Joe Beimel: Why Didn’t The Mariners Bring Him Back?

So, Joe Beimel won’t be back (covered here). Sounds like Beimel wanted more years (likely at least two), or more money, at any rate. But is this really the only reason our favorite pick-off specialist isn’t back?

I mean, we all get the Chris Young thing. The Mariners had a lot of good pitchers injured last year and still managed to bring a solid rotation for most of the year…barring September. With all of those guys healthy (as of now) the Mariners don’t have room for all of those good pitchers—only the best will make the cut. Which is a good position to be in…although not resigning the A.L. Comeback Player of the Year just feels like tempting fate, doesn’t it?

Anyhow…no Chris Young? Okay. We’ve got plenty of candidates. I can sleep okay.

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But how much money are we really talking about for bringing back Beimel? Sounds like the M’s only wanted a one year deal but would it really kill them to shell out for another year? I know the M’s are shelling out the hundred millions for Robinson Cano, and the half a hundred million for Nelson Cruz but are you telling me a two year, six million dollar would have been out of the question?

That’s definitely a lot for a lefty specialist, but I feel it’s highly unlikely we’re talking any more money than that and plus…I’d sleep a lot better if the Mariners were bringing last year’s bullpen back in it’s entirety (well, almost, no Brandon Maurer)

They pretty much are, and there probably isn’t much to worry about. Especially since the Mariners seem to have a knack for finding solid bullpen help (often from within).

But is Joe Saunders supposed to be a Beimel replacement, assuming the other lefty candidates (Mike Kickham, Lucas Luetge, Rafael Perez, David Rollins) brought to camp don’t pan out?

Rollins has no big league experience and Luetge and Kickham have limited and mostly unimpressive big league experience. Saunders has the most experience and that experience isn’t so hot. But pitching in relief can bring about a whole new pitcher, as we saw with Brandon Maurer, and, to a lesser extent, Charlie Furbush.

So we have to assume having a surplus of pitchers will bring about a friendly competition, and someone will emerge as as suitable replacement.

The spring shall bring answers.

What do you guys think, would you have brought back Beimel? Or let him walk?