Winter Meetings Day 2: Live Updates

Aug 30, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher

(27) walks off the field during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome, everyone, to the second day of the baseball Winter Meetings at Disney World in Florida. If you want a recap of Day 1, take a gander at what Dan had to say last night.

And fortunately today here at Sodo Mojo I will be able to give you live updates for most of the day, seeing as most of my classes are done and it is study days for finals and who the heck studies for finals? I’ll be on Twitter, Pandora Radio, Facebook, and Sodo Mojo all day. Now alls I need is a cup of hot cocoa and a signed guarantee that Jack Z will NOT trade Taijuan Walker, this guarantee of course including some severe punishment for him if he does.

(Note: all time updates will come Eastern time, because I am cool and go to college on the east coast. And also the winter meetings are happening on the east coast too, so that too.)

*UPDATE: 5:49 PM (EST): We will have to wait at least a few more hours (or days) to see whether or not Masahiro Tanaka will be posted as a Free Agent in the MLB:

  *UPDATE: 5:14 PM (EST): Jack Z dropping truth bombs at the Winter Meetings. At least his brain isn’t totally devoid of logic regarding guys like Jesus Montero:

The Mariners do need to be aware of who they can really count on this coming season. There is a big difference between having serious upside and potential, and being DEPENDABLE. Right now, Montero is certainly not the latter. At least Jack Z gets that.

*UPDATE: 4:30 PM (EST): Ok so no more rumors linking the Mariners to the Oakland Athletics and Brett Anderson. That one really escalated over the last hour it seems, at least if Twitter is your only source of fact:

*UPDATE: 4:14 PM (EST): Hadn’t heard much talk about Logan Morrison by the M’s, but here we are being linked to yet another player with a pulse. Yay us!

*UPDATE: 3:58 PM (EST): I have nothing else to say except that I sincerely hope that A) this isn’t true and B) this never EVER happens:

*UPDATE: 3:16 PM (EST): Death to Flying Things making a return to Seattle? Maybe….

Enrique Rojas is our guy right now with tidbits of information. There is some logic in bringing Franklin Gutierrez back on an incentive-ladened deal. Because we need right handed outfielders who can hit. And when healthy Guti can do that. If, and of course it is a big IF because this is all speculation and interest, the Mariners bring back Guti, they just cannot have an expectation of him being a contributor for more than 75 games. The organization expected too much from him health wise last season and that backfired big time.  

*UPDATE: 3:02 PM (EST): A curious and provocative tweet from Jon Heyman regarding Nick Franklin:

That would be strange, to say the least. Didn’t we sign Willie Bloomquist for that express reason? I think, if this is the Mariners legitimate plan, it would spell the end of Dustin Ackley and confuse the heck out of fans. Either Franklin should be in AAA, or the backup 2B. Don’t try to turn him into a Ben Zobrist. Either let that be Ackley, or don’t do it all. Franklin has too much potential both now and in trade value to make that kind of decision. Granted, it is only a consideration by the Mariners organization. Don’t you love speculation, consideration, and rumored? Such fun words.

*UPDATE: 2:35 PM (EST): Okay the news is actually from 12:16, but seeing as I don’t speak spanish I missed the memo: Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes tweeted that Robinson Cano is traveling from the Dominican Republic today to Seattle. Physical scheduled for tomorrow. (That is a rough translation of the following tweet):

If there was any concern the deal might not go through, remember: the Mariners are paying the guy $240 million over the next decade. I’m sure he will do anything to ensure he passes his physical. But at least we are getting confirmation that he can be officially announced by the team in the near future.

*UPDATE: 2:25 PM (EST): It’s quiet out there folks, too quiet. Maybe the calm before the storm?

*UPDATE: 12:42 PM (EST): Whew we are hitting you with the speculation and fodder today! Hopefully signings and trades will stop percolating soon and actually happen. But Jon Morosi tweets that the Mariners may have some interest in former Tampa Bay closer Fernando Rodney.  (Per the 9:49 AM update, it would appear that this would only happen if the price is right *duh*). Here is the tweet:

Could be a match made in heaven. Or a disaster because Rodney hasn’t dominant since his historical 2012 campaign. Again, all speculation from unnamed sources. But it’s something to think about until the Mariners start making move at the Meetings.

*UPDATE: 12:40 PM (EST): Nothing even remotely related to the Mariners, but Curtis Granderson looks poised to be a great fit as a New York Met. His upbeat attitude and good clubhouse vibe will go a long way. Also this:

There is nothing better than sticking it to the Yankees. And also, this makes the Yankees look more and more like the Evil Empire. Because Cano didn’t feel wanted and respected there, and Granderson had similar sentiments about playing where you are wanted and respected as a baseball player. I mean look: the Mariners and Mets haven’t been good of late, but they have found a way to sign two guys who were exciting AND productive Yankees this offseason. Hmmmm.

*UPDATE: 12:00 PM (EST): The Diamondbacks are in on Mark Trumbo. Apparently earlier today the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tried to trade Howie Kendrick for Hector Santiago of the Chicago White Sox. But it was a no go, it now appears that a three-team deal, adding in the Arizona Diamondbacks, could be in the works:

In the end I am happy the Mariners don’t seem to have a shot at Trumbo. I think he would have ended up being a liability more than an asset. However, it is clear that this is going to be a hot trade market at these Winter Meetings, especially if Choo is going to be steep. The Free Agent market for position players is a dead zone after he comes off the market.

*UPDATE: 11:01 AM (EST): It is really starting to look like Shin-Soo Choo won’t come cheap:

What this says to me is the Mariners need to be wary as well. Yes, we blew the world out of the water with the money and years we gave to Robinson Cano (honest to god I still can’t believe he is going to be a Mariner), but he is arguably one of the ten most valuable position players in baseball right now (maybe not 3 or 4 years from now, but that is a different story). Giving Choo anything akin to what Jacoby Ellsbury got would be ludicrous by the Mariners.

*UPDATE: 10:31 AM (EST): P.S. you can ignore this one if you don’t care about Jason Bay: Greg Johns of MLB.com reports that Jason Bay, the pride and joy of the 2013 Seattle Mariners (sarcasm) may be headed to Japan to play with the Yamiuri Giants. So that’s something too. At least the M’s won’t have the opportunity to re-sign him this offseason. Maybe we can convince Mike Morse to go play there too.

*UPDATE: 10:00 AM (EST): Rajai Davis, a speedy outfielder marginally speculated to be a target of the M’s, has signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Tigers:

*UPDATE: 9:42 AM (EST): GM Jack Zduriencik said the Mariners may look to use an internal option at closer this coming season. Here is the tweet from Ken Rosenthal: