Seattle Mariners News: Pro Sports Daily

Mariners will be looking for better approach and discipline at the plate this season

February 3

Seattle Times

"Now that we know the Mariners will be staying young for the next little while, it may be best to explore some of the things to look for in 2012. Too many people will be focused on things like won-lost record while missing the bigger picture of what's going on. The won-lost record won't tell you much until it starts approaching 90. I've seen too many teams soar past 80 wins and have it mean absolutely nothing the following year. That said, if the Mariners can hit 80 wins this season, it should be a good thing. But if they don't, it doesn't mean the year was a waste."

Mariners bring back Carlos Guillen on minor-league deal

February 2

Seattle Times

"Carlos Guillen will get one more crack with the Mariners eight years after the team jump-started his career by trading him away. At age 36, the three-time All-Star infielder agreed to a minor-league deal with the Mariners on Wednesday that will pay him a base salary of $1 million if he makes the club out of spring training and incentive bonuses based on plate appearances. The Mariners hope to use Guillen — who will wear the same No. 8 he previously did with Seattle — in a corner infield utility role, similar to what Adam Kennedy provided the squad last season. Guillen became a cornerstone with the Detroit Tigers after a January 2004 trade to Motown for infielders Ramon Santiago and Juan"

Sources: Playoff expansion has issues

February 1

ESPN.com

"Baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to talk confidently about expanding the baseball playoff field in 2012. But sources tell ESPN.com efforts to make that happen remain bogged down, all because of one thorny little complication: the details. Wednesday was supposed to be the day the commissioner's office finished a proposed schedule for the 2012 postseason and shipped it to the players' association for consideration. But sources told ESPN.com that deadline wasn't going to be met -- not because talks have broken down, but because fitting two extra wild-card pieces into the postseason puzzle has proven to be more involved than the commissioner has been willing to acknowledge. The new"

Explaining my position on the Mariners and 2015...again

February 1

Seattle Times

columnist Geoff Baker

"Some of you are livid with me for writing that I don't think the Mariners front office truly believes they will make the playoffs before 2015. You just can't understand why I would want to believe that. I've received emails from people suggesting I'm upset the Mariners did not get Prince Fielder. No, that's not it. My take on how the Mariners view their playoff chances has zero to do with my feelings on Fielder. The two are unrelated and to base any analysis of the M's thought process off my personal beliefs on one player would lead to a fraudulent hypothesis to say the least."

Mariners start packing for Spring Training

February 1

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"It's almost here. The baseball season is about to begin. Or, at least, Spring Training is about to begin. The Seattle Mariners have started packing up their gear for the trip to Peoria, Ariz. Practice itself won't begin until Feb. 11, but all that equipment's gotta get south somehow."

Mystery team may join Mariners in AL West

January 30

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"When the Houston Astros join the Mariners in the American League West Division in 2013, they may not be the Astros at all. The baseball team's owner, Jim Crane, is mulling a name and uniform change for his struggling Astros, The Associated Press reports. In fact, the team is "highly considering" a change. "We're going to study the information both from the fans and from all sorts of marketing people," Crane told the AP. "I'm not saying we're going to change. We haven't made the decision yet whether we're going to change.""

The Mariners' battle of perception: Good plan vs. bad past

January 29

Seattle Times

columnist Jerry Brewer

"Here's the great contradiction that burdens the Mariners: They're finally building the right way, a way that many fans had long desired, but after years of floundering without a solid plan, people are so bitter they refuse to believe in anything. The Mariners are like the reformed man trying to get his woman back. They're saying to you, "Baby, I'm finally ready to change. I'm already changing. I'm going to do right by you this time." But you're not impressed, no matter how many times they plead, "Please, baby! Baby, please!" To you, there's no difference between optimism and naiveté anymore. And so the Mariners shuffle away, head down, intent on proving themselves. You'll see. One day,"

Stability reigns this spring

January 29

Seattle Times

"After a whirlwind blitz of new teams and stadiums in recent years, Arizona's Cactus League will pause this spring and take a deep breath. The biggest visible addition for purveyors of spring training, in fact, will be a player — superstar Albert Pujols, joining the Angels in Tempe after a decade training with the Cardinals in Florida. Yu Darvish will cause a stir in Surprise, where the Rangers train. For the first time since 2008, no teams have changed locations. And the run of glittering new facilities — which has seen ballparks rise up in Surprise, Glendale, Goodyear and Scottsdale in the past nine years, with another one on the way for the Cubs in Mesa in 2014 — may finally have reached"

Selig expects two one-game playoffs for this fall

January 28

Chicago Tribune

"Baseball appears ready for an extra round of wild-card playoffs by this fall, according to commissioner Bud Selig. "I really believe we'll have the (extra) wild card for this year," Selig said Friday at SoxFest. "Clubs really want it. I don't think I've ever seen an issue that the clubs want more than to have the extra wild card." The extra round would be one-game elimination in both the National and American Leagues to the teams who would have missed the playoffs as they are set up now. Some have argued for a best-of-three, but that appears impossible with the scheduled all but set for 2012."

Ichiro out of Mariners' leadoff spot this season?

January 27

Seattle Times

"For 11 seasons in Seattle, Ichiro hitting out of the leadoff spot has been a Mariner fixture. That's where he's been for 1,722 of his 1,749 games. But that may be about to change. Mariners manager Eric Wedge said Thursday at the club's annual pre-spring training luncheon that he is "leaning" toward hitting Ichiro in another position in the batting order. Wedge cautioned that this potentially significant development is not final. But at the end of last year's disappointing season by Ichiro, in which he hit a career low .272 — his first time under .300 since 1993 — the manager had cautioned that it was no guarantee Ichiro would return to the leadoff spot. Wedge has had more time to think"

Mariners tell 2012 fans to believe in wave of young talent

January 27

Seattle Times

"The Mariners once offered "Believe Big." The overriding message this year is "Believe in Us — Despite Everything." Believe in the plan. Believe in the kids. Believe in Jack Zduriencik's scouting acumen and Eric Wedge's passion. Believe in a Justin Smoak breakout and a Franklin Gutierrez revival and a Jesus Montero coronation. Believe that better times — finally — are lurking just around the corner. Oh, and one more thing: Be patient. These things don't happen overnight. It's a tough message to hear, and one that will be rejected out of hand by some in a fan base that has been sold too many failed plans. It's especially tough when their division rivals keep adding high-priced talent like"

Mariners score highest in MLB.com prospect rankings

January 26

Seattle Times

"Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com published his ranking of the top 100 prospects on Wednesday, which I'm just now getting around to seeing, because I was running in all different directions today. The Mariners, it turns out, did extremely well. They have five players on the list, and three in the top 20 -- catcher Jesus Montero (pictured here at tonight's Seattle Sports Star of the Year ceremony at Benaroya Hall) at No. 12, left-handed pitcher Danny Hultzen at No. 16, and right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker at No. 18. No other team had three in the top 20 (the Orioles, Diamondbacks and Royals were the only ones with two)."

So, how are we all feeling about Prince Fielder?

January 26

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Well, we've all had a day to settle down after learning Prince Fielder won't be coming to Seattle. No, the star slugger has reportedly signed a big-bucks deal with Detroit — and it looks like he never would have wanted to come here in the first place. Two weeks ago, a seattlepi.com reader poll showed that readers overwhelmingly wanted Fielder to become a Mariner. In the unscientific tally, 77 percent of you (out of the 5,000-plus who voted) said Fielder would be most welcomed."

For better or worse, M's putting full faith into rebuilding effort

January 25

Seattle Times

"The (pipe) dream of the Mariners signing Prince Fielder has ended. As the world knows by now, he's ending up in Motown, having received a whopping nine-year, $214-million contract from the Detroit Tigers. To beat that deal, the Mariners would have had to put forth an investment, in both years and dollars, that even the most avid advocate of signing Fielder would have to agree is dangerous territory. And that's ignoring the essential question of whether Fielder ever even seriously considered coming to Seattle, which now appears dubious. His friendship with Jack Zduriencik, in retrospect, wasn't going to trump the distance from his Florida home, the pitcher-friendly ballpark, the unproven"

Behold: Jesus Montero gets his Mariners mugshot

January 25

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Well, the Mariners didn't get Prince Fielder. But they did pick up a hot hitting prospect in Jesus Montero. On Monday, the M's made the official announcement: Seattle had traded All-Star pitcher Michael Pineda and minor-leaguer Jose Campos to the Yankees in return for Montero and right-handed pitcher Hector Noesi."

MLB allows retired Tony La Russa to manage in All-Star game against Ron Washington

January 25

Dallas Morning News

"Tony La Russa will come out of retirement to manage the National League team for the July 10 All-Star Game at Kansas City. La Russa will go against Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington, who will handle the American League team for the second consecutive season. La Russa retired shortly after St. Louis defeated the Rangers in the seven-game World Series."

Zduriencik on Montero: "He'll get every opportunity to catch"

January 24

Seattle Times

columnist Larry Stone

"The theme from Cashman and Zduriencik was that this was a classic example of two teams giving up something of value to get something of value. Cashman even said of Montero, "He may very well be the best player I've ever traded, and obviously I've been doing this a long time (Yankees GM since 1998). He's that good -- a middle of the order player, very gifted. I was involved in his signing out of Venezuela (as a 16-year-old). He's a good kid, and he's going to hav a heck of a career, he really is." Cashman added that the first step of the trade occurred at the winter meetings in Dallas in early December."

Mariners reportedly ink veteran righty Millwood

January 23

MLB.com

"Nine days after making the trade that cleared out Michael Pineda's spot in their starting rotation, the Mariners have apparently signed a possible replacement in veteran right-hander Kevin Millwood. News of an agreement between the Mariners and Millwood came via his own family, through a posting on Facebook by his sister Erika. It was subsequently confirmed by CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, who reports that it is a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training."

Mariners getting closer to making Montero for Pineda trade official

January 21

Seattle Times

"One week after news leaked of the Mariners' blockbuster trade with the Yankees, the deal still hasn't been officially consummated. But an end might be in sight. The holdup has been Jesus Montero's travel problems getting from his home in Venezuela to Seattle to undergo his physical exam. Montero has had to deal with weather, plane and visa issues, but on Friday word came that he had reached the United States and finally was en route to Seattle. That could mean a weekend trade announcement, but considering all the snow-related issues in town, that's no guarantee, either. Montero's agent, Jamie Appel, said that his client reacted positively to the pending trade, which will send pitchers"

Prince Fielder slightly more likely for M's after Rangers sign Yu Darvish

January 19

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"With the Texas Rangers finalizing a six-year, $60 million deal with Yu Darvish on Wednesday, it's less likely they'll have the funds needed to also sign star free agent Prince Fielder. Which means the Mariners now have a slightly better chance to snag the hard-hitting first baseman than they did before. I say "slightly" because, well, Seattle still has many high hurdles to clear for any deal with Fielder. First of all, there's the money issue. After the Angels signed Albert Pujols for $240 million over 10 years, the salary bar is high for a hot commodity like Fielder. He could be looking for $200 million or more from whatever team eventually signs him. And the Mariners aren't exactly"

Griffey and Wedge back from whirlwind trip to Japan

January 18

Seattle Times

columnist Larry Stone

"I talked today to Mariners senior director of baseball information Tim Hevly, who accompanied Eric Wedge and Ken Griffey Jr. to Japan on what he called "a little weekend jaunt." The trio went on a whirlwind three-day (more or less) trip to Tokyo, leaving from Seattle last Friday afternoon and arriving in Tokyo on Saturday night. They left for home on Monday evening around 6 p.m. Tokyo time -- and because of the vagaries of Asia to North America travel, arrived back in Seattle at 9:30 Monday morning."

Mariners re-sign League, Vargas, Kelley; how's the bullpen shaping up?

January 18

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"The Mariners have re-signed three pitchers: All-Star closer Brandon League, starter Jason Vargas and reliever Shawn Kelley. The team did not disclose the terms of their one-year contracts, but CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported that League's deal is $5 million and The Associated Press reported Vargas is getting $4.5 million. With the transactions, the Mariners are finished dealing with their arbitration-eligible players. The news comes a few days after Seattle traded starting pitcher Michael Pineda to the Yankees in return for Jesus Montero, a young catcher who turned heads at the plate last year. The Mariners desperately need more offensive power, and could put Montero — who hit .328 in 61"

Astros agree to deal with free agent hitter Jack Cust

January 18

Houston Chronicle

"The Astros finished off a busy Tuesday by agreeing to a contract with free agent Jack Cust, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Cust will be under contract for 2012 and the Astros hold a club option for 2013, meaning Cust could become the team's first designated hitter when the Astros move to the American League in 2013, as most of his career experience is bat-only. The team also agreed to a $2.35 million contract with lefty J.A. Happ, exchanging salary arbitration proposals with shortstop Jed Lowrie, and hiring former Astros farmhand and experienced minor league pitching coach Craig Bjornson as bullpen coach."

Mariners reach deal with League, two more

January 17

MLB.com

"The Mariners avoided any arbitration hearings for another year as pitchers Brandon League, Jason Vargas and Shawn Kelley all agreed to one-year deals on Tuesday just prior to the arbitration-filing deadline. League, 28, signed for $5 million, as initially reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. League is in his final season of arbitration eligibility and will become a free agent next year. League saved 37 games last year in his first season as the Mariners closer, posting a 2.79 ERA and earning his first American League All-Star bid. He earned $2.25 million last year."

Mariners send Griffey to Japan as baseball ambassador

January 17

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Ken Griffey Jr.'s position as a "special consultant" to the Mariners is underway, with The Kid traveling to Japan this weekend as a sort of baseball ambassador. Griffey helped out at a baseball clinic for Japanese youngsters Sunday near Tokyo. (See photo gallery below.) The Mariners are drumming up publicity for their two-game, season-opening series against Oakland on March 28 and 29 in Japan."

Everyone seems to agree, new Mariner Montero can really hit

January 15

Seattle Times

"This past December at the winter meetings in Dallas, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman marveled over the just-breaking news that Albert Pujols was signing with the Angels for $254 million. He told New York reporters, "I don't know him (Pujols) personally, but I see what he does with that bat, and it's Montero-like." Cashman was being playful (mostly), but Seattle is banking there's truth behind the hyperbole that has followed Jesus Montero since the Yankees signed him out of Venezuela in 2006 at age 16. From virtually the day he arrived in the states, Montero has been heralded as The Next Big Thing, the latest candidate to join the Yankees' seemingly endless succession of marquee"

Mariners make dangerous sacrifice in bid to fix feeble offense

January 15

Seattle Times

columnist Jerry Brewer

"Michael Pineda, the future, is now the sacrificial flamethrower. He takes his overpowering stuff — "that stank," the late Dave Niehaus once aptly described it in spring training — to the Yankees, of all teams, in a four-player trade that the Mariners agreed to primarily because they're desperate for hitting. Well, at least the hitter's first name is spelled J-E-S-U-S. So, why is Jesus Montero, an intriguing power-hitting prospect with only 61 big-league at-bats, worthy of dealing a 22-year-old pitcher who played in the All-Star Game as a rookie and possesses limitless potential? The answer lies in the Mariners' ongoing inability to manufacture offense. The problem has become so huge that"

Mariners to acquire catcher Montero for pitcher Pineda

January 14

Seattle Times

"In a deal fraught with risk but teeming with potential reward, the Mariners are trading All-Star pitcher Michael Pineda to the Yankees in a package that will bring them power-hitting catcher Jesus Montero. Amidst ongoing speculation whether Seattle would land free-agent Prince Fielder, general manager Jack Zduriencik went a different route to address the club's glaring need for run production. The Mariners have had the worst offense in the majors the past two years. The deal, which still requires physicals from the participants to become official, also involves two right-handed pitchers. The Mariners will send highly regarded 19-year-old prospect Jose Campos to the Yankees. Seattle will"

Yankees and Mariners in position to benefit from bold trade

January 14

Newark Star-Ledger

columnist Marc Craig

"A few bits about last night's blockbuster Yankees trade (and key signing): -- The Yankees have embraced the idea of solving their problems by working smarter and not necessarily writing the biggest check. The deal that will send slugging prospect Jesus Montero to the Mariners for ace-in-waiting Michael Pineda is a prime example. -- Since the summer of 2010, with A.J. Burnett already showing signs of wobbling, the Yankees have looked for a suitable partner to pair at the top of the rotation with CC Sabathia. Twice, Cliff Lee was the answer. Twice, the Yankees whiffed. This summer at the deadline, the Yankees looked in on the likes of Ubaldo Jimenez, only to be put off by their prices. (A"

Yankees trade Montero for Mariners' Pineda; sign Kuroda separately

January 14

New York Post

"You didn't really believe the Yankees were going to stay quiet all offseason, did you? With a pair of moves last night, the Yankees renovated their rotation, surrendering top offensive prospect Jesus Montero in the process. The Yankees shipped Montero and right-handed pitcher Hector Noesi to Seattle for 6-foot-7 right-hander Michael Pineda and pitching prospect Jose Campos. In addition, the Yankees signed former Dodgers right-hander Hiroki Kuroda for one year at $10 million. Both moves are not finalized until physicals are completed and approved. Montero had long been the prize of the Yankees' farm system and he honored some of the hype with a 61-at-bat cameo last year in which he hit .328"

Yankees agree to trade slugger Jesus Montero to Seattle Mariners as part of multi-player deal to land Michael Pineda

January 13

New York Daily News

"So much for the Yankees' quiet winter. With the team still needing pitching help, the Yankees Friday agreed to trade their top prospect, slugger Jesus Montero, to the Mariners as part of a multi-player deal that will land gifted starter Michael Pineda in the Bronx. The Yankees are sending Montero, who shined last year during a September callup, and Hector Noesi to the Mariners for Pineda, an All-Star last year, and Jose Campos, a right-handed pitching prospect, a baseball source said."

Mariners should just say no to Manny Ramirez

January 13

Seattle Times

columnist Larry Stone

"I'm starting to get inundated with emails and tweets from people wondering if the Mariners should make a play for Manny Ramirez, who is a free agent and looking to make a comeback. Perhaps "inundated" is too strong a word, but there's been a steady enough stream of inquiries for me to feel I should address the question. Or, in honor of Manny's penchant for third-person referrals, let me rephrase that: I feel Larry should address the question. Here's Larry's answer: No, no and no."

Ken Griffey Jr. is 'like the ultimate dad now'

January 13

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Ken Griffey Jr. used to hire a cameraman to take video at his son Trey's peewee football games, just to get a chance to watch him play. As a star slugger, usually on the road, Junior didn't have much time to spend with his kids. Now that he's retired, the 42-year-old former Mariner has all the time in the world. These days, you can spot Griffey on the sidelines of his eldest son's high-school football games, including last week's Under Armour All-America Game."

For Mariners, is Prince Fielder speculation 'extremely overblown'?

January 11

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

columnist

"Mariners fans really, really want the team to sign star free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder. But all that speculation may be "extremely overblown." At least, so says ESPN's Jerry Crasnick on Twitter. That's what an agent apparently told him. On 710 AM ESPN Seattle radio Tuesday afternoon, Crasnick said Fielder probably won't be calling Safeco Field home. Two agents told Crasnick that the Mariners "only have $3-4 million left to spend on the roster this winter," he tweeted."

Mariners who could make the Baseball Hall of Fame

January 10

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Edgar Martinez missed out on a National Baseball Hall of Fame nod Monday. Though the former Mariners designated hitter will have to wait another year for a chance to be inducted into Cooperstown, his support among voters increased from 32.9 percent last year to 36.5 percent this time around. "I know this is going to take a while," Martinez told MLB.com's Greg Johns. "But it's encouraging that it at least went up from last year. What I've seen in the past with players that get about 30 percent, it just takes awhile for the numbers to get up to close to (the required) 75.""

Mariners sign starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma from Japan

January 6

Seattle Times

"The Mariners have finally made a move that goes beyond backups and bullpen arms, inking Japanese free agent pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma to a deal this afternoon. Iwakuma, 30, will join Seattle's starting rotation this coming season, likely slotting in as a No. 3 arm behind Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda. The deal is for one year, $1.5 million but there are an additional $3.4 million in incentives attached. These incentives will be based on innings pitched, games started and awards. The incentives kick in at 20 starts, where he'll be paid a $200,000 bonus. The bonuses keep accumulating every couple of starts after that. He'll get another $250,000 if he reaches 22 starts, then $300,000 if he"

Is Prince Fielder slipping away from the Mariners?

January 4

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Oh hey, there's other news today than just bowl games and NFL coaching changes. It looks like the Washington Nationals are also pursuing Prince Fielder – and perhaps pushing up his price. As we reported last month (nay, last year), the Mariners have made and offer to the free-agent first baseman. But it's questionable whether Seattle has the money to afford a star like Fielder, and lure him away from other interested teams. In the ballpark of $20 million a year? Kinda spendy for the M's."

Mariners Leading Suitor For Hisashi Iwakuma

January 3

MLB Trade Rumors

"The Mariners are the leading suitor for Japanese right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, according to a Sponichi report passed along by Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. Iwakuma has drawn interest from a number of teams, but seems to be favoring Seattle. "We've received terms from a number of clubs, but considering where I'm needed and an environment my family can live in, at present we're closest to a contract with the Mariners," Iwakuma said."

Without Fielder, 2012 Mariners are just Felix and garlic fries

January 1

Seattle Times

columnist Steve Kelley

"One by one, the power hitters disappeared. The good ones, the better ones and the game-changers. Casey McGehee was traded to Pittsburgh. Josh Willingham signed with Minnesota and Jason Kubel signed with Arizona. Michael Cuddyer went to Colorado, and for a quarter of a billion dollars, the biggest prize, Albert Pujols, left St. Louis for the Los Angeles Angels and the American League West. And while all of this was happening, the power-poor Mariners stood on the sideline and watched, apparently unwilling or unable to play the game. As 2012 begins, and the hope of signing the last remaining free-agent slugger, first baseman Prince Fielder, appears to be fading, the Mariners are as powerless"

Short-term deal for Prince Fielder makes no sense for Mariners

December 29

Seattle Times

"There was a rumor flying around yesterday, as has been the case for much of this winter, about where the Prince Fielder talks currently sit. The rumor had Fielder's agent, Scott Boras, possibly considering a shorter-term, three-year deal for his client. That one just doesn't pass the proverbial smell test. If anything, Boras would probably lower the yearly dollar amount before he'd sacrifice long-term security for his client. After all, if he could land a seven-year deal for Jayson Werth, why settle for less than half of that on a better player in Fielder? Especially when all the questions about Fielder's durability center around the seasons that come after the next three? It stands to"

Judge puts Mariners franchise value at $641 million in Chris Larson divorce case ruling

December 23

Seattle Times

"Mariners minority owner Chris Larson had a final ruling delivered in his divorce case this morning. In it, King County Superior Court Judge William Downing concluded that, based on evidence presented at trial, the Mariners have a total franchise value of $641 million. Forbes magazine back in March had estimated the franchise to be worth $449 million, compared to an average MLB team value of $523 million. Today's figure, based off the ruling, would put the M's fifth highest on the Forbes list of the 30 big-league teams. But it's worth remembering that this latest court estimate is coming in after the 2011 season has been played and not prior to it like the most recent Forbes list. Also,"

What the Mariners should do this offseason

December 22

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"The Mariners have signed catcher John Jaso and reliever George Sherrill, but it's difficult to believe general manager Jack Zduriencik is ready for spring training. Here's a list of some additional moves the team should make before reconvening in Peoria in February. Some are common sense, while others are a bit less likely."

Mariners, Nats, O's among teams eyeing Prince

December 21

CBSSports.com

"Indications are the Mariners, Nationals and Orioles are among about a half-dozen teams still eyeing star free agent Prince Fielder. The Fielder derby is heating up, as some teams have made offers or at least given an indication where they'd be willing to go monetarily for the slugger. The Cubs, Rangers, Blue Jays, Marlins and incumbent Brewers also have been mentioned as possibilities for Prince. The Mariners are one of the teams that's suggested their price range for Fielder, although it's unclear how serious Fielder might be about willing to play on the West Coast. Some close to the Florida product and longtime Brewer have suggested he'd prefer to stay in the East or Central time zones."

Zduriencik: Rumors of Prince offer baseless

December 21

MLB.com

"A simple tweet by Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com suggesting the Mariners have talked contract parameters with free-agent slugger Prince Fielder got the Hot Stove boiling a bit Tuesday afternoon, but Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said he's not sure "where all this is coming from." Heyman reported that the Mariners "made Prince Fielder an offer [or at least told him what they'd pay]," but that "Seattle people love him, but said to have $ limits." That mirrors what Zduriencik has said all along with regard to Fielder -- that the club has interest, but also has a "threshold" of how far it can go in terms of dollars and length of contract. Contacted by MLB.com, Zduriencik maintained the"

Report: Mariners make offer to Prince Fielder

December 21

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"The Mariners have made an offer to free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweeted Tuesday. "mariners made prince fielder an offer (or at least told him what they'd pay). seattle people love him but said to have $ limits," Heyman tweeted, sounding lukewarm as to whether the team can actually afford the slugger."

How one Mariners owner used stake in team to generate up to $50 million in available cash at time of need

December 19

Seattle Times

"One thing many of us have seen since the financial markets melted down in 2008 is how difficult it can be to come up with cash in a time of need. Mariners minority owner Chris Larson is no exception to that. Larson, who owns 30.6 percent of the Mariners, was in serious financial trouble in 2008 after a longstanding strategy of borrowing against his vast Microsoft stock holdings in order to finance a lavish lifestyle. That strategy worked real well in the 1990s, when Microsoft stock value kept rising. But the trouble began right around the time of the tech crash in 2000, when Microsoft share prices fell but Larson's expenses kept rising. He was embarking on a plan to renovate his"

Sherrill set to become a Mariner once again

December 18

Seattle Times

"One time Mariners reliever George Sherrill is on the verge of reuniting with the club nearly four years after going to Baltimore in the Erik Bedard trade. The Mariners and Sherrill, who turns 35 in April, were said by a source to have reached an agreement in principle on a one-year, incentive-laden deal late Friday night. The deal was to have been finalized once Sherrill completes a physical and should be announced early this week. Reports on Saturday said the deal was for $1.1 million guaranteed, but Sherrill had yet to leave for Seattle for his physical and final details of the contract were still being settled. The Mariners have said they are in need of a left-hander in the bullpen,"

Value of Mariners much higher than previously thought

December 18

Seattle Times

"Two court-ordered financial appraisals of the Mariners have concluded the team is worth far more than previously believed. For the past three weeks, the divorce trial of Mariners minority owner Chris Larson has played out in King County Superior Court. At issue is dividing a vast estate of homes, stock, commercial real estate, artwork, luxury cars and other assets, which has put the value of Larson's 30.6 percent ownership of the team front and center. An expert put forth by Larson concludes the total value of the Mariners franchise is $551 million, while an appraisal done on behalf of his wife, Julia Calhoun, states the team is worth $750 million. Both figures dwarf a $449 million"

Mariners, lefty Sherrill reportedly come to terms

December 18

MLB.com

"The Mariners' search for a veteran left-handed reliever apparently has landed on a familiar name, as CBSSports.com reported Saturday night that free agent George Sherrill has agreed to terms with the club. The Mariners have not announced a deal or commented on the report. Sherrill, who broke into the Majors with the Mariners in 2004 after being purchased from the independent Northern League in 2003, has a 3.68 ERA in 440 career appearances, all in relief. He has allowed left-handed batters a .180 batting average in his eight seasons."