Mariners to eye pitching at meetings

12/02/2005
SEATTLE -- A checklist composed nearly two months ago remains mostly unfilled as the Mariners head into the four-day Winter Meetings in Dallas.
Half a battery has been assembled with the recent signing of Japanese free agent catcher Kenji Johjima, but general manager Bill Bavasi and his assistants want to add at least one starting pitcher and a powerful left-handed bat to the roster between now and the start of Spring Training in February.
And as much as the Mariners would like to fill them ASAP, patience seems to be the name of the game.
"We still need a starting pitcher and we're attempting to do that," assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas said. "The Winter Meetings isn't a deadline by any stretch of the imagination, and the fact so many teams are looking for the same thing makes it even more difficult.
"There are fewer quality pitchers on the free agent market, which makes it a little more competitive out there. Fewer teams are willing to part with starting pitching."
The Mariners aren't being picky.
They would take a right-handed or left-handed starter capable of logging around 200 innings a season. The problem is, every Major League organization wants workhorse starting pitchers.
"Is that kind of pitcher available in the free agent market? Probably not," Pelekoudas said. "So you try to find them in a trade."
So far, the Mariners haven't located anyone willing to swap a starting pitcher that presumably would become a top-of-the-rotation starter in Seattle.
A source close to the Rockies said the National League West team rejected a proposed trade for veteran catcher Yorvit Torrealba because the Mariners wanted a starting pitcher in return. Torrealba became available when the Mariners signed Johjima to a three-year contract and immediately gave him the starting job behind the plate.
Torrealba has been assured by the Mariners that efforts are being made to swap him to a team that -- on paper -- gives him a chance to be the starting catcher.
Ideally, the Mariners would accomplish two of their primary objectives with one trade: move the 29-year-old Torrealba, who did a good job working with the pitching staff after being acquired from the Giants on July 30 for outfielder Randy Winn, and get the starting pitcher they want.
Realistically, that's easier said than done.
"There's not a lot of pitching for teams to trade," Bavasi acknowledged.
Finding a left-handed hitter with power, presumably to play left field, designated hitter or a combination of both, could be much easier. There are some quality left-handed hitters on the free agent market, including Jacque Jones.
Jones, 30, batted a career-low .249 for the Twins last season, but he hit 23 home runs and drove in 73 runs. He has batted at least .300 twice in his Major League career (.304 in 2003 and .300 in '02) and hit at least 23 home runs in three of the past four seasons.
But Jones made $5 million, and the Mariners might not fit into his financial ballpark -- especially if they get an established starting pitcher.
"We are working on a lot of things," Pelekoudas said. "Nothing is imminent, but there are discussions going on with free agents and other clubs."
All the Mariners can hope for now is that if there's a will, eventually there will be a way.

Source: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/