Mariners' Adrian Beltre, Mike Sweeney file for free agency

The 2009 baseball season might have ended with the Yankees' victorious dog pile Wednesday night, but the hot-stove season is just beginning.

Thursday was the first day for players to file for free agency, and Mariners Adrian Beltre and Mike Sweeney wasted no time in doing so. The Mariners have five other potential free agents — Ken Griffey Jr., Russell Branyan, Erik Bedard, Endy Chavez and Miguel Batista — who have two more weeks in which to file.

Beltre and Sweeney joined 79 others out of the 167 players eligible to file on Thursday, while one — outfielder Bobby Abreu — avoided the process by signing a two-year, $19 million deal with the Angels.

Sixteen other major-league players could become free agents if their team doesn't exercise an option for 2010 — a list that includes the Mariners' Jack Wilson.

Seattle could opt to pay Wilson $8.4 million for next season, or buy him out at $600,000 to make him a free agent. It reportedly has until Nov. 15 to make a decision on Wilson's option.

Wilson's agent, Page Odle, said that he is "having dialogue" with the Mariners, but added, "Nothing is even close at this point. It's just conversations. It hasn't picked up any steam yet."

Wilson was hampered by injuries after arriving from Pittsburgh in a July 31 trade, and hit just .225 with six extra-base hits in 31 games. The Mariners are believed unlikely to pick up Wilson's option, but may try to work out a multiyear contract at a lower salary.

"Jack loves Seattle," Odle said. "That would be his first choice."

The Mariners' first order of business will likely be to decide the future of franchise icon Griffey. The signs are increasingly pointing to a return by Griffey, who on the last day of the season expressed a desire to come back in 2010.

Griffey, who recently underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery, was highly regarded by the team for his positive influence in the clubhouse. But Griffey turns 40 on Nov. 21 and would almost certainly have a more limited role if he returns.

Branyan is also a strong candidate to be retained after a breakthrough season in which he hit 31 home runs before being sidelined on Aug. 28 with a back injury.

The Mariners face an interesting decision on Bedard, who is coming off two injury-riddled years in which he made just 15 starts each season, won a total of 11 games, and had both years ended by shoulder surgery. Bedard, however, said in September after his latest operation that he would like to return to the Mariners in 2010.

Sweeney would also like to return, and like Griffey was a positive clubhouse influence, but there might not be roster spots for both of them.

Chavez's future is dimmed by the knee injury he suffered in June, while Batista no longer fits in the Mariners' plans after completing an ill-fated three-year, $25 million contract.

Note

• The Mariners claimed right-handed pitcher Yusmeiro Petit from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Petit, who turns 25 later this month, was 3-10 with a 5.82 earned-run average in 23 games for Arizona this past season.