PHOENIX >> To say that Mike Fetters is thrilled to be traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks is a gross understatement. [BASEBALL]
Trade to Arizona ‘almost
too good’ for FettersAssociated Press
Not only is the former Iolani School standout going from perennial non-contender Pittsburgh to the World Series champions, he will be spending much more time with his wife and four children because the family makes its home in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert.
"Playing for as long as I have now and never been in the postseason, and living in Arizona, it's almost too good right now for me," Fetters said shortly after he joined the team before last night's game against San Francisco. He went on to make his Diamondbacks debut, walking one in 1/3 of an inning.
The Diamondbacks sent 22-year-old right-hander Duaner Sanchez to the Pirates on Saturday night for the 37-year-old Fetters, who is expected to fill the much-needed role of right-handed setup man out of the Arizona bullpen.
"We think he's a real good fit for us," manager Bob Brenly said. "This is a guy who's been a closer in his career. Most recently he's been one of the best setup guys in the league. He's deadly on right-handed hitters and he does pretty well against lefties, too. He controls the running game. He's got three quality pitches."
Fetters is familiar with the NL West hitters after spending the 2000 season and much of 2001 with Los Angeles before being traded to Pittsburgh.
"He's been in eighth- and ninth-inning situations his whole career. I think he upgrades our bullpen considerably," Brenly said.
Fetters was 1-0 with a 3.62 ERA in 32 appearances with the Pirates. Batters are hitting .219 against him, right-handers .156. He earned his only victory Friday night, working a scoreless inning in Pittsburgh's 4-3 victory over Houston.
Fetters figured a trade was coming and was hoping it would be to Arizona.
"Because of my contract and my position, I was pretty sure I was going to go somewhere, I just didn't know where," he said. "I'm happy it was here. I couldn't have picked a better place. I'm glad they picked me."
Fetters makes $2.15 million this season with a club option for 2003 of $2.75 million. Arizona can buy out his contract for $250,000 at the end of this season.
The Diamondbacks had been using Mike Koplove and Matt Mantei as right-handed setup pitchers for closer Byung-Hyun Kim. But Koplove is just 25, has little major-league experience and isn't the kind of power pitcher most desired for a setup role. Mantei still is far from top form after missing last season and nearly three months of this season following elbow surgery.
Fetters welcomed a move to a team loaded with veteran players.
"I know just about everybody in that clubhouse," he said. "That makes it kind of neat, too. I don't have to tiptoe around. They all know who I am and what I'm about. I'm not the oldest guy on the club anymore, which is kind of nice."