Instead of non-tendering third baseman Jose Lopez, the Seattle Mariners were able to ship the third basemen off to Colorado on Thursday, in exchange for right-handed pitcher Chaz Roe. And with that, the Lopez era in Seattle ends unceremoniously on the final day to offer returning players arbitration.
Roe is a warm body and live arm from the Rockies organization. As a former first-round draft pick in 2005, Roe has toiled in the minor leagues, finally reaching Triple-A in 2010. Pitching for Colorado Springs in the PCL, Roe compiled a 9-13 record with a 5.98 ERA in 2010.
After starting his Mariner career as a promising prospect, Lopez fell into a slow decline, finally reaching the bottom of the barrel in 2010. It became clear Lopez was no longer in the team’s plans this past season and the Mariners reportedly began actively shopping the third basemen ahead of the trade deadline, though they never found a buyer.
The fact that the Mariners got nothing more than a struggling, former first-round draft pick for Lopez is an indication of just how far his value sank.