| | SEATTLE -- First, Randy Johnson. Then, Ken Griffey Jr. Will Alex Rodriguez be the next superstar to depart the Seattle
Mariners?
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| Rodriguez |
The Mariners did what they felt they had to do by trading
Griffey, their 10-time All-Star center fielder, to the Cincinnati
Reds rather than lose him as a free agent at the end of the 2000
season.
In return, they got Brett Tomko, Mike Cameron and minor leaguers
Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer, the best deal they could make
considering the circumstances.
They would get more for Rodriguez, one of the bright younger
shortstops and sluggers in the major leagues, a lot more.
New Mariners chief executive officer Howard Lincoln said at the
team's news conference here on the Griffey trade that he wanted to
sit down in the next couple of weeks with Rodriguez and talk to him
about his future.
Lincoln wants to determine if the Mariners have a chance of
re-signing Rodriguez after the 2000 season, when he will become a
free agent. If they can't, he may decide to trade him as he did
Griffey.
In the trades of Johnson and Griffey, the Mariners weren't
dealing from a position of strength.
In the trade with Houston for Johnson on July 31, 1998, they got
pitchers Freddy Garcia and John Halama and, infielder Carlos
Guillen.
Garcia and Halama are in Seattle's starting rotation and Guillen
is supposed to be the Mariners' starting third baseman this season
after having major knee injuries the past two years. Johnson won a
second Cy Young Award when he pitched for Arizona last season.
Unlike Griffey, Rodriguez can't reject a trade as a 10-and-5
player; 10 years in the majors and five years with one ballclub.
"He is a very, very tradable commodity," Lincoln said.
Lincoln probably won't hear what he wants to hear the next time
he talks to Rodriguez.
"Alex wants to wait until the end of the year to make a
decision," Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, told the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer newspaper.
"Nothing has changed," Rodriguez told The Seattle Times. "I'm
still evaluating. I'm listening to them, but I'm just going to sit
back and wait."
Unlike Griffey and Johnson, the Mariners aren't worried about
attitude this time.
The businesslike Rodriguez, 24, wouldn't cause any problems for the Mariners this season and both sides know it. He has said he wants to fulfill his contract in Seattle and then test the free-agent market.
The Mariners met with Rodriguez and Boras in November in Las Vegas.
Johnson left Seattle as a bitter player and it showed in his
final half season after the Mariners refused to give him a contract
extension. Griffey asked for a trade to the Reds, and the Mariners
were concerned they would see the same unhappiness with him as they
saw in the final half of last season when the Mariners moved from
the Kingdome to Safeco Field. Griffey was unhappy because of the
new ballpark's bigger dimensions and heavier outdoor air.
Rodriguez did speak out against Safeco, calling it unfair to
hitters.
Six years younger than Griffey, Rodriguez already is a superstar, too. He was the 1996 AL batting champion with a .358 average and is a three-time All-Star.
In 4½ seasons in Seattle, he has a .308 career batting average with 148 homers and 463 RBI. Last season, Rodriguez hit .285 with 42 homers and 111 RBI despite missing 32 games because of a knee injury.
After trading Griffey and his $8.5 million salary to the Reds, new general manager Pat Gillick's payroll is at about $65 million. Rodriguez is scheduled to earn $4.2 million this season.
If the Mariners do deal Rodriguez, they would need an everyday shortstop in return. Guillen is a natural shortstop, but the Mariners are concerned about his health after his knee injuries.
Mariners pitchers and catchers report next Thursday to Peoria, Ariz., for the start of spring training.
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