Byrnsey and the rest....

Eric Byrnes ~ here's to his health!

Now, Byrnes said, "My legs are as healthy as they've ever been. I'm excited to put together a full season and help the Mariners win a lot of games."

The right-handed hitter will battle for playing time in left field. He said he's content to accept a platoon role.

"Speaking to Jack, the role wasn't necessarily specified, other than the fact he believed I would contribute," Byrnes said. "That's all I needed to hear. I'm healthy for the first time in two years. I just needed a team to believe in me half as much as I believe in myself. Speaking to Jack, that's what I felt."

In a news release, Zduriencik said of the signing, "We think Eric is a great fit for our team. He is a high-energy player with a veteran presence. We look forward to him competing for a spot on our roster when spring training starts."

Brad Nelson ~ 1B/OF

Chris Woodward ~ utility

Josh Bard ~ catcher, Chad Cordero ~ pitcher

Ryan Langerhans

Josh Wilson ~ infielder

Corey Patterson ~ outfielder

From the Liberty Bell to the Space Needle...

Jim Bates

Ever since the first conference call with Cliff Lee after the trade, the talk has been "Lee hates Seattle". Seems to me his comments have been a bit mis-construed, given the emotion of the moment. The guy was on vacation after ending the season on a team just shy of it's second World Series victory for pete's sake. And, not only that, he was supposedly under the impression that he would be signing an extension - as he had seemingly fallen in love with the City of Brotherly Love.

Anyway, who wouldn't be a bit shell-shocked given those circumstances?

"Through the media, it may have looked like I didn't want to be traded to the Mariners," he said. "But that wasn't the case at all. It was just shock."

Lee said his reserved reaction to the trade reflected his emotions at the time.

"The things I said were real. That's how I felt. I could have stood up there and made up something to sound good for whoever. Instead, I said exactly how I felt and told what happened. It's not Seattle. I could have been traded to any other team and said the same thing."

Now, even after his press conference in Seattle on Friday, some still think it's not only imPROBable - but imPOSSible that he would even consider signing with the M's.

Well, you know rosy little ol' me....

I didn't get that impression at all. Cliff was definitely a bit uncomfortable, and it remains to be seen if his discomfort was because of dislike of the media in general (ala Erik) or the fact that he is bran-spanking new to Seattle and hasn't even had the chance to talk to teammates or find the nearest Starbucks yet, let alone.

“I’m excited to be here,” he said. “I’m back in the American League with one of the best defenses in the game. It’s going to be fun watching Ichiro and (Franklin) Gutierrez run around the outfield. (Chone) Figgins, Jack Wilson, (Casey) Kotchman, those guys are defensive-oriented players. To be a starting pitcher you have to like that. I like that a lot.”

Seems to me, if the team performs well this season, it's not outside of the realm of possibility that Cliff would consider Seattle as one of his options for a long term deal.

I mean, how could he not love us?

:-)

And, even if he does decide that the Emerald City is not his cup of coffee, those two shiny draft picks will be waiting.

He loves us. He really loves us.

The one they call "King" has grown up before our very eyes. From the young kid whose hat flew off with every pitch in his Spring Training debut to the runner-up in the CY race.

Felix has matured on and off the field - developing and perfecting his pitches and raising and loving his children.

Most knew he was special from the beginning and many believed he was destined for a bigger, better market. As time went on, Felix started living up to the hype of his talent - validating his "phenom" status.

Then last season, the speculation of his departure really revved up...

~How could Seattle possibly lock him up long term?

~They have the money, but will they spend it?

~Why would Felix even want to remain tucked up in the left corner when he could head easily write his own ticket for brighter lights?

We now have our answer....

He stayed because he loves Seattle. He stayed because Jack Z and the entire organization made it clear that they love him. He stayed because he wants to give back to the organization that brought him up. He stayed because he wants to do give back to the fans that adore him. He stayed because he wants to win and he believes in the team that is being built - the philosophies espoused and the talent assembled.

Yes indeed.

Felix has grown up but he isn't ready to leave the nest just yet. He's got some things to accomplish and he wants to do it for his families - his immediate family, his wife and children AND his baseball family, the Seattle Mariners and their fans.

Heraldnet.com

His fans from Seattle to Venezuela call him "King Felix."

Yet it's another, more personal title that Felix Hernandez cites as the reason his career took off last year, when he went from maddening inconsistency and unfulfilled potential to dominant pitching that earned him a $78 million, five-year deal with the Mariners.

Dad.

"It's the maturity, man. I had my kids and it made me grow up," the 23-year-old ace said Thursday after finalizing his first big contract.

:::

Wearing a constant grin, a sharp, black, three-piece suit, a silver tie plus diamonds in each earlobe, the son of a truck driver rolled up his cuffs. He pulled away his jeweled watch and proudly showed off script tattoos inside each wrist — the names and birthdates of his and wife Sandra's 4-year-old daughter, Mia, and 11-month-old son, Jeremy.

"My daughter and my son, they made me a great person," Hernandez said. "They are the best thing that's happened to me."

:::

"I just wanted to be here. I didn't care about free agency," Hernandez said. "I'm here for five more years. I hope we make the playoffs and the World Series for the fans. They need it. We got this out of the way, now my mind is ready to play baseball."

SeattlePI.com

Hernandez could have played out his old contract, which would have forced the club into its usual survival-mode form of trading him for prospects. Instead, the second-best pitcher in the American League the past season said he wanted to stay.

Obviously, the Mariners gave him plenty of incentive to continue on, so it's not necessarily a reason to salute Hernandez as much as the deal is a breakthrough celebration for a franchise's effort to play with the big boys.

"I hope this sends a message," said Zduriencik, "that this is a good play to play."

Even more than enhancing the chances for the 2010 season, the extension of Hernandez, 23, tells baseball that something is going on here. Rather than accept the conventional wisdom that Latino players would prefer East Coast teams because of larger Spanish-speaking populations and proximity to home countries, Hernandez made the statement that he likes town and team.

"It's far," he said of the distance between here and his native Venezuela. "It's OK. They have to see what's here."

Jack of all trades and master of planning...

AP Photo/Marcus R Donner

Our own Jack Z is certainly garnering plenty of attention these days.

He got off to a great start last season by determining that the best way to improve the long suffering, struggling club was to find a strength or two (pitching and defense) and focus on a huge asset in hand (the expanse of Safeco Field). Seemed to work like a charm - M's proved they could throw and catch with the best of 'em. 't wasn't quite enough to get them to the coveted post season, but ~ 85 wins after a 101 losses ~ a bit more than baby steps.

And now, on to the winter of our content that is the off-season where aught-9 turns the page to 20-10.

We all know the deals and acquisitions by now. Still a heavy focus on pitching and defense (Figgins, Guti, Lee, Kotchman and now Felix) with a dose of low risk/high reward (MB) and the added component of OBP. And, not to be forgotten, Junior's ability to keep things fun and loose (and hit a clutch homer or 10).

Anyhoo, most agree, Jack is passing his second off-season with flying colors ~ navy and teal, of course.

ESPN

Mariners' makeover driven by Zduriencik

SI

Top 10 off season performances

Red Sox fans

SoSH

Yank fans

NYY Fans

And my favorite...

Hardball Times where Jack is referred to as...

"Once everyone else's bug, Jack is now baseball's windshield."

:-)

What a birthday gift ~ Felix for FIVE more years!!!

OK, it's not official yet but, according to multiple sources Felix is "staying with the org that brung him"!

Great deal for the M's (and their fans) ...

who get to see Felix take the hill every five days for five more years.

Great deal for Felix (and his family) ...

who now have the security of a long contract at the end of which he will be 28-years-young.

HAL - LAY - LU - YA! and

Happy Birthday to me :-)

Only physical awaits Felix Hernandez signing $78M, 5-year deal with Mariners

Reports late Tuesday, from Jon Heyman of SI.com, said the package will include a $6.5 million salary for 2010 — along with a $3.5 million signing bonus — then $10 million in 2011, $18.5 million in 2012, $19.5 million in 2013 and $20 million in 2014.

"This way, he still gets to be a free agent when he's 28, so it's a good deal," said Polidor, who was to fly to Miami on Tuesday night and then on to Seattle later Wednesday in anticipation of closing the deal.

Polidor, who worked on the contract along with agents Scott Pucino and Jose Mijares — all part of the Alan Nero agency — said final details of the contract, including bonuses for awards, were still being worked on.

"It isn't a done deal until everything is signed and he passes a physical," Polidor said. "Until then, people can write that it's for $80 million or $78 million, but it isn't done until it's finished. We haven't finished talking with them yet."

Teammates laud Felix's new deal

"I knew we probably had him for this year," Johnson said, "but to get him locked up for several more years is really huge. He obviously is one of the center points of our team, a legitimate No. 1 guy on the pitching staff. There are not that many guys around, especially 23-year-olds."

:::

"It's good for Felix and good for the Mariners," free-agent left-hander Jarrod Washburn said. "It means a lot to the organization because they have locked up one of the best pitchers in game for several years."

:::

"I read about it this morning," reliever Mark Lowe said. "Obviously I was happy to hear it. Felix is the backbone of our starting rotation, a standup guy, a fun guy to be around and is great in the clubhouse."

:::

"I'm stoked for Felix, he more than deserves it, and I know that the fans are all probably 'high fivin' each other at work today!" starter Ryan Rowland-Smith wrote in an e-mail. "I see positive comments on my Twitter feed. Being in an organization which has made the moves it has this offseason, on top of the atmosphere we created in the clubhouse last year, I think this is the icing on the cake.

"For the Mariners to commit to a pitcher like Felix, who is and will be high in demand, it shows that as players we have a lot to look forward to as far as winning goes. I also think in terms of our rotation, we may have the best 1-2 starters in baseball."

:::

"That's awesome," closer David Aardsma said. "It shows that the Mariners want him to be here for a long time, and he wants to be here for a long time. I'm happy for him."

:::

"I remember facing him in 2005, when the Pirates played in Seattle," Wilson said. "Felix was a young kid with an incredible arm who threw hard and had a great offspeed pitch.

"I noticed something different when I was with him this summer. He was still a kid, but he knew how to pitch. First time I saw him, he used his fastball a lot, but from what I saw last year, I realized how smart he is and how much he had learned how to pitch.

"He has God-given talent and a great arm, but he also has a great head on his shoulders. Has put his time in and learned how to pitch, which says a lot about the pitching coaches that have worked with him. He can throw any pitch he has on any count and it is fun to watch him. His stuff is absolutely electric."

Death to Flying Things to remain at The Safe

If there's one thing this franchise knows, it's how to pick center fielders...

Griffey, Cameron, Gutierrez...

The News Tribune

From his parents, Franklin and Leida – who took him to games and bought him his first glove – to Seattle hitting coach Alan Cockrell – who suggested a change in his stance that made him a more dangerous hitter – Franklin Gutierrez said a lot of “thank yous” on Friday.

He had more than 20 million reasons.

The man Mariners fans watched transform from a little-known platoon player in Cleveland to a budding star in Seattle, Gutierrez signed a four-year, $20.5 million contract extension that included a club option for a fifth season.

“A guy who can play center field and hit 20 home runs, that’s a special player,” general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “We respect Franklin for his abilities. We respect him for what he is as a person.”

Acquired in the trade that transformed the Mariners last winter, Gutierrez responded by leading the majors in outfield putouts last year while setting career highs at the plate, batting .283 with 18 home runs and 70 RBI in 153 games.

“What you have to like about Franklin is his desire to get better,” Zduriencik said. “As far back as 2001, we tried to get him in Milwaukee. We thought he’d take off as a hitter, and we’re excited about the player we think he’ll become.”

Gutierrez, 26, said the trade that made him a Mariner changed his career.

“I had a vision of what I wanted, and I worked hard for it. To have people believe in you, I appreciated that,” he said. “We had great fans and great support, and that was important to me. About midseason last year, I realized there were fans in the outfield that were cheering for me. I worked harder for them.”

Go, Guti go!

Casey with the bat ~ well, the glove at least....

Mariners get Kotchman from Red Sox for Hall | PI

SEATTLE -- Casey Kotchman spent summers from age 7 through 10 on long rides with dozens of older guys all over Washington. He was traveling from Boise, Idaho, tagging along with the low-level minor league team managed by his father, Tom.

"I enjoyed all the bus rides. I spent a lot of time growing up here in the Northwest," Kotchman said Thursday.

He's all grown up now upon his return to the region. And, no, he doesn't have to take the bus anymore.

The Mariners finalized their trade with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday that brings the 26-year-old defensive whiz first baseman to Seattle for outfielder Bill Hall, a player to be named and cash.

:::

Kotchman fits Zduriencik's plan to rebuild the rising Mariners through defense, pitching and youth. He's less of a power hitter but is eight years younger and a better defender than Branyan. Zduriencik also likes that Kotchman doesn't strike out much - 43 is his career high.

:::

Kotchman is a .269 career hitter who has never hit more than 14 home runs in a season and is known for defense. He joined Boston on July 31 in a trade with Atlanta and played 39 games with the Red Sox.

The 30-year-old Hall hit .200 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 34 games with Seattle last season after a trade with Milwaukee on Aug. 19.

The player to be named is expected to be a minor leaguer.

:::

Kotchman has not made an error over his last 185 games and last year became just the third first baseman in major league history with a perfect fielding percentage while playing at least 108 games at the position. He'll fit in with fellow fielding standouts Jack Wilson at shortstop, Ichiro Suzuki in right field and Franklin Gutierrez in center on what looks to be one of baseball's best defenses.

:::

Zduriencik, entering his second season as the Mariners' GM, has known Kotchman since he was in junior high in Florida, through his dad, who went on to work as a scout and in player development for the Angels. Mariners scouting director Tom McNamara was an area scout around Seminole, Fla., when Kotchman was a high school star there.

And Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu and bench coach Ty Van Burkleo were minor league instructors with the Angels when Kotchman began his professional career with that organization.

Plus, the busy Mariners - who last season became the 13th team since 1901 to have a winning record immediately after a 100-loss season - recently signed free agent Chone Figgins. The All-Star third baseman was a teammate of Kotchman's in Los Angeles until midway through the 2008 season, when the Angels sent Kotchman to Atlanta in the Mark Teixeira trade.

"I'm excited to be here. That's an understatement," Kotchman said, wearing a navy blue suit to match the team colors of his fourth major league club in three years. "It helps to have familiar faces around. Certainly, there's a comfort level here."

'Gar .... case for HoF

Elaine Thompson / Associated Press

I was listening to one of the national hosts on ESPN Radio earlier this evening (Brian Kenney, an admitted Yank fan) and he was, much to my surprise and delight, banging the drum HARD for 'Gar.

He said, in his opinion, Edgar Martinez is a SURE FIRE Hall of Famer and sited some stats to prove his case. I'm going by memory, as I was in the car, so forgive me if it's not totally accurate - he was looking at OBP, SLG and TB and pointed out that Edgar had at least 8 GREAT seasons where he was in the TOP 5 in those categories and 3 other seasons where he was in the TOP 10.

He also had two HoF voters on - Rob Neyer who thinks Edgar should be in and Joel Sherman who doesn't. Sherman's argument was the same-old, same-old, "he didn't play defense" .... WEAK! Newsflash - Edgar was a DH - they don't play defense. Last time I checked, AL pitchers don't hit - we gonna leave them out too? It seems not uncommon for voters to refer to a particular player as the best "what-ever his position was" of his era. Maybe they should look up the DH position for most of the 90's and into the early aughts ... they just MIGHT notice 'Gar's name for more than several years...

The man has the friggin' DH award named after him for cryin' out loud!

'Gars reaction | Seattle Times

The Case for Edgar Martinez | Larry Stone

Instead of looking at Edgar's failure to reach 3,000 hits, I marveled over his staggering accomplishments. He was at an elite level when it came to the combination of getting on base and hitting for power.

There are numerous stats to choose from, but for the purpose of space, I'll point out his .312 career average, .418 on-base percentage and .515 slugging percentage. Only 20 players in history have the .300/.400/.500 combination, and of the 12 eligible for the Hall of Fame, only Lefty O'Doul isn't there (which is an outrage worthy of another column).

Martinez's .418 career on-base percentage is surpassed only by Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantle and Thomas by retired players since 1945 with at least 7,500 at-bats. His career OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .933 ranks 32nd all-time.

If you look at OPS-plus (the same stat adjusted for era and home ballpark), Edgar had eight seasons of better than 150, an epic total. As David Schoenfield of ESPN.com pointed out, only 24 players in history have done it that many times, most of them slam-dunk Hall of Famers like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Mike Schmidt. Alex Rodriguez, by comparison, has done it seven times.

For those who look past their prejudice against DH, Edgar Martinez stands out as a bona fide Hall of Famer.

Should Edgar be in the hall? | Kirby Arnold

An average well above average

Martinez is among six players since the 1940s to bat at least .320 in at least six straight seasons. The others are Hall of Famers Stan Musial, Wade Boggs, Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn, plus Todd Helton.

Beyond the batting average

Martinez is one of 20 players in major league history whose lifetime batting average is better than .300, on-base percentage is over .400 and slugging percentage tops .500. Of the players eligible for the Hall of Fame, only Joe Jackson and Lefty O'Doul aren't in.

In the company of legends

Martinez is among five players in history with at least 300 home runs, 500 doubles, 1,000 walks, a .300 batting average and a .400 on-base percentage. The other four — Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams — are in the Hall of Fame.

OPS percentage equals greatness

Martinez's on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .933 ranks 32nd all-time, and he had an OPS above 1.000 in five seasons and above .900 nine times. Mark McGwire and Lefty O'Doul are the only players with a better career OPS who are eligible for the Hall of Fame but not inducted. Martinez ranks eighth on the career OPS list among right-handed hitters, and all seven ahead of him are in the Hall of Fame.

King of the DH

As a designated hitter, Martinez is unmatched in every major statistic except home runs. He has the highest DH average at .314 (Paul Molitor is next at .308), most RBI at 1,003 (leading Harold Baines' 978), highest on-base percentage at .428 (Frank Thomas, .394), highest OPS at .959 (David Ortiz, .936) and most doubles at 370 (Hal McRae, 357). Martinez's his 243 DH home runs are third (behind Ortiz's 274 and Thomas' 269).

He owned the Yankees

If the East Coast media wasn't impressed by Martinez, they weren't paying attention. He batted .317 with .423 on-base and .542 slugging percentages, plus a .965 OPS against the Yankees. The only team he hit better in his career was the Indians, with a .347 average. He also hammered future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera, batting .625 with .700 on-base and 1.188 slugging percentages, and a 1.888 OPS in 20 career plate appearances. Robbie Alomar, also on this year's ballot, was one of the few others to handle Rivera, yet his numbers pale compared with Martinez's — a .455 average, 500 on-base percentage, .727 slugging percentage and 1.227 OPS.