[Vision2020] M's Offseason "Strikeout"

Fri Dec 29 10:13:07 PST 2006

Being, and having been, an Oakland Athletics "fan"atic since Reggie Jackson
was a rookie, I have two things to say:

1)  I am really sorry to see Barry Zito leave.

2)  Thank God he didn't go to the Yankees!

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"

  _____  

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Tim Lohrmann
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 9:59 AM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] M's Offseason "Strikeout"

All:

Well, the bad news is that the M's didn't sign Zito and traded Soriano.

The good news? 

They didn't sign Zito to that ridiculously huge 7 year contract. 

The 7 years is the really ridiculous part! 

SF will be lucky to get three good years out of him.

(The Giants are guaranteeing Zito almost twice as much $$$ as it cost to
build the Golden Gate Bridge! Sure that was a long time ago, but still!!)

TL

 The Seattle Times (http://www.seattletimes.com).
----------------------------------------------------------------------

M's record another offseason strikeout
Full story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003499993_mari29.html

By Geoff Baker
Seattle Times staff reporter

There was some legitimate optimism spouted by the Mariners on Thursday after
the team's pile of free-agent rejection letters grew even higher.

The decision by former Oakland Athletics left-hander Barry Zito to sign a
seven-year, $126 million pact with the San Francisco Giants marked the
latest offseason failure by Seattle's front office to land a pitching
target. Zito joins a growing list of free agents, including Jason Schmidt,
Ted Lilly, Kei Igawa and Adam Eaton, who wound up elsewhere after the
Mariners tried to acquire them.

Despite expressing predictable disappointment at being passed over once
again, Mariners president Chuck Armstrong was correct in stating that the
impact of Zito's new deal on Seattle could have been far worse.

"I'm not happy that he chose another team's offer over ours," Armstrong
said. "But on the other hand, I'm also very pleased that he's going to the
NL West and not to a team in the AL West."

At least that much about the latest turn of events rings true from an
optimist's perspective. Zito winding up with either the Texas Rangers or Los
Angeles Angels might have guaranteed the Mariners finishing no higher than
third in the American League West for years to come.

The rejection by Zito also means the Mariners won't have to go out on a limb
by committing nine figures over most of the next decade to a pitcher whose
best years might already be behind him. But all that saved money in
ownership's coffers still doesn't solve the problem of what to do about
escaping last place now that the team's offseason mound makeover has fallen
well short of expectations.

In essence, the 78-win Mariners have shed starters Gil Meche and Joel
Pineiro in exchange for Miguel Batista -- the one free-agent pitcher Seattle
managed to sign -- and Horacio Ramirez. And they had to give up one of their
biggest trade commodities, flamethrowing setup man Rafael Soriano, in the
process.

For all the talk of Zito going to the Rangers, or a team from New York, he
wound up staying on the West Coast with a Giants club that -- like the
Mariners -- is sub-.500 and not viewed as a contender. Once again, the
Mariners could not get a deal done, though Armstrong insisted they made a
competitive offer and were "a better fit" for the southpaw.

"We were in it," he said. "We thought we made a much better proposal."

But given the team's policy of secrecy in regards to all aspects of its
free-agent negotiations, it's tough to verify how competitive Seattle
actually was. The Mariners were widely viewed as less-than-serious
candidates for Zito and were seen as reluctant to go as high as even six
years on any offer.

Does this leave the Mariners flush with enough cash to go after other big
names?

"Now that all the major free agents are signed, we're looking for the trade
market," Armstrong said. "But you've got to trade something to get
something."

In other words, don't hold your breath.

The New York Yankees are apparently seeking three arms of varying quality in
return for one-time Seattle ace Randy Johnson and most of his $16 million
contract for next season. Seattle already lacks the pitching depth to pull
off that kind of deal for a 43-year-old who is coming off back surgery and
allowing an average of five earned runs every nine innings.

And despite all the trade rumors surrounding first baseman Richie Sexson and
third baseman Adrian Beltre, it's unlikely either will be moved without a
serious hitter coming back the other way. The Mariners lagged in most
power-hitting categories, and any gains from the offseason additions of Jose
Guillen and Jose Vidro would stand to be nullified by losing one of the
team's two biggest bats.

Beltre is also a key component of an infield defense that helped convince
the Mariners it was worth gambling on ground-ball pitchers Batista and
Ramirez. Sacrificing part of that defense by trading Beltre would run
contrary to the team's strategy of hoping Batista and Ramirez can improve on
mediocre career stats by virtue of the gloves behind them.

Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi could not be reached for comment about
his team's next move. Bavasi had been talking with lower-tier free-agent
pitchers like John Thomson and Tomo Ohka.

But Armstrong's statements make it appear the Mariners are no longer being
considered. Armstrong said it's important to remember that the team also
acquired a Class AAA starting pitcher, Sean White from the Pittsburgh
Pirates, in a cash deal after he was left unprotected by the Atlanta Braves
in the Rule 5 draft.

The Mercer Island native is one of a handful of minor acquisitions by the
Mariners who will be given a shot at making the roster this spring. Another
is third baseman Sean Burroughs, a faltering prospect reportedly signed to a
$450,000 minor-league deal this week.

But none of the team's moves thus far would qualify as an "impact" addition.
Despite this, Armstrong insisted the team remains very competitive within a
division where other clubs have also done little to improve.

That remains to be seen.

While the A's have been weakened both offensively and on the mound, the
hitting-deprived Angels added Gary Matthews Jr. and Shea Hillenbrand,
strengthened a stellar bullpen with Justin Speier and will have starter
Bartolo Colon back from injury.

The Rangers also added to a slowly improving mound staff by holding on to
Vicente Padilla and acquiring Brandon McCarthy from the Chicago White Sox.
But Armstrong remains unbowed.

"If we entered the season right now, I'd be very comfortable," he said of
his team's starting rotation. "We're very competitive in the AL West."

Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker at seattletimes.com

Copyright (c) 2005 The Seattle Times Company

www.seattletimes.com
Your Life. Your Times.

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