hitting the market
Left-handed relievers always seem to be in demand, so it’s likely that Tony Sipp will find a big league job for 2014 without much difficulty. The Pascagoula native and former Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College star has declared himself a free agent; he had been designated for assignment by Arizona. Sipp, 30, didn’t pitch well in his one season with the Diamondbacks. He posted a 4.78 ERA — almost a run higher than his career average (3.84) — in 37 2/3 innings and walked 22 batters, hit three more and yielded six homers. The D’backs even sent him to the minors for a while. Sipp had four solid years with Cleveland before the Indians traded him last off-season, so perhaps 2013 was an aberration. A hard thrower (9.3 strikeouts per nine innings for his career), Sipp is not a closer (two career saves in eight chances) but still has value as a lefty specialist. He’ll land somewhere.