Waiting
by Jon ~ January 5th, 2009
GM Jack Zduriencik, via Larry LaRue:
“We don’t hold all the cards, but we’re in the game,” Zduriencik said. “There are a lot of bodies out there, and we’ve had enough discussions that if something should fall through, they’ll come back to talk to us.
“We’ve got an offer out right now for a piece of the puzzle, and I’d hope to hear in the next few days.”
With the holidays out of the way things should start rapidly falling into place.
27 Responses to Waiting
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ernier
January 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
To me that seems to indicate a free agent, only because he mentions there are a lot of bodies out there. I suppose it could mean if a team doesn’t get a free agent they could make a trade with the M’s, but my guess is it’s a free agent. Hopefully the chips fall our way.
It sure seems like this is going to be a very busy week around all of baseball.
section331
January 5th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Well, Burrell is off the table now, but I’d LOVE to see something happen ASAP. I’m guessing he means free agent as well, since there are still so many available. I’d like to be surprised…
ernier
January 5th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
It looks like Milton Bradley is going to the Cubs, so he’s off the table too.
Jon Shields
January 5th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
And Giambi looks like he’s heading back to the A’s.
The DH market is falling very quickly into place.
Mariner Melee
January 5th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
My mind thinks of Adam Dunn right away, but who knows.
Exciting though.
Slurve
January 5th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
LaRuw writes at the bottom in the comments it’s not for Griffey or Dunn a pitcher perhaps or Rocco?
Rob T.
January 5th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Orlando Hudson?
banton
January 5th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I hate the fact that he is teasing us, but the possibilities keep me up at night. I need more of a life………
bakomariner
January 5th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I would have thought it was Dunn, so now that LaRue says he isn’t the one, I’m very, very curious…Abreau? Balldelli? Hudson?
I doubt it would be a starting pitcher, unless he has a trade in the works to get rid of one of the guys already here…
I would LOVE to get Hudson and Dunn…
I read somewhere that Hudson says he wants to play in a “major” market…does Seattle qualify?
banton
January 5th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Well, there goes Bradley………..
“The Chicago Cubs and free agent Milton Bradley reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $30 million, three-year contract, according to a person familiar with…”
This is going to be a busy week, no matter how it plays out. Let’s hope the the M’s are a player………..
chris d
January 5th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I hope it is Hudson. Can he play SS or just 2B? Is he a Type A FA? I hope not. Like I said before I don’t think Mr Z will go for a big bat DH.
If a FA I think it will be a middle infielder..
Quinn
January 5th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Zoinks certainly seems to just love using vague, weird analogies.
ernier
January 5th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Hudson is a Type A and was offered Arb., so I doubt it’s him because I just don’t see the M’s giving up a draft pick.
Abreu makes a lot of sense since he won’t cost the M’s a draft pick and would be a good number 3 hitter.
Slurve
January 5th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I would love Smoltz but there is no reason for us to sign him… Maybe it’s a trade involving Yuni…
chris d
January 5th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Do you think Abreu would require a 2 yr contract? As I remember Abreu is a poor defender, so another DH. At least this would be better than Junior or Burrell.
Burrell just signed for a low $16m/2 year deal with Rays. I thought he would have signed for more like Ibanez money 10.5m/ year ?
pmbaseball7
January 5th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Could it be Sheets?? Sheets would be great hes easily the best pitcher on the market right now but I think he costs a draft pick seems pretty likely considering he’s from MIL and Z knows him well. I would love Abreu or Hudson. Looks like with Bradley gone Abreu is our best option right now at 1 or 2 years. And Hudson would bring us energy, solid defense and he hits well too and not to mention our only switch hitter (except Reegie Corona).
ernier
January 5th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Hopefully it’s not just someone like Jerry Hairston Jr.
Jon Shields
January 5th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Assuming this is a free agent offer we’re dealing with, I think it could be Orlando Hudson. He picked a bad year to be a free agent, and there just isn’t a market for him. As far as I can tell the Mariners and Nationals are his only real suitors, with a few other teams with a need but not necessarily a want. I don’t think he really benefits from waiting the market out any longer.
Sheets is an interesting name. We don’t have a need currently, but Z has been in contact with his agent and Sheets could be a great bargain this offseason.
Wacky idea: Sign Sheets and make Bedard the closer. Half kidding, but it would be interesting. Bedard builds his arm strength in the ‘pen and stays healthy, and then can step back into the rotation when Sheets inevitably gets injured. Again, don’t take that too seriously.. just an idea that popped into my head that I thought would make a fun scenario.
Other possibilities: Brandon Lyon, Rocco Baldelli, Eric Hinske
Then of course, as ernier just brought up, Jerry Hairston. Rob just pointed out that Reds GM Walt Jocketty is saying that he expects something to happen with Hairston this week, so that could very well mean that Hairston is weighing offers from the Reds and M’s and will be deciding in a few days.
Hairston might be the most likely. It wouldn’t be a bad move necessarily, but if they’re going to move Lopez to 1B I would rather have someone that can provide a bit more of an impact at 2B (Hudson).
chris d
January 5th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Jon, you would be willing to give up the draft picks for Hudson? I wouldn’t. They are like gold to this team.
And with Lopez going to 1B, then what about the 1st baseman they just signed (forgot his name). Maybe another trade? Some of these players are going to have to be moved, especially starting pitchers.
Mariner Melee
January 5th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
For those worried about loosing draft picks for Hudson, the Mariners 2nd round pick is protected and cannot be given away. All the Mariners would be loosing is a sandwich pick.
Jon Shields
January 5th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
RE: Type-As
I was originally resisting the idea of signing a Type-A free agent, but I’ve changed my perspective a bit.
Seattle’s first round pick is protected, so if they were to sign Hudson or some other Type-A free agent all they would lose is their second round pick.
Sure, I’d love to keep that pick, but I could part with it for a smart Type-A signing. Even if Seattle signs a Type-A they could still have 3 first round picks and a sandwich pick (2, 21, 28 & 34), which is awesome.
Picks are important to this team, but we’re going to have a lot of high picks either way. One way to see this is that 2009 is actually a smart year to sign a Type-A because it wouldn’t hurt as much considering the extra picks and 1st round protection.
That said, I don’t blame anyone for wanting to hold onto the 2nd round pick. I’m happy either way.
bakomariner
January 5th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Can Hudson play SS?
If he can, I would be ALL OVER bringing him in…
Rob T.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Hudson can’t play SS.
Jon Shields
January 5th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Hudson has never played SS in his pro career. Just 2B and 3B.
As far as free agent shortstops go, Orlando Cabrera is still out there. Unfortunately he’s got the Type-A thing hanging over him as well.
chris d
January 5th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Does anyone know if there is a time limit on FA signings as far as- what if no one is willing to sign Cabrera because they do not want to give up Draft choices? Has that ever happened?
Rob T.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
I think that happened once but i don’t remember the player and he eventually had to resign with his former team on a 1 year deal for dirt cheap because no other team would offer him a deal due to the Type A status.
Jon Shields
January 5th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
^That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Cabrera crawls back to the White Sox. They don’t necessarily need him, but they can use him, especially on a cheap deal.