We have our position and they have their position

Bleeding Blue and Teal dont want Josh Fields.  Not the White Sox third baseman, this Josh Fields was the Mariner's first round pick in 2008 (20th overall).  Fields is a reliever from the University of Georgia who could make a quick jump to the MLB level.

This is interesting because negotiations started with Bill Bavasi, but will be finished (or not) with his replacement, Jack Zduriencik.

The quick rundown from mlb.com:

Former club executives Bill Bavasi, the general manager, and scouting director Bob Fontaine expected Fields to sign shortly after the College World Series. The organization offered the All-American closer $1.5 million, but under the advice of Boras, Fields held out for $2 million.

Neither side budged, so Zduriencik inherited the contract impasse when he became the Mariners GM in October.

"We have had discussions with his agent, Scott Boras, both in Las Vegas and again with him last week," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said during his guest appearance on the KIRO Hot Stove League show. "Sometimes these things are a little sensitive, but we are having discussions."

"We have our position and they have their position. Scott has been very gracious in our discussions of late. I don't have an answer right now. We'll try to go down that road and see how it works out."

This is one to watch, as Zduriencik may be drawing a line in the sand.  As a rookie GM, that is a dangerous thing to do - he will either have to back down, or will want to maintain his posturing and lose out on a draft pick that the rebuilding Mariners cant really afford to lose out on, especially not over $500k.  Fields is now only six months away from the 2009 draft, and virtually every big market team has a need for bullpen depth (as usual), so the loss will be Zduriencik's.

Comments

[Craig D.]

The longer it goes on, the more Fields needs to worry (well unless he thinks another team is going to draft him higher in June then he shouldnt sign anyways)

Zduriencik realizes he has higher priority needs of draft pick than relievers at the moment (The depth at middle infield and corner infield in the minors are bare)....Behind close doors he has to be super happy that Boras is demanding more than slot.

Everyone knows he would rather have the 21st pick in 2009 than to keep Bavasi's guy from 2008.

And the way it is laying out....Z is gonna smell like roses.....
Well, If Boras publically says he will sign for slot....lol...that would put a Bunch in Z' knickers and force him to sign him.

Sucks for Fields though, he couldnt have known the Mariners were gonna replace Bavasi when they initally demanded more.

Just hope he doesnt drop in the draft this year, the Top of the pitching depth is pretty decent.