M’s linked to Everett, among others
There was no shortage of players linked to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, the second day of the baseball’s winter meetings at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel.
Want pitching? Boston’s Matt Clement, St. Louis’ Matt Morris, Cleveland’s Kevin Millwood and even Scott Elarton now rank as more than blips on the Mariners’ radar.
Left-handed bats? The Mariners apparently have considerable interest in Carl Everett (White Sox), Trot Nixon (Red Sox) Jeromy Burnitz (Cubs) and Jacque Jones (Twins).
Yes, a lot of talk. But no action – yet.
Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi, in his daily briefing with Puget Sound area reporters, might have nailed down the most fitting description of the day when he referred to it as the “same stuff.”
That could change soon.
Even though the Mariners didn’t make any deals Tuesday, Bavasi said the team was active.
“We had a couple of follow-up visits with clubs, but nothing is pending,” Bavasi said.
The most intriguing rumor of the day involved Everett.
USA Today Sports Weekly said the Mariners were expected to sign the 34-year-old switch hitter who hit .251 with 23 home runs and 87 RBI for the World Series champion Chicago White Sox in 2005.
Everett – who reportedly met with Seattle on Monday – became a free agent when Chicago failed to pick up his $5 million option for 2006.
But Everett comes with baggage. He criticized gay people in a Maxim magazine article in July and was roundly ripped for saying dinosaurs never existed because Adam and Eve were the first living things God created.
The Mariners started the day by asking the Red Sox about Clement and Nixon, players the Red Sox are shopping around to other teams, as a pair and separately.
Clement was 13-6 with a 4.57 ERA in his first season in the American League after spending the previous three seasons with the Cubs. Clement, a 31-year-old right-hander, had 146 strikeouts in 191 innings.
Nixon, a 31-year-old, left-handed-hitting outfielder, batted .275 last season with 13 home runs and 67 RBI in 124 games. He missed playing time in 2005 with a strained oblique.
Those players would satisfy Bavasi’s desire for a frontline starting pitcher and a left-handed hitter with power.
The problem is the Mariners might not have enough to give Boston in return. They would almost certainly have to part with a top minor league prospect to land either.
With A.J. Burnett officially off the market – he signed a five-year, $55 million deal with Toronto – the Mariners are said to be looking at Morris and Millwood.
According to a source, the Mariners offered Morris a three-year deal worth about $18 million before the meetings. It was not known if that offer had been revisited, though the Cardinals are said to have renewed interest in Morris after losing out on Burnett.
As for Millwood, Bavasi met with his agent, Scott Boras, on Tuesday.
Team officials denied making an offer to the right-hander who led the American League in ERA. But a source familiar with the situation said an initial offer of four years and $44 million was made.
Another option might be Elarton, the No. 5 starter in Cleveland last season.
One American League executive suggested the Mariners might be looking to add as many as two pitchers.
Bavasi wouldn’t get into specifics but said “by the time we go to spring training, we would like to change out the starting pitching a little bit.”
The only starters certain to be in Seattle’s rotation are Felix Hernandez and Joel Pińeiro.
The Mariners could offer salary arbitration to veteran Jamie Moyer, but they must do so by 9 p.m. PST today. Bavasi said the Mariners are “very hopeful” that they’ll sign Moyer, who has no agent.
Another starter, Gil Meche, could be moved in a trade or not tendered a contract by the deadline of Dec. 19. Ryan Franklin isn’t expected back, either.
As for finding a left-handed bat with power to hit between sluggers Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson, the Mariners will make an offer to Jones today, according to a baseball source.
The Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals also are said to be pursuing Jones, who hit .249 with 23 home runs and 73 RBI for the Twins in 2005. Jones is 30.
Burnitz, 36, hit .258 with 24 home runs and 87 RBI for the Cubs. He figures to get a smaller deal than Jones, who has been offered a three-year contract by the Royals.
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