And while most of the draftees had to sign by Friday or go back into the draft pool, that wasn't the case with Fields.

He was a relative rarity in the draft, a senior. And as a player with no more collegiate eligibility, there are no time restrictions on when he can be signed.

The Mariners have been talking with his agent, Scott Boras, and would like to get something done in the near future.

"I'm an optimist," Marnier vice president of scouting Bob Fontaine said Friday. "I think we'll get it done. History is on our side. But when that will happen, who knows?"

TWINS 9, MARINERS 3: RHP Carlos Silva, returning to the park where he's had most of his big league success, had none Friday night.

Locked in a 2-2 game with former teammate LHP Francisco Liriano, Silva put the first five batters of the fourth inning on base and the Twins turned that into a seven-run inning that blew the game wide open.

The Mariners had just two hits in the first six innings, but with the score tied at 2-all after a two-run error by 3B Brian Buscher, Seattle had men on second and third with two out in the top of the fourth. Liriano got a fly ball from C Kenji Johjima, and by the time Seattle had its next base runner, Minnesota was up by seven runs.

Seattle got just two hits against Liriano, both of those by veteran INF Miguel Cairo, who scored one of the two Seattle runs.