No sign of Ackley, but wheels are spinning

Dustin Ackley, the Mariners’ first pick in the June draft, remains unsigned with Monday night’s 9 o’clock deadline for signing draft picks approaching.

However, a club official said this morning that the club would like to have him take a physical exam. Read that how you want, but a physical typically is one of the last steps before an agreement is finalized.

Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik wouldn’t comment on negotiations with Ackley. He did say that the Nationals’ negotiations with Stephen Strasburg, taken just ahead of Ackley with the first overall pick, have no bearing on the Mariners’ dealings with Ackley. Both Ackley and Strasburg are represented by agent Scott Boras.

“Not at all,” Zduriencik said. “We worry about our guys.”