The Seattle Mariners released outfielder Eric Byrnes after yesterday’s game against the Rangers. Partially due to ineffectiveness, partially due to plain old weirdness.
The ineffectiveness: Byrnes was three for 32 on the season.
The weirdness: the play on Friday night in which he pulled his bat back on a suicide squeeze, causing Ichiro to get nailed at the plate in the Mariners’ 2-0 loss. He bolted the clubhouse on his bicycle mere minutes after that game, avoiding the media and his general manager, Jack Zduriencik. Also the fact that he didn’t take the bat off his shoulder for three straight pitches with the bases loaded in the fourth inning yesterday. He’s basically been like Richie Tenenbaum at the U.S. Nationals out there.
I have to guess that the weirdness is why he was released. I mean really, the Mariners are putting up with near-zero in terms of contributions from Ken Griffey and Mike Sweeney, so it’s not like they have an official requirement that their DHs and backup outfielders actually be able to hit or anything.
But if you’re gonna be useless at the plate, you had better be a good citizen and at least look like you’re trying out there.