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 FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2009 2:15 pm |
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• Bloomie finds a new home with Royals January 9 • Mariners add much-needed arm to the bullpen January 6 • Soothing thought: Mariners set reporting dates January 5 • Mariners' LaHair has another idea for left field: himself December 27 • Dickey's decision: Better opportunity with the Twins December 24 |
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• Sizemore among players being considered for World Baseball Classic January 9 • California woman finds baseball card from 1869 January 8 • Nationals ballpark cost $693 million January 8 • Brewers begin sponsorship deal with casino January 8 • Twins owner remembered as family man January 8 • Bradley ready for fresh start with Cubs January 8 • Ex-Rookie of Year Berroa agrees to minor league deal with Yankees January 8 • Hoffman reaches agreement with Brewers January 8 • Smoltz, Baldelli agree to deals with the Red Sox January 8 • Dodgers are playing the Ramirez game perfectly January 7 |
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Bloomie finds a new home with Royals Willie Bloomquist, the popular utility player from Port Orchard who'd been with the Mariners his entire pro career, has reached a contract agreement with the Kansas City Royals, according to mlb.com The report said Bloomquist and the Royals had reached agreement, pending a physical exam which he was taking today, on a deal believed to be worth about $3 milliion. He'll go to the Royals with a chance at something he couldn't get with the Mariners -- a starting job. Bloomquist will compete with Alberto Callalspo for the starting job at second base with the Royals. Bloomquist has been an opening-day starter only once in his career, 2004 when he started at third base. That's the year he started 55 games at five different positions, although interestingly none at second base. Last year he became one of only three major leaguers to play every position except pitcher and catcher. His year came to a painful end on Aug. 9 when he suffered a hamstring injury while running to first base. It left Bloomquist with a .263 career average for the Mariners with six home runs 98 RBI and 71 stolen bases in 87 attempts. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Mariners add much-needed arm to the bullpen In the least, the Mariners addressed their bullpen depth this afternoon by signing right-hander Tyler Walker to a one-year contract. In the most, they might have found a guy who can be their closer. Walker, a veteran of six major league seasons, has 34 saves in 320 appearances in his career. He pitched last year with the Giants, going 5-8 with a 4.56 earned run average, holding right-handed hitters to a .186 average. "Tyler is a pitcher we had identified early on as a guy who could help us in the bullpen," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "He has the ability to pitch in any role: middle relief, set-up and he has experience as a closer." Bullpen depth is one of the Mariners greatest needs. Last month they traded away closer J.J. Putz and right-handed setup man Sean Green, leaving nearly every role in the bullpen uncertain. The addition of Walker adds another layer of insulation between Brandon Morrow and the closer role. Morrow, who saved 10 games last year when Putz was hurt, would prefer to be a starter and the M's, deep down, would like it that way too. But they also knew he could be their best option at closer if they didn't come up with a suitable replacement. Mark Lowe wants the job, and Miguel Batista and Aaron Heilman are other in-house candidates. And now, Walker is another who'll go to spring training with a chance to be that guy. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Soothing thought: Mariners set reporting dates Does it seem like the snow, slush and dark skies will never give way to decent weather? Is baseball a season you just can't imagine right now? Well, here's a tidbit to help warm your cockles. The Mariners' pitchers and catchers will report to the team's spring training facility in Peoria, Ariz., on Feb. 13 and their first on-field workout will be the next day. Position players must report by Feb. 16 and the first full-squad workout will be Feb. 17. The Mariners will begin their exhibition schedule Feb. 25 against the Padres at Peoria Stadium. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Mariners' LaHair has another idea for left field: himself First baseman Bryan LaHair knows he didn't show the power that the Seattle Mariners had hoped in his first major league experience last year. And he saw the Mariners sign another left-hander with power, Russell Branyan, to play first base in 2009. But LaHair, who hit three home runs in 136 at-bats this year after the M's called him up, also knows the door of opportunity hasnt completely shut. There's no guarantee that Branyan, never a full-time player in his career, will hit with the consistency that the Mariners need. There's still an opening at DH for 2009 and the Mariners would like to add more offensive pop in left field beyond Endy Chavez. If there's still a need in left field when spring training begins, LaHair knows just who can fill it: himself. LaHair played several games in left field during his first pro season with the Everett AquaSox in 2003 and a few dozen more the next year at Class A Wisconsin while the Timber Rattlers' regular left fielder, Wladimir Balentien, was playing with the Dutch team at the Athens Olympics. "I’d been an outfielder my whole life. Left field is like my second home," LaHair said last week before a workout at the Mariners' training complex in Peoria, Ariz. "First base is my home now, but if you gave me two weeks in left field, I would be ready to play there." ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Dickey's decision: Better opportunity with the Twins The Seattle Mariners offered R.A. Dickey potentially better money than any other team in 2009, but the greater opportunity to pitch in the big leagues was more important. That's why Dickey, the knuckleball pitcher who spent most of this year with the Mariners, decided today to sign with the Minnesota Twins. Dickey agreed to a split minor-major league contract -- meaning he'll get one level of pay while he's in the major leagues, another for the time he'd be in the minors -- which is little different than what the Mariners offered. The Twins, however, seemed more certain that he would fill an important role on their team. "Seattle could have been more money, but the Twins felt like I could have a place on their roster right away," Dickey said. He also had an offer from the New York Mets, along with significant interest from the Milwaukee Brewers. The Twins, however, have openings in their bullpen and pursued Dickey almost from the time the Mariners made him a free agent early this month by not offering arbitration. The Mariners, whose bullpen also is unsettled, couldn't be so sure about his chances to make the team. “It’s not that there wasn’t opportunity in Seattle,” Dickey said. “But I feel like there’s more opportunity in Minnesota for me, which is all based on the way they pursued me and how hard they pursued me. They were very forthright about where they thought I would fit in.” Dickey would have been a nice piece in the Mariners' pen. He went 5-8 with a 5.21 ERA this year, but was 2-0, 2.00 in 18 relief appearances. The Twins were more smitten by those numbers than the Mariners and apparently more sure about Dickey's place on their team. Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said there's of time to sort through the options for long relief, along with other spots in the bullpen. He, new manager Don Wakamatsu and the coaches still need to meet and discuss the makeup of the roster. "As I said to (Dickey), until Don and I and his staff get together and discuss this thing in detail, there are a lot of options," Zduriencik said. "Him coming on board would have been another option. "We'd like to have had him back and it would have been nice to give him a chance to compete for a position on the club. If that didn’t work out, then he would head to Triple-A as a guy who could come up." ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Four's a crowd again as catcher Burke re-signs with Mariners Jamie Burke's days with the Mariners seemed over early this month when he wasn't tendered a contract. This morning, Burke and the M's are together again. The 37-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Mariners and, like he has most of his career, he'll report to spring training trying to make the club. If it seems like there's a glut of catching in the Mariners' system, there is. Burke will join No. 1 catcher Kenji Johjima, Jeff Clement and Rob Johnson in the major league catching picture. And below them is Adam Moore, who had a nice season at the Class AA level this year. Is this a prelude to one of them switching positions? Will Clement, the kid with the enticing left-handed bat, get most of his playing time at DH? After all, his defense behind the plate was spotty at best last year and he's coming off surgery to clean up his left knee. Assistant general manager Lee Pelekoudas said the addition of Burke, a reliable backstop who pitchers love to work with, gives another option to new manager Don Wakamatsu. "Don has to see how everything plays itself out with Jeff and Kenji," Pelekoudas said. "We'll see how the DH situation plays itself out." Catching will be one of the interesting situations to follow at spring training. Johjima will go to camp as the No. 1, but must produce with the bat if he wants to keep the job. The M's haven't given up on Clement as a catcher, but hthere's a lot of sentiment to try him at DH. Johnson is considered a solid defender who's been ready for the big leagues for some time. And now Burke is back, although on a minor league contract that will force him to make the team out of spring training. The more these Mariners change, the more some things remain the same. The M's will go to camp with the same four catchers -- Johjima, Clement, Johnson and Burke -- they finished with this year. Burke played 48 games in 2008, batting .261. He played one game at third base, one at first and was even used in a last-resort pitching role when a game went extra innings and the M's ran dry in the bullpen. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Dickey, Mariners to talk Tuesday It's nice to be wanted, and knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey has three teams interested in him. Today, he hopes to learn just how strong the Mariners' interest is. Dickey plans to talk with M's GM Jack Zduriencik about the offer of a split contract (major league pay when he's with the big-league club, minor league pay when he's in the minors) he got from the team last week. Besides the Mariners, Dickey has received offers from two other teams. Any job with the 2009 Mariners would be as a reliever. The M's need bullpen help, especially in a long relief role that Dickey easily could fill. He went 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in 18 relief appearances this year. Dickey had hoped to decide by last Friday on offers from the Mariners and one other team, but a third team entered the picture that day and he delayed his decision through the weekend. Today, after talking with Zduriencik, he may learn a lot more about his chances of returning to the M's. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
M's mum on whether Morrow will start or close While thankfully enjoying some time in Arizona -- and I mean enjoying, considering the weather back home -- I stopped by the Mariners' training complex in Peoria today and found Brandon Morrow sweating through an intense workout in the weight room. Three and a half months remain before the season opener, but Morrow wants to make sure he's physically ready to pitch 200 innings next year. The only problem is that it's unclear whether Morrow will be a 200-inning pitcher as a starter or be bumped back into the bullpen as the Mariners' closer. The trade that sent closer J.J. Putz to the Mets last week has left the M's closer-less. While there are others the Mariners undoubtedly will look at in sprinng training -- Mark Lowe, Miguel Batista, Aaron Heilman are three -- Morrow remains their best option. He saved 10 games last year while Putz was injured. Morrow would prefer to be a starter, but says he'll pitch where the Mariners need him most. That's what he told GM Jack Zduriencik when the two spoke after Putz was traded. “I talked to Jack a little bit, and we didn’t commit to anything,” Morrow said. “I told him I would close and do whatever was best for the team, but that my preference was starting. I think they want to keep me in the rotation if they can. If they move me, it’ll be because of necessity.” Zduriencik realizes Morrow was told this year, after he went through the conversion from reliever to starter, that he'd have a place in the 2009 rotation. That was under a different GM, a different manager and different pitching coach. Things have changed with a new regime and Zduriencik said today that no decision has been made and that it's too early to say how the organization is leaning on Morrow's role. “That’ll be determined as we roll into spring training,” Zduriencik said. “As we run through January and the early part of February and get together with the coaching staff and scouts who have seen him, everyone will have their opinions and we’ll do what’s best for Brandon. “I told Brandon to be prepared and we’ll see what happens. There are a lot of things at stake here _ what’s best for him and what’s best for the Seattle Mariners. We want to do what’s right for both.” ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! With options to consider, Dickey delays decision R.A. Dickey had planned to decide by tonight whether he would accept the Seattle Mariners' contract offer. But, with opportunities from other teams to consider, he said it'll be later this weekend before he has an answer. "I've been given through the weekend to make a decision," he said. Dickey said he would like to return to the Mariners. However, the only opening on the pitching staff would be in the bullpen and, naturally, he would prefer a starting job. Dickey wouldn't say whether any other team wants him as a starter, onlly that he continues to consider what's best for him. "I've got to go where there's the best opportunity and where I'm most wanted," he said. "I would like to go back to Seattle, but there are other teams that are interested." ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Friday is D-day for knuckleball pitcher Dickey R.A. Dickey has been mulling a contract offer from the Mariners, and he says he will decide Friday whether he'll sign it and return in 2009. Dickey has drawn interest from other teams, including an intriguing offer from one besides the Mariners. But since the end of the 101-loss season in 2008, he has said he'd like to return because wants to take part of the rebuilding after being involved in such a terrible year. Besides the terms of the contract, Dickey must measure the opportunity he'll get from the Mariners. There's no room in the starting rotation -- right now, Jarrod Washburn and Miguel Batista are on the outside looking in -- so Dickey's place with the team will be in the bullpen. That's fine with him, but he wants to make sure he's a serious part of the Mariners' plan. "They’ve handed me some numbers and I’m trying to figure out an honest assessment of the opportunity there,” Dickey said. “I’m trying to make the right decision.” The bullpen is nearly a wide-open slate after the trade last week that sent closer J.J. Putz and right-handed setup man Sean Green to the Mets, and there's opportunity for a lot of pitchers to settle into roles. The Mariners will give some of their better young arms a hard look at spring training, and where that leaves a guy like Dickey is uncertain. That's why he has spent the past few days measuring the pros and cons of returning to the Mariners against the other opportunties he has. Dickey is 34, which is relative youth for a knuckleball pitcher, and he believes he'll only get better with more experience with the pitch, especially after a week of one-on-one work with famed knuckleballer Phil Niekro next month. Whether Dickey will put that work into play with the Mariners next year, we'll know soon. "I'll make a decision by the end of the day Friday," he said. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
M's finish in Vegas, and introductions may be in order The longest spring training in Mariners history will end with two games in Las Vegas on April 3 and 4, and by then they might actually have their whole team in place. Because the World Baseball Classic runs through most of March, spring training will run a week longer than usual in 2009. However, because of the WBC, the Mariners may spend much of their camp without a handful of key players. Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki and catcher Kenji Johjima are on Japan's preliminary roster, and other Mariners who could play in the WBC are third baseman Adrian Beltre (Dominican Republic) and pitchers Felix Hernandez (Venezuela) and Ryan Rowland-Smith (Australia). The WBC runs March 5-23 and, because anyone playing in it will be working out with their nation's team before the tournament, it could be late March before they would join their major league teams. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu would prefer to have his entire team together from the get-go at spring training because he and his coaches have a lot of getting acquainted to do. But is it that big a deal? You've got to figure guys like Ichiro, Beltre and even Hernandez are savvy enough to make sure they're ready for the season when they'd return to the Mariners. Same for Rowland-Smith, although because he would go into spring training ready to join the starting rotation for the first time, it would be nice to have him pitching through much of the camp under new pitching coach Rick Adair. And besides, it's not until the last week of spring training when teams typically play all their starters together in exhibitions. Johjima would be the biggest concern. The Mariners badly need him to put together a strong season both offensively and defensively, and a short stint with the club in spring training isn't exactly what the team needs. Wakamatsu, a former catcher, would like to spend as much time as possible helping Johjima fix the defensive side of his game, particularly pitch selection. And hitting coach Alan Cockrell no doubt doesn't want to wait until the last 10 days of March to get a first-hand look at a player whose hitting success is one of the more critical needs of the team. Thankfully for the Mariners, spring training runs longer than ever next year. The Mariners will play a franchise-record 39 exhibition games, with their final Arizona game on April 2 before playing two in Vegas on April 3 and 4 against the Colorado Rockies. The Mariners begin the regular season on Monday, April 6, at Minnesota. By then, hopefully, Wakamatsu and his staff will know what makes his players tick, and vice-versa. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Burke now a free agent after M's don't offer him a contract Tonight was the deadline for teams to offer contracts to all their unsigned players on the 40-man roster, and when the paperwork had settled, Jamie Burke became a free agent. The Mariners offered contracts to left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard, right-hander Felix Hernandez and right-hander Aaron Heilman. Because all are eligible for arbitration, they can either agree to the contract or elect to go through the arbitration process. There had been speculation that Bedard wouldn't be offered a contract, but the success of his shoulder surgery and the likelihood that he'll be at full strength early in the season -- if not by opening day -- made it well worth it to keep him. Burke is a different case. The 37-year-old spent the past two seasons with the M's after a 14-year career mostly in the minor leagues. He handled the M's pitching staff well, especially in light of the difficulties some of them had with Kenji Johjima, and was a popular, stable presence in the clubhouse. He's now a free agent and can negotiate with every team, including the Mariners. However, the Mariners go ito the 2009 season with little room in their future plans for a guy like Burke. The team has made it clear with its moves so far this offseason that it's going with younger, more athletic players. Baring trades, Johjima will go into the season as the No. 1 catcher with youngsters Jeff Clement and Rob Johnson behind him. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Ibanez signs with Phillies, and that's good news for the Mariners The Mariners' plan to load up on prospects continued to fall into place this morning when Raul Ibanez signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. How does that relate to the M's? Because they lost the free agent left fielder to the World Series champion Phillies (Ibanez signed for three years, $30 million), the Mariners will get Philadelphia's first-round draft pick (28th overall) next June, plus another compensation pick between the first and second rounds. Combine that with their own second overall pick, plus the second pick in the second round, and the Mariners will have four players in hand through the first 55 picks in the draft. And, if they don't sign this year's first-round pick, Josh Fields, the Mariners will get another first-round selection at 28th overall. While it seems certain the Mariners will be swimming in high draft picks, there's also dark side to it. First and second-round draft picks will command first and second-round signing bonuses, and they could have another Josh Fields situation on their hands at this time next year. However, unless agent Scott Boras represents them all, the Mariners stand to come out of the draft with some solid talent. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Blockbuster trade fills some holes, creates others The first step in general manager Jack Zduriencik's mission to turn the Seattle Mariners into champions is to replenish the talent level in a depleted and defeated franchise. Tonight's 12-player deal involving the Mariners, Mets and Indians certainly accomplished that, bringing seven back to the M's in exchange for J.J. Putz, Sean Green, Jeremy Reed and Luis Valbuena. The Mariners' outfield now has a solid-looking defensive alignment of Endy Chavez in left field and Franklin Gutierrez in center alongside Ichiro Suzuki in right. Depending on what else Zduriencik has up his sleeve this offseason, Heilman will pitch either out of the bullpen or in the rotation. And, hardly as an afterthought, Zduriencik added four more prospects to a minor league system that needs some healthy strengthening. New to the system are Class AA first baseman Mike Carp, Class A outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, Class A right-handed pitcher Maikel Cleto and Class AAA left-hander Jason Vargas. I like this deal. It strengthens the Mariners in sheer numbers of major league and minor league players. The addition of Gutierrez and Chavez gives them potentially their best defensive outfield since Ichiro, MIke Cameron and Al Martin ... uh, well ... let's just say this group should be able to cover the vastness of Safeco Field as well as any. Zduriencik has a lot of business to finish, however. Unless Chavez is here as a fourth outfielder and Zduriencik plans to bring in a big bopper in left field -- and that could happen -- this may be your opening-day lineup: Catcher, Kenji Johjima First base, Russell Branyan Second base, Jose Lopez Shortstop, Yuniesky Betancourt Third base, Adrian Beltre Left field, Endy Chavez Center field, Franklin Guttierez Right field, Ichiro Suzuki DH, Jeff Clement The two new outfielders are known more for their defense (although Gutierrez did hit 13 homers two years ago) so I'm not sure where the real upgrade is offensively, especially on a team that's losing Raul Ibanez's 110 RBI. This lineup would be pinning a lot of hope on Branyan to make like Bunyan when it comes to handling the lumber and driving in runs, and on Johjima to produce a complete about-face from his disaster at the plate this year. The bullpen could be a wide-open audition for roles and a late-night adventure. Without Putz, there's no closer. Without Green, there's no dependable right-handed setup (yeah, he struggled late this year, but he was over-used in the first half of the season and then mis-used in the second half). There's still no left-handed specialist. Zduriencik can fix the bullpen issues in multiple ways. The Mariners pick second in the Rule 5 draft today, and there's often a decent arm available there. It could come through more trades or free-agent signings. Brandon Morrow already has been mentioned as an option at closer, even though his poor right arm has gone through the conversion from reliever to starter, back to reliever, back to starter, in the past year. We also may be closer to seeing how major league-ready Josh Fields really is. He's the unsigned first-round draft pick from last June, and now that Putz is gone and the bullpen is depleted, there's a need for an arm as strong as his. The Mariners have nearly four months to round this team into shape before they begin the 2009 season. If they opened today, the changes so far have been encouraging. But there's still work to do. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! |
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