Mailbag: Manny being Mariner?

11/28/2005
I was wondering if you could explain the rule of when a team signs a free agent and they lose a draft pick. I read that with the signing of Kenji Johjima that the Mariners did not lose a draft pick. -- Jacob L., Ellensburg, Wash.
At the end of each season, The Elias Sports Bureau compiles rankings of all Major League players by position, based on their performance over the previous two seasons. If teams offer arbitration to a free agent and lose him to another club, they receive compensation if he's classified as a Type A (top 30 percent at his position), Type B (31-50 percent) or Type C (51-60 percent) player.
For a Type A player, the compensation is the signing team's first-round pick plus a supplemental first-rounder. For a Type B player, it's the signing team's first-round choice. For a Type C, it's a supplemental second-rounder.
However, if the signing team selects in the upper half of the first round of the following year's First-Year Player Draft, that choice is protected and the signing team loses its second-round selection instead. If a club signs multiple free agents within the same category, its earlier pick goes to the team which lost the higher-rated player. Also, Type C players who have been free agents in the past don't yield any compensation. The rules for the rankings were established by players and owners in their settlement of the 1981 work stoppage.
Johjima never played in the Major Leagues the past two seasons and therefore is not subject to the compensation rule. Because the Mariners will select in the upper half of next June's First-Year Player Draft, they would not lose their first-round selection.
What is John Moses up to these days? Is he still coaching?-- Dave V., Seattle
Moses, who played for the Mariners from 1982-87, again in '92 and also coached for them, will coach first base for the Reds next season. He was the Reds' roving Minor League outfield/baserunning coach until last June, when he became the bench coach when Jerry Narron replaced Dave Miley as manager. Bucky Dent has been hired as the bench coach and Moses switches to first base. He also coaches the Reds outfielders, baserunning and bunting. He still lives in the Seattle area during the offseason with his wife and two children.
I've been hearing rumors that Ichiro is currently unhappy. Is there any truth to this, or are they really just rumors?-- Mikhail K., Federal Way, Wash.
Ichiro is unhappy about being on a team that has lost more than 90 games in each of the past two seasons, but there would be something seriously wrong if he was happy about it. A recent article in one of the local Seattle newspapers was translated into English and apparently some of the translation was wrong. According to the Kyodo News Service reporter who first wrote the story, some of the "facts" in the story that appeared in the Seattle publication were incorrect.
In the Seattle article, it mentioned that Ichiro didn't approve of players playing cards before games. As it turned out, the author of the article -- a Japanese writer who has covered the team and Ichiro since 2001 -- made that observation on his own, and said that Ichiro had never mentioned card-playing at all during his interview.
Ichiro apparently said there needs to be more leadership in the clubhouse, and he's 100 percent correct about that. And as the position player who has been with the team the longest, he should become one of the team leaders himself.
I have heard of the Seattle Mariners' plan of signing a left-handed hitter that could add to the team's offense. Who might this player be?-- Rod B., Batangas, Philippines
General manager Bill Bavasi does not share that information with the media, but there are some left-handed hitters believed to be available via trade -- such as Larry Bigbie of the Rockies. With the signing of Johjima, Yorvit Torrealba went on the trade market and the Rockies and Diamondbacks are among the teams looking for a catcher.
I am curious about what happens to all the used baseballs. Are they donated to local youth leagues?-- Richard O., Everett, Wash.
The used baseballs tossed out of games by umpires are used for future batting practice sessions prior to games and also inside the batting cages located behind the home dugout at Safeco Field.
I know that it's highly unlikely that the Mariners can afford Manny Ramirez, but is there any possibility of putting together a package strong enough to get him, short of selling the farm?-- Ed L., Milani, Hawaii
As attractive as it would seem to have Ramirez's bat in the Mariners lineup, you must also consider that he is not a good defensive player and watching him chase after balls hit at spacious Safeco Field would not be a pretty sight. And if his time in Boston is any indication, he would ask to be traded a few times a season. I don't care how much of the remainder of Ramirez's contract the Red Sox would absorb, I doubt it would be worth it to put him in a Mariners uniform.
I know that towards the end of the season Jeremy Reed injured his wrist. How is he doing and will he be ready for the upcoming season?-- Tiffany S., Kent, Wash.
Reed is recovering nicely at his offseason home in Southern California and will be 100 percent long before Spring Training opens in February.
When will FanFest be held this year? -- Robert B., Bellevue, Wash.
The eighth annual event will be held Jan. 28-29 at Safeco Field. Tickets, which go on sale Dec. 8, are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-14 (children 5 and under are free). Tickets will be available at Mariners Team Stores in Washington, online at seattlemariners.com, by phone at 206-622-HITS or in person at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers. Tickets will also be available at the Safeco Field Box Office on event days. Parking at the Safeco Field garage will be $5.
New to FanFest this year will be the opportunity to put on an authentic Mariners uniform and swing an actual big leaguer's bat.

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

Mariners excited about young catchers

11/30/2005
The recent signing of Japanese free-agent catcher Kenji Johjima to a three-year contract probably won't have a negative impact on any of the rising young catchers in the Mariners' Minor League system -- including first-round draft choice Jeff Clement -- according to a high-ranking club official.
"I think what this does is allow us more patience," said Benny Looper, the Mariners director of player development and scouting. "We like all of our young catchers a lot, and when they're ready to play in the Major Leagues, they'll be there."
The game plan coming out of the 2005 season was to have Yorvit Torrealba -- acquired in a July 30 trade with the Giants for outfielder Randy Winn -- begin the '06 season as the main man behind the plate, backed up by 22-year-old Rene Rivera.
The popular theory was that Torrealba and Rivera would handle the catching duties until Clement became the regular catcher in 2007, or midway through the '08 season. If not Clement, then it might be 22-year-old Rob Johnson, a converted outfielder making a strong impression at his new position.
Both catchers are so highly regarded by the organization that before the ink dried on Johjima's three-year, $16.5 million contract, Looper called Johnson and director of scouting Bob Fontaine contacted Clement to explain why the Mariners signed the six-time Japan All-Star.
"They were concerned, and there was some disappointment," Looper said, "but both players were appreciative [of the calls]. They know they have a ways to go before they get to the big leagues, and understand the importance of continuing to work hard. I don't think either of them are going to let [Johjima's signing] affect them."
Fontaine added, "I think any time a player sees a major transaction like that, their first response is to wonder how it affects them. We talked to the kids to let them know they are on their own pace.
"Too many things can happen to worry, and Jeff will get to big leagues when he's ready. Trust me, he'll work just as hard. He's already a pro, and he's been one for less than a year."
"When they are ready to catch in the big leagues, whether in Seattle or somewhere else, somebody will come after them," said Roger Hansen, the Mariners' roving Minor League catching coach. "Good catching is so hard to find, and as long as they are always striving to become better, better and better, they will catch on somewhere."
Clement, the third overall selection in last June's First-Year Player Draft, made significant strides during his first professional season. After his University of Southern California team was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Oregon State in June, he took a few weeks off and eventually signed on July 26.
He spent less than a week at Class A Everett (Wash.) before being promoted to Class A Wisconsin, where he batted .319 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 30 games. Clement ended the season with the Arizona Fall League Peoria Javelinas, where he was hitting well over .300 until a 3-for-17 skid near the end of the AFL season dropped his average to .298.
"Jeff needed a break," Looper said, adding that the organization was pleased with his progress.
"When his bat is ready, we'll find a place for him," he said. "We believe strongly in Jeff's ability to hit and also believe strongly in his ability to become a big-league catcher."
Looper suggested that even with Johjima on the team when Clement is ready for the big leagues, he could always catch a few games and become a part-time designated hitter.
"When we signed Jeff, there was a lot of talk about him getting to the big leagues in a hurry," Looper added. "I think this allows for more patience and gives us more flexibility while getting him prepared for the Major Leagues.
"Good left-handed-hitting catchers are hard to find."
The Mariners never have had a left-handed-hitting catcher reach double figures in home runs in a season -- Tom Lampkin hit nine in 1999.
"There's no doubt in my mind that both of these kids [Clement and Johnson] are going to make it to the Major Leagues, probably in two or three years," Hansen said. "Both are pretty close, and we also have Rene, another young catcher that already has some [MLB experience].
"Except for the three years I spent in Japan, I have been in this organization since 1987, and we've never had this 'problem' of so many outstanding young catchers. It's a good 'problem' to have."

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

Morris among Mariners' options

12/01/2005
SEATTLE -- The Mariners are one of a dozen Major League organizations that have expressed an interest in free-agent right-hander Matt Morris, but the club hasn't made an offer to the 31-year-old starting pitcher who has spent his entire career with the Cardinals.
Morris is among a small group of quality starting pitchers available through free agency this offseason and the Mariners are hopeful of signing a top-of-the-rotation starter.
"It's hard to quantify their interest," Morris' agent, Barry Axelrod, said on Thursday. "We haven't received an offer, and I sense that the Mariners are a team that keeps a lot of options open. But I expect to hear from before the Winter Meetings."
Morris has a 101-62 record and 3.61 ERA in eight Major League seasons. He was 14-10 with a 4.11 ERA in 2005, winning his first eight decisions for the National League Central Division champions. Morris stumbled after the All-Star break, going 4-8 with a 5.32 ERA.
But with the scarcity of quality starting pitchers on the market capable of logging at least 190 innings a season -- something Morris has done six times in his career -- his resume stacks up well with others in the same boat.
Right-hander A.J. Burnett is regarded as the best pitcher available, followed in no particular order by Morris, right-handers Kevin Millwood, Paul Byrd and Jeff Weaver and left-handers Jarrod Washburn and Kenny Rogers.
Seattle is still negotiating with lefty Jamie Moyer, the Mariners' all-time leader in wins.
Axelrod said he has no specific plans to meet with Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi during the annual Winter Meetings next Monday through Thursday in Dallas. But that could change at a moment's notice.
The agent said his client isn't in a hurry to sign and has no plans to visit the cities of teams that are interested in him.
"He is probably the most relaxed, laid-back free agent I've ever had," Alexrod said. "When it gets to the point that it becomes very serious, we might visit [interested clubs] to get to know the people. But you won't be seeing us on a world tour."
With four or five organizations actively pursuing Burnett, the ones that don't sign him figure to become heavily involved in other starting pitchers -- like Morris.
Axelrod said he has been pleased with the way the market is sorting itself out so far.
"This isn't being viewed as a strong class, but they are getting paid well," he said. "From the players' side, I don't think there has been a bad signing yet."
Since teams were allowed to start signing free agents from other organizations, some whoppers have occurred. Paul Konerko returned to the White Sox, signing a five-year, $60 million contract, left-handed closer B.J. Ryan received a five-year, $47 million deal with the Blue Jays, lefty closer Billy Wagner landed a four-year, $43 million contract from the Mets and the Cubs signed two relievers -- Scott Eyre and Bobby Howry -- for a total of $23 million over three years.
Right-hander Estaban Loiaza is the only free-agent starting pitcher that has signed. He accepted a three-year, $21.3 million offer from the Athletics.
The high salary numbers apparently don't scare Bavasi, who told the Seattle Times, "Last year, there was risk and the market turned real bad. But our ownership was committed enough to shrug and say 'that's the market we're playing in, and we have to get better.' I don't think anything has changed. We'll compete in any market that is out and there and do our best."
The Mariners used the Winter Meetings last year to secure the services of first baseman Richie Sexson (four years, $50 million) and third baseman Adrian Beltre (five years, $64 million) -- the largest free-agent spending spree in franchise history.
So far this offseason, the Mariners have signed free-agent catcher Kenji Johjima from Japan (three years, $16.5 million) and exercised the option year of closer Eddie Guardado's contract for $6.25 million.

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

Mariners Winter Meetings checklist

12/02/2005
SEATTLE -- This year's Winter Meetings in Dallas move from a weekend to a weekday schedule, beginning on Monday, Dec. 5 and ending on Thursday, Dec. 8. While there were very few fireworks at last year's event, there could be more wheeling and dealing this year due to the relatively thin group of free agents.
Look for Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi to continue his pursuit of a left-handed hitter with power that would fit in well at Safeco Field and a starting pitcher to ease the burden on 19-year-old Felix Hernandez and his rotation colleagues.
And be sure to check back at MLB.com and seattlemariners.com regularly to find out the latest about the Mariners as we bring you the news as it happens from Dallas.
2005 finish: 69-93, 4th place, AL West
Deals so far: Signed free agent C Kenji Johjima to a three-year, $16.5 million contract; exercised option on LHP Eddie Guardado for $6.25 million
Players eligible for arbitration: RHP Gil Meche, RHP Ryan Franklin, RHP Julio Mateo, INF Willie Bloomquist, C Yorvit Torrealba
Free agents: LHP Jamie Moyer, RHP Jeff Nelson, INF Dave Hansen
Needs: The top priority since the end of the 2005 season has been starting pitching. Even if the team is successful in re-signing Moyer, Bavasi would like to add at least one more top-of-the-rotation pitcher. Hernandez is an ace in the making, but putting him in the No.1 spot at such a young age could do more harm than good. The Mariners also are looking for a left-handed batter with power, and he could fit in well in either left field, designated hitter or a combination of both.
Dealing strengths: Young middle infielders are plentiful in the Minor Leagues, and now that they have a new first-string catcher in Johjima, veteran receiver Torrealba is available. It is getting more difficult to acquire experienced pitching, which could lead the Mariners to stick with right-handers Meche and Franklin instead of trading them.

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

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/

Three Mariners named to WBC rosters

12/05/2005
DALLAS -- The Mariners have made global baseball a priority for years, and their commitment to an international roster paid off again Monday when it was announced that four of their players have agreed to participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki already has agreed to play for Japan, whose roster was not among the announcements on Monday, third baseman Adrian Beltre has been tabbed for the Dominican Republic team, closer Eddie Guardado is set to play for the United States and Joel Pineiro is among those eligible for Puerto Rico.
Ichiro was the first of the three to commit, formally accepting an invitation from Japanese team manager Sadaharu Oh four days before the current Winter Meetings in Dallas.
"Mr. Oh extended a formal invitation and Ichiro accepted," Ichiro's agent, Tony Attanasio, told the Seattle Times. "For the longest time media people had been asking if he was going to play for Japan. But it was not that simple; Ichiro had to be a formal invitation.
"Now there has been an invitation, and Ichiro was delighted to accept. He really wants to play for his country."
Ichiro figures to lead off a powerful Japanese team that could include Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui, White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, Mets infielder Kazuo Matsui and new Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima.
Beltre, meanwhile, could start at third base for a potentially power-packed Dominican squad that could end up being the tournament favorite.
The Dominicans could field perennial All-Stars Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada, Bartolo Colon and Pedro Martinez, just to name a few. It's possible that Beltre, who hit 48 homers for the Dodgers two years ago, could end up hitting seventh or lower in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Guardado and Pineiro will undoubtedly be pumped to represent their countries. The veteran left-hander Guardado is coming off a solid season -- a 2.72 ERA and 36 saves -- and is known for his energetic presence in the clubhouse. Pineiro went 7-11 with a 5.62 ERA in 30 starts for the Mariners in 2005.
Sixty-man rosters for the inaugural Classic must be submitted by Jan. 17, with the ultimate 30-man rosters finalized 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament. The final rosters must include a minimum of 13 pitchers and three catchers. Major League Baseball has committed to using 60 percent of Major League-affiliated players. All the players announced on Monday have the blessings of the players association and the MLB owners, who have collectively spent months in the initial culling process.
The 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will take place March 3-20 and feature the world's best players competing for their home countries and territories for the first time. Fans will be able to follow all the games live exclusively online at MLB.com.
First-round action will be played at four sites. Pool A, consisting of Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and China, will meet at the Tokyo Dome, March 3-5. Pool B, featuring USA, Canada, Mexico and South Africa will play at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Scottsdale Stadium, Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants, March 7-10. Pool C is Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama and the Netherlands, and will play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 7-10. Pool D, featuring the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and Italy will play at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, March 7-10.
The top two teams from each pool will advance to the second round, which takes place March 12-15 at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico and Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The semifinals and finals will be held at San Diego's PETCO Park, March 18-20.
Tickets go on sale Dec. 10 for games in Puerto Rico and December 12 for games in the United States. For more information, go to worldbaseballclassic.com.

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

Niehaus a finalist for Frick Award

12/06/2005
DALLAS -- For the third consecutive year, the Mariners' Dave Niehaus has been selected as one of the 10 finalists for the coveted Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually since 1978 for excellence in baseball broadcasting.
The Frick Award -- named in memory of Hall of Famer Ford C. Frick, renowned sportswriter, radio broadcaster, National League president and baseball commissioner -- is given to an active or retired broadcaster who has a minimum of 10 years' continuous Major League broadcast service with a ballclub or network, or a combination of the two.
"I don't know what it means as far as getting elected, but the fans have always been good to me and appreciate them keeping my name [in the Hall of Fame selection process]," Niehaus said from his Bellevue, Wash., home. "I want to thank them for that."
An original list of more than 180 eligible broadcasters, including Niehaus booth sidekicks Rick Rizzs and Ron Fairly, was reduced to the finalists.
Three of them -- Niehaus, the late Bill King and Jacques Doucet -- were selected by a fan vote, while seven others were chosen by the Frick Award Committee, comprised of former winners of the profession's highest honor and six others.
Throughout the month of November, more than 105,000 fan votes were cast exclusively at the Hall of Fame's Web site -- the highest vote total in the three-year history of the online fan voting component to determine Frick ballot selections -- with King (25,380), Niehaus (17,091) and Doucet (15,002) selected by fans for the ballot through the online vote.
The final ballot, also containing seven selections from a Hall of Fame research committee, features a mix of pioneers, early radio stars and current-day broadcasters. Five of the 10 members of the Frick Award ballot are living.
Joining Niehaus, King and Doucet on the ballot this year are Tom Cheek, Gene Elston, Ken Coleman, Denny Matthews, Dizzy Dean, Tony Kubek and Graham McNamee. Matthews and Doucet are newcomers to finalists' lineup this year, the third consecutive year fans helped choose the finalists.
Frick Committee voting members will cast their votes by mail in January. Results will be announced on Feb. 21, with the awardee to be honored during 2006 Hall of Fame Weekend, July 28-31 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Voters are asked to base their selections on the following criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including such national assignments as the World Series and All-Star Game; and popularity with fans.
"Baseball broadcasters have been among the strongest links between the game and its fans since the 1920s and we wanted to give the fans a say in which broadcasters advance to the final ballot," said Jane Forbes Clark of the Hall of Fame. "In addition, the board felt that the voting body needed to be expanded.
"Those who have been honored with the Frick Award, as well as the six historians chosen, have a superior knowledge of broadcasting history, and we are delighted they will bestow this honor annually to a legendary voice of the game."
Niehaus has been the Mariners' play-by-play announcer since the franchise started in 1977. He also spent seven seasons (1969-76) with the Angels. He has missed only 66 of the club's 4,000-plus games.
Niehaus began career working for the Armed Forces radio and TV service, calling the action of Dodgers games before moving to New York to handle Yankees baseball. From 1969-76, he teamed with Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale with the Angels. He was selected Sportscaster of the Year for the state of Washington in 1995 and 1996 by his contemporaries in the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and threw out the Ceremonial First Pitch for the Inaugural Game at Safeco Field on July 15, 1999.
Niehaus was named as one of the Seattle Times' top 10 most influential people of the century and named the Entertainer of the Century by a local radio station. In 1997 he was honored by the Washington State House of Representatives for his "contributions to the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest." His expressions like "My Oh My" and "It will fly away" (for home runs) have become familiar throughout the Northwest. He was inducted into the Mariners' Hall of Fame in 2000, joining Alvin Davis as the only two members of the club's Hall of Fame.

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

Mariners say no offer made to Millwood

12/06/2005
DALLAS -- The Mariners said Tuesday evening that reports that they have offered free agent pitcher Kevin Millwood a four-year, $44 million contract are patently wrong.
General manager Bill Bavasi told Seattle media members that he had not had a Dallas meeting with Millwood's agent, Scott Boras, until a half-hour before his media session at 4 p.m. PT on Tuesday.
The Mariners are still believed to be interested in the right-hander and also have shown interest in right-hander Matt Morris, but they strongly shot down the reported years and figures on Millwood.
Bavasi said Monday he wasn't surprised by the mega-offers pitchers have been getting. Starters with lesser resumes than Millwood's have been scoring big deals. Esteban Loaiza signed with the Oakland A's for three years and $21 million and Paul Byrd inked a two-year, $14 million contract with Cleveland.
Millwood, 30, led the American League with a 2.86 ERA, his lowest such number since his 18-win Atlanta Braves season in 1999.
Bavasi said that the Mariners had merely inquired about A.J. Burnett, who inked a five-year, $55 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, and that they had shown interest in the other three starters who have signed in recent days: Byrd, Loaiza and Hector Carrasco.
In characterizing the club's interest in the four, Bavasi said, "One a ton, one a medium amount, one a little and one an inquiry."

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

Mariners busy, but no deals done yet

12/07/2005
DALLAS -- The Mariners continued a busy Winter Meetings on Tuesday, conversing with multiple clubs about multiple players and continuing their search for starting pitching and a left-handed bat.
No deals were struck, but certain names continued to resurface during the course of another hectic day in the lobby of the Wyndham Anatole.
The Mariners flatly denied that they had offered free agent starter Kevin Millwood a deal Monday, which was reported by several news outlets, but they did meet with Millwood's agent, Scott Boras, late Tuesday afternoon.
One industry source said the Mariners met with free agent outfielder Carl Everett on Monday afternoon, and USA Today Sports Weekly reported that a deal with the veteran outfielder/designated hitter could be coming soon. A call to Everett's agent, Larry Reynolds, was not returned.
Meanwhile, Barry Axelrod, the agent for free agent right-hander Matt Morris, said the Mariners were still in the mix, having made an offer Monday afternoon that was "competitive for where we are right now and keeps them in the game."
Morris also is being pursued by his most recent team, the St. Louis Cardinals, in addition to the San Francisco Giants and possibly the Texas Rangers.
By Tuesday evening, though, the Cardinals didn't seem too confident about re-signing Morris.
"As I understand the market, talking to his agent, the market has developed and I believe it's probably developed beyond where we feel comfortable," Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty said. "But we haven't closed it out. Put it that way."
Giants GM Brian Sabean also seemed to express some reservations about his club's chances.
"I don't want to characterize where they might think it stands, but I'll paraphrase: It's very slow-moving," Sabean said. "You can draw your own conclusions."
Bavasi indicated that the Mariners wouldn't mind adding more than one pitcher, saying, "By the time we get to Spring Training, I would like to change out the starting pitching a little bit."
Also, Ron Shapiro, the agent for righty Scott Elarton, said the Mariners had shown "preliminary interest" in his client.
Bavasi said the Mariners were "very hopeful" about talks with their own free agent lefty, Jamie Moyer, who is representing himself.
"I think there's a market out there for him and I don't think we're the only suitor," Bavasi said. "We're pursuing him like others might."
The Mariners have until 9 p.m. PT on Wednesday night to decide to offer or not offer Moyer arbitration.
They'll have another decision to make in the coming weeks with arbitration-eligible right-hander Gil Meche. The pitcher banked over $2.5 million last year and could command a salary of over $4 million in 2006, making him a candidate to be non-tendered on the Dec. 19 date or traded.
An American League West executive speculated that Meche could be dealt for a Minor Leaguer, possibly to Texas.
Other bats on the Mariners' radar are outfielders Jacque Jones and Jeromy Burnitz.
A baseball source said he expected the Mariners to tender an offer to Jones on Wednesday and that the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles were contenders as well.
Burnitz's agent, Howard Simon, was scheduled to meet with Bavasi late Tuesday night.

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

Hargrove says Mariners on right track

12/07/2005
DALLAS -- Mike Hargrove's first season as manager of the Mariners didn't exactly go to plan, with the team losing 93 games.
But there are quite a few reasons for him to be confident that Seattle will have a much more satisfying trip around the American League circuit in 2006, and he accentuated those points in his Winter Meetings media session Wednesday afternoon.
"Our younger players are a year older, [with] a year's more experience under their belt, but a year older doesn't mean better," Hargrove said. "But certainly, it gives the chance for things, for them and the ballclub to be better.
"We're trying to do some things right now that I think will help the ballclub. If we can get some people that can accomplish those things, I think that there are good things ahead of us. I think we're moving in the right direction."
Hargrove said the most encouraging thing about last year's club was that the team's effort was never the problem, and that the team didn't lose games because it wasn't working and playing hard.
Once the Mariners were out of contention, the front office gave younger and less experienced players -- infielders Jose Lopez, Yuniesky Betancourt and Mike Morse, catcher Rene Rivera and pitchers George Sherrill and Jeff Harris, to name a few -- more of a look at the big-league level than they would have gotten on a winning club.
"At times, our talent level was such that it didn't allow us to go ahead and win games that maybe we could have or should have," Hargrove said. "But the ballclub, the veterans and the young players alike, approached every game with the idea that they were going to win that ballgame.
"They went out and played that way. That doesn't mean we played well every day, but I didn't see our guys, you know, just start looking forward to the next year. We played the season out and we played hard every day."
As far as the biggest positives from a player perspective, Hargrove quickly mentioned 19-year-old starter Felix Hernandez, who made 12 starts and went 4-4 with a 2.67 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings.
He also mentioned that the team figures to get much more from third baseman Adrian Beltre and center fielder Jeremy Reed, who didn't perform up to expectations on the offensive end in 2005.
"I think it was a year of adjustment," Hargrove said of Beltre, who arrived in Seattle in the 2004 offseason after a career year in Los Angeles.
"We're talking about a guy that had been with one organization since the age of 15 or 16, and to come into a new environment and be one of the count-on guys stepping into that, I think that's a huge responsibility and it takes a while to adjust to that idea," Hargrove said.
"There's so many things that Adrian brings to the party other than just his physical tools that make him a winning player and make him a guy that is a go-to guy and the guy that you want on your ballclub, with a lot of intangibles. For a young man at the age of 25 to have those intangibles and have them there every day, is tremendous. ... I think that given the talent that Adrian has, that bodes well for his years to come in Seattle."
The same goes for Reed, according to Hargrove.
"The one cause for, not concern, but disappointment, I guess, in Jeremy's season last year was his inconsistency at the plate," said Hargrove, who raved about Reed's play in center field.
"We thought offensively we would get more out of him. But I think that you have to step back from that and realize that it's his first full season in the big leagues. ... I'll tell you that he didn't have the offensive season that I think he can have. But it wasn't from lack of work. This kid probably worked too hard at it.
"I expect us to see this year that Jeremy's offensive game will be more what we think it can be. He's settling more into himself and belonging, he's working hard this offseason."
Hargrove said Reed spoke with hitting coach Jeff Pentland a few days ago and the two would probably meet in Peoria, Ariz., soon to "talk about some things and work on some things."
As for Hernandez, Hargrove said the team wouldn't "coddle him or baby him," but the club would monitor his innings closely.
"I don't think we'll take any pitches away from him or limit him to how many times he can throw his changeup or how many times he can throw his curveball," Hargove said. "He's going to pitch the season, he starts at 19, and as everybody knows, he's a very, very special talent.
"I think we're trying to be proactive and bring this kid along so he's pitching the way he's pitching when he's 30 years old also. I think a little caution early on in his career is called for and we're going to exercise that."
Another player Hargrove enjoyed talking about was Cuban refugee Betancourt, who started the season in Double-A San Antonio and ended up the Mariners' slick-fielding shortstop of the future with surprising offensive potential.
"I think a lot of us have a tendency to forget, myself included, that this kid, his last year -- the entire previous year he didn't play competitive baseball at all," Hargrove said. "And for him to be able to do what he did and move as quickly as he did through our Minor League system and come up to the big leagues and really hold his own defensively and show flashes offensively of what he can do, I think it was absolutely amazing. I think it's a real tribute to his talent."
Overall, Hargrove's feelings about 2006 seemed to be that the Mariners have plenty of potential and need more consistency to continue to improve.
"Certainly, there are some things that we can do differently that we'll do differently, but there will be some things that we continue to do the same way, things that I believe in that had worked before and they will work again," Hargrove said.
"We just have to be consistent with it and that's probably the biggest thing: just be consistent in whatever we do, just be consistent from Day 1."

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

Boras: Millwood a 'five-year guy'

12/07/2005
DALLAS -- If the Mariners are interested in signing free agent right-hander Kevin Millwood, they might have to give him a five-year contract, Millwood's agent said Wednesday.
Scott Boras met with the media for the first time at these meetings and didn't hesitate to answer the question of how many years Millwood is looking for.
"A guy like Kevin Millwood is a five-year guy," Boras said.
Mariners GM Bill Bavasi described a five-year deal to a starting pitcher as "very risky" territory when he met with media members Tuesday evening, although he said it might be remotely possible if it was the right guy.
"I don't think any of us would want to say 'never,'" Bavasi said, before admitting that his former employer, the Angels, had moderate success with such a deal when they signed Mark Langston to a five-year contract prior to the 1990 season.
Boras said he expects Millwood, who went 9-11 with a league-leading 2.86 ERA for the Cleveland Indians last year, to get a comparable, if not better, deal than the five-year, $55 million contract A.J. Burnett set the market with by signing with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
"A guy like A.J. Burnett would hope to have three 17-win seasons and hope to lead the league in ERA and hope to do all those things," Boras said, referring to Millwood's resume. "And Millwood's only two years older than Burnett."
Boras characterized the 2005 free agent pitching market as better than last year's, save the rare, Hall of Fame talent of Pedro Martinez, who signed with the Mets shortly after last year's Winter Meetings in Anaheim.
"Maybe only Millwood approaches [Martinez's level]," Boras said.
Boras said he had conducted "a couple meetings" with the Mariners, and that "multiple teams have made offers" for Millwood, but he wouldn't say if the Mariners had made one.
Another Boras client might be in the Mariners' sights, too. Left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who was drafted by Bavasi in Anaheim in 1995, told MLB.com, "I think Bill's talked to Scott about me. I think there's some interest."
Burnitz bits: The agent for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz said Wednesday morning that he had a productive meeting with the Mariners late Tuesday night and expected to have more talks Wednesday afternoon or evening.
"We talked about a lot of different parameters with Seattle," said Howard Simon. "We like what we're seeing from the Mariners."
Mariners manager Mike Hargrove, who managed Burnitz in Cleveland in 1995 and 1996, also gave the 36-year-old an endorsement.
"I always liked Jeromy," Hargrove said. "He's a guy that always plays hard, kind of a throwback. He plays the game hard and expects everyone around him to do the same thing. You never have to worry where you stand with Jeromy; he's pretty honest and pretty blunt. Jeromy is refreshing when you're around him. He's a good player."
By Wednesday evening, however, Simon had not heard from the Mariners, and said that other teams had begun to get more serious about his client. Simon said he wasn't necessarily convinced that the Mariners' level of interest was possibly waning.
"We'll see what happens tomorrow," Simon said.
Everett update: The agent for outfielder Carl Everett said that Tuesday's published reports that the Mariners were very close to signing his client were exaggerated, although he didn't deny that Seattle remains interested.
"We've talked to a number of teams," said Larry Reynolds. "I can't say that [we're close with the Mariners] at this point. They've got a lot going on and we've got a lot going on."
Everett, who made $4 million for the White Sox last year, wasn't offered arbitration Wednesday, meaning that he will not return to Chicago in 2006.
Ichiro talk: Hargrove was asked if he could see any circumstance in which Ichiro Suzuki would not be the Mariners' leadoff hitter, and he didn't immediately say no.
"I think that Ichiro is such a unique hitter, a hitter with unique talent," Hargrove said. "He has the ability to be a lot of things in an offensive lineup. Before I entertain any thought of moving Ichiro in the lineup, I would sit and talk with Ichiro first to get his views on it and his feelings on it. I've long thought that he would make a tremendous three-hole hitter.
"I think he's a tremendous leadoff hitter, too. Don't get me wrong that I think that I'm going to move him [to the third spot in the order]. You sit and play with lineups all the time and see how they set up with people, particularly in different positions.
"But before we did anything like that, I would sit and have a conversation with Ichiro and get his views on it."

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

Seattle Mariners unveil new batting practice jersey for 2006 season

12/08/2005
The Seattle Mariners on Thursday unveiled a new batting practice jersey for the 2006 season. The jersey, which will be available in all Seattle Mariners Team Stores, will make its official on-field debut at Spring Training.
The jersey, made by Majestic Athletic, is made of lightweight Poly waffle knit material. The button front top is Midnight Navy with Mariners Green on the shoulders and upper sleeves. The gussets are Midnight Navy spandex mesh with a silver-gray piping. "Mariners" is appliquéd across the chest in metallic silver letters with a dark navy and green background. The stylized Mariners compass rose is appliquéd above the "M" in Mariners.
The jersey will be worn by Mariners players throughout Spring Training and in pre-game workouts during the 2006 regular season.
Fans have two chances to meet Mariners players and see the new jersey in the upcoming week. Mariners infielder Willie Bloomquist will be at the Alderwood Mariners Team Store this Saturday, December 10, from 12pm until 1:30pm. Dan Wilson will be at the Bellevue Square Mariners Team Store on Tuesday, December 13 from 6pm to 8pm.
There are seven Mariners Team Stores in the state of Washington: the flagship store at Safeco Field; 4th & Stewart in downtown Seattle, Bellevue Square Mall, Southcenter Mall, Alderwood Mall, Capital Mall in Olympia and NorthTown Mall in Spokane.

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

Mariners part ways with Torrealba

12/08/2005
DALLAS -- The Mariners made their first trade of the Winter Meetings, honoring backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba's wishes to be dealt to a team where he could get more playing time and possibly start. Seattle shipped Torrealba to the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later.
Torrealba, 27, combined to hit .234 with 12 doubles, 3 homers, and 15 RBIs in 76 games with San Francisco and Seattle. He did not commit an error in 68 games (60 starts) behind the plate in 2005, recording the most games and innings of any Major League catcher without an error last season.
Torrealba came to the Mariners, along with pitcher Jesse Foppert, on July 30, 2005, in a trade for outfielder Randy Winn.
Bavasi said that he was frustrated at the collapse of a trade that the Mariners thought they were close to making Tuesday night that would have sent a team three "significant" players in the Mariners organization.
"Yesterday we were much, much closer to getting something done than we were today," Bavasi said. "We don't have the developmental surplus to move freely. We hoped to make a move last night that would have given us that surplus."
Meanwhile, the Mariners made some more expected moves, declining to offer arbitration and therefore cutting ties with all five of its current free agents, including Dan Wilson, who announced his retirement at the end of last year.
The Mariners also declined to offer arbitration to pinch-hitter/infielder Dave Hansen, relievers Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Jeff Nelson, and shortstop Pokey Reese.
Reese spent the 2005 season on the disabled list and did not appear in a game with the Mariners.

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

Mariners hook Moyer for 2006

12/07/2005
DALLAS -- Jamie Moyer is still going strong at 43 years of age, and as of Wednesday night he's still going strong in a Mariners uniform.
Moyer, the veteran left-hander who last year became Seattle's all-time victory leader, avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract.
The deal is worth $5.5 million and possibly up to $1 million more in incentives, according to The Associated Press. Moyer will get $200,000 each for 160, 170, 180, 190 and 200 innings, the AP wrote.
"I'm happy that it's done and over with and that I can continue my workouts and not take away from my workouts," Moyer said on a conference call.
"I was a part of some pretty special years here in Seattle. I've been part of some pretty great teams, some pretty great seasons, and our fan base has really supported the ballclub, and that's been great to see."
Moyer continued his consistent career last season with a 13-7 record and a 4.28 ERA, reversing an uncharacteristic 2004 in which he went 7-13. Most impressive about Moyer's 2005 campaign was his 10-0 record and 2.95 ERA at Safeco Field.
He led the club in wins, ERA and innings pitched (200). Moyer has pitched 200 or more innings in each of the last five seasons and in seven of the last eight. The southpaw has a career record of 51-26 (.662) in Safeco Field, and Seattle had a 15-2 record in his 17 home starts last season.
"I'm glad to know I will have Jamie back in the rotation next season," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "Jamie does a great job giving us a chance to win every time he goes out there."
Moyer represented himself in the negotiations and admitted that it was an arduous process that came down to the final hours. If Moyer had not been offered arbitration by the Mariners by 9 p.m. PT on Wednesday, he would have not been allowed to return to the club until May 1.
But it wouldn't have come to that anyway, according to Moyer, because he had additional interest from "a couple of teams" and would not have considered retirement if he couldn't work out a deal with the Mariners.
"Not a chance," Moyer said. "I would have played somewhere this year. I haven't been working out for the last month and a half, two months, to retire."
So at 5:30 p.m. PT, 3 1/2 hours before the deadline, a deal was struck.
"I don't know if it went down completely to the wire, but it got fairly close," Moyer said.
Moyer said he thought about trying to work a longer-term deal early in the negotiation process but realized it wasn't likely because of his age, even if he is a rare case.
"There aren't too many guys who pitch into their 40s," Moyer said. "Being the style of pitcher that I am, I think it's a little bit different from the power-type pitchers out there today, and I feel that's allowed my longevity to be what it's been."
Moyer added that he's not thinking about what he'll do after this season.
"I don't have any interest in looking at if this is the final year or not," Moyer said. "I'll decide in September and October and maybe in the offseason if it's my final year or not."
Moyer's signing gives the Mariners three solid starters, along with 19-year-old phenom Felix Hernandez and Joel Pineiro. As of Moyer's signing Wednesday night, the team hadn't revealed its plans for arbitration-eligible Gil Meche and Ryan Franklin. They are still seeking starting pitching on the free agent market and in trades at these Winter Meetings.
Moyer originally joined the Mariners on July 30, 1996, in a trade from the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Darren Bragg. In his career in a Seattle uniform he is 139-75 with a 3.94 ERA in 299 games (298 starts). He is the Mariners' all-time leader in wins, starts and innings (1,933), and is second in strikeouts (1,157). No player on the current roster has been with Seattle longer than Moyer's 10-year tenure.
And he reiterated Wednesday how much he, his wife, Karen, and his six children love to be in Seattle, where they started the charitable Moyer Foundation.
"We had the fortune of moving into a new ballpark, and it's been a special place to work every day," Moyer said.
"During that time, we became very entrenched in the community. ... We really feel like we've been able to make a difference for children in this community and families in this community."

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

Team Japan announces WBC squad

12/09/2005
DALLAS -- On the other side of the world on Friday, the Japanese presented the initial edition of their baseball squad that will take the field next year in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, the first time Major League players will compete in an international tournament.
Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners, right-handed relief pitcher Akinori Otsuka of the San Diego Padres, and second baseman Tadahito Iguchi of the Chicago White Sox were among 29 names announced at a press conference which took place at 3 a.m. ET in Tokyo. The Yankees' Hideki Matsui is not on the list, but he still may decide to play. The Japanese team will be managed by legendary home run hitter Sadaharu Oh.
The Japanese names are in addition to the 177 big league players that Major League Baseball said on Monday would be playing for many of the 16 teams competing in the 18-day tournament, which opens in the Tokyo Dome on March 3 and closes with the championship game in San Diego's PETCO Park on March 20.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Derek Jeter, Dontrelle Willis, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Lee, Javier Vazquez, Ivan Rodriguez, and Suzuki, plus both of this year's league MVPs -- Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriquez -- have already committed to play in the games if selected by their respective teams.
Sixteen countries or territories are committed to participate in the event.
The landmark tournament field includes Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, the United States and Venezuela. Cuba is the only country that hasn't formally accepted its invitation, although president Fidel Castro has made statements during the past week indicating that the baseball-rich Cubans will be there. Those talks are still ongoing, said Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer, earlier in the week.
Oh is the all-time king with 868 career home runs and is currently a manager for the Softbank Hawks in Japan's Pacific League. Kazuhiro Takeda is the pitching coach, Hatsuhiko Tsuji is the infield coach and Yasunori Ohshima is the hitting coach.
Oh hit all of his home runs on what was then called the Tokyo Giants, the franchise currently owned by Yomiuri. That media giant is promoting the three-day Asian round, which is scheduled for March 3-6 and includes Japan, South Korea, China and Chinese-Taipei.
The two top teams in that round-robin segment of the tournament travels to the U.S. for the second round and meets the two winners of Pool B that encompasses the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South Africa in Angel Stadium at Anaheim on March 13-15.
The top two teams in the four-team second-round brackets will each move on to the semifinals and finals, to be held at the Padres' home field on March 18-20.
Fans can follow all of the games live via MLB.com.
In addition to the three Major Leaguers announced Friday, the Japanese team will be comprised of stars from its own two professional leagues -- the Pacific and Central. Leading the way are eight players from Bobby Valentine's 2005 champion Chiba Lotte Marines. Notable position players include Nobuhiko Matsunaka, who batted .315 with 46 home runs and 121 RBIs for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2005, and Takahiro Arai (.315-46-121) of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The pitching staff features submariner Shunsuke Watanabe, who was 15-4 with a 2.17 ERA for Chiba Lotte, and Toshiya Sugiuchi, who led both leagues in wins (18) and ERA (2.11) in '05 for Fukuoka.
Ichiro, who starred for the Orix BlueWave for 10 years before joining the Mariners in 2001, finished the 2005 season with 206 hits, 15 homers, 68 RBIs and a .303 batting average. He's amassed at least 200 hits in each of his five Major League seasons.
Iguchi batted .278 with 15 home runs and drove in 71 runs for the World Series champion White Sox, starring in the postseason.
Otsuka has appeared in 135 games during his two seasons with the Padres, finishing 35 of them. He had a 9-10 record with three saves and a 2.57 earned run average, predominantly setting up for closer Trevor Hoffman.
Ichiro played for the MLB All-Stars when they toured Japan after the 2002 season, and Otsuka played under Padres manager Bruce Bochy when that year's All-Star team played the Japanese stars after the 2004 season.
In the World Baseball Classic, a 60-man roster must be submitted by Jan. 17, and at that point, all players will begin to be drug tested under the auspices of Olympic-type penalties -- two years of banishment from international play for a first offense. The tournament drug testing is mutually exclusive from the new testing program agreed upon last month by MLB and the players association, said Orza. Thus, any player testing positive during the event will not be penalized next season by MLB.
Each team's ultimate 30-man roster must be finalized 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament
Those final rosters must include a minimum of 13 pitchers and three catchers. MLB has committed to 60 percent of the players having either a Major League or Minor League contract. The breakdown would be no more than 10 players on the 25-man roster of each MLB team and four more from the expanded 40-man rosters, said Paul Archey, MLB's vice president of international baseball operations, who added that some of the competing teams will have rosters filled entirely with Major Leaguers.

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

Ichiro looking forward to WBC

12/09/2005
SEATTLE -- Ichiro Suzuki's job for the past five seasons has been the leadoff man, right fielder, catalyst, record breaker and top fan attraction for the Mariners.
In March, he'll keep his job responsibilities while changing uniforms, and it's something he's looking forward to.
Ichiro, along with Padres reliever Akinori Otsuka and White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi were among the 29 names at an early-morning press conference on Friday announced as the initial roster for the Japanese team in next March's inaugural World Baseball Classic.
The Major Leagues' other big Japanese star, outfielder Hideki Matsui of the Yankees, is not on the list, but he still may decide to play. The Japanese team will be managed by legendary home run hitter Sadaharu Oh.
Ichiro was one of the first players in the world to orally commit to accepting a WBC invitation. He gave his notice several days before Major League Baseball released a list of 177 players that would be playing for many of the 16 teams competing in the 18-day tournament, which opens in the Tokyo Dome on March 3 and closes with the championship game in San Diego's PETCO Park on March 20.
"Mr. Oh extended a formal invitation and Ichiro accepted," Ichiro's agent, Tony Attanasio, told the Seattle Times. "For the longest time, media people had been asking if he was going to play for Japan. But it was not that simple; Ichiro had to receive a formal invitation.
"Now there has been an invitation, and Ichiro was delighted to accept. He really wants to play for his country."
Ichiro, who starred for the Orix BlueWave in Japan for 10 years before joining the Mariners in 2001, finished the 2005 regular season with 206 hits, 15 homers, 68 RBIs and a .303 batting average. He's amassed at least 200 hits in each of his five Major League seasons, the first player in history to do so.
Ichiro played for the MLB All-Stars when they toured Japan after the 2002 season, and Otsuka played under Padres manager Bruce Bochy when that year's All-Star team played the Japanese stars after the 2004 season.
The Japanese WBC team figures to be the favorite in the three-day Asian round, which is scheduled for March 3-6 and also includes South Korea, China and Chinese Taipei.
The two top teams in that round-robin segment of the tournament travel to the U.S. for the second round and meet the two winners of Pool B that encompasses the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South Africa in Angel Stadium in Anaheim on March 13-15.
The top two teams in the four-team second-round brackets will move on to the semifinals and final, to be held at the Padres' home field on March 18-20. Fans can follow all of the games live via MLB.com.
The landmark tournament field includes Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, the United States and Venezuela. Cuba is the only country that hasn't formally accepted its invitation, although president Fidel Castro has made statements during the past week indicating that the baseball-rich Cubans will be there.
Each team's ultimate 30-man roster must be finalized 24 hours prior to the start of the tournament, so it's possible that Ichiro will have some different teammates when play starts.
In the meantime, expect one of baseball's most athletic talents to gear up for a smashing effort as his World Baseball Classic team's leadoff man and sparkplug.
"I think that Ichiro is such a unique hitter, a hitter with unique talent," Ichiro's Mariners manager, Mike Hargrove, said recently.
"He has the ability to be a lot of things in an offensive lineup."

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

Mariners add young lefty Gonzalez

12/15/2005
The Mariners continued their offseason renovation plan, adding another young arm to their roster by announcing that they have purchased the contract of left-hander Luis E. Gonzalez from the Colorado Rockies.
Colorado acquired Gonzalez on Dec. 8 in the Major League portion of the Rule 5 Draft, the day after the Mariners added another former Rockies pitcher to their system when they traded catcher Yorvit Torrealba to Colorado for right-hander Marcos Carvajal.
In Gonzalez, the Mariners are getting a 22-year-old reliever who split the 2005 season between Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A Las Vegas. Gonzalez went 7-2 with a 2.21 ERA and seven saves for Jacksonville, then went 0-1 with a 9.31 mark in 10 games for Las Vegas.
"We will bring Luis to camp with the idea that he could compete for a role as a left-hander out of our bullpen," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said.
Meanwhile, the Mariners took care of some more business Thursday, announcing that right-handed pitcher Jeff Harris has been outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma and right-handed pitcher Cha Seung Baek has been designated for assignment.

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

Mailbag: Looking for lefty with power

12/11/2005
I know the Mariners are looking for a left-handed power bat, but why not look in-house? Wouldn't Bucky Jacobsen be a good fit as the left-handed bat they need since he is coming back from the knee surgery?-- Steve E., Yakima, Wash.
First things first: Jacobsen is a right-handed hitter, not a lefty. And the Mariners apparently don't see him as a good fit for any role on the big league club since they released him at the end of last year.
Jacobsen just didn't show enough recovery from knee surgery to get him back on the big league roster. That's why he didn't get a chance to repeat the power surge in 2004 that made him a one-time Safeco Field cult hero.
Wouldn't Erubiel Durazo be an attractive free agent to the Mariners? He's a left-handed designated hitter with some power, exactly one of the things the Mariners want.-- Evan L., Derwood, Md.
That's not a bad suggestion, but there are some big questions about Durazo that the Mariners might not feel comfortable with right now.
On one hand, Durazo is a free agent and has been an excellent left-handed hitter when healthy. He led the A's with a .321 batting average and had 22 home runs, 88 RBIs and a .396 on-base percentage in 2004.
On the other hand, he's coming off Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery that kept him out for most of the 2005 season, and he really doesn't have much value in the field other than the ability to occasionally start at first base.
The Mariners would seemingly prefer an outfielder/DH-type who can spell Raul Ibanez in left from time to time. That's not Durazo's game.
I'm a Dutch baseball fan and always Seattle has been the team for me, but with the preparation of the new season, I have a few questions. As Seattle is in search of a left-handed power batter, is a trade for Reds left fielder Adam Dunn a possibility? Furthermore, why is Kevin Millwood so underrated? Everyone is talking about A.J. Burnett as the ace (of the free agent crop), but is there any chance of Millwood becoming a Mariner?-- Remco M., The Netherlands
Good to see Holland representing in the mailbag -- always appreciated. Dunn is a name that's been thrown around in trade rumors for the last three or four years, it seems, and for good reason. A lot of teams want a guy who hits 40-plus homers every year.
The Mariners probably have sent feelers out regarding Dunn, but as general manager Bill Bavasi was saying in Dallas, trades for premier talent like that are difficult because of the organization's lack of surplus. To pull off something like that, the Mariners might have to first trade for surplus with one team, then spin that trade into a deal for a guy like Dunn.
Bavasi missed out on a few multi-step trades while in Dallas and was talking more about free agents when the club returned to Seattle.
Since the organization has said there is a need for a left-handed bat with some power, I was wondering what the possibilities were of John Olerud coming back to Seattle. He played pretty well for Boston in only a limited role. If not him, what other players are the Mariners looking at to fill that need?-- Aaron A., Madison, S.D.
"Ole," as he was known in Safeco Field, would be a nice sentimental choice to return to the Mariners, for whom he had so much success, but Olerud isn't going to be playing for anyone in 2006 unless he reverses his recent decision to retire.
Olerud, 37, was an All-Star in 1993 and 2001 and a .295 career hitter with 255 home runs and 1,230 RBIs in 2,234 games. He has played for Toronto (1989-96), the New York Mets (1997-99), Seattle (2000-04), the Yankees (2004) and Boston (2005). He won Gold Gloves in 2000, 2002 and 2003.
He hung up his spikes without any fanfare last week, not surprising for an always-unassuming, team-first guy.
Why don't the Mariners try to go after Dontrelle Willis of the Marlins? The Marlins seem to want to get rid of everything they have. Also, this would fill a huge gap in the starting rotation. So what if we have to give up a few stars in our Minor League system? The Marlins are slashing their payroll and teams are reaping the benefits. Why not us?-- Travis M., Friday Harbor, Wash.
You're right about the Marlins slashing payroll. It's no secret -- they've dealt many of their good players in the last few weeks, including Carlos Delgado, Josh Beckett, Guillermo Mota, Mike Lowell, Luis Castillo and Juan Pierre.
But those guys were veterans with huge contracts, and Willis is not. Willis turns 24 in January and made only $378,500 last year in his second full big league season. He'll likely make around $450,000 next year, and for a guy who won 22 games in 2005 and finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting, that's a pretty good bargain.
Expect the Marlins to hold on to Willis and young slugger Miguel Cabrera, who will be under the team's control for another four years and are franchise players the club can be rebuilt around.
Is Justin Leone still with the Mariners?-- Greg D., Toronto
No, he isn't. The Mariners released him in October, and the San Diego Padres picked him up as a Minor League free agent in early November. Leone, 28, played for Seattle's Triple-A club in Tacoma last year.

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

Mariners agree to terms with Everett

12/15/2005
The Mariners struck the free-agent market for the first time this offseason and got one of the pieces they were looking for in their hopes of getting back into contention in the American League West.
As had been rumored since last week's Winter Meetings, Seattle signed outfielder/designated hitter Carl Everett to a one-year contract with a club option for 2007.
"Today we achieved one of our offseason goals," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said.
"Carl Everett is a clutch-hitting run producer with power. As a switch-hitter, he provides our lineup with added versatility. Carl is a winner, most recently as a member of the 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox. His experience and intensity will be welcome additions to our clubhouse."
"He's not afraid to compete and play hard between the white lines ... When you talk to people in clubhouses who have played with this guy, you hear great things."
The Mariners will hope Everett provides them with the left-handed pop they have been after since the end of their disappointing 2005 season.
They also hope he'll be a positive influence on the Mariners, which the outspoken, opinionated and sometimes hot-tempered Everett said he'll try to do through his will to win.
"They might just need a push," Everett said of the Mariners, who have lost 192 games over the last two seasons. "Hopefully, I can be that push."
Everett, 34, batted .251 with 23 home runs and 87 RBIs in 135 regular-season games for the White Sox, including 107 starts as the DH. He did not make an error over 22 starts in the outfield last year.
In the playoffs, Everett hit a combined .300 (12-for-40) with five runs and three RBIs as the White Sox steamrolled through the AL Division Series, AL Championship Series and World Series, going 11-1 and bringing the first Fall Classic title back to the South Side since 1917.
Everett also had a healthy season in 2005 after being banged up in 2004. Everett had 490 at-bats last season and came close to the 28 homers and 92 RBIs he put up in 2003 as a member of the Texas Rangers.
Everett hit 18 of his 23 homers and drove in 59 of his 87 runs left-handed last year, and his RBI ratio of one run batted in for every 5.63 at-bats ranked 12th in the AL.
Everett figures to fit into the 2006 Mariners as the primary DH and will most likely spell Raul Ibanez in left field from time to time.
"Having him in my lineup gives us some of the left-handed sock and run production we were looking for," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said.
Everett has played on three playoff teams (Houston, 1998-99; White Sox, 2005) in his career and hit. .444 (4-for-9) during Chicago's World Series sweep of the Astros.
Everett is one of six switch-hitters in Major League history (and the only player to accomplish the feat in successive seasons) to record 100 RBIs in each league (108 with Houston in 1999 and Boston in 2000), joining Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, Ted Simmons, Ken Singleton and J.T. Snow.
Overall, Everett has a lifetime Major League batting average of .274 with 191 home runs and 759 RBIs over 1,313 games. Since 2000, he has played 699 of his 708 games in the AL, batting .273 with 120 home runs and 428 RBIs.
Now that the Mariners have Everett in the fold, they will look to tackle the second piece of their Christmas shopping list: the search for one or two starting pitchers.
Right-hander Kevin Millwood and lefty Jarrod Washburn are two names that have been linked to the Mariners in published reports, and it's also possible that Seattle could work a trade for an arm or more offense.

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

Ichiro snags TYIB defensive honor

12/15/2005
Ichiro Suzuki is well known for his bat, but he might be even more consistent with his glove.
About a month after being awarded his fifth straight Gold Glove, the Seattle Mariners' celebrated right fielder took home another piece of hardware, nabbing the "Best Defensive Player" honor in MLB.com's 2005 This Year in Baseball Awards.
Seattle finished the season with the fewest errors (86) in the American League and Ichiro was a big reason for that statistic. The Japanese native made two errors in 393 total chances and had 10 assists, the third straight year he reached double digits in that category.
As a team, the Mariners logged a .986 fielding percentage, which tied for the Major League lead with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Oakland A's. The Mariners tied Atlanta with 86 total errors, the fewest in the Majors in 2005.
And as for Ichiro, he continued a dazzling career that's only five years strong in the United States.
During his 779 games over five seasons with Seattle, Ichiro has made just 11 errors in 1,819 total chances -- all but eight of the chances coming as right fielder. His .994 fielding percentage is the highest among Major League outfielders who have played in more than 650 games. Ichiro also won seven consecutive Gold Glove Awards while playing for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan.
"He is the best fundamental right fielder I have ever played with," former Mariners star Bret Boone said. "He deserves it."
Ichiro's defensive piece de resistance in his award-winning season came May 2 at Safeco Field in an otherwise nondescript 5-0 loss to the Angels.
Angels outfielder Garret Anderson had already homered in the third inning of the shutout when he stepped to the plate in the seventh against reliever Julio Mateo. He blasted another deep fly to right field that looked like a goner.
But then Ichiro stepped into the frame.
The Mariners right fielder chased after the ball and climbed the Safeco Field wall, leaving a cleat mark in the "S" of the Washington Mutual advertisement.
When it became obvious that the ball was not hit hard enough to leave the yard, Ichiro adjusted in mid-climb to reach back and snag it while still practically stuck to the wall. He fell to the ground and heard immediately from the fans, who rained the familiar "I-CHI-RO" chant down as Anderson ambled back to his dugout.
Ichiro admitted that he misjudged it a bit, thinking it had enough legs to be a homer, and that's what made his Spider-Man-like climb and hanging-on-wall repositioning even cooler to watch.
"I don't know if I have ever seen a better catch," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
"I've watched him for three or four years now, so anything he does out there really doesn't surprise me at all," the typically stoic Anderson added.
It didn't seem to surprise Ichiro, either.
"I've imagined making that play, going up there like that," Ichiro said through his interpreter. "So going up there like that was something I knew I could do.
"I don't know if it's the best catch I've ever made, but having the fans enjoy it a little bit was special."

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