Mariners
M's make no offer to Maels Rodriguez

By Larry Stone
Seattle Times staff reporter

	JED JACOBSOHN / GETTY IMAGES Maels Rodriguez, pitching for Cuba in the 2000 Olympics, showed his stuff to 15 major-league teams yesterday in El Salvador.
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The Mariners were one of 15 teams yesterday to watch Cuban defector Maels Rodriguez work out in El Salvador, and club officials Bob Engle and Pat Gillick were heading home today without making an offer to Rodriguez's agent.

The Mariners wouldn't give specifics on their impression of Rodriguez or second baseman Yobal Duenas, another defector who participated in the workout in San Salvador.

It doesn't appear they were overwhelmed, however. Rodriguez, who once threw more than 100 mph, didn't top 90 mph during the workout, according to The Associated Press. Among the other teams represented were the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

"Bob checked in, and he and Pat were pleased with the breadth of the workout," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. "They felt they have a good handle on their abilities. Bob has communicated with the agent that at this point we'll monitor their situation, but as of today we will not make an offer."

Rodriguez, 24, has been seeking to disprove rumors that he has had arm and back injuries since last seen in international competition in August 2002.

"Right now, we don't have any health issues," Bavasi said. "At this point, those aren't our issues."

Bavasi had mentioned earlier in the day that the club would like to see Rodriguez in a second workout. But after getting his report from Engle, the team's chief international scout, and former GM Gillick, he said, "We haven't discussed that. We'll leave that to them (Rodriguez and his agent). My feeling is what they'll do is let the market develop, and then it will be up to them to decide how to proceed."

Last week, Rodriguez's agent, Henry Vilar, characterized the Mariners as "definitely in the top three or four organizations he wants to be a part of."

The Mariners went into yesterday's workout with strong reports on Rodriguez based on his performances in various international tournaments, including the 2000 Olympics. But he was removed from the Cuban national team in 2002 after suspicions were raised about his intention to defect, a move he made last October.

"He's not a big guy, but he does have a 100 mph fastball," Roger Jongewaard, the Mariners' scouting guru, said before the workout. "There are rumors his shoulder and back have been giving him problems. We're not sure if that's sour grapes from Cuba because he left. That's why we're down there, to see how hard he's throwing."

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