The Mariners may not be done adding players for 2007, as general manager Bill Bavasi said Tuesday the club still sees room for improvement.

"You're never done," Bavasi said. "As of right now, I think our roster is improved. But we'd like to get better."

That's particularly true in the area of pitching. Seattle has added two starters since the end of the 2006 season in right-hander Miguel Batista (a free agent from the Diamondbacks) and left-hander Horacio Ramirez (in a trade with the Braves for reliever Rafael Soriano).

But the Mariners lost Gil Meche and Joel Pineiro in free agency, and Jamie Moyer during the season, so the additions only enable Seattle to tread water.

There isn't much out there that's going to excite Mariners fans, but there are some starting pitchers in whom the club has interest, including free-agent right-handers Tomo Ohka, Jeff Weaver and John Thomson.

Ohka, 30, was 4-5 with a 4.82 ERA in 18 starts with the Brewers last season. He did not pitch from May 2-July 17 because of an injury to his right shoulder that did not require surgery. He also missed two weeks because of a hamstring injury.

Weaver, 30, pitched his way out of the Angels' rotation (3-10, 6.29) and then finished the season with the world champion Cardinals, going 5-4 with a 5.18 ERA in 15 starts.

Thomson, 33, was 2-7 with a 4.82 ERA in 18 appearances (15 starts) with the Braves. He missed three months because of an injury to his right shoulder.

The trade route might be a little more promising, but only marginally. Seattle probably would have to trade away members of the starting lineup or give up on touted prospects such as catcher Jeff Clement or outfielder Adam Jones.

The club isn't going to trade for Randy Johnson -- the Yankees are listening to trade offers -- but right-handers Rodrigo Lopez (Orioles) and Brad Penny (Dodgers) might be available.

"We'll have to see how easy this will be," Bavasi said. "Will we look at free agents or trades? Probably a little bit of both."

Bavasi said if the club doesn't add pitching, "we're not panicked." But he also would like to beef up a bullpen that has seen Soriano depart and Mark Lowe taken out of the picture by injury.

The general manager isn't looking to make big offensive moves, although "we'll always keep looking for bench help."

"Offensively, it should be a much improved lineup," he said.

He's not just pointing to a new right fielder in Jose Guillen and a new DH in Jose Vidro.

"The lineup should be better partly because of the additions," he said. "But it also has to do with a little more experience on the part of some of the other guys."

Those include shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, second baseman Jose Lopez and catcher Kenji Johjima, all coming off their first full big league seasons.

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