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The Ten Worst Mariners Free Agent Signings Ever

By Ben Renner

Aug 22, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners general manger Jerry Dipoto laughs with one of his players during batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Safeco Field. Seattle defeated New York, 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 22, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners general manger Jerry Dipoto laughs with one of his players during batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Safeco Field. Seattle defeated New York, 7-5. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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O’Malley and Chone Figgins don’t have much in common except for O’Malley’s numbers in a reserve role compared to Figgins, who was signed to be the starting second baseman in 2010. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Chone Figgins

2016 equivalent: Shawn O’Malley?

Chone Figgins seemed like a good idea at the time. Ahead of the 2010 season, M’s former General Manager Jack Zdurencik signed the former All-Star to pair with Ichiro atop the lineup. The experiment of having two lead-off hitters one and two in the batting order failed. Figgins maintained a decent OBP his first year (.340), but it was 55 points below the .395 mark he achieve the year before with the Angels and he struck out 114 times with only one home run (he was never a power guy).

After that first year, Mariners fans who were paying close attention were disappointed after seeing their team shell out $36 million over four years for a one-dimensional player who struck out 114 times. Others saw hope for their new second baseman, pointing to his decent OBP and believing he could return to the time we watched him run circles around the M’s for years with the Angels.

But if his first season in Seattle was merely a speed bump, his second year was a hundred-foot plunge over the cliff. Chonie went from playing almost every game in 2010 to half that in 2011, (are you ready for his 2011 slash? Hide ya kids.) slashing .188/.241/.243. That’s not going to produce many runs. The Mariners’ $36 million-man only stole 11 bases that year and was thrown out six times. He was absolutely worthless offensively and strictly average in the field, being forced to play in the outfield as well as getting shifted back over to third base.

Because Boogeyman Bill Bavasi signed Figgins to such an exorbitant deal, the Mariners were stuck with him for a third year before releasing him after the 2012 season.

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