Now that the St. Louis Cardinals have secured yet another World Series trophy to cram into their display case, it's officially time to look forward to next season. What does 2012 hold for the Seattle Mariners?
Bud Selig delayed the start of free agency, but it will officially begin at 9:00 PM PST on Saturday night. Teams have an exclusive negotiating window with their free agents that will last until November 3.
The Mariners, of course, have problems that go well beyond which free agents they do or do not choose to re-sign, but it's best to be familiar with who is possibly leaving, and who could perhaps be convinced to stick around.
Free Agents: Infielder Adam Kennedy, DH Wily Mo Pena, catcher John Bard, pitcher Jamey Wright
Arbitration-eligible: Pitchers David Aardsma, Brandon League and Jason Vargas, infielder Luis Rodriguez. Chances are good that Shawn Kelley will be eligible as a Super 2.
There doesn't look to be a whole lot of wiggle room in the payroll for next year, so it will be very interesting to see who the Mariners pursue in the free agent market.
Who do you want the Mariners to retain? Who could you live without? Discuss the possibilities with your fellow M's fans by visiting Lookout Landing.