Sean Green

Green, one of the key components acquired in the J.J. Putz deal, struggled for the second year in a row. After a poor start, Green righted the ship from mid-May to mid-June, relying on an improved sinker and newly-developed changeup to throw 15.2 scoreless innings to take over as the team's primary eighth-inning reliever. After that stretch, it was downhill again as Green struggled with the command and control of his slider, resulting in an increased walk rate. Look for Green, an extreme groundball pitcher when he is on, to pitch anywhere from the sixth to eighth inning with his success dependent on controlling his slider.

At the end of July last season, Green had a 2.83 ERA and a 50:23 K:BB in an AL-leading 53 relief appearances. The heavy use caught up to him in the season's last two months. In addition to an achy shoulder in early August, Green allowed 23 earned runs and 31 hits in 21.2 innings (9.55 ERA, 12.8 H/9) with a 12:13 K:BB in his final 19 games. Green's 72 appearances were 15 more than any teammate, and only two Mariners pitched more than 50 games. Green went to the Mets in the J.J. Putz trade and will work in middle relief so long as he doesn't tire the way he did last season.

A pleasant surprise after an early May callup, Green evolved from a mop-up role to a late-inning reliever. He hit his stride in late June, allowing two unintentional walks in 24 outings over nearly two months in the summer. Despite running into some trouble down the stretch that inflated his ERA, Green stranded 70 percent of his runners (47-of-68) and allowed only two homers in 68 innings, the fourth-lowest HR rate of any reliever with at least 50 IP. Green was significantly better against righties than lefties, and likely will be in the mix for the right-handed set-up job in spring training.

Green pitched 32 innings in various stints with the Mariners in 2006, but didn't impress. He'll contend for a spot in the Mariners bullpen this spring, but he doesn't hold great promise.