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Posts Tagged ‘fate’

Just got done talking with Mike Sweeney, who still isn’t 100 percent certain he’s made the club. Sweeney delivered two doubles and two singles today, including the game-winning hit in the ninth inning as the Mariners rallied for a 7-6 win over the Texas Rangers.

Sweeney said he’s anxious, but not nervous, to hear his fate. It’s not a matter of the team believing they can find a better right handed DH/pinch-hitter. They’ve dumped Ryan Garko on waivers, his last remaining competition.

It’s just that the Mariners still aren’t sure, as we’ve told you before, what they’re going to do with Cliff Lee once the season begins. If they put Lee on the DL, he’d have to serve his five-game suspension after he comes off it — unless he can get it reduced.

Lee could also drop his appeal and serve the suspension the first five days of the season. But then, he’d have to take up a roster spot on the 25-man club.

Don’t forget, the M’s have to figure out what to do not only with Sweeney, but also Ryan Langerhans and Eric Byrnes. The M’s don’t want to lose Langerhans if he’s outrighted to Class AAA. They see him as an excellent backup center fielder, but, between him, Byrnes and Sweeney, something has to give.

Seattle is also considering the acquisition of another starting pitcher. We saw that report earlier that Jarrod Washburn had turned down what he considered to be a lowball offer. Any new pitcher would also have roster implications, which is why Sweeney isn’t taking anything for granted.

“They’ve told me to be patient, so that’s what I’m doing,” Sweeney said after today’s game. “They have to wait for the roster to work itself out. They’ll have it all finalized by Sunday, so that’s what I’m waiting for.”

One thing is certain, and that’s that Garko will be removed from the roster. I’m told his waiver period expries tomorrow morning and that the reason the club put him through waivers was in the hopes another team would claim his $550,000 contract. It had nothing to do with any requirement for optioning him to AAA. He won’t be optioned there. He’ll be taken off the 40-man roster if left unclaimed.

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View full post on The Seattle Times: Mariners Blog