Ramirez, Broussard sign one-year deals with M's

The Mariners reached contract agreements with two of their three arbitration-eligible players Tuesday, but the club was unable to sign reliever J.J. Putz and had a $1 million gap with the closer when salary figures were exchanged.

On a day the Mariners introduced starter Horacio Ramirez and designated hitter Jose Vidro to the Seattle media, Ramirez avoided arbitration by reaching agreement on a one-year contract for $2.65 million. Ramirez earned $2.2 million last year with Atlanta, where he was 5-5 with a 4.48 earned-run average.

Also avoiding arbitration was first baseman/DH Ben Broussard, who signed a one-year deal for $3.55 million, a raise from the $2,487,500 he made last year for Cleveland and Seattle.

Broussard, acquired in a July trade with the Indians for outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, is likely on the trading block with the acquisition of Vidro. He hit just .236 in 55 games with Seattle.

Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi has never had a player go to arbitration in nine years as a GM, including the previous three with Seattle.

That record will be tested by Putz, who took over for Eddie Guardado as closer on May 6 and had a strong season with 36 saves. Putz, who earned $415,000 last year, requested $3.6 million in arbitration, while the Mariners offered $2.6 million.

The two sides will continue to negotiate, but if no agreement is reached, the case will be heard by a three-person arbitration panel between Feb. 1 and 21. The panel must choose one number or the other, with no middle ground.

"Bart [Waldman, the Mariners' chief negotiator] and J.J.'s agent are working hard at it," Bavasi said. "We're pretty hopeful we can avoid arbitration. It's a rotten process."

The Mariners have had just two players go to arbitration since 2000 — starting pitcher Freddy Garcia in 2003 and outfielder Brian Hunter in 2000. Both players beat the club, with Garcia winning a $6.875 million contract (the club offered $5.9 million), and Hunter winning a $2.45 million deal (the club offered $1.75 million).

Last year, the Mariners were nearly $1 million apart from Gil Meche when arbitration figures were exchanged, with Meche seeking $4.2 million and Seattle offering $3.35 million. The two sides eventually settled near the midpoint at $3.7 million with incentives.

Meanwhile, the Mariners lost infielder Greg Dobbs to the Philadelphia Phillies, who put in a waiver claim on Dobbs when the Mariners removed him from their 40-man roster to make room for reliever Chris Reitsma.

Dobbs, 28, hit .314 with nine homers and 55 runs batted in 99 games with Class AAA Tacoma, and .370 in 23 games with the Mariners (10 for 27) last year.

"We hate seeing Dobbs go, but the rule did what it's intended to do, which is make sure no one hoards players," Bavasi said. "This kid deserves this opportunity."

The Mariners have had to shuffle their 40-man roster because of winter acquisitions, and they might not be done yet. They have made an offer to free-agent pitcher Brian Lawrence, who won 15 games in 2004 for the San Diego Padres but missed all of last season after shoulder surgery.

"We had a real positive conversation with the Mariners [on Tuesday]," said Lawrence's agent, Page Odle, who said his client would "be ready to compete for a job" in spring training.

Lawrence, 30, is also mulling offers from Colorado, Pittsburgh and San Diego.

"He's looking for the best opportunity to pitch in the majors next year," Odle said. "I think the Mariners' reason for signing him would definitely be to compete for their fifth spot. Brian just has to show he's healthy."

Ramirez and Vidro both enjoyed the snow during their visit to Seattle and expressed hope that past injuries are behind them.

Ramirez, who was obtained from the Braves in a trade for Rafael Soriano, missed seven weeks last year with a hamstring injury, and he was sidelined for good in August with a torn tendon in his finger that required surgery. He was also hit in the head with a Lance Berkman line drive in June.

"I'm almost 100 percent sure it's ready to go," Ramirez said of the finger. "My hamstrings are fine. The injuries I had last year were fluke injuries. It was a frustrating year because I felt I threw the ball real well, but I could never get on a good roll."

Vidro, who has suffered from a variety of leg injuries in recent years, believes the switch to designated hitter will allow him to return to the success he had in the early 2000s.

"I'm pretty sure I can play six, seven more years," he said. "But I've got to stay healthy. I'm going to work for it."

Notes

• RHP Felix Hernandez, manager Mike Hargrove, SS Yuniesky Betancourt, OF Jose Guillen and Putz are among those scheduled to appear at FanFest, Jan. 27-28 at Safeco Field.

• Seattle is expected to announce its spring-training invitees this week, including INF Travis "Gookie" Dawkins, a onetime top prospect with the Reds, as well as former Padres phenom Sean Burroughs.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com.