By Kirby Arnold
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – With Bret Boone prepared to shop ‘til some team drops a rich multi-year contract in his lap, the Seattle Mariners are hoping their efforts to re-sign Mark McLemore will yield the first results of their offseason.
Problem is, the Mariners are no closer to securing McLemore now than they were before Thanksgiving, when a deal seemed just a few days away.
“We’re still probably at the same point,” assistant general manager Lee Pelekoudas said Friday. “We’re still talking to him. Things are going back and forth and we’re hopeful of getting something done there still.”
Pelekoudas said the Mariners planned to talk with McLemore’s agent, Tony Atanasio, before the week ends.
“We’re at agreement with the number of years,” Atanasio said. “It just boils down to some basic terms.”
The sides are believed to have settled on two years, possibly with an option year in addition.
“He had a great time there and he’d like very much to have some satisfactory negotiations there,” Atanasio said. “Both sides are working to that end. But there are other clubs that do have an interest.”
Among those is McLemore’s hometown Texas Rangers.
The signing of McLemore, who starred in a versatile role that saw him play three positions on the infield and all three outfield spots, would become even more important if Boone goes elsewhere.
The pursuit of Boone, who had the finest offensive season in the history of American League second basemen, could be a long one.
“I checked with his guy (agent Adam Katz) yesterday, just to check in,” Pelekoudas said. “He’s still feeling around for opportunities and finding out what’s out there. That’s a matter that might take some time.”
The Mariners reportedly have offered Boone a three-year deal, plus an option year, at $23 million. General manager Pat Gillick, who is on vacation this week, said last month that the team will “draw a line in the sand” and not be drawn into a bidding war.
Boone is said to be looking for five years and at least $50 million.
The Mariners, who are expected to make most of their offseason moves via trades, aren’t alone in their inactivity. The free-agent signing period has been open for 11 days and the most significant signing has been relief pitcher Todd Van Poppel to the Texas Rangers.
Pelekoudas isn’t surprised at the stagnant situation.
“Usually it takes a couple of things to happen,” Pelekoudas said. “Usually it takes one of the big boys to fall. Once (Jason) Giambi signs, a lot of pieces will start falling into place. But also, the winter meetings are a little later this year (Dec. 10-14, a week later than usual), and people are kind of gearing up for that. The arbitration offer date (Friday) has a lot to do with it, too.”
Teams have until Friday to offer arbitration to their own free agents. Doing so would enable teams to retain compensation rights to those players, meaning they would receive a draft pick as compensation should a free agent sign with another team.
On the trade front, the Mariners are known to have spoken with the Colorado Rockies about third baseman Jeff Cirillo. The Rockies are looking to purge salary, but Cirillo’s contract (four years remaining at an average of $7.275 million per year) worries the Mariners.
“I have talked with Seattle, but about a number of scenarios,” Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd told The Denver Post this week. “I would not say we’re anywhere close to a deal. In fact, I haven’t talked to them in over a week.”
No deal for Kaz: By this time next year, the Mariners’ free agent talk may focus on relief pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki.
Gillick said last month that he hoped to talk with Sasaki about extending his contract, which expires after the 2002 season. Atanasio, the agent for Sasaki, said nothing has happened and nothing will until next winter, when he will test the open market.
“There’s been minimal talk,” Atanasio said. “He’ll be a free agent at the end of the year. The right deal to sign now is not the right deal at the end of the year.”
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