Mariners Release Horacio Ramirez
Reported By Stephen RhodesI guess no matter what MLB team you are, if you have an underachieving player on your roster, you have to explore your available options. The Seattle Mariners did just that when, according to Gregg Bell of the Associated Press, the team released underwhelming starting pitcher Horacio Ramirez; the Mariners got Ramirez from the Atlanta Braves for reliever Rafael Soriano before last season. Ramirez would then proceed to post an 8-7 record with an astronomical 7.16 ERA in 20 starts before being shut down for nearly 2 months because of a sore shoulder.
Last month's trade for former Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Erik Bedard and the acqusition of free-agent starter Carlos Silva left Ramirez in the unenviable position of battling for a long reliever/spot starter position on the ball club with R.A. Dickey; apparently Ramirez's departure was due in no small part to the fact that Dickey was preferred over Ramirez. Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi caught some heat for the acquisition of Ramirez, yet last fall, team president Chuck Armstrong hinted that the trade wasn't Bavasi's fault, but that there was more to the trade.
Back on September 27, 2007, without naming specific incidents, Armstrong said that "a lot of things went on that compelled us to make that move" of Soriano for whatever the Mariners could get. The Mariners signed Ramirez originally to a 1-year, $2.75 million contract just in case the pursuit of Bedard was unsuccessful; with the release of Ramirez, the team saved themselves $229,167, which is the prorated portion of his 2008 salary.
Last month's trade for former Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Erik Bedard and the acqusition of free-agent starter Carlos Silva left Ramirez in the unenviable position of battling for a long reliever/spot starter position on the ball club with R.A. Dickey; apparently Ramirez's departure was due in no small part to the fact that Dickey was preferred over Ramirez. Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi caught some heat for the acquisition of Ramirez, yet last fall, team president Chuck Armstrong hinted that the trade wasn't Bavasi's fault, but that there was more to the trade.
Back on September 27, 2007, without naming specific incidents, Armstrong said that "a lot of things went on that compelled us to make that move" of Soriano for whatever the Mariners could get. The Mariners signed Ramirez originally to a 1-year, $2.75 million contract just in case the pursuit of Bedard was unsuccessful; with the release of Ramirez, the team saved themselves $229,167, which is the prorated portion of his 2008 salary.
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