Mariners bring back Joe Beimel on a minor-league deal

PEORIA, Ariz. – A little off-day news. I mentioned in my previous post that it looked like the Mariners were close to signing reliever Joe Beimel to a minor-league deal. Today Beimel posted a picture of his Jordan cleats on the clubhouse carpet saying that they were his away cleats for the season. Shortly after, the Mariners confirmed that they had indeed signed Beimel to a minor-league deal.

Beimel pitched in 56 games for the Mariners last season, putting up a 2.20 ERA. While there was dialogue between the team and Beimel during the offseason, a deal was never struck. Beimel ended up signing a one-year non-guaranteed deal with the Rangers but was released after allowing 11 earned runs in three innings over four appearances.

“I’m beyond excited to be back in the organization,” Beimel said. “After all of the events that transpired this spring I felt like it was destiny that brought me back.”

Beimel was extremely popular with his bullpen mates. When I asked how the pen came together last year, Charlie Furbush said it was Beimel who helped turn it into a family.

“I feel it really came together once Joe Beimel really opened up,” he said with a laugh. “He was the one, you didn’t really know him. He’s this guy with the huge beard, terrifying, deep voice. I think him being in the bullpen, he was the one who kind of allowed everyone else to kind of be themselves.”

The bullpen certainly did not lack for personality – or strikes. Beimel will be insurance in Tacoma should a need arise. Since it is a minor-league deal, the Mariners will not need to put Beimel on the 40-man roster unless they call him up.

One last bit of news: the Mariners also announced that they have optioned Mike Montgomery to Triple-A Tacoma. Montgomery was acquired from the Rays for Erasmo Ramirez. While he was in the process of being converted to a reliever, general manager Jack Zduriencik told us on “The Cactus League Report” that the Mariners will use him as a starter.