Mariners toss away slump-mired Sexson
SEATTLE – Slugger Richie Sexson was finally released Thursday by the Mariners after a slump that lasted for most of two seasons and made him a target of constant booing from frustrated Seattle fans.
The Mariners would have loved to trade Sexson, but his $14 million salary this season made that nearly impossible. So Seattle is eating the rest of that money – $6,120,219 Sexson is owed from today through the end of the season – in what may be the first of multiple moves to rid the last-place team of underperforming veteran players.
That amount would be reduced by a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum salary if Sexson signs with another team.
“I think we gave Richie a lot of rope … and there just wasn’t enough improvement,” said Mariners interim general manager Lee Pelekoudas.
The Mariners, with a payroll of $117 million, expected to reach their first postseason since 2001. Instead they are 36-56, 19 games out in the American League West. Seattle has already fired general manager Bill Bavasi plus manager John McLaren and remains on track to become the first team with a $100 million payroll to lose 100 games.
The Mariners also placed opening-day starter Erik Bedard on the 15-day disabled list with stiffness in his left shoulder. The move, retroactive to last Saturday, means Bedard will be eligible to return on July 20 – and will miss some chances to be showcased for teams interested in possibly trading for him before the July 31 deadline for deals without waivers. Bedard has just six wins in 15 starts and has not pitched since going five innings last Friday, extending his trend of not pitching deep into games.
To fill the roster spots of Bedard and Sexson, Seattle recalled right-hander Jared Wells and selected the contract of infielder Tug Hulett from Triple-A Tacoma. Hulett, son of Spokane Indians manager Tim Hulett, played for the Indians in 2004.
The Mariners aren’t done making moves, either. With right-hander Felix Hernandez scheduled to come off the disabled list and pitch in Kansas City today, the team has to create an opening on the roster. Most likely it will be a pitcher who is moved, as interim manager Jim Riggleman noted after Thursday’s 3-2 loss to Oakland.
“We’ve got to break down the pitching and see what we have, who’s available,” Riggleman said.
Sexson, a 33-year-old native of Brush Prairie, Wash., was batting .218 with 30 RBIs in 74 games and has often been benched in favor of light-hitting and seldom-used Miguel Cairo.
Even during his 39- and 34-home run seasons for the Mariners in 2005 and ’06, Sexson wasn’t embraced by Seattle fans since arriving from Arizona with a four-year, $50 million contract on Dec. 15, 2004. Two days later, Adrian Beltre signed to overshadow Sexson.