Adrian Beltre

Dustin Ackley will start in left field for the Peoria Javelinas in Saturday's Arizona Fall League championship game against the Phoenix Desert Dogs, but the Mariners are going to work him out at second base, beginning in January, general manager Jack Zduriencik said Friday. "This could be an experiment that lasts two weeks or a month," Zduriencik said, "but to me, the sensible thing to do is have players play multiple positions. We thought this would be a worthwhile experiment and we'll see where it take

This could be an experiment that lasts two weeks or a month   -Jack Zduriencik

 

Free agency is finally here, less than a week before Thanksgiving. And the signings may not come so quick, either. Baseball's powers are still arguing about the state of the game's economics, whether teams are losing money or still making it big and just how much loot the small-market teams are receiving in revenue-sharing and central-fund monies to boost them (some agents cite articles saying it's up to $60 million while MLB folks say it isn't that much).  

Free agency is finally here, less than a week before Thanksgiving. And the signings may not come so quick, either. Baseball's powers are still arguing about the state of the game's economics, whether teams are losing money or still making it big and just how much loot the small-market teams are receiving in revenue-sharing and central-fund monies to boost them (some agents cite articles saying it's up to $60 million while MLB folks say it isn't that much).  

With a down economy, multiple teams crying poor and little money invested in future payrolls, the Orioles are arguably in a better financial position this offseason than they have been in more than a decade. As free agency begins Friday, the Orioles have just $29.5 million dedicated to six players for next season. With arbitration and standard renewals, their 2010 payroll currently would fall somewhere around $45 million.

It's the fun part of the job. This is the time for us to go up and hit   -Andy MacPhail

 

Baseball's shopping season begins in earnest today when teams are allowed to negotiate with all 171 players who filed for free agency. Until now, teams could talk only with their free agents, meaning the Seattle Mariners were limited to their seven – first baseman Russell Branyan, third baseman Adrian Beltre, shortstop Jack Wilson, outfielder Endy Chavez, designated hitter Mike Sweeney, and pitchers Erik Bedard and Miguel Batista. Wilson signed a two-year deal last week and the Mariners continue to nego

We have needs and avenues we can go down   -Jack Zduriencik

 

With a down economy, multiple teams crying poor and little money invested in future payrolls, the Orioles are arguably in a better financial position this offseason than they have been in more than a decade. As free agency begins Friday, the Orioles have just $29.5 million dedicated to six players for next season. With arbitration and standard renewals, their 2010 payroll currently would fall somewhere around $45 million.

It's the fun part of the job. This is the time for us to go up and hit   -Andy MacPhail

 

The Hot Stove portion of the baseball season is in full swing and the Mariners have several holes to fill before the start of Spring Training. Rumors will be filling the airwaves and Internet sites (most of them never materialize) and we're here to help sort out fact from fiction. If you have a question, send it in and we'll do our best to answer it.  

After shortstop Jack Wilson arrived in Seattle in a trade last summer, it didn't take long for him to know he wanted to stay.  

Although there isn't a multitude of impact players available in this offseason's free-agent class, there might not be a better year to grab an established bat/arm at a bargain price.