Mariners sign Eric Byrnes to a one-year deal

Posted on January 29, 2010

Eric Byrnes of the Arizona Diamondbacks bats during the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on April 15, 2008. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

The Seattle Mariners signed outfielder Eric Byrnes to a one-year deal this afternoon as they look to add some veteran outfield depth to their roster. The Diamondbacks released Byrnes a few weeks ago and are still on the hook for the $11 million that is owed to Byrnes in 2010, less whatever the Mariners are paying him (probably the league minimum of $400,000).

Eric Byrnes of the Arizona Diamondbacks spits seeds before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on April 21, 2007. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

The 33-year-old Byrnes had a monster season for the D’Backs in 2007 when he hit .286 with 21 homers and 83 RBIs when he helped lead his club to the NLCS against the Rockies. Byrnes also swiped 50 bags that year and was rewarded with a three-year, $30 million extension he signed prior to the 2008 season. That is when it all went bad as injuries hampered “Crash Test Dummy” limiting him to just over 200 at bats in both 2008 and 2009. It was apparent at the end of last season that his days in Arizona were numbered.

Eric Byrnes of the Oakland Athletics bats during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California in 2000. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

I first photographed Byrnes when he was a September call-up with the A’s in September of 2000 (see above) as they were making a run for the playoffs. I can’t believe that was 10 years ago! He didn’t have his long hair yet back then and just kinda hung around playing mostly in the minor leagues before coming up again in 2001 when he first really burst on the scene as the kind of free spirit and all-out base runner photographers like me would come to love shooting.

TEARSHEET FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Oakland Athletics base runner Eric Byrnes gets tagged out at home plate by Texas Rangers catcher Bill Haselman at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA on July 21, 2002. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Throughout his career Byrnes has been one of my favorite ballplayers to photograph, beginning when he knocked over Rangers catcher Bill Haselman in 2001 (see above) while I was on assignment for Sports Illustrated and the picture when two pages in the magazine that week.

Eric Byrnes of the Oakland Athletics dives for a ball during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA on April 5, 2003. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Byrnes first started getting some decent playing time for the A’s in 2003, and it was then when I started to notice his amazing ability to launch his body high into the air in an effort to chase down fly balls in the outfield- even if he had no chance of making a play (see above). This is great for photographers like me!

Chicago White Sox third baseman Chris Widger can’t handle a throw as Oakland A’s base runner Eric Byrnes slides in safely during a game at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland on April 27, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Byrnes put together his best year for the A’s in 2004 when he hit .283 with 20 homers and 73 RBIs. Unfortunately Byrnes fell out of favor with the club in 2005 and he was sent packing to the Rockies in July of that year. He was then sent to Baltimore a few weeks later and was then granted free agency after the year. This is when he landed in Arizona and began to put together the stats that would set up both his family and him forever financially.

Eric Byrnes of the Oakland Athletics takes batting practice during spring training at the A’s camp at Papago Park. Phoenix, AZ on February 24, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

Besides being a great athlete to photograph Byrnes is a really nice guy. He even came to A’s team photographer Michael Zagaris’s 60th birthday in San Francisco in 2005! I am glad he is staying on the west coast. This means I will get to see him many times when the Mariners come to town to play the A’s. I will also get to shoot him this spring in Peoria, Arizona when I make the drive on the 101 Loop from Scottsdale to shoot the Mariners. I hope he has a good spring and gets some playing time in Seattle. The only thing that would have been better is if he would have signed with the Giants, but I think they are done making moves this winter.

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