February 2

Some days, Jim Bowden doesn't think he can get Junior Griffey before spring training, or even before next fall. Pat Gillick, when asked if he can bring Griffey to spring training with the Mariners and risk the distractions, says, "I really don't know."

Gillick has to get building blocks in exchange for one of the greatest players who ever stepped on a field. But he is limited by Griffey's rights, and Bowden is limited by financial resources. Bowden is reluctant to trade shortstop prospect Travis Dawkins or 18-year-old second baseman Antonio Perez -- who Bowden thinks "can be a star" -- because in a smaller market, one has to have players with zero to three years service time as building blocks. Gillick can't give up Griffey for a Denny Neagle or a deal that would bring Jim Edmonds because they, like Griffey, are in their walk years.

There are essential fiscal -- sometimes called philosophical -- differences that have slowed this down. Will it happen sometime next week? Probably, but not definitely, and Gillick denies that ownership has ordered a trade. "Still," says one person in the negotiations, "if anything gets done, it will be ownership-driven."

There obviously has to be a third team to bring outfielders, so after Scott Williamson and a couple of kids, Gillick has to get a couple of players like Brett Tomko and Dmitri Young and move them for a center fielder. Does he want Rondell White? Yes, and the Expos want to move White. Johnny Damon? Not sure. Edmonds? Not now. So, for now, the Mariners talk to the Mets about taking Dennis Cook's contract and working a three-way deal with Colorado that would get them Al Martin from the Pirates.

On the rumor front
Word this week is that Anaheim is frenetically trying to move Edmonds, but new GM Bill Stoneman still wants big-time talent in return. ... The Padres have one more hurdle on March 31 for their ballpark to proceed, as scheduled, so you will see a lot of teams looking at San Diego this spring and talking about a Sterling Hitchcock trade. ... George Steinbrenner reportedly is coming down hard on Brian Cashman over the Derek Jeter contract -- what's new? Of course, he's only one of the best minds in the game. The Boss has ordered a payroll slash that may mandate a Ramiro Mendoza trade. ... With D'Angelo Jimenez out for the year with a broken neck, the Yankees asked the Rockies for Aaron Ledesma, but the Todd Erdos offer didn't work. ... Juan Gonzalez is not going into Detroit to finalize his contract. "He's not going to sign the deal until his divorce is finished," says one executive. "But everyone thinks it's done."