Mariners miss out on coveted free agent pitcher

Monday, December 5, 2005

By JON PAUL MOROSI
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

DALLAS -- Cross another name off the list.

A.J. Burnett, one of the most coveted pitchers on the free agent market, is expected to sign a lucrative five-year contract in the next 24 to 48 hours. And it will not be with the Mariners.

Barring a late push from the St. Louis Cardinals or Washington Nationals, Burnett is likely to sign a five-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, worth near $50 million, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations. Burnett is expected to arrive here on Tuesday, with an announcement likely to come shortly thereafter.

The deal will affect Seattle in a number of ways:

The five-year deal will increase the price the Mariners must pay to acquire any free-agent pitcher.

Seattle is likely to increase its pursuit of Kevin Millwood, perhaps the most appealing starter remaining on the market.

If the Cardinals miss on Burnett, they would be more apt to retain Matt Morris, their own free agent and another player of interest to the Mariners. That would be another factor tipping Seattle toward Millwood.

Ultimately, though, the chain reaction could send the Mariners to the trade market. They have inquired about Yankees right-hander Carl Pavano this offseason, and he remains available for the right offer.

Snohomish product Adam Eaton is another intriguing possibility. With only one year left before free agency, and the Padres unlikely to retain him after 2006, San Diego general manager Kevin Towers is expected to listen to offers. Eaton is believed to have a preference for Seattle, given the proximity to his hometown and Safeco Field's reputation as a pitcher's ballpark.

The Padres need catching help, but one San Diego official said the club does not have interest in Yorvit Torrealba, one of Seattle's foremost trading chips. The Padres are fond of Gil Meche, but they could wait until the end of the month, at which point the Mariners may non-tender him.

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