Mariners still expect to add hitter
January 29, 2010
SEATTLE (AP)—Will Jack Zduriencik ever rest?
Even though the general manager has already remade his Mariners this winterby boldly acquiring former Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee(notes), giving $78 millionto co-ace Felix Hernandez(notes), signing All-Star third baseman Chone Figgins(notes), nabbingnew first baseman Casey Kotchman(notes) and bringing back iconic Ken Griffey Jr.(notes),Zduriencik’s not done yet.
“We’re still looking for a right-handed bat,” Zduriencik said Thursday,three weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
Seattle’s GM is seeking a veteran hitter who can play left field, andperhaps be a part-time designated hitter and first baseman.
“It may be a few days, a few weeks, however long it takes,” Zdurienciksaid of what should be his final acquisition of a busy winter. “We’re playingwith a few things right now that we’re reasonably comfortable might happen.”
Seattle has Griffey penciled in at DH. Manager Don Wakamatsu said Thursdayat the team’s annual pre-spring training luncheon that the Mariners will againslowly work baseball’s active home run leader into everyday shape, adding that“when he can play, he’s going to be in there.”
However, Griffey is 40 and coming off his second knee surgery in 12 months.Yet, Mariners trainer Rick Griffin said the man who has 630 home runs is“better now than he was at any time last year.”
Griffey hit .214 last season in his return to Seattle, with 19 homers and 57RBIs in 117 games. He was a DH for all but the first weeks of the season.
Griffin spent a few days with Griffey at his home in Florida this winter.The trainer said the slugger and team crackup has lost about seven pounds—andis bragging about his renewed physique.
“He told our general manager that he’s going to be ripped,” Griffin said,smiling. “We’ll see.”
The Mariners recently acquired Milton Bradley(notes) from the Cubs in hopes thesometimes volatile 31-year-old can play left field and perhaps DH. But Bradleyhas a history of blowing up spectacularly while on seven teams the previous 10seasons.
Seattle also acquired Kotchman to play first base, but the defensive whizlacks power.
Zduriencik admits that is a glaring void on a team that is becoming a trendypick to win the AL West in 2010 and return to the postseason for the first timesince 2001.
First baseman Russell Branyan(notes) hit a career-high 31 home runs in 116 gameslast year with Seattle before a herniated disk ended his season. The Marinersrecently decided he was not healthy enough to give the free agent the multiyeardeal he is seeking.
Other veteran free agents still available who have home-run history includeJermaine Dye(notes), Carlos Delgado(notes) and Hank Blalock(notes).
“I think we’ll be a little bit challenged—as we speak—power-wise,”Zduriencik said. “But when you realize what it costs to get one of those reallybig-time bats (it’s) pretty expensive. We used our resources in other ways.”
Such as giving former All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson(notes), another outstandingdefensive player, $10 million in a new, two-year contract and locking uppotential Gold Glove center fielder Franklin Gutierrez(notes) for four years and $20.25million.
The Mariners are also unsettled at catcher and in the rotation behindHernandez and Lee.
Catcher Rob Johnson(notes) returns after emerging last season as a pitcher’s bestfriend, forcing veteran Kenji Johjima(notes) out of the league and back to Japan. ButJohnson had surgeries to both hips and his wrist this winter. The 27-year-oldwho has yet to start more than 80 major league games in a season will not fullyparticipate until at least late in spring training, but said Thursday “I’ll beready” for the season.
The only catcher in camp with more than two years of major league experiencewill be non-roster invitee Josh Bard(notes), a six-year veteran.
Pitching coach Rick Adair mentioned four returning candidates for threerotation spots. Ryan Rowland-Smith(notes) appears to have one in hand. That leaves IanSnell(notes), Doug Fister(notes) and Jason Vargas(notes)—all of whom emerged last season—battlingfor the other two.
