M's unlikely to sign stars for '09

Forget about the Mariners loading up on free agents next season and going for it all.

Those days are over, at least for the time being, says team president Chuck Armstrong. Already saddled with expensive contracts owed Carlos Silva and Kenji Johjima, the Mariners will almost certainly pass on big-ticket free agents like Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia and fill most of their 2009 needs from within.

Armstrong said Thursday that the team's major goal is to rebuild through "a comprehensive plan" and that any general-manager candidate will have to present one to him in applying for the job.

"If I have my way, the plan will be that we're not going to make a splash in 2009," Armstrong said of new financial commitments. "We want the ability to contend on a continuing, year-by-year-by-year basis."

Such an approach signals a radical departure for the Mariners, who have added big free agents continuously in keeping their payroll near or above $100 million the past several seasons. This year, with a payroll nearing $118 million, the Mariners are trying to avoid being the first major-league team to spend nine figures while losing 100 games.

Besides signing Silva to a four-year, $48 million contract last winter, then extending Johjima by three years, $24 million in April, the Mariners also traded away five players for starting pitcher Erik Bedard on the eve of spring training. Armstrong insisted the team's executive branch has learned plenty from this trying season and will try to avoid falling into a similar trap the next time.

"I'm not ready to concede anything," he said of next year's chances for contention. "But my main thing is, we're not going to put all of our chips on 'Red 79.' We're not going to put all our chips on 2009, because we put all of our chips on 2008 and it didn't work out."

What that means is that any contending the Mariners might do next season will come from the bulk of the players already here. Any new additions would come from minor signings and trades, though future deals will have to be "value" swaps that help the team beyond just next season.

In other words, they may involve young players not yet ready to help any team contend right away.

As for free agents, Armstrong said fans can forget about the likes of first baseman Teixeira and pitcher Sabathia.

"I don't think you're going to see us do it," he said.

Armstrong is leaving open the possibility that a GM candidate will come in and blow him away with a plan to contend immediately. But Armstrong said he doubts it will happen, largely because the folks he's already talked to around the game don't feel it can be done.

"The people I talk to, all of them are surprised our record is as poor as it is this year," he said. "But they tell me, 'Part of your reputation the last few years is that you put all your eggs in one basket, thinking that you're closer than you are. Is that still the case?' "

And Armstrong insists he tells them the Mariners are looking to change their ways. Armstrong accompanied the team to Cleveland last week and said manager Jim Riggleman is optimistic about the young arms and overall talent on the club.

But he knows some player decisions will be needed.

It was Armstrong who nixed a proposed trade of Jarrod Washburn to the Minnesota Twins because he didn't feel Seattle was getting enough back in terms of talent that could help the club.

"I did not want to just move him to save the money," he said.

The team's payroll will likely be dropping significantly next season just in terms of the contracts coming off the books. Richie Sexson, Jose Vidro and Brad Wilkerson are already gone, taking about $24 million with them that won't be on next year's payroll.

The cost of Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard could rise significantly through arbitration, but there's little chance of the Mariners reaching this year's payroll again without splurging on free agents. Armstrong would rather keep Washburn around — or at least let the new GM make the call — than simply shave another $10 million off the bottom line of a 2009 team that could have several young starters trying to log innings for the first time.

Armstrong says his GM candidates list is "in the low 20s" now and will be pared to between 10 and 15 by season's end. He hopes to have two rounds of interviews and pick a GM by late October. Lee Pelekoudas was given the GM job on an interim basis in June after the Mariners fired Bill Bavasi.

"It's my view that this is not just a tweaking, and we'll be there competing [for a title]," Armstrong said. "I feel that we need to do this on a fundamental basis."

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

Read his daily blog at www.seattletimes.com/Mariners