The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – INSIDE PITCH
The logjam at the first base/DH/left field positions isn’t getting cleared up much.
Instead, it’s getting more jammed.
The addition of Raul Ibanez the day after Christmas means the field is absolutely packed heading into spring training, although general manager Jack Zduriencik said there is room for more roster moves between now and mid-February.
Since the end of the season, Zduriencik has added first baseman/DH Kendrys Morales, outfielder/DH Jason Bay and Ibanez.
The Mariners gave much of their DH time to catcher Jesus Montero last season, but the addition of Morales means Montero will have to mostly be behind the plate. Morales, Justin Smoak and Mike Carp all are primarily first basemen, although Carp was a left fielder before injury issues limited him to first base for almost all of 2012.
Ibanez and Bay are likely to spend their time between left field and DH, although manager Eric Wedge suggested that Ibanez could see some time at an increasingly crowded first base as well.
The 40-year-old Ibanez, back with the Mariners for the third time in his 17-year career, is a left-handed hitter with pull power, which is something the Mariners have too little of. More than that, he has always been a clubhouse leader, and with Seattle owning one of the younger rosters in the American League, leadership is no small issue.
“We spoke of adding some veteran presence to our ballclub this offseason,” Zduriencik said. “In Raul, we have a player and person with outstanding leadership skills who has participated in postseason play the last several years. We will give Raul the opportunity to come in and compete and add an additional veteran presence to this ballclub.”
Ibanez’s big moment in 2012 came for the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles, when he homered in the bottom of the ninth inning and again in the bottom of the 12th inning, a game-winning bomb.
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MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – NOTES, QUOTES
–OF/DH Raul Ibanez, 40, joined the Mariners for the third time in a career that dates back to 1996. Ibanez, who spent last year with the Yankees, has a career .278 average with 271 homers and 1,116 RBI. He originally signed with Seattle and was a Mariner from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2004 to 2008.
–RHP D.J. Mitchell was designated for assignment when the Mariners needed roster space to add OF/DH Raul Ibanez. Acquired from the Yankees in the July trade of RF Ichiro Suzuki, Mitchell went 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA in eight starts for Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners have 10 days to trade, release or move him to a minor-league roster.
–RHP Jeremy Bonderman, a 30-year-old who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since arm injuries shut him down in 2010, signed a minor-league deal with Seattle and has an invitation to spring training. He came to the big leagues with the Tigers and was 67-77 with a 4.89 ERA over eight seasons. He had Tommy John surgery in April. “I got my elbow fixed and now I feel ready to roll,” said Bonderman, who lives in the Pacific Northwest.
–LHP Anthony Vasquez has been cleared to start throwing again, just five weeks after having emergency brain surgery. The 26-year-old was diagnosed with a ruptured blood vessel and a mass in his brain after complaining of headaches and vision troubles. The 5 1/2-hour surgery was performed promptly, and he has hopes to report with the minor-leaguers in March to begin rebuilding his career. He made seven starts for the Mariners in 2011 (1-6, 8.90).
–OF Michael Saunders spent most of last season in center field and played left much more than he played right. But as the roster shapes up now, he figures to be seeing much more time in right. The Mariners have added a couple of players, OF Jason Bay and OF Raul Ibanez, who are likely to be limited to playing mostly left field when they are in the field, although OF Casper Wells figures to get time in right field as well.
BY THE NUMBERS: 4 — When he gets into his first game with Seattle next season, Raul Ibanez will be the fourth player to have served three stints with Seattle. The others were Jeff Nelson, Norm Charlton and Mike Blowers.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Raul is a pro player with a tremendous presence both on the field and in the clubhouse.” — Manager Eric Wedge on newly acquired OF/DH Raul Ibanez.
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MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – ROSTER REPORT
With the midseason trade of OF Ichiro Suzuki to the Yankees, the Mariners have relatively few moves they feel compelled to make in the offseason.
GM Jack Zduriencik will field plenty of offers for RHP Felix Hernandez, but with Hernandez the most marketable player on the roster, the face of the franchise and still only 26 years old, look for Zduriencik to reject all offers.
LHP Oliver Perez agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma agreed to a two-year, $14 million contract with an option for a third season. OF Scott Cousins was claimed from Toronto on waivers. 3B/OF Chone Figgins was released 10 days after being designated for assignment.
ARRIVALS: INF Robert Andino (trade with Orioles), OF Scott Cousins (claimed off waivers from Blue Jays), OF/DH Jason Bay (free agent from Mets), OF/DH Raul Ibanez (free agent from Yankees).
DEPARTURES: OF Trayvon Robinson (traded to Orioles), LHP George Sherrill (free agent, signed minor league deal with Royals).
BIGGEST NEEDS: It’s all about offense. The Mariners have plenty of pitching, but three straight years of ranking last in the AL in runs scored, batting average and on-base percentage makes it clear the team needs big sticks. The Mariners would be reluctant to dip into their pile of pitching prospects to acquire hitting, but they may have no choice. Free-agent hitters are reluctant to come to a last-place team, and even though Safeco Field is going to be remodeled to be more hitter-friendly, it’s going to be a hard sell.
FREE AGENTS: RHP Kevin Millwood, C Miguel Olivo, SS Munenori Kawasaki, 3B/OF Chone Figgins.
Millwood is considering retirement. Olivo’s option was not picked up. Figgins was released.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: C/DH John Jaso, RHP Shawn Kelley, SS Brendan Ryan, LHP Jason Vargas.
It’s 75-25 that Ryan will be the shortstop again in 2013; the Mariners don’t have other options right now. While Ryan’s defense has been terrific, his offense kept him out of many games, and the team needs more from the position. Jaso will return to share time behind the plate with Jesus Montero. Kelley is likely to rejoin the bullpen, while Kinney is only probable to do so. Vargas may hit the jackpot; with the Mariners having some money to spend, he could get a contract extension.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–LHP Anthony Vasquez (emergency brain surgery in November 2012) had a ruptured blood vessel repaired. Vasquez should be fine to resume a normal life in 2013, including his baseball career.
–CF Franklin Gutierrez (pectoral muscle, concussion) was in and out of the lineup with ailments in 2012 after most of his previous two seasons were disrupted by intestinal disorders. He hopes to be healthy for spring training and then will hope his spell of nasty injuries is in the past.
–OF/1B Mike Carp (sore right shoulder) was injured on Opening Day in Japan and never healed; he was limited to only first base duty in the season’s final weeks. He’ll have to rehab the shoulder to come to spring training with a chance to play left field in 2013.
–SS Brendan Ryan (right elbow surgery in October 2012) had a bone spur removed. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
–2B Dustin Ackley (left ankle surgery in October 2012) had a bone spur removed. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
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