Seattle Mariners Get Defensive, Ink Jack Wilson to Two-Year Deal

I have never met Seattle Mariners’ general manager Jack Zduriencik. As a matter of fact, if he delivered the bacon cheeseburger I ordered from the diner last night to my apartment, I wouldn’t have recognized him.

But I will tell you this: I really like the guy. I like the guy because in a sport where so many of its general managers don’t have a plan of attack, Zduriencik clearly does.

Zduriencik is determined to build the Mariners around pitching and defense and on Friday he took another step towards executing his plan.

Yesterday, the Mariners signed shortstop Jack Wilson to a two-year deal worth $10 million. The deal cancels out the $8.4 million option Seattle had for Wilson.

The Mariners acquired Wilson from the Pittsburgh Pirates last year, along with Ian Snell and Ronny Cedeno for Jeff Clement and three minor leaguers.

Wilson is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game and, along with Franklin Gutierrez and Jose Lopez, gives the Mariners a more than solid up-the-middle defense.

The biggest reason the Mariners went from 61 wins in 2008 to 85 wins in 2009 was because of defense. Zduriencik replaced Raul Ibanez, Jeremy Reed, and Yuniesky Betancourt from the 2008 team with Endy Chavez, Gutierrez, and Wilson in 2009.

That is a massive upgrade defensively. I mean it’s really night and day.

Chavez is a free agent, but with Zdurienciks’ track record so far, you have to feel confident if you are a Mariners fan that he will find a replacement suitable both offensively and defensively.

I still contest the Mariners need a big bat in the middle of their lineup in order to take the next step, but they are clearly moving in the right direction.

Wilson was a good value sign by the Mariners.

Just another piece in the defensive puzzle for Zduriencik.

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