Marlins sign Helms

Miami Herald Staff and Wire Reports

 

The Marlins continued to add to their collection of veteran cast-offs Friday, announcing they signed infielder Wes Helms to a one-year $800,000 contract and finalizing a deal for catcher Miguel Olivo.

 

Last week, in a deal the team has yet to announce, it signed reliever Kerry Ligtenberg to a split major/minor-league deal that includes an invitation to spring training and a $600,000 salary if he makes the team.Helms, 29, who signed two days before Christmas, became a free agent this fall after hitting a career-best .298 in 98 games as a utility infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. He's a .257 hitter in six big-league seasons with Milwaukee and the Atlanta Braves.

 

Olivo, 27, is a .237 career hitter in parts of four major-league seasons with the White Sox, Mariners and Padres. He hit .151 in 54 games with Seattle last season before coming to San Diego at the midsummer trade deadline and hitting .304 over the final two months, helping key San Diego's push to the NL West title.

 

Ligtenberg, 34, who pitched in seven games with Arizona last season, is 17-20 in eight seasons as a reliever, mainly with the Braves. He pitched 9 2/3 innings, posting a 13.24 ERA, for Arizona last May before being designated for assignment. He finished the season in Triple A, where he went 4-3 with a 3.24 ERA in 38 games.

-- KEVIN BAXTER

Since 2004: 65 IP, 54 ER, 54 K.

 

Yikes.

I was not aware he was still alive.

I was not aware he was still alive.

 

:lol

I was not aware he was still alive.

 

:lol :lol :lol

 

Haven't heard that name in years either. But then again... That's So Marlins

After checking his career his stats I noticed that they looked pretty good for the most part, but then took a sharp decline. Which lead me to the only possible conclusion: steroids.

He had arm problems/surgeries after he left the Braves I believe (I don't think it was the juice). We have a knack for getting guys when they are supposed to be down and them turning out pretty good though.

Worth a shot.

 

If he makes it cool, if not, oh well.

I was not aware he was still alive.

 

:lol :lol :lol

 

Haven't heard that name in years either. But then again... That's So Marlins

 

It's only a minor league deal if he doesn't make the team out of spring training.

 

Also, we've got to kill that slogan. :plain

Also, we've got to kill that slogan. :plain

 

 

Sure would be nice.

It wasn't that long ago that Fish fans would have been overjoyed to have Kerry Ligtenberg on our staff. The last two years have been dreadful for the guy and for all intents and purposes he appears to be washed up.

 

But the same was said of Rick Helling, Chad Fox and others. If, a big IF, he can get back to anywhere near where he was in '03 and before, he'll be a real asset to the team AND a very tradeable commodity come mid-season (a pet theory of mine as we've traded away most of our marketable players already, but that's for another thread). If not, well thanks for trying, and we move on without him.

 

ESPN link to Kerry Ligtenberg's career stats

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3718

He wasnt to bad before injuries... Its worth a shot, with this Team we have nothing to lose... If he makes it then it must of deserved it if he doesnt, no problem!

 

At least we arent garunt. any money

Put me into the "oh wait...you're still playing?" category.

what the heck happened to him anyway? Up through '03 he was one of the best relievers around, then in '04 & '05 he's terrible?

 

Can't just be the Leo Mazzone magic again, he was fine with Baltimore in '03.

 

I was looking at some breakdowns of his '04 season, & even then with an ERA over 6, he K'd 40 and allowed only 2 homers in 42 innings. Opponents hit over .300 against him but for his career they'd only hit around .230, so something was definitely off.

 

I think he is absolutely worth giving a shot. He's not too old for a reliever, and as terrible as he was in '05, he was really only used a handful of times (though admittedly a couple of them were disasters). But if he can regain anything of his former stuff he'd be a great addition. If not, no harm done.

Not a risky signing really and could prove to be great.

Hmmmmm, well atleast it won't be like 98' all over again, we'll atleast have a chance at 3rd or fourth place, seriously. Could we be the Expos? With Cabrera (Vladdy), and D-Train (Vazquez), in their final days?

I would've loved this move if this were 2003. However, I only just "like" it now.