Ten Worst Offseason Signings Part 2

4) The Seattle Mariners sign LHP Jarrod Washburn for $37.5 million for the next four years because they just knew somebody was going to do it. Bill Bavasi, former LA/ANA Angels GM and current Seattle GM, really loves his old Angels teams. So much so he may not realize that they're a full two seasons removed from that World Series title they won in 2003. Or maybe he can just use that as his excusewhen he tries to explain this deal in the future. Entering the 2003 season Washburn was coming off of a seasin in which he had won 18 games with an ERA 3.15 and was just 27. Under those conditions you could understand this contract. Instead what you're getting now is a pitcher who hasn't thrown 200 innings in three years and who has a balky shoulder that has seen his velocity and strikeouts go down in reason years. Last year he went just 8-8 with a horrible K:BB ratio of 94:51. He did manage an ERA of 3.20 though. He will be helped by moving to Safeco Field but his ERA will probably be closer to his career 3.93 then to 3.20 ERA from last season.

3) NY Mets GM Omar Minaya awards a 2 year $2.2 million dollar contract to 1B/PH Julio Franco. Note to Omar: If this is the same Julio Franco that I remember I think he may be lieing to you about his age. How old did he tell you he was? He said 48? Yeah that's what I had too. I still think he's older then that though. Two years? Why two years? Omar must really want to win now and he's going to do whatever he has to do to get it done. Or maybe he was just trying to piss off the Braves. So how are the Mets going to use Franco. Maybe in a platoon with Delgado at 1B? Delgado did have a bad year against lefties but over the last three years he has 23 HRs and put up a line of .265/.355/.481 against lefties. What did Franco hit against Lefties last season .271/.365/.449 about the same line Delgado put up over three years. I don't see Delgado being that happy being delegated to part time player. And sitting your number four hitter every time there is a lefty usually doesn't work. So what does Franco do then? He can't change positions at this age. So he's a late inning defensive replacement. Delgado rated among the worst fielders at first base last season and probably will again this season. But Franco isn't really a great defensive player. But hey maybe he will improve. There's not alot of current data on 47 year old baseball players batting and fielding performances improving but why not start now. It's not like you pick up someone at the minimum and expect similar results. But Minaya will say that having Franco is like having another coach in the dugout. But that's a load of crap. Last year coaching for the Braves Leo Mazzone was making around $200,000 and imagine he made more of a diiference than Franco did in the dugout and clubhouse.

2) Obivously not learning from the insane Troy Percival deal of 05 the Tigers once again invest heavily in an old closer in Todd Jones for two years and $11 million dollars. Luckily this offseason was an improvement over last season's offseason. Last year they had the two worst offseason signings not just the second. Yes, besides Percival's riduclous deal, the Tigers also managed to land slugger Magglio Ordonez. Not only did they once again fail to correctly read medical documents but they also didn't understand the market for this guy. He had no other deals on the table and he got them to go to five years on his contract. Jones signing isn't that bad , but it's still pretty stupid. Granted he was coming off of a truely wonderful 2005 season in which he went 1-5 with 40 saves and an ERA of 2:10 with a K:BB ratio of 4:1 (62-14). But.........he is going to be 38 within a month of the season opener. Detroit will be his sixth team since 2003. Why was he moving around so much? Because he wasn't that good. Last year was pure and simple a fluke. His ERA in the 2003-04 seasons were 7.08 in 03 and 4.15 in 04. His K:BB ratio was the best of his career and his ERA was almost two runs fewer then his career ERA (2:10 last year; 3.91 for his career). He's not going to produce numbers like that again and yet he was able to rope the Tigers into giving him an absurd contract.

1) Terry Ryan with blood pouring out of his ears from hearing "that the Twins haven't had a 30 Home run player since 87" so often welcomes back homer savior Tony Batista from a two year stint in Japan for a $1.25 million one year deal. What was Terry Ryan thinking! Batista hit .263 with 27 HRs and 90 RBI in Japan last season. So waht's so bad about this deal? Ok let me explain Tony Batista to those you not familar with him. Over his nine year career he has put up a line of .251/.298/.458 with 214 Hrs and 681 RBI. That's good power for a third basemen some of you are saying. And it is. I admit that but the problem is that power is all this third basemen can do. He can't field, he can't hit and he can't run. He has no patitence and looks lost at the plate when he isn't hitting a home run. What's worse is that managers fall in love with his power and envision him being a run producing machine. His last season before heading to Japan he drove in 110 RBIs in his last season in Baltimore. But at that time he was hitting in the number four spot in the lineup and actually squandered far more scoring opportunities. He is awful. He be a nice guy but he is just the poster boy for people who haven't figured out that getting on base is the most important talent in baseball. He also can't field which I mentioned before. Whenever you hear GM's talking about veterans you hear them say they hope the veterans rub on the younger players on their team. Ryan should just hope that Batista doesn't rub off on Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.