Mariners Grow An Arm’s Length Seattle Acquires Lefty Jeff Fassero From Expos In Five-Player Deal

Seattle Mariners catcher Dan Wilson was like everybody else Tuesday when he heard about the team’s acquisition of Jeff Fassero - he wouldn’t have been able to pick Fassero out of a police lineup, but he’s certain bringing him to town is a good idea.

The Mariners acquired Fassero, a left-handed pitcher who has won 28 games the past two years, on Tuesday along with pitcher Alex Pacheco in exchange for catcher Chris Widger and pitchers Matt Wagner and Trey Moore.

The move is the first of several expected by the team to shore up a pitching staff that last year had a franchise-worst earned run average of 5.21 and was the main reason the team settled for second place in the American League West despite scoring a major league-high 993 runs.

“It was obvious some things needed to be done on the staff,” Wilson said. “I think everybody knew that, even the casual fan knew that. It’s nice to see management has made the commitment to go out and get a top-name guy like that. I’ve never faced him, but I know his reputation in the N.L. is one that’s very good. I know he’s going to help us.”

The Mariners certainly hope so. Along with acquiring Fassero - who turns 34 on Jan. 5 - the Mariners also signed him to a three-year contract worth a reported $13.5 million.

Fassero has been regarded as one of the best-kept secrets in all of baseball the past few years, compiling a lot of victories and impressive ERAs while playing for the almost-invisible Montreal Expos. Fassero had a 15-11 record last season with a 3.30 ERA in 231-2/3 innings - 35 more innings than the Mariners’ leader in that category, Sterling Hitchcock.

The Mariners envision Fassero, who has 750 strikeouts in 850 career innings, as a workhouse No. 2 starter to back up Randy Johnson, who the team apparently expects to fully recover from off-season back surgery.

“The appeal is that if you look at his numbers and take into consideration the two strike years and last year, he’s been a 200-plus innings kind of guy, which we needed to go along with Randy,” said Mariners general manager Woody Woodward.

“His earned run average has been very good and he’s just a real solid No. 1 or No. 2-type starter, and he’ll fit in very well with Randy Johnson and Sterling Hitchcock.”

The Mariners, in fact, tried to acquire Fassero last season. The Expos, in need of young catching, always coveted Widger, but also wanted Wagner, who the Mariners didn’t want to deal. But Wagner evidently had to be included to get Fassero.

However, the Mariners now have a starting rotation full of left-handers with Johnson, Hitchcock and Fassero, and maybe free agents Terry Mulholland and Jamie Moyer, who the Mariners acquired last season for the stretch run.

Woodward said the team is in the process of attempting to re-sign either Moyer or Mulholland. “There’s always the possibility we could do both, but I’m doing my darndest to get at least one of them signed,” Woodward said.

Woodward also said he wasn’t concerned about an overload of lefties.

“The goal is to get as much quality pitching as we can,” Woodward said.