12/13/2006

Another ex-Rattler leaving Seattle

Joel Pineiro (WI '98) was not offered a contract by the Mariners.

Seattle Mariners executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations Bill Bavasi announced on Tuesday that the Mariners did not tender a 2007 contract offer to right-handed pitcher Joel Pineiro.

Pineiro is now a free agent and may negotiate with any of the 30 Major League teams.

Pineiro was 8-4 with a 3.19ERA in sixteen games (all starts) with the Timber Rattlers in 1998 before being promoted to Lancaster in the California League.

But, this year with Seattle he was 8-13 with a 6.36ERA in 40 games (25 starts).

Here how the Seattle Times reports the story:

It wasn't until early Tuesday evening that the backyard barbecue attended by Joel Pineiro officially became an ex-Mariners bash.

That's when Pineiro, who was visiting the Puerto Rican home of former Mariners infielder Eduardo Perez, got a telephone call informing him the only club he's ever played for would not be tendering him a contract. The pitcher put down the receiver and told Perez the news as they went about their business of flipping burgers and sipping beer.

"He just laughed and told me, 'Welcome to my world!' " Pineiro said of fellow free-agent Perez.
...
Pineiro is expected to draw interest from a number of teams, including the Royals and Red Sox. He says he'll miss the Mariners and the city and carry memories of the team's 116-victory season in 2001 as his fondest.

But he nixed the idea of the Mariners trying to sign him back at a lower price.

"Even if they left that door open, I think I'd have to close it," he said. "And I don't mean that in a disrespectful way at all. I love the city of Seattle. I love the fans and the people there. I have a house there. It's still home to me. I just think that when a team shows that it doesn't want you anymore, it's time to move on."

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