While consensus builds around a Mark Teixeira-to-Atlanta deal, it also takes all the oxygen from the room. A team who is consistently mentioned on the trade rumor circuit yet receives little more than a blurb in the daily updates is the Seattle Mariners.
The Seattle Times' Larry Stone has a second consecutive Sunday article that is devoted solely to the Mariners' trade intentions. Last week it covered Mariners' GM Bill Bavasi, and this weeks focuses more generically on the state of the Mariners trade efforts. From this Sunday's Seattle Times
Though the Mariners have so far made Jones off-limits to teams, they would likely listen to offers for just about any other prospect in the right deal. Teams are believed to asking most often about catchers Jeff Clement and Adam Moore (who has 19 homers and 81 RBI for Class A High Desert), outfielders Wladimir Balentien and Michael Saunders, and left-handed pitcher Ryan Feierabend. Balentien, putting up monster numbers but seemingly without a spot in an Ichiro-Jones-Jose Guillen future outfield, seems the likeliest chip for the Mariners to use for a big strike
If the Mariners are comfortable dealing any of those prospects, the Mariners will get what they have decided their team needs. Also in their favor is Bill Bavasi's willingness to make trades involving decent prospects. Last year he got Eduardo Perez and Ben Broussard for decent prospects, and no one should discount this past off-season's Jose Vidro trade.
This morning's Kansas City Star hints that their closer could be headed to Seattle for one of those well-regarded Mariners outfielders:
If Larry Stone's mention of a "Ichiro-Jones-Guillen future outfield" is solidly sourced, then Wladimir Balentien could be wearing a Royals uniform by dinnertime (East Coast) or lunch time (West Coast) on Tuesday.