NEW ORLEANS – The Seattle Mariners signed a man who could be their third baseman next season Monday, changed the look of their bench and made steps to rid themselves of Jeff Cirillo.
No, it wasn’t as exciting as signing Miguel Tejada – but they were all steps general manager Bill Bavasi said improved the 2004 team.
Though the deal won’t be finalized until he passes a physical, the Mariners signed free agent Scott Spiezio, who played first base, third base and outfield for the Anaheim Angels last season.
“He gives us a little more offense at third base and in a year he can move to first base,” one Seattle scout said, referring to the fact that John Olerud has said he plans to retire after the 2004 season.
Spiezio, 31, batted .265 with 16 home runs and 83 RBI in 158 games with the Angels last year – 52 of those games coming at third base. Cirillo, Carlos Guillen and Willie Bloomquist, combined, hit 10 home runs at third base for Seattle last season.
The Mariners also completed the deal begun over the weekend, sending pinch-hitter and first baseman Greg Colbrunn, who played in just 22 games last year, to Arizona for outfielder Quinton McCracken.
For all that, Bavasi hinted, there could be more news today that could make the Mariners and their fans even happier.
“We’ve got things out there that could happen (today), things we set in motion before Tejada signed with Baltimore,” Bavasi said. “It’s not going to be Vladimir (Guerrero) or either of the free-agent catchers (Javy Lopez and Ivan Rodriguez), but it will make us a better team.”
Among those deals could be one that trades Cirillo for a high-salaried player out of favor with his own team.
“I don’t think it’s going to have a major impact, but it’s time for Cirillo to go,” Bavasi said. “He’s made it clear he wants out of Dodge, and I think if you started at the top and worked down – from ownership to Howard Lincoln to Pat Gillick and on to Bob Melvin – the feeling is mutual.”
Though the winter meetings ended Monday without Seattle pulling off a major deal, it wasn’t for lack of effort.
The discussions here involved the Mariners trying to pry third baseman Adrian Beltre from the Dodgers for Freddy Garcia, talks with the Indians about shortstop Omar Vizquel and a run at least two free agents.
“We’ll end up getting a few things done, and exhausting the possibilities on a handful of other things,” Bavasi said. “We didn’t have to regroup after Tejada signed. We’d had things going on other tracks, too – and some of them we’ll get done.”
In acquiring Speizio, the Mariners got a key player in Anaheim’s 2002 World Series team, spending $9 million to lock him up for three seasons. A veteran of eight seasons in the American League West, as both an Athletic and an Angel, Spiezio brings a .261 career batting average and averaged 16 home runs and 74 RBI a year.
The trade with Arizona was made to strengthen Seattle’s bench. Instead of the 34-year-old Colbrunn, the Mariners now have McCracken, a 33-year-old switch-hitter who can play anywhere in the outfield.
Limited by injuries last season, when he finished on the disabled list following surgery to his wrist, Colbrunn played in only 22 games – and still hasn’t swung a bat following that September operation.
“I’m still working on strengthening it,” Colbrunn said from his home in Phoenix. “I won’t start swinging again until January.”
Although McCracken has a $1.75 million contract for 2004 and Colbrunn’s was for $2.5 million, the Mariners sent enough cash to the Diamondbacks to make the trade financially even.
“I had ‘Q’ in Arizona in 2002 and I know what kind of player he is,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s a great fit for our club and our clubhouse.”
A .280 career hitter over his nine-year career, McCracken had only 203 at-bats last year and hit just .227.
“It’s a deal involving two good players, two good guys,” Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said.
To make room for Spiezio on their 40-man roster, the Mariners traded minor league right handed pitcher Allan Simpson to Colorado for right-hander Chris Buglovsky.
Buglovsky has never pitched higher than Class AA but, at 24, has a 32-34 minor league record in four seasons. Simpson, 26, appeared in 43 games for Tacoma last year and went 2-5 with a 4.16 earned run average. He’s 24-30 in his career.
Around the meetings: The San Francisco Giants acquired outfielder Dustan Mohr from Minnesota for a player to be named later. Mohr, 27, played in 121 games for the Twins lsat year, batting .250 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI. He may be asked to replace ex-Mariner Jose Cruz Jr. in right field, since Cruz signed a free agent deal with Tampa a day earlier. … The Phillies continued to overhaul their bullpen, signing free agent Roberto Hernandez to a one-year contract. Hernandez, 39, will be paid $750,000 with his sixth major league team. … Outfielder Carl Everett turned down the Devil Rays Sunday, then signed a two-year contract with Montreal on Monday. Everett, 32, joined his seventh major league team after signing a deal worth $7.5 million with a club option for 2006. … The Atlanta Braves apparently agreed to terms with left-hander Arthur Rhodes on a three-year deal Monday, pending Rhodes passing a physical today. … Seattle selected three players in the minor league Rule V draft Monday, but none figure to start the season on the Tacoma Rainiers roster. The Mariners paid $12,000 apiece for right-handed pitcher Darwin Soto (San Diego), left-hander Chris Key (Florida) and catcher Omar Falcon (San Diego) – and all figure to be assigned to Class AA. In the major league portion of the draft, Seattle didn’t take a player or lose one to another team.
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