Mariners Rumors

Odds & Ends: Oeltjen, Hensley, Gload, Halladay

By Tim Dierkes | December 4, 2009 at 1:30pm CDT

Links for Friday, as team execs and media folk pack their bags for Monday's Winter Meetings in Indianapolis…

The Brewers signed Trent Oeltjen to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Oeltjen, 27 in February, hit .303/.362/.500 in his third Triple A tour, playing the outfield corners.
Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash spells out why his team won't be acquiring Roy Halladay, talking to McCalvy.
MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets six minor league free agents signed by the Marlins, including Jesse Foppert, Vinny Rottino, and Hector Luna.
The Pirates expressed "mild interest" in free agent pitcher Clay Hensley, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hensley, 30, spent the year at Triple A in the Astros and Marlins organizations, posting a 3.56 ERA in 124 innings.
Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post feels there's "still a good chance [Ross] Gload returns [to the Marlins] with a two-year deal."
Darren Dreifort's five-year, $55MM deal tops Jeff Passan's list of the ten worst contracts of the 2000s for Yahoo.
Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues explains why the Yankees probably won't sign Rafael Soriano.
In his Winter Meetings preview for AOL FanHouse, Ed Price says there was some discussion about a Tigers-Diamondbacks trade involving Edwin Jackson and Max Scherzer.
ESPN's Buster Olney talked to rival executives who say the Tigers have not aggressively shopped Curtis Granderson.
Olney doesn't think the Mariners will pay up for Jason Bay. He believes the Red Sox are "controlling the market" for Bay and Matt Holliday.
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Cardinals are "increasingly weighing spreading what it would cost to retain Holliday over several players." Bernie Miklasz of the P-D feels the Cards are "enacting their exit strategy from the Holliday sweepstakes." I would not be surprised to see the Cardinals make their best offer soon - let's say $110MM over six years – and entirely move on if Scott Boras rejects it.
SI's Jon Heyman tweets that Nick Johnson is "drawing interest from the Giants, maybe Braves, and a half-dozen more."
MLB.com's Corey Brock talked to former Padres GM Kevin Towers, who will meet with the Mets, Yankees, Mariners, and Red Sox at the Winter Meetings.
ESPN's Keith Law isn't impressed with the Phillies' Placido Polanco signing. My initial impression upon hearing about the signing is that no other team would've valued Polanco that highly.
MLB.com's Joe Frisaro tweets that other teams have been more aggressive on Jamey Carroll than the Marlins. Other Carroll suitors include the Rockies, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, A's, Rangers, Pirates, Reds and Indians.

Angels Still In On John Lackey

By Tim Dierkes | December 4, 2009 at 8:51am CDT

The Angels "remain heavily in the mix" for John Lackey, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal says the Angels' renewed their efforts to re-sign Lackey at the behest of owner Arte Moreno, though GM Tony Reagins denied any change in the team's course.

Rosenthal lays out three other factors that might be motivating the Angels to consider re-upping Lackey: an unappealing asking price for Roy Halladay, uncertainty with Scott Kazmir, and the Mariners' interest in Lackey.

If the Angels do allow Lackey to leave, they'll gain two draft picks as compensation. A couple of big-market clubs might be out of the Lackey bidding – Gordon Edes recently wrote that Lackey is not a Red Sox target, and Bill Shaikin said the Dodgers won't be in pursuit. The New York teams haven't been ruled out, while the Nationals and Brewers could be dark horses.

Asking Prices For Beltre, DeRosa

By Tim Dierkes | December 4, 2009 at 8:28am CDT

Free agent infielders Adrian Beltre and Mark DeRosa had off-years offensively, but according to ESPN's Buster Olney, both have steep asking prices. Said Olney:

As teams have been checking in on the availability of infielders, they have found that the asking price for Beltre is no less than $10 million a year, and for DeRosa, it's a three-year deal for something in the range of $9 million a year.

Beltre is a relatively young 31 in April, his third base defense is top-notch, and he's represented by Scott Boras. He did have shoulder surgery in June. Still, his initial demands aren't entirely unexpected, and Olney didn't tell us how many years he's seeking.

DeRosa turns 35 in February, earned $5.5MM this year, and had wrist surgery in November. But since he reportedly has at least a dozen suitors, why not start the bidding around $27MM?

Both players are Type B free agents, and the Mariners and Cardinals offered arbitration on Tuesday. Beltre and DeRosa don't seem likely to accept.

Mariners Are Frontrunners For Figgins

By Zachary Links | December 3, 2009 at 7:50pm CDT

7:50pm: The M's are the "clear frontrunners" to sign Figgins, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi writes that it is likely that the switch-hitting third baseman will receive a four-year deal in excess of $30MM.

6:06pm: The Mariners are the latest team to join the chase for free agent Chone Figgins, reports Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter). Heyman also notes that the Angels are "still trying."

Figgins, in all probability, would fill the club's void at third base where he turned in a UZR/150 of 18.8 in 2009. Do you think the Mariners should pursue Figgins or find a different, and perhaps cheaper, solution at third?

Mariners Seek Righty Slugger

By Zachary Links | December 3, 2009 at 5:32pm CDT

Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik is in search of a right-handed power bat, writes Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times.

In a conference call with reporters, Jack Z acknowledged the team's need for someone who hits righty, despite Safeco Field's friendliness towards lefties. With their lineup already loaded with left-handed hitters, Zduriencik said that he would be interested in a righty, but declined to name names.

Who would make sense for the Mariners on the free agent market or via trade?

Mariners Pushing For Jason Bay

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 3, 2009 at 11:56am CDT

The Mariners are making a "concerted push" for free agent left fielder Jason Bay, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. We've seen the Mariners linked to the Canadian before, but this is the first indication that they've intensified their pursuit.

The Mariners were an excellent defensive team last year, but appear willing to tolerate below-average defense from Bay as long as he hits. Bay would cost the Mariners their 18th overall pick in next year's draft.

This is the second time in as many days that we've seen the Mariners linked to a British Columbia native. The team is also interested in righty Rich Harden, according to FOX Sports.

Bay's agent, Joe Urbon, told WEEI.com earlier in the week that he expects his client to remain in contact with the Red Sox.

Giants Interested In Beltre, Uggla, Johnson

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | December 3, 2009 at 8:20am CDT

The Giants would like to add offense and, as Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports point out, Pablo Sandoval and Freddy Sanchez are versatile enough to give GM Brian Sabean plenty of options. The FOX Sports duo reports that Adrian Beltre, Dan Uggla and Nick Johnson are all high on the team's wish list.

One source tells FOX Sports that the Giants and Marlins are in the midst of ongoing discussions about Uggla, a prime trade candidate. The Marlins are looking to obtain major league-ready players for the arbitration-eligible infielder. The Giants, not surprisingly, would only have interest in Johnson on a short-term deal.

Mariners Pursuing Harden & Lackey

By Tim Dierkes | December 3, 2009 at 8:08am CDT

THURSDAY, 8:08am: A source tells Rosenthal and Morosi that the Mariners are "actively pursuing" John Lackey. As a Type A free agent who was offered arbitration, Lackey would cost a top pick.

WEDNESDAY, 3:58pm: The Mariners are "showing strong interest" in Rich Harden, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The writers wonder if Harden being a native of British Columbia will help Seattle's cause. They note that the Red Sox are also serious about the 28-year-old righty.

Any team signing Harden will of course take a long, hard look at his shoulder. If his last two seasons are any indication, he can give you 140 strikeout-filled innings if managed carefully. What's that worth? Probably a base salary in the $6-7MM range, with a few million more in incentives. Harden's agent Arn Tellem says his client has "no health issues at all," for what it's worth.

Odds & Ends: Hudson, Wolf, Betancourt, Braves

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2009 at 1:55pm CDT

Links for Wednesday…

The Reds signed pitcher Jon Adkins to a minor league deal, according to the pitcher's Twitter (hat tip to The Hall Of Very Good). Adkins spent 2009 pitching in Korea.
The Giants were right not to offer arbitration to Bengie Molina, writes Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles.
Chris Pummer as well as our own Howard Megdal from The Perpetual Post weigh in on Andruw Jones, who recently signed with the White Sox for $500K.
Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News discusses the chances of the Giants signing Miguel Tejada, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, or Hudson.
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times says the Mariners are interested in Orlando Hudson, at the right price. The lack of an arbitration offer helps.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs looks at Ned Colletti's claim that the Dodgers' decision not to offer arbitration to Type A free agent Randy Wolf "was made strictly from a baseball perspective."
No surprise here: Astros GM Ed Wade indicated that a reunion with Wolf is unlikely (MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reporting). Wade also downplayed the reports linking the Astros to Brett Myers and J.J. Putz, saying, "We've made contact with agents for about every player out there as a matter of course. I would not read anymore into it than that."
ESPN's Buster Olney believes Rafael Betancourt "could be the player whose market is most affected" among the ten Type As offered arbitration.
Ken Davidoff of Newsday questions the Mets' Billy Wagner trade from August.
David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders if the Braves might now pursue a setup man such as Octavio Dotel or Fernando Rodney.
Corey Brock and Steve Gilbert have Winter Meetings previews at MLB.com for the Padres and Diamondbacks, respectively.
Diamond Leung links to stories indicating the Chiba Lotte Marines "are interested in purchasing the contract of Dodgers left-hander Eric Stults." Stults posted a 4.86 ERA in ten starts for the Dodgers last year, making another 13 starts in the minors.

Multiple Teams Interested In Noah Lowry

By Tim Dierkes | December 2, 2009 at 1:45pm CDT

1:45pm: Aside from the Pirates and Rockies, ESPN's Jerry Crasnick says the Dodgers, Padres, A's, Mariners, and Reds are interested in Lowry.

10:56am: The Pirates are interested in free agent lefty Noah Lowry, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. As Kovacevic notes, the former Giant had forearm surgery in March of 2008, which the pitcher's agent later claimed was a misdiagnosis. In May of '09 Lowry had surgery to remove a rib to help with thoracic outlet syndrome. Earlier this month, Lowry's agent said his client is finally "completely healthy." Yesterday, Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post noted the Rockies' interest in Lowry.

The first four spots in the Pirates' rotation appear set, with Paul Maholm, Zach Duke, Ross Ohlendorf, and Charlie Morton. Lowry could compete for the fifth starter job; the Bucs would have three lefties in the rotation if he won it. Lowry's best season came in 2005, when he made 33 starts with a 3.78 ERA. That campaign netted him a four-year, $9.25MM extension.

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