Seattle Mariners add Bullpen Arms Shawn Camp and Hong-Chih Kuo

With less than a week before the Mariners pitchers and catchers report to Peoria, the front office added some more depth to their bullpen.

710 ESPN Radio first reported the Seattle Mariners have announced the signings of Shawn Camp and Hong-Chih Kuo.

These two pitchers, RHP Shawn Camp and LHP Hong-Chih Kuo, were offered Major League deals and immediately placed on the 40 man roster.

Camp, 36, spent the last four seasons in Toronto where he carried a 3.63 ERA.  He has shown remarkable stamina and durability appearing in an average of 59 games per season.

He led Toronto Blue Jays relievers with 70 appearances and 72.1 innings in 2010.

In 2011 for the Blue Jays Camp was 6-3 in 67 appearances, and 66 innings of work. He had 1 save. Allowed 3 home runs, 79 hits, 36 runs, 31 earned, gave up 22 walks, and had 32 strikeouts.

This type of consistent performance and veteran presence is exactly what the Mariners need with an unproven starting rotation.

Camp will more than likely make the team out of camp as a relief pitcher, or possibly a set up man.

Kuo, 30,  is a former all-star who has played the entirety of his career in the National League with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  In his seven Major League seasons he has established a respectable 3.73 ERA.

Shawn Camp led Jays relievers with 70 appearances and 72.1 innings in 2010

This stat would be even lower had the Taiwan native not struggled with an anxiety disorder last season where he ran up an ERA of 9.00.

Things in the Dodgers organization were not great last season, so a change of scenery could be just the ticket to Kuo getting back into form.

To make space on the roster the Mariners dropped back up catcher/outfielder Chris Gimenez and long term minor leaguer Mike Wilson.

Gimenez who appeared in 24 games for Seattle last season was looking at quite a few road blocks at the catcher position after the M’s picked up Jesus Montero and John Jaso in trade this offseason.

Wilson, who has been in the Mariners organization for 10 season made his major league debut for the Mariners in 2011 but appeared in only 8 games before being sent back to AAA Tacoma.

These moves probably indicated that Chone Figgins is likely to be used as a utility player in both the infield and the outfield for the upcoming season.

Shawn Camp - Seattle Mariners - Profile

Hong-Chih Kuo - Seattle Mariners - Profile

No matter what happens. I doubt these two signings sway the Las Vegas oddsmakers to change the Seattle Mariners 2012 World Series odds at all.

© Danny Ferguson for North West Sports Beat, 2012. | Permalink | No comment |

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