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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Dodgers put Sherrill on waivers

Sherrill’s goodbye: What a Sweet Thing That Was.

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever George Sherrill, who was an All-Star closer for the Baltimore Orioles just a year ago, has been put on waivers by the club, a major league source confirmed Wednesday on the condition of anonymity.

Sherrill, a left-hander, entered the season as the incumbent eighth-inning setup man, but he has never been able to find his comfort level mechanically since the start of spring training, a major reason he has a 7.32 ERA in 34 appearances. He lost the setup job early on, and it eventually fell to lefty Hong-Chih Kuo, who wound up making the National League All-Star team.

Sherrill even went onto the disabled for a time in late May and early June because of a fairly negligible back issue so he could go on a minor league rehabilitation assignment in hopes of working out his issues with his pitching delivery.

Sherrill’s poor performance makes it highly unlikely that another club will claim him, but outright waivers are irrevocable, meaning that if Sherrill is claimed, the Dodgers will lose him to that club. If Sherrill clears, meaning three full business days pass from the time he was waived without another team claiming him, he will have the option of accepting an outright assignment, presumably to Triple-A Albuquerque, or becoming a free agent.

Repoz Posted: July 15, 2010 at 01:48 AM | 25 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: dodgers

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1. Tuque

Posted: July 15, 2010 at 02:12 AM (#3590196)

Funny. When I created a Dodgers franchise in MLB2K10, in 2010 Sherrill was my best pitcher. This was on a staff including Broxton, Kuo, Kershaw, Billingsley, and offseason acquisitions of Josh Johnson, Jon Lester, and Tommy Hanson.

Perhaps this is an indicator of why modern baseball games blow so hard.

2. Latnam's first name is Bob Lemon's middl Posted: July 15, 2010 at 02:12 AM (#3590195)

Perhaps the most famous graduate of my Alma Mater. Let's Go Peay! (I try to post something along these lines in every Sherrill thread. Is Jaime Walker still in the league? He's the other one...)

3. rlc Posted: July 15, 2010 at 02:24 AM (#3590198)

Let's Go Peay! [...] Sherrill [...] Walker

Ah, this explains why the 08-09 O's bullpens were so piss-poor...

4. akrasian Posted: July 15, 2010 at 02:24 AM (#3590199)

I was really hoping he would repeat his 2009 - but the Dodgers are trying to make the playoffs, and he just can't be trusted. Frankly, it's taken a quick hook and good work by those who replaced him on the mound to keep his ERA down to 7.32.

5. Latnam's first name is Bob Lemon's middl Posted: July 15, 2010 at 02:51 AM (#3590215)

Ah, this explains why the 08-09 O's bullpens were so piss-poor...

One of many reasons...

6. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:02 AM (#3590223)

I fully expect the Dbacks will claim him so his 7.32 ERA can help lower the overall bullpen ERA...

7. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:03 AM (#3590224)

Anyhow, I had no idea Sherrill was so bad this year. When I saw the headline, I assumed it'd be a story about a tryst with Jamie McCourt.

8. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:15 AM (#3590229)

If he chooses free agency, does that mean the Dodgers don't have to pay the remainder of his salary for the year?

9. akrasian Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:21 AM (#3590238)

If he chooses free agency, does that mean the Dodgers don't have to pay the remainder of his salary for the year?

Nope. They're stuck with it. Only way to save money is if another team claims him (won't happen) or signs him for the pro-rated minimum after he clears waivers (which would save a little under $200k for the Dodgers).

10. Answer Guy Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:22 AM (#3590239)

He'd almost have to be better than whoever the last guy in the Red Sox bullpen is nowadays. He was decent for the Orioles just a year ago, and in Boston he would get to face the O's offense and would not have to face the Sox lineup [when healthy].

I'm guessing Theo, afraid of Gagne Part Deux, is not going to give up anything of value for bullpen help. So if this would come essentially free it might not be a bad move.

11. akrasian Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:46 AM (#3590253)

So if this would come essentially free it might not be a bad move.

It might be a worthwhile gamble, if the team thinks they can turn him around. But baseball-reference has him at 7 runs below replacement in 19.2 innings this season. He's been truly terrible, and unless a team has a specific reason to think that they can turn him around this season, it would be foolish to put him on a major league roster.

12. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:51 AM (#3590258)

[9] So how is this different than DFA-ing him? I guess they get to keep him on the roster an extra two days but why?

13. akrasian Posted: July 15, 2010 at 03:55 AM (#3590259)

They did DFA him. It requires that he be put on irrevocable waivers. He's off the 40 man roster now. I'm wondering who they replace him with.

14. MM1f Posted: July 15, 2010 at 04:05 AM (#3590260)

Perhaps the most famous graduate of my Alma Mater. Let's Go Peay! (I try to post something along these lines in every Sherrill thread. Is Jaime Walker still in the league? He's the other one...)

You also have Shawn Kelley, who either beat or almost beat David Price in a postseason start in college.

15. Magnum RA Posted: July 15, 2010 at 04:20 AM (#3590267)

But, dude, it's 19.2 innings. He's not done yet. He could probably help somebody out down the stretch.

16. akrasian Posted: July 15, 2010 at 05:07 AM (#3590280)

The problem is - time and time again he was put in and then yanked after showing he had zip. He might bounce back - but he was truly terrible this season. As I said, if another team really thinks that they know what's wrong with him and they believe they can fix him, that's one thing. Otherwise, I would give him a minor league invite after he clears waivers, with a promise to call him up or release him in a month, so he'd have time to try one other team this year.

17. Teufel's Graveyard Posted: July 15, 2010 at 06:27 AM (#3590289)

Well, since Austin Peay has been mentioned, I looked up something that I had heard and what I thought was a joke. But it's on Wiki, so it must be true.

James “Fly” Williams is listed as the number three athlete on the “50 Greatest Streetballers of All Time” by Street Basketball Association (SBA).
While playing at Austin Peay, the fans constructed a clever on-court chant that went: "Fly is open, let's go Peay!" Fans still chant "Let's Go Peay" at all basketball games. James "Fly" Williams' number 35 jersey was retired by Austin Peay State University on February 5, 2009.

18. Tripon Posted: July 15, 2010 at 06:36 AM (#3590294)

But, dude, it's 19.2 innings. He's not done yet. He could probably help somebody out down the stretch.

If he pitches like he currently has, yes he's done. Sherrill lived on great command, and that has disappeared totally this year. He can't throw his fastball for strikes, he can't locate his curveball or other breaking pitches, and any pitches in the zone is smashed.

19. rlc Posted: July 15, 2010 at 06:41 AM (#3590295)

Ah, this explains why the 08-09 O's bullpens were so piss-poor...

One of many reasons...

You're saying there were other micturating circumstances?

20. Magnum RA Posted: July 15, 2010 at 06:57 AM (#3590296)

Quick procedural question:

When a player is put on irrevocable waivers, do they always have the option of becoming a free agent if they clear?

21. jwb Posted: July 15, 2010 at 10:43 AM (#3590313)

If they've been outrighted before (Sherrill hasn't) or have five years of service time (Sherrill does).

22. B'Oriole Forester Posted: July 15, 2010 at 11:32 AM (#3590327)

From the Orioles beat writer at the (Baltimore) Sun:

...I know several people from the organization who have watched Sherrill either on person or on TV this season and been surprised with how much his mechanics have changed since his Orioles' days.

23. morineko Posted: July 15, 2010 at 06:21 PM (#3590638)

I thought the only reason the Dodgers picked up Sherrill in the first place was because Kuo was hurt (again) so it's not particularly surprising that he'd lose his job to Kuo even if his performance was better than what he's been doing.

24. Tom Nawrocki Posted: July 16, 2010 at 02:38 AM (#3591053)

George Sherrill just came into the game for the Dodgers against the Cardinals.

25. akrasian Posted: July 16, 2010 at 03:00 AM (#3591067)

George Sherrill just came into the game for the Dodgers against the Cardinals.

I guess I was wrong. How can someone who's been put on irrevocable waivers still be on the roster?

26. Every Inge Counts Posted: July 16, 2010 at 03:28 AM (#3591100)

My mom went to Austin Peay and my high school used to play their home football games at their football stadium-with some awesome turf (we would usually lose at least 2 guys a season to knee injuries). I remember when they had Bubba "Man of Steel" Wells on their basketball team-perhaps more famous in the NBA for being the quickest guy to foul out in a NBA game as Don Nelson made him foul Dennis Rodman no matter what and he was out of the game in 3 minutes (and Rodman hit 9 of his 12 free throws).

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Dodgers put Sherrill on waivers

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