Winter Meetings | Change in focus for the Mariners

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It was "Plan B" mode for the Mariners almost as soon as the baseball winter meetings got under way.

Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi got the sense early on Monday that his pitch to the Twins for ace pitcher Johan Santana had been placed on a back burner. So while the Twins seemed content to let the Yankees and Red Sox battle it out for Santana, the Mariners turned their focus toward other potential deals.

Seattle plans to take a run at Orioles starter Erik Bedard, and also is scheduled to meet with 11 teams today as it seeks to upgrade two starting-rotation spots. The Mariners did speak to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday about starter Ben Sheets, but the Santana talks appear to have stalled any movement on the pitching front as teams and agents wait for the fallout.

"I wouldn't say that we're completely out of it," Bavasi said of the Santana discussions on Monday night from the team's suite at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. "But they may have some deals they have to contemplate before ours."

The Twins have sought at least three top prospects or young major-leaguers from both the Yankees and Red Sox for Santana. The price tag on Bedard is expected to be no less severe and possibly even higher.

Orioles president Andy McPhail told reporters on Monday that he expects major-league-ready, cost-effective position players in exchange for Bedard. Sources say it could take three or four of those to pry the starter loose, considering he — unlike Santana — is under contract for two more seasons.

Santana is under contract only one more season and has a no-trade clause. That clause will only be waived, the pitcher says, if the team that acquires him agrees to an extension that could go as high as six years and for between $120 million and $150 million.

Bavasi said the wait for a Santana decision is also impacting the market for free-agent pitchers.

"There are probably some potential trades out there that are holding up the free-agent market," he said. "The agents are letting the market develop."

The market for Santana, once he signs an extension, could have a trickle-down effect on lesser pitchers now in free agency. Seattle is awaiting a decision by Japanese free-agent starter Hiroki Kuroda, but he could wait until after the meetings to decide his future.

Four clubs are known to be bidding on the 32-year-old Kuroda, with the Mariners having made an offer of at least three years. The Royals have also made a strong pitch, as have the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.

Seattle has been linked to trade rumors involving several pitchers, among them Sheets, Indians starter Cliff Lee, Cubs pitcher Mark Prior and Edwin Jackson of the Devil Rays. The Brewers are in need of a young catcher and relief pitching; the Mariners have both, though it's unclear how serious Milwaukee is about moving Sheets.

There were rumors of talks involving Raul Ibanez and both the Cubs and Indians. A Cubs official said Monday afternoon that GM Jim Hendry telephoned Bavasi at season's end and asked about Ibanez.

"It's no secret that Jim wants a left-handed bat," the source said.

But the Mariners apparently never got back to Hendry with any proposals. In the meantime, the Cubs have shifted their attention toward free-agent outfielder Kosuke Fukodome from Japan.

Fukodome has been holding things up, dithering about whether to actually leap to the major leagues this season. Hendry said this week that he doesn't plan to wait forever and will look at other options.

One of those could be Ibanez, though a potential snag is that he would apparently have to play in right field, since the left-field job has been promised to Alfonso Soriano.

Ibanez was also part of a rumor that had him going to Cleveland for 29-year-old left-hander Cliff Lee. But while Ibanez would give the Indians the lefty, corner outfield bat they need, he has only one year remaining on his contract.

Lee is under contract for two more years at $9.5 million total — with a club option of $8 million for 2010 — meaning Ibanez might not be enough.

Same thing with the Devil Rays and starter Jackson. The day's big rumor was a swap of Mariners outfielder Ben Broussard for the underachieving Jackson, who is out of minor-league options and coming off a disappointing 2006 campaign.

But Tampa Bay has Jackson pegged as a fourth or fifth starter in 2008, and team officials are cool to the idea of giving him up for Broussard, who could be non-tendered by the Mariners in coming weeks.

Note

• Tickets for the 10th annual Mariners FanFest, Jan. 26-27 at Safeco Field, will go on sale on Thursday through www.mariners.com and Ticketmaster. They also will be available at the Safeco Field ticket office on the days of the events.

In addition to appearances by current and former Mariners, fans will be able to tour the Mariners' clubhouse, run the bases and catch pop flies in the outfield.

Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker@seattletimes.com.

This article also includes information from team reports.