Mariners look to make big splash - 美國職棒

Delgado, Sexson among stars Seattle is pursuing
By Jim Street / MLB.com

‧ Mariners Winter Meetings checklist


Patience has been more than a virtue for the Mariners this offseason. It has
been a necessity.
The free agent market has been so slow-moving thus far that general manager
Bill Bavasi and his staff are still waiting for their offseason game plan to
get off the ground.

The waiting game moves to the Winter Meetings in Anaheim this week, where the
Mariners' pursuit of first baseman Carlos Delgado, infielder/outfielder
Richie Sexson, third basemen Troy Glaus and Corey Koskie and right-handed
pitcher Carl Pavano continues.

It's unrealistic to think the Mariners can sign all of those players. But the
team is operating on the theory that the more lines you have in the water,
the better your chances are of catching a big fish.

Luring two or three of the free agents just might get the Mariners back into
playoff contention in the American League West next season and the front
office's focal points are the same today as they were months ago.


The Mariners' offense needs at least one -- and preferably two --
middle-of-the-lineup run producers, and another veteran pitcher who would fit
nicely into the rotation that figures to include left-handers Jamie Moyer and
Bobby Madritsch, right-hander Joel Pineiro and one of two other
right-handers, Gil Meche or Ryan Franklin.

Bavasi heads into the annual meetings prepared for just about anything.

"Given our druthers, if we would improve one over the other we would go
towards adding offense," he said. "But as players come off the board, we're
not going to bypass tremendous pitching and take mediocre offense.

"We will be very, very active as far as talking to clubs. But the Winter
Meetings mean nothing to us, beyond the mere convenience of them. We have
been talking to free agent representatives every day for quite some time. We
tried to make them exclusive offers, negotiate fast and get it done."

But the agents and players seem more determined to take their time this
season and let the market develop later than it did the previous two years.

So, instead of spending most of their working hours on the telephone as the
case has been in recent weeks, Mariners officials and agents will be an
elevator ride from face-to-face discussions.

"The meetings, because of their convenience, might make things happen
faster," Bavasi said of the four-day gathering beginning Friday. "But we have
to be prepared for anything. And the best way for us to do that is have as
many options as possible."

Nearly 190 free agents remain and the market value for the top available
talent is unclear because the cream of the crop -- outfielder Carlos Beltran
and infielders Delgado and Adrian Beltre -- are among those unsigned.

From all indications, Delgado remains as the Mariners' primary free agent
target and two AL scouts have said they heard the productive left-handed
hitter is leaning toward signing with Seattle.

Delgado has 336 home runs in 12 seasons and reportedly has been offered a
four-year contract by Seattle for close to $10 million a season. Seattle also
reportedly has made offers to Sexson, Glaus, Koskie and right-hander Jaret
Wright, who is said to be close to signing with the Yankees.

Bavasi would not comment on any specific offers, saying, "We have a few
offers out there."

The second-year GM is determined to improve an offense that finished last in
runs scored in 2004 (698) despite having a leadoff hitter (Ichiro Suzuki) who
broke an 84-year-old record for hits in a single season, and a second-place
hitter (Randy Winn) who reached base 240 times and scored 84 runs.

"We're not one player away" from contending, Bavasi said. "We need more than
one guy. Can we get them all in this free agent market? I don't know, but
most of our energy has been on the free agent market."

Filling the holes could be a two-part plan, involving free agency and trades.

Bavasi said the Mariners have ranked all of the free agents -- position
players and pitchers -- one through fifteen and hope to sign the
highest-ranked players possible. It is believed that he has close to $20
million to spend on free agents this year.

"We will compete in the market until we think the market is way out of
whack," Bavasi said. "Right now, we are concentrating on free agents, but if
something [such as a trade] comes up, we'd certainly consider it."

The Mariners envision the 32-year-old Delgado batting third in 2005 and
driving in at least 100 runs, something he has done six times in his career
and just missed making it seven in a row last year. A knee injury sidelined
for more than a month and he ended up with 99 RBIs in 128 games with the Blue
Jays.

Sexson is attractive to the Mariners because of his power potential -- he hit
45 home runs in 2001 and '03 -- and has roots in the Northwest. But he played
in just 23 games last season with the Diamondbacks because of a partial tear
in the labrum of his left shoulder that required surgery.

Published reports out of Seattle suggest the Mariners could sign both Delgado
and Sexson, but that seems unlikely. Some financial wiggle room could be
established by trading an experienced player. Winn comes to mind because of
his salary ($3.75 million next season) and versatility -- a switch-hitter who
can play left and center field.

"We have been intense going after the things we need," Bavasi said, "and when
the meetings end, we'll be just as intense."

And possibly just as patient for a little while longer.

"We have made the right contacts so far and we're at the mode where we are
going to hound people a little bit," Bavasi said. "It will be a lot easier to
do that in Anaheim."

Jim Street is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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