The Mariners have re-signed 27-year old righty reliever Chad Cordero. He pitched in 14 games (6 starts) in Rookie + A-ball in which he was 0-3 with 1 save, a 9.42 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. Cordero last pitched in the majors during the 2008 season with the Nationals as he has spent most of the last two years trying to recover from labrum surgery. Cordero has pitched in 305 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 20-14 with 128 saves, a 2.78 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. This was a good move for the Mariners and Cordero as he has a huge upside if he can get right physically.

The Mariners have signed 31-year old switch hitting catcher Josh Bard to a minor league deal. Bard played in 90 games for the Nationals last season and he was 63 for 274 (.230 avg, .655 OPS) with 20 runs scored, 6 homers and 31 RBIs. He has now played in 521 games in his major league career and he is 411 for 1,585 (.259 avg, .715 OPS) with 148 runs scored, 34 homers and 199 RBIs. This was a good signing for the Mariners as Bard will likely make the team in 2010 as the back-up catcher.

The Mariners have signed 26-year old righty starting pitcher David Pauley to a minor league deal. Pauley pitched in 27 games (26 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 9-12 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He has also pitched in 9 games (5 starts) in his major league career and he is 0-3 with a 9.53 ERA and a 2.29 WHIP. He has allowed a stunning 54 hits in only 28 1/3 innings in his major league career to date. Pauley will likely start the season in AAA but I like this signing for the Mariners.

The Mariners have signed 33-year old righty reliever Mike Koplove to a minor league deal. Koplove pitched in 55 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 5-4 with 11 saves, a 1.87 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Koplove has pitched in 222 games (0 starts) in his 7 years in the majors and he is 15-7 with 2 saves, a 3.82 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. This was a good signing for the Mariners as Koplove will be given a chance to win a bullpen spot this spring.

The Mariners have traded 25-year old righty reliever/starter Brandon Morrow to the Blue Jays for 26-year old righty reliever Brandon League and a prospect who is yet to be named. Morrow pitched in 26 games (10 starts) for the Mariners last season and he was 2-4 with 6 saves, a 4.39 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. In three years with the Mariners, Morrow pitched in 131 games (15 starts) in which he was 8-12 with 16 saves, a 3.96 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. The Mariners never seemed to figure out what role to use Morrow in. That won’t be a problem with Brandon League who is a reliever all the way. He pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Blue Jays last season and he was 3-6 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. In his six years with the Blue Jays, League pitched in 168 games (0 starts) in which he was 7-10 with 2 saves, a 4.09 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. I’m thinking that the prospect the Mariners are going to get back in this trade will be a good one as Morrow is a better pitcher than League is.

UPDATE: The Mariners have acquired 20-year old righty swinging outfielder Johermyn Chavez to complete this trade. He was not one of the top 30 prospects in the Blue Jays’ system heading into the 2009 season but he had the best year of his career. Chavez played in 134 games in A-ball last season and he was 144 for 508 (.283 avg, .820 OPS) with 87 runs scored, 21 homers, 89 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He did whiff 137 times last season so he has some holes in his swing but he is really improving as a hitter. He has played in 335 games in four years in the minors and he is 311 for 1,191 (.261 avg, .747 OPS) with 175 runs scored, 34 homers, 167 RBIs and 27 stolen bases.