Since the last out of the last game, the Seattle Mariners have spent most of their time this offseason hiring a general manager, a manager and a coaching staff. GM Jack Zduriencik is in place, as is new manager Don Wakamatsu, and within the next few days the Mariners should be ready to announce a new set of coaches.
The focus will soon turn to the roster. Zduriencik already has tweaked it with moves involving mostly minor leaguers, but things will change in a much bigger way Monday..
Midnight Monday night is the deadline for teams to offer arbitration to their free agents, which puts the ball in the Mariners’ court concerning left fielder Raul Ibanez. They almost certainly will offer arbitration to Ibanez to protect themselves from getting nothing in return if he doesn’t return.
If he accepts — which isn’t likely to happen — he’ll fill a hole in the Mariners’ 2009 outfield. If he rejects arbitration — Ibanez has until Dec. 7 to make that decision — the Mariners would get an additional draft pick at the end of the first round next June if he signs with another team.
It would be a surprise if the Mariners don’t offer arbitration, just as it seems unlikely he would accept it and remove himself from the free agent field. Ibanez enjoys playing for the Mariners but, most of all, he wants to play for a team capable of reaching the playoffs. That won’t be the Mariners next year.
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