Putz dials up 3-year deal for $13.1 mil
The first three phone calls J.J. Putz made after hitting the big money this week were to his parents, his wife and his brother.
The fourth call went to Eddie Guardado, to whom Putz gives considerable credit for teaching him how to be a closer. Putz's performance in that role for the Mariners earned him the three-year, $13.1 million contract announced Wednesday, which includes an option for a fourth year.
That Putz got the job when Guardado was demoted in May, and later traded to Cincinnati, and that his friend and former teammate now finds his career hanging in the balance after major arm surgery, only added to the poignancy.
"Eddie was kind of like a big brother to me," Putz said at a news conference at Safeco Field. "He took me under his wing. We still talk every couple of weeks. More than anything, he taught me the mental side of this job."
Putz shined after replacing the struggling Guardado on May 6. He saved 36 games (in 43 tries), while leading all American League relievers with 104 strikeouts in 78-1/3 innings, and compiling a 2.30 earned-run average.
I can't confirm this, but JJ's fifth phone call was to the Michigan Football office to see what they needed to beat Ohio State in 2007.
Though Putz and the Mariners exchanged arbitration figures on Tuesday, that was merely a formality, it turns out. Lee Pelekoudas, the Mariners' assistant general manager, said that Putz's agent, Craig Landis, and Mariners chief negotiator Bart Waldman had already reached agreement on the multiyear deal. It didn't become official until Putz passed his physical Wednesday.
The 29-year-old reliever — he'll turn 30 next month — had submitted a salary request of $3.6 million on Tuesday, while the Mariners had countered at $2.6 million. But the two sides had begun discussing a long-term contract in November, and it came together over the last 10 days, Pelekoudas said.
Why do I have the feeling that if I traded arbritration numbers with the Rattlers, I would wind up working at Staples.
Quick JJ story.
He was with the Rattlers in 2000. I had met him at the Welcome Home Banquet and got the correct pronunciation of his name. A few days later before his first start as a Rattler at Fox Cities Stadium, there was a knock at the door to the home radio booth. I turned around and JJ opened the door halfway, stuck his head in and said, "How do you say my name?" I said it correctly. He said "Good." and left.
There are a few others, but I'll save those fr the book.
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