Ichiro and Other $18-Million Men

Ichiro Suzuki signed a contract extension in the middle of the 2007 season, for an additional five years, and $90 million. That averages to $18 million per season under the contract, and the contract runs through the end of next season.

Ichiro’s 2011 season has been, by far, the worst of his career. Not only are his overall offensive numbers arguably worse than Yuniesky Betancourt’s (.258/.277/.385=.662 OPS vs. Ichiro’s .266/.304/.316=.620), but Ichiro has another full season left on his contract. And, Eric Wedge doesn’t appear to have any interest in benching or even moving Ichiro down the batting order.

Yet, after looking at the ballplayers being paid in the same ballpark as Ichiro this season, there is some comfort in knowing that other teams are also overpaying on bad contracts.

Also earning somewhere within the $18 million range this season are Jason Bay, Barry Zito, Torii Hunter, and Carlos Zambrano.

Jason Bay was signed to the Mets prior to the 2010 campaign, after he’d hit 36 HRs and had been an All-Star, Silver Slugger, and MVP candidate with Boston the season before. Things haven’t worked out for him in NY, where over the last season and a half, he’s batted a collective .249/.333/.376 for an OPS of .707 and a total of 15 bombs. His numbers are even worse this season. In 2011 he is .239/.320/.350 for a .670 OPS. He has two more years on his contract in New York, and Bay will make $18,125,000 in 2011.

In the offseason following the 2006 campaign, the San Francisco Giants signed former Cy Young winner Barry Zito to a 7-year, $126 million dollar deal. Zito was coming off his third All-Star season for the A’s. His first five years in San Francisco weren’t exactly what the Giants had anticipated. He’s never had a season with an ERA below 4.03. He’s not won more than 11 games (Zito had never won fewer than 11 games in his six full seasons in Oakland). He’d never thrown fewer than 213 innings per season with the Athletics. He’s failed to reach 200 innings in any of his seasons with San Francisco, and he’s been in the top 10 in losses in each of his first four full seasons with the Giants. He is currently 3-4 with a 5.62 ERA in nine starts (he’s spent considerable time on the DL), and this season Zito will make $18,500,000. Zito has two more years on his contract, where he is scheduled to earn $19 and $20 million through 2013.

The Angels signed perennial Gold Glove outfielder Torii Hunter to a 5-year, $90 million contract prior to the 2008 season. The Angels outfielder has largely lived up to expectations under the contract, as he’s averaged a .279/.348/.463, for an OPS of .811 under the deal. He’s been a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner in Anaheim. In 2011, he will make $18,500,000, and though his 2011 season started slow, Hunter has picked his offense up lately, and his overall 2011 numbers are shaping up, with respectable .256/.328/.416 line and 17 HRs. These days, Hunter patrols right-field for the Halos and occasionally takes his turn at DH. And, despite his advancing age, he’s found his groove in the dog days of August, where he’s hitting .389/.443/.625. Torii Hunter is signed through 2012.

Carlos Zambrano is currently in the fourth year of a 5-year, $91.5 million contract with the Cubs. He is earning $18,875,000 this season. On the field, statistically, he’s been a relatively consistent pitcher under this contract until this season. He’s spent some time on the disabled list, but, his ERA the past three seasons has been respectable (3.91; 3.77; 3.33). However, injuries, and his temper have derailed his career in Chicago. On May27, 2009 Zambrano was ejected from a game after an argument about a call at the plate. Zambrano threw the ball into left-field, tossed his glove, and smashed Gatorade jugs with a baseball bat. A 6-game suspension and fine followed. In 2010, Zambrano, after allowing a four-run inning first inning to the White Sox, confronted then-Cubs’ first-baseman Derrek Lee, which led to a dugout altercation. Zambrano was removed from the game and was suspended from the team indefinitely. Then, earlier this month, Zambrano was ejected from a game against the Braves after throwing inside on consecutive pitches that just missed Chipper Jones. Zambrano stormed into the clubhouse, cleaned out his locker, and told clubhouse personnel he was retiring. Zambrano’s actions have placed him on the disqualified list, and Cubs ownership has expressed doubt whether Zambrano will ever pitch for the Cubs again. Zambrano has another year on his contract, and he is 9-7 with a 4.82 in 2011.

After reviewing each of these $18-million dollar men, Ichiro’s contract appears far more palatable, even if the future Hall-of-Famer is overpaid. For a full list of the top-paid players in baseball, check out USA Today’s Top-25 Highest Paid Players of 2011.

Tracking the Youth Movement

Opening Day 2011 was a fresh start for a Mariner team that had lost 101 games the prior season. The organization hired a new manager and was looking to redefine its identity. The season has been a rollercoaster thus far, as the team flirted with a .500 record for some time, worked its way to within striking distance of the AL West leaders. The Mariners have also suffered prolonged periods of losing, including a stretch of 17 straight losses.

The Mariner roster has undergone substantial changes since Opening Day. Way back on April 1st down in Oakland, Eric Wedge’s lineup card named the following starters:

RF Ichiro
3B Figgins
LF Bradley
DH Cust
1B Smoak
C Olivo
CF Langerhans
SS Ryan
2B Wilson

These players’ roles have changed dramatically since the opener. Milton Bradley was released early this season on May 16, and Ryan Langerhans spent much of the season in Tacoma before being traded to the Diamondbacks organization later this summer. Jack Cust lost his DH job after a couple months, and was later DFA’d, after spending much of the summer on the bench. Jack Wilson, too, was relegated to bench duty for much of the season only to be dusted off at shortstop when Brendan Ryan went to the disabled list in August. Chone Figgins, too lost his starting job at 3B, before winding up on the disabled list.

Since Opening Day, fans have witnessed a revolving door at third base, left field, and designated hitter. Third base was Figgy’s for a while; but Adam Kennedy and Kyle Seager have each taken their turns as regulars out there. Left field has been home to Michael Saunders, Carlos Peguero, Mike Wilson, Greg Halman, Trayvon Robinson, Mike Carp, and Casper Wells.

Some young players have been given playing time, but haven’t stuck (Carlos Peguero). Some were never really given a consistent opportunity (Mike Wilson, Greg Halman). Others have capitalized on their opportunities and played well (Dustin Ackley, Mike Carp, Trayvon Robinson, Casper Wells).

The pitching staff has too undergone a youthful insurrection. A rotation that once contained Fister and Bedard now contains Beavan and Furbush. Dan Cortes, Chance Ruffin, and Josh Lueke are down in the bullpen; Chris Ray, Aaron Laffey, and David Pauley are gone.

The Mariner youth movement should continue through the remainder of the season. Expect some of the players we saw earlier this season to be recalled once rosters are expanded in September.

Franklin Gutierrez's Decline in Offensive Production

Following the 2009 season, the Mariners extended centerfielder Franklin Gutierrez with a contract for four years and just over $20 million. 2009 had been his breakout year, after arriving in Seattle in an offseason trade. He played in 153 ballgames, a career high. He batted .283 with 18 homeruns, and a .764 OPS, all the while playing at a gold-glove-level defensively.

Since the first half of 2009, Guti’s numbers have trailed off. Look at his body of work the past three seasons:

1st Half 2009: .295 AVG; .801 OPS; 10 HR
2nd Half 2009: .271 AVG; .727 OPS; 8 HR

1st Half 2010: .256 AVG; .717 OPS; 8 HR
2nd Half 2010: .230 AVG; .601 OPS; 4 HR

1st Half 2011: .187 AVG; .445 OPS; 1 HR
2nd Half 2011: .222 AVG; .560 OPS; 0 HR

Gutierrez’s defense remains fantastic, and his defense was recognized last year, as he received a Gold Glove. But, his offense has floundered now for the better part of the past two seasons. In fact, since June 2010, Gutierrez has just one month where he has batted over .247 (August 2010, he hit .257). And, in 2011, he’s not had a month where he’s hit over .243; in fact, in both June (.176) and July (.190), he batted well below the Mendoza Line, with an OPS below .500.

Last year, Guti missed some time with stomach issues. The Mariners have made efforts to remedy his ailment, but even into early 2011 his stomach continued to plague him, causing him to start this season on the disabled list. He’s lost weight and muscle mass as a result, and his power numbers have suffered as a consequence. He’s homered just once this season (May 25th at Target Field); on top of that, he has only seven extra-base hits all season.

After another 0-4 night tonight, Guti’s 2011 average currently sits at .194. How much longer can the Eric Wedge pencil him into the starting lineup? If he weren’t under contract beyond this season one has to think he’s have been DFA’d by now. Given the circumstances though, the Mariners will make every effort to wait and see if Gutierrez will regain his health and return to his 2009 form.

Gutierrez remains under contract through 2013. In 2012, he will earn $5.5 million; and, in 2013, he will earn $7 million. While the Mariners will hesitate to eat the remainder of his contract, one shouldn’t be surprised to see Guti work himself out of the starting lineup at some point, the same way Chone Figgins did earlier this season—especially if one of the young guys really emerges as a viable alternative. Jack Z has accumulated quite a few outfield prospects, some of whom are comfortable in centerfield. Greg Halman and Trayvon Robinson, two potential centerfielders, despite limited MLB exposure, have shown glimpses of power and defensive competence.

Hopefully, either Guti or one of these youngsters will soon assert himself as an offensive force and unquestioned starting centerfielder.

Underperforming Veterans

Eric Wedge came out this week, criticizing his underachieving veterans. Today, Jack Cust, one of those underachievers, was designated for assignment. Cust was hitting just .213 this season, with an OPS of .673. His career average and OPS are .242 and .813. He’s averaged 25 homeruns per 162 games over his career. He hit three so far this season. Cust isn’t the only one struggling at the plate. Up and down the lineup, most of the veteran position players have significantly underperformed.

Ichiro’s batting average, .272, is over fifty points below his career average, .328. His OPS, .640, is nearly 160 points below his career norm (.796). He is currently on pace to notch just 182 hits, which will be his first season of fewer than 200. Ichiro has another year and $18 million left on his contract in 2012.

Chone Figgins has been a disappointment since he first donned a Mariners jersey last season. He started slowly last year, and only picked it up once the Mariners were well out of the AL West race. He ended 2010 hitting .259. If last year was a slow start, this season has been a nightmare. Figgy is batting just .180 with a .471 OPS in 2011. The average is 100 points below his career average and the OPS is almost 250 points below his career level (.720). Figgins has two more years, and $18 million more on his contract. Yikes.

Franklin Gutierrez’s offensive struggles this season may be affected by ongoing stomach ailments. Regardless, his offense has been horrible. He’s batting just .193, with a .471 OPS. Unfortunately for the Mariners, after his first season in a Mariner uniform, when he batted almost 100 points higher and had an OPS nearly 300 points higher than this season, Jack Z offered Guti a long-term contract. He’s got two more years left on that 4-year, $20 million deal.

Miguel Olivo is also underperforming. He’s batting just .217 this season, with a .639 OPS, well below his career .243 and .703 career norms. His defense has also been an issue. He also leads all American League catchers with eight errors behind the plate; and, he is second in the AL in passed balls (8, Saltalamacchia-12). Olivo is in the first year of a 2-year, $7 million deal.

Of all the position-player veterans on the Mariner roster, Brendan Ryan’s season most closely resembles his career averages: his 2011 batting average (.263) and OPS (.661) are nearly identical to his career numbers (.260 and .658), despite switching from the National to the American League.

Ichiro, Figgins, Gutierrez, and Olivo will not likely be DFA’d in 2011. Too much money remains on their contracts. As a result, Mariner fans will have to sit and watch these veterans continue to struggle.

Revolving Door: Mariner Hitting Coach

The Seattle Mariners have a history of chewing up and spitting out batting coaches. The revolving door of hitting coaches the past decade has featured Hall of Famers, World Series Champions, and former All-Stars and Rookies of the Year. Nobody has been able to establish offensive consistency for years. Chris Chambliss, the 1971 AL Rookie of the Year and six-time World Series Champion (two times as a player and four times as a coach), is the current Mariners batting coach. If history is any indication, his seat may be heating beneath him. Look at the two most recent casualties of the chronically-lousy Mariner offense.

Jeff Pentland – Fired June 9, 2008.

On the morning of June 9, 2008, the Mariners were preparing for a series in Toronto, and reeling from a two-game losing streak that saw their record fall to 22-41. At the time, the Mariner offense held a collective .248 batting average, with a .305 on-base-percentage, and .377 slugging percentage—for a .682 OPS. That day, Mariner batting coach, Jeff Pentland was relieved of his duties and longtime Mariner coach, Lee Elia, assumed the role of hitting coach. The Mariners went on to lose 101 games.

Alan Cockrell – Fired May 9, 2010.

Prior to a Sunday afternoon game at home against the Angels on May 9, 2010, the Mariners fired hitting coach Alan Cockrell. Cockrell’s offense at the time was hitting .225, with a .302 OBP, and a .315 SLG—good for a .617 OPS. Cockrell was replaced by AAA Hitting Coach Alonzo Powell for the remainder of the 2010 season. The Mariners went on to lose 101 games.

Chris Chambliss – Still Employed on July 6, 2011.

The Mariners lost again today, 0-2 in Oakland, after collecting just two hits against the A’s pitching staff, led by Guillermo Moscoso. The Mariners are currently sitting in last place in the Major Leagues, in every major offensive category—fewest runs scored (292), lowest batting average (.226), OBP (.293), and SLG (.337).

Fortunately for Chambliss—and unlike the Mariner clubs of 2008 and 2010—the Mariners are hovering near .500 (43-44) and sit just 3.5 games behind first-place Texas in the AL West.

Ironically, Chambliss seems to have the Mariner pitching staff to thank for his continued employment.

Doug Fister's 3-9 First-Half

By now, Mariner fans realize that Doug Fister has received some of the worst run support in baseball. He is averaging 2.51 runs of support per start. His two-and-a-half runs per game is even more remarkable, considering the Mariners scored 13 runs for Fister on April 19, inflating what his run support numbers should look like based on the other sixteen games he’s started.

In 2011, Doug Fister has accumulated a very good ERA of 3.02, though his 3-9 record wouldn’t indicate how well he’s pitched. Despite a complete-game, one-run performance last night from Fister, the Mariner offense notched just two hits and took the 0-1 loss against spot-starter Cory Luebke.

Fister’s story last night has become all too familiar to him. Last night was Fister’s third complete game this season. He has lost each of those three starts. Fister has tallied ten “quality starts” this season (a quality start being one in which a pitcher goes at least six innings and allows three runs or fewer). Of those ten quality starts, he’s earned a win in just two of them.

Of Fister’s 17 total starts this year, the Mariners have scored two runs or less in thirteen of those starts. Fister is 1-9 in those 13 starts, with a 3.21 ERA.

Doug Fister may not have the stuff of a staff ace, but there’s absolutely no way that he should be 3-9.

Warrior: Brendan Ryan

Brendan Ryan is the fundamentally-sound, gritty-type player the Mariners haven’t had enough of in recent years. He plays the game hard, giving 100% at all times. For these reasons, some may describe Ryan as a warrior. Others may characterize him that way because he’s an alum of the Lewis-Clark State College Warriors baseball program.

College baseball receives just a fraction of the attention of other men’s collegiate varsity sports. For that reason, many casual sports observers do not realize that one of the most successful programs in all of collegiate baseball plays in the Pacific Northwest. Lewiston’s Lewis-Clark State College—the home of the Warriors—has won sixteen NAIA World Series titles since 1984. They’ve finished runner-up in the NAIA World Series another five times. Needless to say, they are an NAIA powerhouse, and their teams are known for executing baseball’s basic fundamentals, and playing a with pride.

LCSC’s baseball program has sent over 140 players to play professionally, many making it to the MLB level. Some of the most notable alumni of the LCSC program include former MLB outfielder Marvin Benard (9 MLB seasons), relief pitcher Steve Reed (14 MLB seasons), and World Series champion closer Keith Foulke (11 MLB seasons). The program has even produced players who have gone on to play for the Mariners: Jason Ellison, Bucky Jacobsen, and Brendan Ryan.

The LCSC program developed its identity under longtime head coach, Ed Cheff, who managed the program from 1977-2010, accumulating 1705 career wins and a .799 career winning percentage (in addition to the 16 NAIA World Series titles). Cheff is legendary for his discipline and no-nonsense, tough-love approach with his players. Players play the Cheff way, or their experience in the program may likely be bumpy. In this video, some players talk about playing for Cheff. The energetic, fun-loving Ryan, though, felt like “a round peg in a square hole” playing for Cheff at LCSC.

Brendan Ryan played three seasons under Ed Cheff. He was a key contributor up the middle for the Warriors from 2001-2003, where he consistently batted well over .350, slugging over .500. His relationship with Cheff, however, was tumultuous, resulting in his dismissal from the team a total of four times. After the third dismissal, Ryan’s scholarship was revoked. Cheff described why Ryan was ultimately booted from the program for good during Ryan’s 2003 junior season: “a lot of irresponsibility — being on time and being a student athlete and not just an athlete.” Cheff added, “Sometimes he didn’t focus as much as I thought he could as a student. He’s a bright guy. At that point in his life, [school] wasn’t as important as it should have been.”

Ryan bounced back, being drafted in the 7th round by the Cardinals in 2003. He was a gifted player long before he arrived to play for Ed Cheff at Lewis-Clark State College, as he earned numerous accolades as a high-school player in Southern California. However, his tumultuous time as a LCSC Warrior under Cheff undoubtedly shaped his toughness, hard-nosed style of play, and attention to baseball’s fundamentals. In the end, Ryan says of his experience with Cheff: “I learned a lot about life. People ask me if I would do it again. It got me to the big leagues, so I guess I would do anything again if I knew it was gonna get me to the big leagues.”