Eric Byrnes, The 2010 Mike Sweeney

The Mariners got that right-handed bat they've been searching for by signing OF Eric Byrnes to a one-year deal today. To make room on the roster, 1B Tommy Everidge was designated for assignment. As far as the nuts and bolts of the deal, Lookout Landing lays out nicely why it's a no-risk deal. I like Everidge a little more than them, but the key word is little. If you want a more in-depth look at Byrnes from a slightly different perspective, USS Mariner had you covered a week ago with this post. As for what Eric Byrnes thinks, Larry Stone has a nice synopsis with quotes.

I'm linking so much with this story because I don't think it would be all that helpful for me to re-hash anything those fine folks have already said. It's also Friday night, and I'm feeling lazy.

What I have to add is that I'm not very excited about the move. I think Eric Byrnes is done. Many have pointed to the injuries, and I agree he should rebound some if healthy. However, those injuries were bad, and he sustained them thanks in large part to his hair-on-fire approach to the game. His style has put his body through more stress than a run-of-the-mill 34-year-old ballplayer, and he will add to that significantly in 2010. I don't see Byrnes staying healthy, and I wonder what he has left anyway.

Then again, I had similar feelings about Mike Sweeney around this time last year. That turned out fine though.

Byrnes is saying all the right things, about how excited he is and how healthy he feels. That's wonderful, but I always take the types of comments Eric gave today with a grain of salt, coming from a professional athlete at least. To perform at such an elite level takes an air of confidence that breeds quotes like Eric's today, regardless of the condition they actually are in. I think the odds are that this is a no-risk, no-reward move.

Eric Byrnes is the 2010 version of Mike Sweeney, except with more upside. I guess that means I should be more excited about this move, especially with how Sweeney turned out. However, the M's are doing baseball's version of dumpster diving, trying to pick up that sofa that if you massage a little here and there, and put a blanket over, works pretty darn well. I don't know how realistic it is to think any team can pull that off successfully every time. If any front office can do it though, it's this one.