2003 Off-Season
We just wanted to improve the club through free agency. We had the most money to work with, but realizing that the majority of players had no desire to play for a last-place team. That was the biggest knock against us being able to outbid teams for a lot of the players I would've preferred to have.
That said, we didn't do bad at all. Far surpassing my expectations.
KEY SIGNINGS
SP Pedro Martinez 6 yrs./$84 million
SP Jim Coates 4 yrs./$20.75 million
1B Brian Daubach 3 yrs./$4.95 million
CF Kenny Lofton 4 yrs./$3.6 million
SP Shawn Estes 4 yrs/$29.8 million
RF Karim Garcia 2 yrs/$5 million
KEY TRADES
Acquired Ken Griffey, Jr. from Cincinnati for 1B Clay Bellinger and CF Michael Wilson (20, absolutely stud...::sniffles:
(Logic of trade: I wanted to resurrect his career. I figured bringing him back to the Pac Northwest would do it for him and being in the AL would help. We restructured his contract to make him a Emerald for the rest of his career. But alas, the marriage would not last long)
Acquired: 2B Jose Vidro, RP Scott Stewart from DC for SP Jim Coates and Shawn Estes
Rationale: We ended up needing those guys more and it wasn't about the money, seeing as DC had moved, could pony up the money, but might have been able to get them otherwise. The deal works for both teams..or at least, I think so.