Seattle Mariners Bring Back Endy Chavez, Franklin Gutierrez

After trading away Michael Saunders, the Seattle Mariners had a clear team-building goal for 2015: acquire outfielders. They filled their right field hole with Seth Smith and Justin Rugianno, but still were said to be on the lookout for depth pieces. And based on recent chatter, it sure sounds like they’ve done that.

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The Mariners have re-signed Endy Chavez and Franklin Gutierrez to a pair of minor league deals with invitations to big league spring training. It’s the most obvious signing since Nelson Cruz, as it stood to reason that getting both of these low-risk outfielders back was more a matter of when than if. And now they’re here. Again. As usual.

We’re all familiar with these guys, of course. They’ve been showing up in Mariners uniforms since 2009, when they were both integral parts of Jack Zduriencik’s successful first year in Seattle. Endy went and played elsewhere for a while before returning each of the last two seasons. Guti’s always been here, although most of the time he’s been too sick to take the field.

Chavez, for his part, has 258 and 279 plate appearances in each of the last two years. He was miserable offensively and defensively in 2013, leading to audible groans when he was re-signed last winter. But despite being Endy Chavez, he actually went on to post something like a league average batting line last year: .276/.317/.371, or, if you will, a 97 wRC+. His defensive limitations still kept him below replacement level, though.

Guti missed all of last year after signing a big league deal. He didn’t last one day into spring training before calling it quits for the season, citing the same gastrointestinal issues that have plagued him for years. He went on the restricted list, wasn’t paid, and sat around trying to get healthy. Now he thinks he might be healthy, but before you get too excited remember that this is where he was at a year ago, too. Guti might be ready to play. If he is, it’ll qualify as a minor surprise.

Of course, the reason Guti keeps getting chances starts with his six-win 2009 season. He then signed a healthy extension and began falling victim to injuries and ailments. 2009 isn’t the only reason he’s getting a chance in 2015 – no, the bigger reason is that when healthy, he’s been an above-average major league hitter.

In 2012, Guti hit .260/.309/.420, providing above-average power over the span of an injury-shortened season of 163 plate appearances. He one-upped himself the next year with a .248/.273/.503 line, sacrificing what was left of his on-base ability in exchange for ten homers in 151 plate appearances.

With both of these guys presumably Tacoma bound, it’s a good time to once again point out that most of the Rainiers’ lineup could help the Mariners win games in 2015. This team has no shortage of guys in the high minors who can be used to prevent the M’s from having black holes anywhere on the roster, assuming a starter or several go down with injury at some point in the year. That’s why Endy Chavez is important. That’s why we shouldn’t scoff at his yearly re-signing.

Of course, Chavez could get a long MLB look and be terrible, as he was two years ago. That version of Endy Chavez didn’t help the team avoid a black hole, since he was the black hole. Gutierrez could do the same. That’s the risk with this kind of player: any manager’s going to love Endy, and sometimes that means Endy gets more playing time than Endy deserves. When that happens, the team can suffer.

But that’s a problem for a later date, a problem that’s not a problem until it’s a problem. Endy Chavez is back. Franklin Gutierrez is back. It’s a yearly tradition, and it’s that time of year. And besides, maybe this is the year Guti’s healthy and slugs .500 over a full season! Maybe anything!

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