The Arizona Diamondbacks closer-by-committee of last season will hopefully be a thing of distant memories (nightmares) as the team inked a deal with J.J. Putz. The deal is for two years with a team option for a third and is reported to be worth $10 million in guaranteed money with $4 million in 2011 and $4.5 million in 2012. The club option is worth $6.5 million and includes a $1.5 million buyout.
Here's the numbers on Putz according to the team's official press release.
Putz, 33, went 7-5 with 3 saves and a 2.83 ERA (17 ER in 54.0 IP) in 60 games last season with the Chicago White Sox. He collected 65 strikeouts and finished tied for fourth among American League relievers with a 4.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also finished tied for second in wins and fifth in strikeouts-per-9.0 innings (10.83) among AL relievers. Putz strung together a White Sox franchise-record 27 consecutive scoreless outings from May 14-July 28, while his 27.0 scoreless innings during that time was the 10th-longest streak in team history.
Over parts of eight seasons in the Majors with the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and White Sox, he posted a 30-24 record and 3.19 ERA (144 ER in 406.1 IP) with 106 saves, 138 walks and 421 strikeouts in 397 relief appearances. In 2007, Putz became just the 12th closer in Major League history (14th overall) to record more saves (40) than hits allowed (37) en route to being named the Mariners Most Valuable Player by the Seattle Chapter of the BBWAA. He also became the first Mariners pitcher to win the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award. Putz ranked fifth among all big league relievers (third in the AL) with 76 saves from 2006-07, including a stretch of 31 consecutive saves from Sept. 30, 2006-July 20, 2007. He also ranked third among AL relievers with 204 games played from 2005-07. Putz was selected by the Mariners in the sixth round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft.