--LHP Tyler Johnson became the 60th player to book a ticket to Peoria when he signed a make-good minor league contract with the Mariners on Thursday (Feb. 5). Johnson missed the 2008 season with bursitis in his left shoulder but says he's ready to go.
--LHP Garrett Olson, acquired from the Cubs recently, has always been a starter, but he said he would move into the bullpen if that's what the Mariners need him to do. "(General manager Jack Zduriencik) told me to come in with the mindset to be a starter," Olson said. "Until they tell me there's no room for me, that's what I'm going to do. I see myself as capable of being a starting pitcher. I think that's what I bring to the table. But based on what the team's needs are, I can mold myself into another role." --RHP Josh Fields remains on the Mariners' radar, if not on the Seattle payroll. Fields' agent, Scott Boras, and Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik have been engaging in talks designed at getting a deal done for Seattle's first-round (20th overall) draft pick, but the two sides haven't gotten a deal done yet. Boras said he and Zduriencik have talked three times but haven't gotten to specifics on the Fields deal.
--LHP Jarrod Washburn won't be traded to the Minnesota Twins. The Mariners had a deal in place last year but didn't pull the trigger. Seattle apparently tried to get talks warmed up again in recent weeks only to find the Twins unresponsive.
--OF Bobby Abreu, OF Garret Anderson and OF Ken Griffey Jr. all remain on the Mariners' wish list. Seattle has spoken to the agents for all three in the Mariners' quest for an outfielder with offensive muscle, and some kind of deal might get done before spring training starts. Or it might not.
--LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith might have to choose between being with the Mariners all spring or taking some time off for Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic. He said if it's the difference between him having his best chance to make the rotation or not, he might give the WBC a pass even though he'd like to pitch for his native land.
--1B/DH Mike Sweeney says he tries not to shy away from autograph seekers. "I've seen players say, 'Hey, kid, beat it,' and the kid feels totally rejected and remembers it forever," he said. "You can light up a kid's world or you can destroy it. It only takes about a minute to make him feel like he's the most important kid on Earth. I'd rather have him walk away with a sweet memory as opposed to a sour one."
BY THE NUMBERS: 11 -- The number of players on the Seattle 40-man roster who were in different organizations last year.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "My arm hasn't felt this fresh since maybe when I was in (Class) A ball. I finished strong last season, and I'm ready to carry that momentum into this year." -- LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith.
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