Rays sign Jason Isringhausen

[dedwretched]

http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2009/02/rays-sign-isrin.html

[backwardsk]

I hate saying this because I'm usually a positive poster. But when I read Isringhausen's name, I think back to the Met's trio of Izzy, Pulsipher, and Paul Wilson. Then I get cautiously optimistic about Matusz, Tillman, and Arrieta. That's why I'm glad that MacPhail is continuing to develop depth with guys like Hill, Liz, Erbe, Hernandez.

[ugen64]

Wow - the Rays bullpen is seriously stacked right now. Percival / Wheeler / Howell / Balfour / Nelson / Shouse / Bradford / Isringhausen, with guys like Cormier in the minors.

[GeorgiaBird]

This, like the Kennedy signing, is all about trying to have cheap depth at every position. (They are also currently talking to Boras about bringing in Pudge on a MiL deal.) I think Durham might be trying to make a run at the NL West.

[Migrant Redbird]

I am doubtful that Isringhausen's hip will hold up for another season. He had a horrible 2006 season (which is why Wainwright became the Cards' rookie closer) and then had his hip socket cleaned out that winter. He bounced back to a great season in 2007, but one orthopedic rehab therapist I read said that Izzy's operation would typically only good enough for 1 year before his arthritic condition would recur. Sure enough, he was terrible in 2008. Both Izzy and the Cards denied that the hip was a problem, but he had a noticeable limp when he ran. I'm just speculating -- I'm certainly not an orthopedic specialist -- but I think that Izzy's hip was bothering him last season and he's hoping to make it one more year with the help of cortisone shots.

We'll see.

[adamwolff11]

I think it's a solid move for the Rays. If he holds it together, then they have a real nice veteran prescence to compliment an incredibly talented core of young players, and if not, it's not a HUGE loss.