M's rotation gets even fuzzier....

[BGbootha]

Mexican leaguer to make pitch for M’s rotation Campillo arrives with a reputation as ‘their Greg Maddux’
PEORIA, Ariz. – A few days after losing one potential starting pitcher to surgery, the Seattle Mariners grabbed another Wednesday – acquiring the rights to Jorge Campillo, a veteran right-hander from the Mexican League.
Though he has never pitched in a major league game, the 26-year-old has appeared in 176 games over an eight-year career in Mexico, going 45-29 with a 4.59 ERA.

Campillo will negotiate a Seattle contract within the next week, pending clarification of his immigration status. Once he arrives, he becomes a viable contender to open the season in the Mariners’ rotation.

“He’s referred to (in Mexico) as their Greg Maddux,” Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. “He’s not a thrower as much as he changes speed, uses command.

“We like him as a guy who will compete for the fourth or fifth spot in our rotation. We have versatility to use him as long man or at Triple-A, if that’s what happens.”

Seattle grabbed Campillo after scouting him pitching for Mexico in the winter league, where he went 10-1 with a 2.05 ERA and led his team to the playoffs. In 14 starts, Campillo held hitters to a .208 batting average.

The move comes after the team learned rookie Travis Blackley will be lost for the season because of shoulder surgery.

After rebuilding their offense in the offseason, and in the process of retooling their bullpen, the Mariners now have options for their five-man starting rotation.

Joel Piñeiro, Jamie Moyer and Gil Meche have jobs, and the last two spots will be filled from a group that includes Bobby Madritsch, Ryan Franklin, Aaron Sele, Felix Hernandez and Campillo.

“Whether he makes the team or not, we’re better off as an organization with him with us,” pitching coach Bryan Price said. “He gives us starting depth, whether it’s here or in the minors.”



Hargrove hates those hats

New manager Mike Hargrove kept the first workout of the spring “real basic” for his pitchers and catchers Thursday.

“No matter how much you’ve worked out in the offseason, the first day back in spikes and back in a structured environment, you get tired fast,” Hargrove said. “Our pitchers threw about 25 pitches each, then rotated around four fields for various fielding drills.

“Our catchers got a lot of work.”

There was only one apparent glitch.

“Whoever designed these spring training caps should be drawn and quartered,” Hargrove said, fussing with his own. “The only way to fix them would be to burn them.”

Guardado: ‘I felt great’

The most-watched 25 pitches of the day belonged to Eddie Guardado, who threw without pain or reluctance as he tested himself on a mound for the first time since October.

“I felt great, but the key will be how I feel (today),” Guardado said. “But there’s a difference between being sore and being hurt.”

Someone asked if Guardado worried about control in his first bullpen session.

“Me? Hell, no,” he said. “I just wanted to see how I felt, and I felt great.”

Shoulder pain cost Guardado the final 21/2 months of the 2004 season, but rest, exercises and knee surgery have allowed him to begin throwing again.

Don't really know what kind of effect this has, but a rotation of
Pineiro
Moyer
Meche
seems to be set, the remaining two spots look like they belong to either.
Bobby Madritsch
Ryan Franklin
Aaron Sele
Felix Hernandez
Campillo.

But really i only see it between Madritsch, franklin and this Campillo guy. I just really hope they are smart enough to give Felix another year to mature (hell he is only 18!!) down in tacoma. But this has to hurt Franklin and Madritsch's value, not that I thought they had much to begin with.

[Kingctb27]

It wouldn't suprise me if Felix was called up before the break this year.

[tlef316]

It wouldn't suprise me if Felix was called up before the break this year.

agreed, the kid is an absolute stud. Hell, from what ive hear, they arent even letting him throw his slider yet

[Yoda]

It wouldn't suprise me if Felix was called up before the break this year.

agreed, the kid is an absolute stud. Hell, from what ive hear, they arent even letting him throw his slider yet

I think that things would need to go EXTREMELY well for Felix AND bad for the M's for him to join the team before the break. I think he will be a September call up.

[wrveres]

I gotta say that Campillo's career 4.59 ERA probably doesn't project all that well to the MLB.

[CubsFan7724]

The Ms rotation is filled with plenty of sleepers, but Moyer is . If they were smart he'd be out of the rotation, but they dont have much choice. I really like Piniero though.

[ensanimal]

his career era is high, but has been pretty good the past 2 seasons in the mexican league, a hitters league.

Campillo, 26 years old, is a big righty who's had some good success at a few stops. His numbers with Culiacan this year:

2.05 ERA
87.2 IP
66 H
17 BB
62 K
6 HR

Campillo has also thrown 200+ innings with the Tigres de Angelopolis over the past two years:

3.96 ERA
207 IP
217 H
54 BB
118 K
20 HR

Take a look at the strikeout rate and temper your expectations. Still, pitching depth - particularly when it throws strikes - is never a problem.

[wrveres]

nice find ensanimal
That 600 innings over the last three years should be worrisome too. You have no idea how he was used or abused ...

All signs (ERA, k/9, miss-use) point to ....

" stay away "