Mystery Free Agent?
by Jon Shields ~ December 1st, 2008
The Mariners hope to know in the next day or two if they’ve landed their first free agent of the winter.
One hint – it won’t be Ken Griffey Jr. Another hint – it would be a position player. A third hint — it won’t be Raul Ibanez, although the Mariners did offer him salary arbitration Monday.
GM Jack Zduriencik said in a conference call Monday afternoon that he has one offer out to a free agent. He wouldn’t say who it would be, but did say he hoped to have an answer ”in the next 24-48 hours.”
I’ve been pleased with the minor leaguers Zduriencik has brought in– from Moss to Bladergroen to Brito– so I am extremely curious to know what he’ll do at the major league level.
It makes sense that this wouldn’t be a high profile move. The big name free agents tend to sit back and accumulate offers, waiting until at least the Winter Meetings to sign with anyone, so expecting any of these guys to make a decision within “the next 24-48 hours” would be unreasonable.
Although, it would be pretty interesting if Seattle turned out to be the “mystery team” that keeps popping up in the Rafael Furcal rumors. I highly doubt this, but it is fun to think about and I wouldn’t rule it out completely. Zduriencik sure seems intent on replacing Yuni Betancourt.
I would expect this unnamed free agent is a low-key role player, someone like an Adam Everett, Gabe Kapler, Eric Hinske type. I suppose it could be a bigger name, such as Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu or Joe Crede. We’ll let you know when we come across something.
Jason A. Churchill: “I hear the free agent is a bit of a surprise…”
10 Responses to Mystery Free Agent?
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1 December 1st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Teixeira? Rocco? This is eating away at my brains…
2 December 1st, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I don’t like Rocco he’s right handed in a lefty/ pitcher friendly park. If it’s Teixeira/Furcal then I hope they accept. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
3 December 1st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
^24/48 hours is a long time…
4 December 1st, 2008 at 6:25 pm
A year is a long time.
5 December 1st, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I think Baker mentioned it’s not Tex. Not that Seattle is expected to be players for him anyway, but Tex (and Furcal, for that matter) will be waiting a few more weeks to accept anything.
6 December 1st, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I wonder if surprise means whoa didn’t expect that we’d signed__ or as in wow did we really just do that…
7 December 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I don’t want Rocco.
Teixeira I’d love, but he’s going to sit back for a while and look at offers, on top of the fact that I’m willing to bet we aren’t serious about him.
Furcal, I’d be ecstatic for, but I think he’s going to sit back and search for that team that overpays for him.
I’m anxious to find out who this mystery dude is…
8 December 2nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I don’t know why anyone would be against signing Rocco. He’d be sooo cheap that anything you get from him is a nice return.
9 December 2nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Why waste a roster spot on a guy that gets tired just because he walked to home plate?
10 December 2nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Because a tired Rocco is still better than Reed or Wlad. I would gladly give Rocco ~350 plate appearances.
If he and his doctors find a way to keep him on the field more often, then that’s just gravy.