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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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Let’s take a moment to appreciate Jerry Dipoto who at least didn’t provide us with a Carlos Silva equivalent last year. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Carlos Silva

2016 equivalent: Joaquin Benoit?

Carlos Silva doesn’t have any comparison on the 2016 Mariners who, despite not making the playoffs, were a winning team and scored more runs than they allowed. That’s thanks in part to not throwing out a terrible starter signed to an albatross contract every fifth day.

In Bavasi’s worst move as the Mariners’ GM, he signed pedestrian/mediocre starting pitcher Silva to a four-year, $48 million deal in 2008. It was a head-scratcher from the start. Silva, up to that point, had exactly one season in his career in which he started most of the season and finished with an ERA under 4.00. That was back in 2005 with Minnesota. Somehow he earned this big payday by going 13-14 with a 4.19, a 4.24 FIP, a 1.31 WHIP, and a 4 k/9 in a contract year in 2007. In 2006, he led the league in home runs allowed with 38, finishing that awful season 11-15 with a 5.94 ERA.

Never in Silva’s career has he earned the contract Bavasi gave him. And, predictably, he was terrible for the Mariners. Pitching roughly half of his 153.1 innings in Safeco Field, supposedly a pitcher-friendly park, he went 4-15 with a 6.46 ERA. Now, his FIP that year (4.63) suggested he was a bit unlucky, but a 1.60 WHIP won’t help you either, friend. The next season, Silva logged just over 30 innings of batting practice before being sent to the DL with a phantom injury.

Further adding infamy to his name, Silva was traded to the Cubs for wifebeater and crazy person Milton Bradley after the 2009 season. Worst. Signing. Ever.

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