Emerald City Swagger
Fansided

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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A late-season shot of former Mariners shortstop Ketel Marte. Marte was signed as an amateur free agent in 2010 and rose in Seattle’s minor league system before becoming the starter at short in 2016. Strictly average in the field and at the plate, Dipoto traded the young shortstop to Arizona along with Taijuan Walker for Mitch Haniger, Zac Curtis, and Jean Segura in 2016’s offseason. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Rich Aurilia

2016 equivalent: Ketel Marte

I remember, not so fondly, the beginning of the 2004 Mariners season. It was the dawn of a new era of Mariners baseball. Pat Gillick was run out of town for failing to give Lou Pinella the bat he insisted they needed in 2001 and for missing the playoffs despite 93 wins in back-to-back years in 2002 and 2003 (this was the height of the Moneyball era in Oakland–watch the movie or read the book–both good!). A new General Manager had been installed, and he promised to shake up the team and bring in the names that we all craved.

One of the first of many ill-fated and ill-advised signings by new GM Bill Bavasi was Rich Aurilia, who was coming off two stellar seasons with the San Francisco Giants, hitting 35 home runs in 2001. But as soon as he donned an M’s uniform, he was garbage. It was painfully obvious from the first game of 2004, in which Aurilia booted a ball at shortstop, that the M’s would be in for a long season. By July, Aurilia was unloaded on San Diego for a few cases of beer (not really).

Fortunately, he didn’t stink up the field and the batter’s box for the Mariners for long and he didn’t cost as much as other awful Bavasi signings. He inked a one-year, $3.5 million-dollar contract in the offseason and only lasted 73 games with the Mariners, hitting .241 with a .304 OBP, four home runs, 28 RBI, and a 43-22 K to BB ratio.

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