Seattle

We've already covered Brandon League, and I've tried to soothe Seattle's uncertain ego by establishing his rising value.

But what about this other guy, Johermyn Chavez?

Chavez is a 6' 3", slugging outfielder whose 220-pound frame will turn 21 on Jan. 26, 2010.

Kid can't even buy a drink yet.

An undrafted righty, Chavez was signed into the Toronto organization in 2005.  In four years in the Blue Jays' farm system, the young Venezuelan has demonstrated developing power.

In 2009, Chavez batted .283 with 21 homers and 89 runs batted in for Class A Lansing.

The Seattle Mariners are among three MLB teams that have never been to the World Series.

This season, they are hoping that will all change.

Aside from the 2004 WNBA Champion Seattle Storm, Seattle hasn't had a championship team since the NBA's Sonics won in 1979.

The Seattle Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Seattle Mariners won 393 games from 2000-2003, including an MLB-record 116 in 2001. The result? Two ALCS appearances, both lost to the New York Yankees.

It’s tough to go out on top when you’re a major sports star, whether it be actually winning a championship or choosing to retire when you’re still playing at a high level.

In terms of winning the top prize, just ask the likes of Dan Marino and Karl Malone, both of whom played for many years without reaching the pinnacle of their professions.

As we wait out Russell Branyan and look into signing Nick Johnson or trading for Andre Ethier, the Oakland Athletics may have done us a big favor.

They non-tendered Jack Cust.

His production slipped a little last year, which is a cause for alarm. He wasn't driving the ball like he had done before, as most of his flyballs found outfielders' gloves rather than one of a twelve year old in the right field stands.

According to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, the Seattle Mariners are "clear front-runners" to sign free agent third baseman Chone Figgins . The Mariners did offer Adrian Beltre , their starting third baseman for last several years, arbitration but he will likely sign elsewhere as he is only a Type-B free agent and his Gold Glove defence should be enough for him to get a contract he wants.

From what I’ve seen, the case that Edgar Martinez’s fans have cumulatively assembled to argue for him as Hall of Famer almost exclusively mentions only his statistical accomplishments as a hitter, gauged by both the traditional metrics and the advanced, sabermetric kind.

But of course it is people, not assemblages of statistics, who stand as candidates for the Hall of Fame, and that seems to be part of Edgar’s problem.

Edgar Martinez has made the final list of eligibility for the 2010 MLB Hall of Fame, and it’s a deserving achievement.

Martinez is deserving to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and when the voters sit down to decide if he should have their vote, they should make the correct decision and induct him.

The ballot for the 2010 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame was announced on Friday, and 26 players will be waiting on the phone call to join the most elite group in baseball.

WARNING: This article is heavily sabermetrics-oriented.

Assuming we don’t get a second baseman in return, which is quite unlikely, we’re obviously going to need someone to replace him.

In Geoff Baker’s recent article on the subject of trading Jose Lopez, he mentions both Orlando Hudson and Placido Polanco as potential free agent replacements, as well as the possibility of Matt Tuiasosopo or Bill Hall filling the void.