M's Notebook | Putz's delivery draws notice
By Dale Bowman

Special to The Seattle Times


CHICAGO - Mariners closer J.J. Putz was surprised to find out he was
one of 10 relievers selected for the second annual "DHL Presents the
Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award" on Friday.

Voting will be done by fans on MLB.com from Monday through Oct. 9. The
winner will be announced in the postseason.

"I think it is an honor to be mentioned in the same class with those
guys," said Putz, a 6-foot-5 right-hander whose 34 saves rank among the
top 10 in the majors.

The other honorees are Trevor Hoffman of the San Diego Padres, Bobby
Jenks of the Chicago White Sox, Joe Nathan of the Minnesota Twins,
Jonathan Papelbon of the Boston Red Sox, Mariano Rivera of the New York
Yankees, Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels, B.J. Ryan of
the Toronto Blue Jays, Billy Wagner of the New York Mets and Detroit's
Joel Zumaya.

Putz looked at the eclectic bunch, then pointed to Rivera's name.

"I still think this guy, the fact he does it with one pitch and one
pitch only [is amazing]," Putz said.

That's the mechanics of Rivera's success, but Putz, 29, also
understands there's a mental side too, the steely calm of Rivera.

"I was fortunate I had a chance to close in 2004; I had a taste of what
it was like," Putz said. "The hardest part [this year] was it came at
the expense of my good buddy [Eddie Guardado]. It didn't sink in until
he was traded."

It was in Chicago that manager Mike Hargrove made Putz the closer after
Guardado blew a save on May 3.