Charlie Furbush

Furbush was one of the Mariners' most effective relievers last season, even if his ERA doesn't show it. The bloated ERA was a product of a .345 BABIP and eight earned runs allowed in his first 14 appearances. Over his next 53 outings, though, he dropped his ERA to 2.45 with 43 strikeouts in 33 innings (11.7 K/9) and a mere six walks. The superb control (1.9 BB/9) was a much-needed improvement after he struggled to a 4.0 BB/9 in 2013. His K/BB ranked eighth among AL relievers, but perhaps most impressive he allowed only 12.8% of his inherited runners (5 of 39) to score, second in the AL. The southpaw struck out 32.1% of left-handed batters (ninth in the AL), but he's not used simply as a LOOGY as he's effective against right-handers as well. Despite only a low-90s fastball (91.8 mph), Furbush should again be a reliable reliever for the Mariners with a strong strikeout rate and excellent control.

Furbush proved to be a dependable arm out of the bullpen last season, making a team-high 71 appearances in a variety of roles. The left-hander is nearly as effective on righties (.221 BAA) as he is on lefties (.173), and he improved his strikeout rate to 11.1 K/9 last year. He could stand to improve his out-of-character control, as he walked 27 unintentionally in 65 innings, but he worked around the free passes by keeping the ball in the yard. The Mariners briefly considered him to close in the second half last season, and he could be in the conversation for that role again this spring.

The Mariners envisioned Furbush as a starter when they acquired him from Detroit mid-2011 but sent him to the bullpen last year to take advantage of his lefty-on-lefty dominance. Funny thing, though, he was nearly as effective on right-handed batters as he was on lefties last season. He held southpaws to a .147 average and did not allow a home run in 75 at-bats. Right-handers managed a .198 average and three homers in 86 at-bats, a vast improvement after allowing 14 homers in 238 right-handed at-bats in 2011. Furbush has good control (2.3 UBB/9) and strikes out more than 10 per nine innings despite only pitching in the low 90s. He'll join Lucas Luetge in the late-inning lefty role again this season.

Furbush arrived in Seattle last season via trade from Detroit and brought his severe home/road split with him. As was the case in pitcher-friendly Comerica, spacious Safeco was a safe-haven for Furbush as his ERA was more than five runs greater on the road in an equal number of starts. The 6-5 lefty throws in the low-90s, but saw his velocity wane down the stretch last season as he relied on a good breaking ball and good changeup to put away hitters. He also had trouble with right-hander batters, who hit 14 of the 16 homers Furbush allowed. Furbush mainly pitched in relief for the Tigers, but the Mariners see him as a starter, and he'll likely get the chance to compete for a back-of-the-rotation spot in spring training. A 7.1 K/9IP and 2.33 K/BB from last season will work as a starter, but he needs to figure out the road.

Furbush broke out during the 2010 season, finishing 8-9 with a 4.25 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 159 innings spread out between three stops in the minors. The tall (6-5) lefty doesn't overpower hitters, but he has a solid breaking ball and changeup that keep hitters off balance. The Tigers will give Furbush a chance to compete for a roster spot in spring training, but it could end up being as a long reliever at first as the team evaluates his long-term potential at the major league level.

Furbush, a 6-5, 215-pound left-hander from LSU, was Detroit's fourth-round pick last season. He had a solid debut in the minors and handled a promotion to Low-A West Michigan without missing a beat. His 69:14 K:BB ratio in 61.2 innings indicate Furbush is ready to move to High-A this year and maybe even to Double-A at some point. As he moves up the chain, we'll have a better idea if he is a legitimate prospect or if he was just dominating younger, inexperienced hitters last year.