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2008 Twenty-one years after being drafted by the Indians and on his third go-round with the Dodgers, ol' Traction Action-or was that Transaction Action-set career highs in appearances, innings pitched, and strikeouts in 2007. As his leverage score (0.89) indicates, he wasn't doing much heavy lifting; 24 appearances came with the team down one to three runs, seven came when up one to three runs, and 23 came when the margin was greater than four runs in either direction. After umpteen trips to the DL and a wait on the unemployment line, Seanez wasn't in a position to complain. 2007 `Traction Action` (given the number of teams he`s pitched for, maybe `Transaction Action` has become more apt) has long been a house fave hereabouts. It`s not a Goth thing because he`s seemingly deathless, but more a matter of his outlasting failed expectations of greatness to become a reliably unreliable commodity. You never know when Seanez will be healthy enough to help, but, for a few weeks at a time, he can show up, pump gas, and help a team win. Joining the Padres for a fourth tour in his third trading deadline team change in the last six years (no, really), he`s now made the playoffs in two different stints two different teams (the other being the Braves). 2006 `Traction Action` used to feature the kind of repertoire we make fun of clubs for coveting: 100-mph heat, a walk per inning, and Brad Pennington-ish results. Forget about that guy--Seanez is now one of the better relievers in the majors, though he can`t be counted on too heavily due to his extensive injury history. The Red Sox are taking a risk signing him for setup-man money, but they`ve certainly got the resources to compensate if it doesn`t work out. 2005 The guy Chad Fox aspires to be, Seanez not only carted himself to the mound enough times to make a roster, he actually managed to pick up some trade value, getting swapped to Florida at midseason. He's had a 13-year career with a peak of 53 2/3 innings in a single season, thanks mostly to a body that keeps betraying him. His hard stuff down makes him difficult to hit, as the numbers above show. He'll be in his third tour of duty with the Padres in '05. 2002 Seanez is in danger of becoming the Braves’ version of what Darryl Strawberry was to the Yankees for a few years. Is the team in need of some help down the stretch? Heck, dig up old what’s his face—he’s never very expensive, everybody knows him, and the staff knows what he can do. Seanez’s primary value to anyone other than the Braves is that he might bring you a live arm out of Macon or Myrtle Beach on the last day of July. 2001 Tough break for "Traction Action," whose back remained healthy long enough for his elbow to blow. Coming off midseason Tommy John surgery, he'll be hard-pressed to have any value in 2001. 2000 This is one of the great triumphs of the Cox/Mazzone Braves, taking the oft-maligned Seanez and getting 90 good innings from him over two seasons. Losing him to a broken elbow in September was what led to Cox’s interesting pitcher usage in October, using three starters out of the pen and essentially ignoring McGlinchy and Russ Springer in meaningful situations. Seanez is expected to be healthy in the spring. 1999 The man Bill James once described as “the worst pitching prospect in the history of the world” proved to be another feather in the cap for Cox and Mazzone. He commanded unconditional surrender from right-handed batters, who hit .125 with nary an extra-base hit all season. I wouldn’t count on him to repeat that, due to a health record that can only be seen if you’re over 18 and have a major credit card. 1998 Probably can still throw 130 mph or so, but still can’t get people out. You have to admire his tenacity. He’s been a flamethrowing prospect since the late Cretaceous, and he’s partially shaken the “can’t pitch” rap a couple of times now. This time, no one’s going to listen when someone cries, “Wolf.” 1997 Seanez doesn’t throw 141 mph anymore and he still can’t find the strike zone. At some point, you just have to give up. I mean, how long is “it feels so good when I stop” a good reason to do something? The Dodgers need to just say no. 1996 Another one of Fred Claire's bad ideas: giving Rudy Seanez a two-year contract. He's never been healthy because of a chronic back problem, he's never had control anywhere for any period of time, but he's got that big heater so he gets a shot without proving he knows how to pitch. When he flopped last season, the Dodgers questioned his makeup, which is a smokescreen for being surprised that he can't pitch well consistently.
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