Mariners Rumors

Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Benson, Giants, Mariners

By Mark Polishuk | February 17, 2010 at 9:24pm CDT

A quick rundown of some of the day's items…

In an appearance on WEEI's Dale & Holley Show, ESPN's Keith Law said that the Red Sox are the clear front-runners if and when Adrian Gonzalez hits the trade market. "I really think that Boston could top anybody if Adrian Gonzalez becomes available, and he will," Law said. The transcript of Law's appearance is available here.
It looks like Washington might still be the only team interested in Kris Benson. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets that the Indians have no interest in the right-hander.
ESPN.com's Jayson Stark polled "20 baseball wise men" to get their take on the offseason moves. The panel picked Seattle and Arizona as the most improved teams in their respective leagues, while Cleveland and the Dodgers were the least improved. John Lackey was named the winter's best free agent signing, while Brandon Lyon's deal with Houston was considered the worst.
Giants infielder Freddy Sanchez underwent shoulder surgery on December 23, but the news of the procedure didn't come out until almost a month later. Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News believes the club wanted to keep Sanchez's condition a secret in order to help them sign Juan Uribe to a more team-friendly contract. Uribe signed a one-year, $3.25MM deal on January 5.
MLB.com's Jim Street answers some Mariner-related questions in a fan mailbag. Some topics of note include the possibility that the M's could deal one of their surplus outfielders, and Chad Cordero could also be trade bait if he doesn't make the Seattle bullpen but otherwise appears recovered from shoulder surgery.
Matt Klaassen of Fangraphs thinks "Arizona overpaid a bit" in the arbitration settlement between the Diamondbacks and Edwin Jackson, but also notes that "there is reason to believe this deal is fair to both sides."
Miguel Olivo took less money to play in Colorado because he wanted to be on a contending team, reports Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
"It's decision time" for teams to negotiate with players entering the last year of their contracts, says USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Wandy Rodriguez and the Astros had their arbitration hearing today, and The Associated Press reports that a decision should be reached by tomorrow. Rodriguez wants $7MM, while Houston has countered with an offer of $5MM.
Jane Lee of MLB.com breaks down the dollars and reasoning behind Oakland's quick flip of Willy Taveras earlier this month.
There are no new developments between Jonny Gomes and the Reds, but John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that the two sides are still talking. GM Walt Jocketty is hopeful the team and player "can get something done this weekend."
Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks at some of the issues facing the Pirates this spring, and notes that the club's young players could be helped without the pressure to win starting jobs.

Odds & Ends: Dye, Mets, Lincecum, Vazquez, Colon

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 12, 2010 at 4:12pm CDT

Some links for your Friday afternoon…

Jermaine Dye mentioned to Frank Thomas that he's considering retirement, according to a tweet from CSN Chicago's Chuck Garfien.
Adam Rubin of The New York Daily News tweets the Mets' players that are out of options: Pat Misch, Anderson Hernandez, Nelson Figueroa, and Fernando Nieve. All four seem to be on the bubble.
ESPN.com's Keith Law says Tim Lincecum left "a lot of money on the table" this morning when he agreed to a two-year $23MM deal.
A number of unnamed GMs tell ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that they haven't figured out how to find good middle relief consistently.
Javier Vazquez tells Carlos Gonzalez of Primera Hora that he doesn't see himself playing until he's 38 or 39. Vazquez, 33, doesn't expect to retire this year or next year, though. (Translated by Nick Collias).
Bartolo Colon's agent tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that the former Cy Young Award winner wants to pitch this coming season (Twitter link).
Tom Glavine tells David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he won't rule out a future as a pitching coach. Now it would be too much of a time commitment for him.
Ryan Rowland-Smith says via Twitter that he's glad the Mariners re-signed Mike Sweeney.
The Rays signed infielders Angel Chavez and J.J. Furmaniak to minor league deals and invited the pair to Spring Training, according to a team press release.
David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News shows that the Phillies have already made major commitments for 2011. They may not be able to re-sign Jayson Werth.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that Russ Springer intends to pitch this coming season.
MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan has details on Khalil Greene's deal with the Rangers. The infielder makes $250K if he spends one day on the team's roster.
Neftali Feliz leads USA Today's list of 100 names we need to know.
Like most, Jack Moore of FanGraphs finds it hard to imagine 2011 free agent Derek Jeter finishing his career with a team other than the Yankees. One reason Moore believes Jeter's a fit in the Bronx: the shortstop's inside-out swing is perfect for Yankee Stadium.
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy guesses that Corey Hart's reps successfully compared their client to Jeff Francoeur and Josh Willingham. Hart won his arbitration hearing with the Brewers.
Jon Heyman of SI.com tweets that the Giants and Tim Lincecum went right to the door of their arbitration hearing this morning before settling.

Mariners Re-Sign Mike Sweeney

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 12, 2010 at 1:45pm CDT

The Mariners signed Mike Sweeney to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training. The 36-year-old batted 266 times for the Mariners last year, posting a .266/.335/.442 line. Sweeney was mostly a DH; he played just 35 innings at first base.

It seems unlikely that the five-time All Star will be on the team's Opening Day roster, since he'll face lots of competition. The Mariners already have Casey Kotchman, Ryan Garko, Ken Griffey Jr. and Milton Bradley at first base and DH.

Sweeney said on a conference call that GM Jack Zduriencik told him it won't be easy to make the team. Two other clubs were willing to offer Sweeney similar opportunities, but he says the Mariners were his "first choice all winter."

If he can't make Seattle's big league roster, he'd like to land a job with another major league team. The Mariners approached his representatives about coaching opportunities earlier in the winter, but Sweeney says he would prefer to play. He has thought about retirement, but wants to give himself the chance to play in the majors first.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Braves, Scutaro, Carroll

By Mike Axisa | February 12, 2010 at 9:58am CDT

On this date eight years ago, Major League Baseball acquired the Montreal Expos from owner Jeffrey Loria for $120MM, who then purchased the Marlins for $158MM. Loria took everything not nailed down in Montreal with him to Florida, including manager Jeff Torborg. MLB ran the Expos for the next four-plus years until ownership was transferred to Ted Lerner in July 2006.

Here's a look at what's being written around the web…

Capitol Avenue Club analyzes the players the Braves are bringing to Spring Training as non-roster invitees.
The Bottom Line wonders if Marco Scutaro is going to be the next Julio Lugo.
Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness thinks the Dodgers jumped the gun when they signed Jamey Carroll.
Mets Merized looks at the best of what's left on the free agent market.
Camden Crazies tries to make sense of the Orioles' interest in Jarrod Washburn.
U.S.S. Mariner breaks down the incentives in Erik Bedard's contract.
TAUNTR touched on the Tigers' reported offer to Johnny Damon.
Fantasy Rundown links to every prospect ranking you can think of.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Teams That Could Use Rotation Depth

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | February 11, 2010 at 5:07pm CDT

There isn't much choice for teams in search of starters, but some remaining free agens will provide rotation depth, if not dominance. Mike Hampton, Livan Hernandez, Braden Looper, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Chien-Ming Wang and Jarrod Washburn are among the starters looking for jobs. Let's take a look at some of the teams with the least rotation depth:

The Nationals have limited depth after John Lannan, Jason Marquis and Scott Olsen. Stephen Strasburg may be the most talented pitcher the Nats have, but he'll presumably have to prove it before they hand him a rotation spot. Washington is considering Wang and if that falls through, they figure to move on to others.
The Mets haven't solidified their rotation this offseason. Smoltz is a possibility, but he's seeking $4MM, which would be an obstacle for Omar Minaya & Co.
If the D'Backs aren't comfortable with Ian Kennedy and Billy Buckner in their rotation, they could look to free agency. They have been linked to Todd Wellemeyer and Dana Eveland recently, which suggests they would consider cheap depth options.
The Orioles haven't been in touch with Wang or Washburn recently, but the club may want to supplement its trio of young starters. Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman and Brad Bergesen are all 24 or younger.
Kyle Farnsworth will compete for a job in the Royals' rotation, which tells you that they don't have tons of starting pitching depth. Their interest in Erik Bedard also suggests they are open to adding arms.
It's no secret that Jarrod Washburn would return to the Mariners, but they haven't made the lefty an offer. After Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee, the Mariners don't have tons of certainty in their rotation.

Odds & Ends: McClung, Aurilia, Lincecum, Brewers

By Tim Dierkes | February 10, 2010 at 9:42pm CDT

Links for Wednesday…

According to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro, Seth McClung's deal with the Marlins would be worth $800K if he makes the team, not $600K as originally reported (link goes to Twitter).
MLB.com's Tom Singer wrote about the hazards of signing pitchers to five-year deals.
Baggarly tweets that even though he isn't retired, Rich Aurilia has a broadcasting deal in place that is contingent on him not finding a job on the field.
Tim Lincecum and the Giants are still no closer to a deal, reports Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News. Their arbitration hearing is now less than two days away.
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy takes a look back at the Brewers' arbitration history. The team is scheduled to go to a hearing with Corey Hart tomorrow, which would be their first in 12 years.
Mariners' GM Jack Zduriencik did not rule out the possibility of adding a catcher, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com (via Twitter).
RotoAuthority analyzes the Blue Jays' closer situation from a fantasy baseball angle.
SI's Jon Heyman names his free agent winners and losers. It's a well-done piece; my only gripe is Jason Marquis being in the loser bracket after signing a two-year, $15MM deal.
ESPN's Buster Olney reports that before signing with the Padres, catcher Yorvit Torrealba "offered himself to the Mets for $1.4MM." The Mets "indicated they had no money to spend."
Aaron Schafer of Viva El Birdos grades the Cardinals' offseason moves and non-moves.

Red Sox Claim Gaby Hernandez; Designate Manuel

By Tim Dierkes | February 10, 2010 at 3:17pm CDT

The Red Sox claimed righty Gaby Hernandez off waivers from the Mariners, according to a team press release. He'd had been designated for assignment when the Ms signed Ryan Garko. Hernandez, 24 in May, posted a 6.0 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, and 5.23 ERA in 146.3 Triple A innings last year. The Red Sox claiming Hernandez means all but a handful of MLB clubs passed on him.

To make room for Hernandez, the Red Sox designated pitcher Robert Manuel for assignment. They'd claimed him from the Mariners off waivers in November. Manuel, 26, posted a 2.88 ERA, 6.7 K/9, and 2.2 BB/9 in Triple A last year.

Yusmeiro Petit, designated to make room for Erik Bedard, cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Mariners' Triple A Tacoma club.

Washburn Waiting For Right Offer

By Tim Dierkes | February 10, 2010 at 3:13pm CDT

Free agent lefty Jarrod Washburn spoke to MLB.com's Jim Street, telling Street he's waiting for the right offer. Washburn quipped, "I never liked Spring Training anyway."

Washburn told Street that he rejected some offers (reportedly $5MM from the Twins among them) because he wasn't ready to make a decision at the time. Washburn says "it's not about money." He'd love to return to the Mariners, but has not received an offer. The southpaw would be happy to keep playing, but happy to retire as well.

Washburn's 2009 season was tricky – he wasn't as good as the 2.64 ERA he posted over the first four months, but a knee injury contributed to his 7.33 ERA over the last two. Instead try CHONE's projection for 2010: a 4.63 ERA in 167 innings.

Five Teams Eyeing Endy Chavez

By Tim Dierkes | February 10, 2010 at 2:13pm CDT

Five teams are eyeing free agent outfielder Endy Chavez, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports: the Mets, Mariners, Blue Jays, Astros, and Royals. Chavez had surgery for a torn ACL in July, and Morosi says he could be ready in April or May.

Chavez, 32, doesn't offer much offensively. His calling card is his defense, which has historically been strong at all three outfield positions. The question is whether his defense will still be an asset post-knee surgery.

Mariners Sign Jesus Colome

By Tim Dierkes | February 10, 2010 at 11:45am CDT

The Mariners signed righty Jesus Colome to a minor league deal, according to a team press release. Colome, 32, posted a 7.59 ERA, 6.3 K/9, and 2.5 BB/9 in 21.3 innings for the Nationals and Brewers last year. Additionally, he logged 17.3 strong innings in Triple A.

With a 94.7 mph average fastball, Colome is an intriguing risk-free pickup. Poor control had been a major flaw until last year, when he posted an overall BB/9 of 2.33 in 38.6 innings. The Mariners' other non-roster invitees can be viewed here.

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