Mariners Sign Rickie Weeks To One Year Deal

According to Jim Bowden of ESPN, the Mariners have signed free agent Rickie Weeks to a one-year contract worth around $2 million. The deal will also carry another $2 million worth of incentives.

Weeks had his best season in 2010 when he hit 29 homers and drove in 83 RBI. But he should be a nice bench option for manager Lloyd McClendon and the 32-year-old can help out at second base, first base, and designated hitter for the Mariners.

After reading this tweet though, Bowden assumes he will play in the outfield? Will he platoon in left with Dustin Ackley? Is he insurance at first base for Logan Morrison? His signing certainly raises some questions. With a seemingly already-crowded potential 25-man roster, where does this leave Weeks?

More importantly, who gets left off the 25-man because of Weeks? Assuming Lloyd McClendon goes with a 7-man bullpen (12 total arms) and you know he likes his 8-man ‘pen, but assume seven. Here is the other 13 (potentially):

C- Mike Zunino and Jesus Sucre (or John Baker)
1B- LoMo
2B- Robinson Cano
SS- Brad Miller (Perhaps Chris Taylor)
3B- Kyle Seager
LF- Ackley
CF- Austin Jackson
RF- Justin Ruggiano and Seth Smith
DH- Nelson Cruz

Bench- Willie Bloomquist and Weeks.

This almost guarantees that McClendon will go with a 7-man pen. Who would he give up to get an 8th arm?

Spring Training is right around the corner and all will be answered. But for now, it’s good to have something to report again.