Mariners prepare for future

PEORIA, Ariz. -- They don't have a manager, but just about everyone else on the Mariners' management team is in town this weekend for the organizational meetings.

"There are several positives that come from these meetings," said Benny Looper, the Mariners' vice president of player personal and meeting coordinator. "It is the only time of the year when the scouting, development and front office staffs are together in the same place at the same time."

Most of the emphasis is on the minor-league level, partly because the Mariners don't have a manager. Lou Piniella, the Seattle skipper since 1993, won't return for his 11th season in 2003.

"Lou has been some of these meetings in the past," Looper said, "but even without him, we're not going to change our philosophy, as far as the kind of players we are looking for and how we develop them.

"(General manager), Pat Gillick, (assistants) Lee Pelekoudas and Roger Jongewaard and myself all are on the same page as far as what we are looking to put into the system and develop it. A new manager might have different ideas on how to put together the big-league club. Unless he comes from within, he wouldn't be familiar with what we have that might fill a gap."

Gillick said he actually wishes this organization meeting, which involves nearly 70 scouts, coaches and front office personnel, wasn't being held.

"We were in the playoffs the last couple of years so we didn't do this," he said. "So we really haven't had one of these for about three years. This is the first one since I have been her and that's what I told everyone today. I'd rather be in the playoffs and not have it."

The idea for the three-day session that ends Saturday afternoon is to make sure everyone is on the same page.

"We are all working toward the same goal," Looper added, "and that is to keep the organization competitive from the Major League team to the lowest level of minor-league team. This gives us a chance to review all of our players at the minor-league level and for coaches and scouts to give their opinions on who is a prospect and who isn't.

"We want to hear opinions. We don't want 'yes' men. It's like I tell our scouts, you might have 10 guys say a certain player isn't a prospect, one guy say he is and he's the one who is right. This isn't an exact science."

By having the meetings in Peoria, scouts get to see some of the players they scouted play in either the Arizona Instructional League or the Arizona Fall League.

"Some our newer scouts are seeing this complex for the first time," Looper said.

Not too long after the meetings end Saturday, several minor-league players who finished the 2002 season in the system will receive pink slips.

"Unfortunately, this is a numbers game business and we only have room for so many players," Looper said. "We need to trim our minor-league rosters down. There are going to be some guys we don't have a place for. We have to decide who stays, who goes and who we have to protect in the Rule V draft."

There also will be discussion about the six-year minor league players who became free agents on Tuesday.

Surgery ahead: Right-handed reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki apparently has decided to have surgery to remove a bone chip in his right elbow.

The franchise's all-time saves leader on Tuesday met with Dr. Katsuhisa Yamada, who performed surgery on the same elbow in the middle of the 1999 season. Yamada's latest surgery recommendation coincided with the opinions of Mariners medical director Dr. Larry Pedegana and another noted surgeon, Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels team physician.

It hasn't been determined when the operation will occur and who will be the surgeon. "I don't know for sure that he has agreed to have surgery," general manager Pat Gillick said Thursday night. "The only report I got was the doctor (Yamada) recommended to have (the bone chip) taken out."

Gillick said he is still waiting to hear from Tony Attanasio (Sasaki's agent) to clear things up.

"(Sasaki) just can't have it taken out without us approving the doctor," Gillick added. There is some question as to whether arthoscopic surgery is as prevalent in Japan as it is in the United States. The healing process takes considerably less time following arthoscopic surgery compared to the usual surgery.

The sore elbow limited Sasaki to just two back-to-back relief appearances in September. Overall, had a 2.52 earned-run average with 37 saves in 45 save opportunities and his 117 career saves is a club record.

Ichiro on display: Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki will meet the Major League All-Stat team in Japan next month, but doesn't have to stay in the same hotel as the big-league stars or attend the three-day workouts in Los Angeles before the team departs for Japan.

Ichiro hasn't played in Japan for two years but still is regarded as the most popular player in the country and will be the main attraction during the Nov. 8-17 All-Star tour. The seven-time Japan Pacific League batting champion had a .353 career average for the Orix Blue Wave - - and then became only the second player in MLB history to win the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards in the same year (2001).

Mariner Notes: Bench coach John McLaren was contacted Thursday and as was asked if he wanted to be interviewed for the managerial opening. McLaren said he would and figures to be one of the first candidates interviewed for the job. ... Stan Williams, the Mariners advance scout and close friend (and former pitching coach) for Lou Piniella, will remain with the Seattle organization. He recently signed a one-year contract extension. The 2003 season will be his 50th in baseball.