SEATTLE – Former Wolf Pack outfielder Chris Gimenez has signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners. This comes just two days after the team decided not to tender him an offer, making him a free agent.

Gimenez played mostly as a catcher last season, batting .203 with a home run and six RBI in just 59 at-bats. He missed more than two months with a strained oblique muscle.

Gimenez has a career .171 average with five home runs and 21 RBI. He was originally a 19th round pick by the Indians back in the 2004 Major League Draft.

New information about Yu Darvish came out on Tuesday (Dec. 13), possibly indicating that the Seattle Mariners could have a good shot at signing him. Darvish is a Janese pitcher that could soon sign with a Major League team this season. He posted an 18-6 record with a 1.44 ERA last season with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

Posting bids on Darvish are due by 2 p.m. PT on Wednesday (Dec. 14) and it is at that point where the winning bid will get announced. The team that put up the highest posting bid will then have an exclusive negotiating window to get Darvish to agree to a contract. Earlier in the process it had seemed like the Texas Rangers were the team getting closest to signing Darvish, but they certainly don’t count as a West Coast team, no matter how many times ESPN wants to claim that.

Is it the case that Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik was referring to Darvish when he stated he was chasing a veteran starting pitcher? It’s certainly interesting to think about how nice a pitcher like Darvish would fit behind Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda in the starting rotation, but there is the over-reaching problem that this signing doesn’t address. By signing Darvish, the Mariners are doing nothing to fix the offense that came in as the worst in Major League Baseball during the 2010 season. That could really rub Mariners fans the wrong way, even if Darvish is a great pick-up this offseason.

Could the Mariners really pull off a scoop of the Rangers? That’s a nice momentum swing if it’s true, even if the franchise will have to make more moves this offseason to fix the holes in the offense. It could also seem like a move of desperation, especially if the club offered Prince Fielder a contract and already got re-buffed. Despite being this far into the offseason, the only hole that the Mariners have really filled is the backup catcher. There are still questions about finding power, who will play third base, who will play left field and how the Mariners are going to score more runs in 2012.

Darvish would certainly seem like a nice addition to the team, but only if there are more moves coming.

More From YCN :

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Possible Chone Figgins Trade Coming

Mariners Trade For Catcher

Mariners Release Spring Training Schedule

Mariners_2012_Schedule_Released

References:

Mariners_Pitching_Stats

Mariners_Hitting_Stats

Best_Mariners_Of_All_Time

Seattle_Mariners_Team_Page

*Ryan is a lifelong Seattle Mariners fan who never misses an opportunity to attend a game at Safeco Field. He has been attending games since 1985, and has fond memories of The Kingdome, Edgar Martinez, and the historic 1995 team. Sodo Mojo!

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

By MIKE CORDER

THE HAGUE, Netherlands () – Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Halman was stabbed to death early Monday and his brother was arrested as a suspect, Dutch police said.

Rotterdam Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said police were called to a home in the port city in the early hours of the morning and found the 24-year-old Dutch player bleeding from a stab wound.

The officers and ambulance paramedics were unable to resuscitate Halman.

Wessels said the officers arrested Halman’s 22-year-old brother. She declined to give his name, in line with Dutch privacy rules.

“He is under arrest and right now he is being questioned,” Wessels told The in a telephone interview. “It will take some time to figure out what exactly hpened.”

No charges have been filed in the case.

Halman hit .230 in 35 games and made starts at all three outfield positions for the Mariners in 2011 before being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

Mariners Chairman Howard Lincoln, President Chuck Armstrong and general manager Jack Zduriencik paid tribute to Halman on behalf of the club.

“Greg was a part of our organization since he was 16 and we saw him grow into a passionate young man and talented baseball player,” they said in a statement. “He had an infectious smile that would greet you in the clubhouse, and he was a tremendous teammate. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg’s family.”

Because he played professionally in the United States, Halman was not part of the Netherlands team that won the Baseball World Cup in Panama last month. The Dutch beat Cuba 2-1 in the final to become the first European team to win the title.

“The loss of a talented 24-year-old young man like Greg, amid such tragic circumstances, is painful for all of us throughout the game,” Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. “On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to the entire Mariners organization and to all those whose lives were touched by Greg.”

Born in the city of Haarlem, Halman played in the Dutch Pro League and was part of the gold-medal winning Dutch squad at the 2007 European Championship and played for the Netherlands at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Former major leaguer Robert Eenhorn, the technical director of the Dutch baseball association, said he was devastated by the news.

“The only thing I can say right now is we are deeply shocked,” Eenhorn, who played for the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels in the 1990s, told the . “All our thoughts are with his family and how they are going to have to deal with this tremendous loss.”

Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, also paid tribute to the slain player.

“Greg was passionate about the game of baseball and generously gave of himself to share his passion with others in an attempt to help grow the sport’s popularity across Europe,” Weiner said. “He will be sorely missed.”

Copyright 2011 The . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands () – Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Halman was stabbed to death early Monday and his brother was arrested as a suspect, Dutch police said.

Rotterdam Police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels said police were called to a home in the port city in the early hours of the morning and found the 24-year-old Dutch player bleeding from a stab wound.

The officers and ambulance paramedics were unable to resuscitate Halman.

Wessels said the officers arrested Halman’s 22-year-old brother. She declined to give his name, in line with Dutch privacy rules.

“He is under arrest and right now he is being questioned,” Wessels told The in a telephone interview. “It will take some time to figure out what exactly hpened.”

No charges have been filed in the case.

Halman hit .230 in 35 games and made starts at all three outfield positions for the Mariners in 2011 before being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

Mariners Chairman Howard Lincoln, President Chuck Armstrong and general manager Jack Zduriencik paid tribute to Halman on behalf of the club.

“Greg was a part of our organization since he was 16 and we saw him grow into a passionate young man and talented baseball player,” they said in a statement. “He had an infectious smile that would greet you in the clubhouse, and he was a tremendous teammate. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg’s family.”

Because he played professionally in the United States, Halman was not part of the Netherlands team that won the Baseball World Cup in Panama last month. The Dutch beat Cuba 2-1 in the final to become the first European team to win the title.

“The loss of a talented 24-year-old young man like Greg, amid such tragic circumstances, is painful for all of us throughout the game,” Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. “On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to the entire Mariners organization and to all those whose lives were touched by Greg.”

Born in the city of Haarlem, Halman played in the Dutch Pro League and was part of the gold-medal winning Dutch squad at the 2007 European Championship and played for the Netherlands at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Former major leaguer Robert Eenhorn, the technical director of the Dutch baseball association, said he was devastated by the news.

“The only thing I can say right now is we are deeply shocked,” Eenhorn, who played for the New York Yankees and Anaheim Angels in the 1990s, told the . “All our thoughts are with his family and how they are going to have to deal with this tremendous loss.”

Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, also paid tribute to the slain player.

“Greg was passionate about the game of baseball and generously gave of himself to share his passion with others in an attempt to help grow the sport’s popularity across Europe,” Weiner said. “He will be sorely missed.”

by KING 5 News

NWCN.com

Posted on October 24, 2011 at 7:48 AM

Updated
yesterday at 2:45 PM

Ken Griffey Jr. was honored Sunday with the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award, which recognizes achievements and contributions of historical significance in Major League Baseball.

Commissioner Bud Selig presented the award to Griffey in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday night in a ceremony before Game 4 of the World Series, reports MLB.com.

Griffey, who played for the Seattle Mariners from 1989-99 and again from 2009 until June 2010,  thrilled baseball fans throughout his 22-year career — making 13 All-Star teams, earning 10 Gold Gloves for his defensive prowess in center field, winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1997 and hitting 630 home runs, fifth all-time. He was named to Major League Baseball’s All-Century Team in 1999, a month shy of turning 30.

Griffey drew a record 50,044,176 All-Star votes; off the field, he devoted considerable time to numerous charities.

With virtually every endeavor, Griffey said his love of the game is what drove him.

“I came in this game just wanting to play baseball,” Griffey told MLB.com. “It wasn’t because I thought I was going to win an award. It was because of the guys that I watched on TV, not necessarily my dad, but everybody else, the smiles on their face.”

Griffey’s father also had an impressive 19-year Major League career as an outfielder. Griffy recounts how many notable baseball greats,  such as Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie Stargellsuch -  would visit the family home in Cincinnati. Griffey said he and his boyhood friends were especially impressed by Mays.

“We were like little kids when he came to the house,” Griffey said. He said Mays would discuss “the respect that he had for the game and the things that he went through to play this game, that a lot of us will never know and could never fathom what he had to deal with day in and day out. And from that point on, it was just go out and play. He said, ‘We did all the hard work. It’s time for you to just go out and play and have fun,’ and that’s the attitude that we all took.”

Many credit Griffey’s popularity to Major League Baseball’s survival in Seattle, where he began his career. The presence of Mariners president Chuck Armstrong and his wife, Susan, at Sunday’s ceremony attested to this.

“He is Seattle sports history,” said former Mariners catcher Dave Valle, now an MLB Network analyst. “Whenever you talk about the Northwest, he’s front and center, beyond all the people who played there. His legacy there, over the period of time that he played there, he had the biggest impact in that area. He put us on the m.”

Griffey — who played for the Mariners (1989-99, 2009-10), Reds (2000-08) and White Sox (’08) — is the 12th person to earn the award, which was created in ’98. He is the first recipient to receive the award since Jackie Robinson’s widow, Rachel, was honored in 2007 for sustaining her husband’s legacy.
 

Ken Griffey Jr. was honored with the commissioner of baseball’s Historic Achievement Award prior to Game Four of the World Series on Sunday for a superb career that began and ended with the Seattle Mariners.

“Ken Griffey Jr. was a gifted all-around player with a perfect swing, a brilliant glove and a childlike joy for the game,” commissioner Bud Selig said. “From the time he was just 19, Ken represented Major League Baseball with excellence and grace, and he was one of our sport’s greatest ambassadors not only in Seattle and Cincinnati, but also around the world.”

This will mark only the 12th time that Major League Baseball has bestowed the award, which was created in 1998 to recognize achievements and contributions of historical significance. Griffey is the first recipient of the Award since 2007, when Rachel Robinson was honored for continuing the legacy of her late husband, Jackie Robinson, and for her service to the league.

Griffey was a 13-time All-Star in his 22-year Major League career, playing for the Seattle Mariners (1989-1999, 2009-2010), the Cincinnati Reds (2000-2008) and the Chicago White Sox (2008).

“The Kid” guided the Mariners to the first two postseason berths in franchise history in 1995 and 1997.

With 630 career home runs, the unanimous 1997 American League Most Valuable Player (.304, 56 HR, 147 RBI, 125 runs) currently ranks fifth on the all-time list.

JUST A BIT OUTSIDE

When former President George W. Bush threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4, he was a bit wide of home plate.

The ball flicked off the catcher’s glove and hit a photogrher who was behind the plate.

The catcher was Nolan Ryan, a Hall of Famer and Rangers president who is more accustomed to throwing pitches than catching them. Manager Ron Washington and slugger Josh Hamilton were among those in the Rangers dugout who erupted in laughter when Ryan misplayed the ball.

While the photogrher was OK and able to laugh it off, he’s probably thankful that it was Bush and not Ryan who made the errant throw.

Ryan and Bush both had smiles on their faces after the ceremonial throw when they posed for a picture.