While there were brief rumors of Johnny Damon being on the Mariner's most wanted list, I heard from an inside source that the payroll was locked up for all but the cheapest acquisitions. As Dave Cameron aptly detailed, Eric Byrnes fit the needs of a RH outfielder almost perfectly. The Diamondbacks sent Byrnes packing, designated for assignment with a year remaining on his contract after two injury shortened years. The Mariners picked up Byrnes for the league minimum, which means if he returns to anything close to his former level there's a huge upside considering his respectable .763 career OPS. Sitting out a majority of post-All Star break 2009 due to hand surgery may have given him enough time to fully recover from the nagging hamstring injury that hampered 2008 performance and lingered into 2009 spring training. I'll give better than even odds we might actually see Eric Byrnes in the Mariners lineup against lefties.

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