SEATTLE – On the day major league baseball teams decided to either dig into their wallets or cut ties with their free agents, the Seattle Mariners said good-bye Sunday to two reasons for their success the last four seasons.
The Mariners chose not to offer salary arbitration to center fielder Mike Cameron and left-handed relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes.
The decision sends both players into free agency and, because the Mariners can’t negotiate with them until May 1 next year, their time in Seattle essentially is over. It also sends the Mariners into a pursuit for a new center fielder and left-handed reliever.
Those possibilities currently are Randy Winn, who would move from left field to center, and left-handed free agent reliever Eddie Guardado, who saved 41 games last season for the Minnesota Twins and is drawing the Mariners’ interest.
Only two of the Mariners’ eight free agents will return in 2004 – right-handed reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa and backup catcher Pat Borders.
Hasegawa, whose versatility allows him to pitch in long relief, setup and closing roles, agreed to a two-year contract that avoided arbitration. He will get $6.3 million the next two years and $2.825 million in 2006 if he makes 58 appearances in 2005, plus an additional $2.7 million in other incentives. Hasegawa made $1.8 million in 2003.
“I was holding my breath over that one,” Mariners manager Bob Melvin said. “He gets big outs in whatever role he’s in. He gets left-handers out in the middle of the order, you can extend him (for several innings), and you can close with him.”
Borders, a former World Series MVP with the Blue Jays who spent most of last season at Class AAA Tacoma, was offered arbitration, which assures that the Mariners will have him one more year.
General manager Bill Bavasi said nobody should read too much into the situation involving Borders, who became the personal catcher for troubled starter Freddy Garcia late last season. Garcia is eligible for arbitration and has been the subject of trade rumors.
“We offered him arbitration because the club has a special relationship with this guy,” Bavasi said of Borders.
The Mariners also chose not to offer arbitration to free agent reliever Armando Benitez and utility players Mark McLemore, John Mabry and Rey Sanchez.
In the days leading to Sunday’s 9 p.m. deadline to offer arbitration, the Mariners had made contract offers to Hasegawa, Cameron and Rhodes. It became clear early that Hasegawa was the only one who might re-sign, although Bavasi said he didn’t give up hope on retaining Rhodes and Sanchez until late Sunday afternoon.
After making $7 million last season, Cameron reportedly received offers from Oakland and the New York Mets, while the Mariners were believed to have offered $4 million for one year.
“I think we need to try to put together more offense on this club by spreading the dollars around a little better than trying to re-sign Michael,” Bavasi said. “We’ll have to look at other alternatives.”
Bavasi said Winn would be the starting center fielder if the season started today, but that could change after the winter meetings next weekend in New Orleans.
Winn, a speedster who played left field last season, is eligible for arbitration after making $3.5 million in 2003, and he would figure to get a healthy raise based on his .295 batting average, 11 homers, 75 RBI and 23 steals.
“I think Randy’s choice and our choice is to try to put together some sort of pre-tender deal,” Bavasi said. “I think we have real confidence that he’s going to play a good center field.”
Not offering arbitration to Rhodes could be an indication that the Mariners are serious in their pursuit of Guardado. The Oakland A’s, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs also are interested in Guardado, and the Twins reportedly have offered him a three-year, $12 million contract.
Rhodes made $3.5 million last season.
The uncertainty over the lefty situation, plus concern about how effective Sasaki will be as a closer, made the Hasegawa signing a priority. Hasegawa led the Mariners with a 1.48 ERA, 1.85 against left-handed hitters. After Sasaki injured his ribs last June, the Mariners tried several pitchers in the closer role before settling on Hasegawa, who finished with 16 saves in 17 opportunities.
Melvin made it clear, however, that Sasaki will go into the 2004 season as the team’s closer.
“If everybody goes in healthy, Kaz is definitely our closer,” Melvin said.
As for other issues, Bavasi wouldn’t confirm that the Mariners have made an offer to free agent shortstop Miguel Tejada. He did say the Mariners have discussed basic contract desires with Tejada and neither side seems to have backed away.
“I can tell you that we’ve spoken to him,” Bavasi said. “We have both decided to talk about the parameters of where they’d like to go. To call it a hard offer might be kind of tough. We’re obviously interested without a doubt, (but) I think that one might move a little slowly.”
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