The Mariners Friday signed LHP Joe Beimel and RHP Mark Rogers as minor league free agents and invited them to spring training. Beimel, 36, spent last season with AAA Gwinnett, an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, while Rogers spent most of last year on the 60-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury.
Beimel went 1-2 with a 4.36 ERA (16 ER, 33.0 IP) with 24 strikeouts in 30 relief appearances after signing with Atlanta last May. He missed the 2012 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery after being released by the Rangers in March.
His 393 appearances from 2006-11 rank as the fourth-most of any major league left-hander and in that same span he held left-handed batters to a .241 average. He has spent parts of 11 seasons in the majors with Pittsburgh (2001-03, 11), Minnesota (2004), Tampa Bay (2005), Los Angeles-NL (2006-08), Washington (2009) and Colorado (2009-10), but has not appeared in the majors since 2011.
Beimel was originally signed by the Pirates after being selected in the 18th round of the 1998 June amateur draft.
Rogers, 27, has battled shoulder injuries throughout his career after being selected in the first round by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2004 June draft. Rogers pitched in the majors in 2010 and 2012 with the Brewers, compiling a 3-1 record with a 3.49 ERA (19 ER, 49.0 IP) in 11 games (9 starts).
The Mariners spring training roster is currently at 64 players (40 roster, 24 non-roster), including 32 pitchers (14 non-roster), seven catchers (four non-roster), 14 infielders (four non-roster) and 11 outfielders (two non-roster).
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Peoria, AZ Feb. 12 (physicals) and hold their first workout Feb. 13. Position players report for physicals Feb. 17 and the first full-squad workout will be held Feb. 18.
2 Comments
Woo hoo! This’ll put em over the top!
You’ll love pitching in Tacoma, boys…especially night games in April when it’s 39 degrees and drizzling with a breeze from the Narrows coming through. Paradise.