Mariners Net an On-Base Percentage Machine, But Who'll Drive Him In?

Baseball's winter meetings are over, and the only important local news is this: the Seattle Mariners will pay $36 million over the next four years for the services of longtime Los Angeles Angel infielder Chone (pronounced "Shawn") Figgins.

Figgins brings along a career .363 on-base percentage, speed on the basepaths, and defensive versatility--having played every position except catcher and first base.

The 31-year-old Floridian (full name: Desmond DeChone Figgins) reached base in nearly four out of every ten plate appearances last season. His .395 on base percentage would've led the 2009 Mariners, with only Ichiro even close at .386. Figgins' 42 stolen bases would also have lead the team (Ichiro again, with 26).

But Figgins is not going to score without assistance. He's hit just 9 home runs in the past 3 seasons, and, fast as he is, stealing home is not a reliable source of run production.

With Russell Branyan and Adrian Beltre now free agents, the Mariners' best slugger is second baseman Jose Lopez. However, it is a not too closely guarded secret that current Mariners management wants Lopez to go away, feeling that his substandard defense and proclivity for strikeouts cost the team more than his 25 home runs are worth.

The late-'90s Mariners did not have this problem. With a younger Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Alex Rodriguez and Edgar Martinez, they set a major league record for home runs in a season. They also didn't reach a World Series.

The best Mariner team ever, the 116-win 2001 squad, had a much more balanced attack, leading the AL in on-base percentage and stolen bases. However, they also ranked 4th in slugging.

The 2009 Mariners were 2nd-to-last in the AL in slugging, at just .402. Though the Figgins signing improves their last-in-the-league OPB, the potential losses of Beltre, Lopez and Branyan sink their slugging even more.

Branyan and Adrian Beltre could still re-sign with the Mariners, though both are clearly at the tail ends of their careers, and Beltre's offense was dismal last season.

GM Jack Zduriencik can't possibly be done filling this roster. The latest rumor is that he's trying to trade for Padres' slugger Adrian Gonzalez. Yes, please.

Power hitters left on the free agent market include Jim Thome, Carlos Delgado, Vladimir Guerrero, and Hideki Matsui. Turn on the power, Jack!