The Deal Jim Hendry Should Make

However, the Mariners finished 2008 in a tailspin. They had the worst record in the majors and were not competitive in an American League Western division that had one team, the Angels, near qualifying for the postseason. The talent void on their roster is as big as their outfield, and there aren't trains coming into Seattle with players to help.

There is a way the Cubs and Mariners could reach a deal that would both help move the Mariners back into a competitive place in their division quickly and help the Cubs solve many of their issues on the field and in October in one trade.

Seattle ranked in the bottom five in the majors in offense in 2008. They had two players hit 20 home runs, one reach 100 runs batted in, and Ichiro was their only player to hit over .300. 

Raul Ibanez, the team leader in runs batted in and second on the roster in homers, is a free agent this winter and will have any number of teams interested. Making these number even worse: The Mariners had a team payroll within $700,000 of the Cubs. They need help.

So what I am proposing is a deal that helps both teams. Seattle sends Ichiro and a player to be named to the Chicago Cubs for Derrek Lee, Kosuke Fukudome, and Jason Marquis.

This deal makes sense on a number of levels. For Seattle, one position they have been hurting at for the past few years has been first base. This season, it got bad enough that Richie Sexson was cut completely. One player that has seemingly been on the decline in Chicago the past few years is their first baseman, Lee.

Lee is still playing at a good level, hitting .291 with 20 home runs and 90 runs batted in. A team as offensively in need as Seattle is would lick their chops to have a middle of the order bat that's signed through 2010 at $10 million per.

Kosuke Fukudome moving to Seattle would also fix a couple issues. The Mariners, in giving up Ichiro, would be able to move Fukudome into their marketing pieces in the East. He would also help them to fill the void in the outfield left by either Ichiro or Ibanez.

His play in the outfield never suffered while his hitting declined. Fukudome is also signed through 2011, with an escalating salary of $11.5, $13 and $13.5 million the next three seasons, respectively.

With Ibanez and disappointing pitcher Eric Bedard's combined $13 million salaries coming off the Mariners' books in 2009, the would more than be able to stomach the team salary increase from Ichiro's $17 million to a potential $23 million in 2010, especially for two players. Bringing in a solid clubhouse presence like Lee would help recruit other players to come to the Northwest as well.

Adding Marquis to this mix would help buoy a pitching staff that is as thin as its ace, Felix Hernandez. The Mariners are looking at a potential exodus of their existing talent. Adrian Beltre, Jarrod Washburn, and Miguel Batista are free agents after 2009.

If they do not bring back Bedard, Marquis' track record of eating innings and winning between 10 and 14 games would be a welcome addition. Though Marquis is also a free agent after 2009, a rental to fill their rotation at under $10 million that could fill as many innings as Marquis does could be a potential steal for the Mariners.

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