrower could be an interesting option. Like Green, he needs to work on his control (50 walks in 63 1/3 innings last year), but he had a high strikeout rate (66 last year) and could have the most talent of any of the bullpen pitchers. He was picked in the first round of the Mariners in 2006.

Relief pitcher Roy Corcoran was called up to replace Putz. A career major league ERA of 5.89 and a WHIP of 2.07 dictate that he likely will not be in the mix.

Fantasy Value

Those owners who have Putz should hang on to him as he will likely be back sooner than later. This is an injury that should go away once the inflammation dies down. There are some decent options out there but no one that will give you the kind of five-category contribution that Putz does.

Lowe would seem to have the most value. He has been dominant in the past, and with a mid-90s fastball he could be solid at the back end of games for the M's. His lack of experience is the main drawback. Still, pick him up in almost any type of league.

If Lowe is gone, Green would be a good - but not great - option. Green has started quickly in the K's column, but he has not been a great strikeout pitcher in the past (a 6.22 strikeout rate). Take him only in very deep leagues.

Rhodes and Morrow are both minimally intriguing options that should probably be left on the waiver wire until they show some positive signs at the major league level. Morrow would have the most value due to his strikeouts and his likely role as a setup man. Owners can casually keep tabs on them in their respective leagues.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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