The John Lackey sweepstakes won't open until next week, but already rivals are sizing up the market and view the Seattle Mariners as a potential sleeper team in the bidding.
The Mariners know Lackey well, of course -- he is 12-9 with a 3.89 ERA against them in 25 starts during his career -- and the timing is right. Seattle needs help in its rotation, behind
Felix Hernandez, and the Mariners has had a boatload of salary come off their books. The team traded
Jarrod Washburn ($10.35 million salary in '09) during the season, and third baseman
Adrian Beltre ($13 million) and
Erik Bedard ($7.75 million) and
Miguel Batista ($9 million) are headed into free agency.
Lackey also might find the Mariners attractive because of their exceptional outfield defense:
Franklin Gutierrez is regarded as one of the game's best center fielders,
Ichiro Suzuki is a perennial Gold Glove winner in right field, and Dustin Ackley -- the No. 2 overall pick in the amateur draft in June -- is probably pegged to play left field at some point next season, and he is regarded as a solid defender.
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Buster Olney
