Minor Additions

Well, folks, nothing to go nuts about, but we have a few more new Mariners. Today, Catcher Josh Bard and Reliever Chad Cordero were signed to minor league contracts and given spring training invitations. While they may not be early favorites for the All Star Game, or even on the major league roster for much of the season, these moves are about depth.

Josh Bard has kicked around both the American League (Cleveland Indians and Red Sox), as well as the National League (San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals), usually filling in as a backup catcher. He platooned with Wil Nieves for the Nationals last year (playing 90 games to Nieves' 72), put up some mediocre offensive numbers (a .230 batting average with 6 homers, 31 rbis, and 20 runs scored), and was about average behind the plate compared with other catchers.

Bard was picked up, because more than likely, he will share catcher duties with Rob Johnson until the Mariners promote Adam Moore to the big leagues to stay. Bard could see extensive playing time if it takes Johnson longer than previously forseen to recover from his offseason surgies. Either way, Bard is who the Mariners have in mind to platoon with Johnson and hold a spot for Moore, but he may become the starter should anything happen to change those plans.

Chad Cordero, on the other hand, was resigned from a contract he had signed with the Mariners' in the spring of 2009. The 2008 season saw only 6 appearances for Cordero when he was still with the Washington Nationals and the 2009 season were spent rehabbing with the Mariner minor league affiliates. However, Cordero has 128 career saves for the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals' organization and was named the National League Rolaids Relief Man of 2005, leading the league with 47 saves.

Cordero has been dominating in the past, and if he's healthy and back to form for the 2010 season, he'd make a fine addition to a bullpen that continues to strengthen itself. Get Stoked.