A Fresh Start

Denny Stark started his professional career as 4th round pick out of the University of Toledo in 1996. In 1997, he was a Timber Rattler and went 6-3 with a 1.97ERA and 105 strikeouts in 91-1/3 innings pitched over 16 games (15 starts).

In 2001, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. Now, he is back with the Mariners.

A 34-year- old pitcher who had every expectation he'd be making big money by now, Stark has been around too long, seen too much and experienced baseball's highs and lows at dizzying levels. So he'll take what comes.

It's been a decade since Stark pitched in his first big league game and seven years since he began knocking on the door of name recognition by going 11-4 with an otherwise undistinguished Colorado Rockies team. But it's been five years since he's pitched in a major league game and four years since he's pitched in a big league spring training.

There's no telling if he'll make it back to the majors in 2009 -- it's a long shot. But Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik and manager Don Wakamatsu are trying to rebuild a bullpen that has many unclaimed positions, and Zduriencik said Stark is "one of the more interesting stories we have in camp."

And after what Stark has been through, he's more than happy to be with the Mariners with a chance to do what he loves -- throwing strikes and challenging hitters -- and, yes, competing for a job.

Just go read it all.