The Cruz contract came to mind, in fact.  2X$8M is easy.  And if he gets the PA's it means he contributed and we can live with an aged DH getting dumped in '16.
He is not my 1st pick, but he's a good get for the M's.
Really?  For Endy Chavez?  Yikes....

By any chance could we get a spectrometer/Brainstorm numbers readout for a couple of the young guys the Ms may be looking at - I'm intrigued by Junior Lake, Randal Grichuk, and Steve Souza, in particular, as perhaps having more upside than some of the older guys, as well as being more in the range I think the M's want to pay -- i.e., 2nd level (~ #5-20) prospects or change of scenery (Smoak, Ackley, Erasmo) kind of guys. I think for Byrd, Rios, Willingham and the like, they're going to give Hart as much chance as possible to turn it around before they move, and might, therefore, miss out again. With Lake or Souza, they can go to Tacoma, so they aren't necessarily in direct competition with Hart, but are more insurance policies that could pay off.

Sounds like a Bourbon street special, I know, but I'd like to see one of those overlay maps of where Byrd's home runs would have landed in Safeco. I know we want right handed power, but we need to consider (again) the Adrian Beltre Safeco effect. Will Safeco clip the Byrd wings?
A quick glance at his production over that past year and a half in three pitcher's to neutral parks suggests inconclusivity. B-Ref gives Philadelphia a slight favoring to to the pitcher (95 this season, 100 overall), and he's slugging .508 there, with 10 of his 18 home runs. But...of his 24 homers last season, only 7 were hit in Queens - which is actually considered more pitcher friendly than Safeco (94 vs. 95). No doubt this is part of what Jack's scouts are looking at - does he have power that will translate to Safeco? And...at his age, will he fade in the stretch like Raul did last season? Byrd had a good September last year, OPSing .825, but his slugging dropped nearly 100 points from his percentages in June, July and August (.462 vs. .553, .569, .542).
It's still an improvement, but I can't blame Jack (much as I want to) for looking closely at all his options, especially considering these trading partners are most likely still asking for the moon.
My guess is there's an offer on the table, Philly wants more, Jack may yet offer more, but he's looking at other more attractive targets at this time. And they too are asking for too much.

On most recent performance, you have to love Souza.  But Grichuk is one of those guys who got to each stage way ahead of the curve.  He is still only 22.  He doesn't walk much and he K's, but he can ride the ball.
The third year of Byrd is concerning....as is the 2nd half of the 2nd year, probably. But if he mashes for the next 70 games, he'll be worth $16M.  If Willingham is healthy, he'll likley perform as well (OPS) with the bat, but will get there in a different manner.  His glove isn't Byrd's...and Byrd's isn't special.
In some ways, Rios is the best bet.  He love to ground into DP's, however.  His homer scarcity this year is odd.  But you can buy him out for only a million clams for next year.
All bring something.  
Just bring Kelly with them.
 
 

Thanks Spec for the series... but I am not sold on Byrd.
My biggest issue is the salary, 'cuz I just do not think the M's have that much money to spend - either this year or next.... and $8 million is a lot of money for this Mariner management to spend.