M’s Re-Sign Langerhans
Dave · December 18, 2009 at 8:58 am · Filed Under Mariners
Good news – Langerhans is back. The M’s gave him a major league deal to keep him from going somewhere else, so he’s back in the fold. It’s interesting that this is a major league contract, but my guess is it is for not much more than the league minimum.
As much as I like Langerhans, I’m still not sure I see him on the opening day roster. As we’ve laid out, the team has two open roster spots if they go with a 12 man pitching staff. I can’t see Langerhans getting one of those two spots, given how the roster is currently constructed. But, things can change, and the M’s have just given themselves some more depth, which is never a bad thing
Sweet, indeed.
So, this now puts the 40 man at 39, yes?
Major league contract, so yes. I would guess that Langerhans, Hannahan, and Carp are dueling to be the last lefthanded bat on the bench.
This is a strange deal. I don’t understand the first non tender and then the signing to a ML deal. It must either make sense on some level I don’t understand, or else the team situation changed in some way. Maybe they don’t think they’ll add another outfielder.
I’d rather see Langerhans as the 4th outfielder than Bill Hall, too.
[off-topic]
There has to be a trade in the works where the M’s deal more than one player from the forty man. That would be my guess at least.
Yeah, although I’m estatic to have him back I also was wondering where we would put him. I don’t think he plays first. We already have a DH. I suppose Carp could go to Tacoma and he could come off the bench. Is he insurance against Saunders stalling? Dunno that he would be a trade chip. This is so cool. We could see every one of Bavasi’s moves coming but not now.
I dont understand how signing a below average outfielder is good news, and yes, I am aware of his two game winning homeruns.
[off-topic]
Carp has basically no chance of making the roster. He’s going to begin the year in Tacoma.
Because he is the perfect fourth outfielder. Also because a lot of people like him a lot and are glad he is staying.
Will a major-league deal make it a problem to put Langerhans in Tacoma? I’m not quite straight on his situation.
Trade coming up where Langerhans takes the place of someone that’s traded?
I assume he’d have to clear waivers in order to be sent down. That’s presumably what he wants, because it would allow him to find out if anybody else wants him for a major league job before going down to AAA.
Perhaps Langerhans is going to be the designated Bradley wrangler? I agree that shuffling him on and off the roster like this doesn’t make a lot of sense… unless they originally thought there was a chance they were getting more than Cliff Lee back in that trade and needed to make room on the 40 man for that. I don’t know, but I’m sure it made sense at the time — though why he’s not on a MiL deal (I assume he still has options) right now remains a puzzle.
OK, I am going to quit trying to guess what this front office is thinking or doing.
This saves me the effort of changing my moniker.
Seriously, the additional depth is a good thing. How much did he sign for?
I was wondering the same thing. Is Saunders going to part of a big trade? GMZ is flat-out amazing! What an awesome off-season it’s already been!
Thanks much.
@PaulB
Essentially they avoided arbitration on him. Instead of paying him a $1 million or more, they have him at the $400k MLB minimum salary. (I’m assuming he signed a minimum contract.)
After he was non-tendered, any other team could have had him at MLB minimum, and presumably no one bit. That’s why he came back to the Mariners; they were the only team that offered him a contract.
If they put him on waivers to send him to Tacoma, he stands a good chance of getting through since teams already passed on adding him on a MLB contract.
Of course things can change and some team might decide that they are interested at the time that the Mariners try to put him on waivers. The Mariners can then pull him back and try to work a trade.
Saunders to AAA, of course. Otherwise, it looks like one of Hannahan or Hall would have to be cut. They might be to wait till spring training’s over before making a decision to see if everyone’s healthy to start the year.
Love it!
It feels to me like Bill Hall may be squeezed out by the offseason developments.
With Figgins (3b/2B) and Hannahan (3b/SS/2b), he’s not needed in the infield in a utility role.
With Langerhans/Bradley/Ichiro/Guttierez/Saunders, he wouldn’t be essential in the OF/
Either Hall goes or Saunders does, methinks.
God forbid Saunders leaves and Hall stays.
Come on. Saunders has options and needs at-bats. Hall can play six positions. Saunders will be a nice player someday, but once Ackley arrives, Saunders will be the new Langerhans.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Saunders starts the year back in Tacoma (assuming Hall is back to full health). Even when he was up with the team last year, he spent most of his days in the batting cages getting special attention from the coaches, not playing in games. They clearly see potential in him to invest the effort, but not enough realized yet to make him an everyday player. Unless he’s made a lot of progress this offseason (and shows it in Spring Training), he’ll be left in AAA to ripen. Between Hall’s injury issues and Bradley’s anger issues, it’s quite possible that one or both of them won’t be available to play for a chunk of the season so it makes sense to be giving Saunders ABs every day while he waits for the emergency call-up.
I’m sure Dave Niehaus will be the first to extend a hearty welcome back to Ryan “Langerhaus.”
I think not, unless of course Tui squeezes him out. Despite the flexibility of Figgens/Lopez/Hannahan they can’t play two positions at the same time. You still need two back-up infielders on the bench.