IS SEATTLE A MATCH FOR DAYAN VICIEDO?

As sure as the sun will rise in the east and set in the west the Seattle Mariners will be interested in trading for Dayan Viciedo. Like Captain Ahab in his never-ending search for that damned white whale, the Mariners have long been connected to Viciedo. They've wanted him for years.

Time and time again you hear of rumors connecting the Mariners to Viciedo, but it never actually materializes. The White Sox were never ready to give up on Viciedo before, at least not at a price Seattle was willing to agree to. But things have changed with the Sox this winter. On Tuesday the Sox let it be known that Viciedo was available. They've seen enough.

And it seems the White Sox are much better anglers than Captain Ahab could ever hope to be, for their bait had barely made a ripple in the water before the Mariners had shown up.

The latest name on the Mariners’ radar could be an old trade target: Chicago White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo. 

Sources say the Mariners are showing increased interest in Viciedo as an alternative to fill their quest to obtain a right-handed power hitter to play right field. 

The possible turn toward Viciedo, 25, comes as negotiations with free-agent Melky Cabrera appear stalled. 

The Mariners also seem unable to persuade the Los Angeles Dodgers to relent on an insistence that either right-hander Taijuan Walker or lefty James Paxton be included in a deal for outfielder Matt Kemp.

We got a nibble! Reel it in!

A few weeks ago I'd have been delighted by this news, as I liked the idea of the Sox and Mariners working on a swap of Viciedo for Michael Saunders. That's off the table now as Seattle traded Saunders to Toronto for JA Happ last week. So while I'm still more than supportive of the idea to move Viciedo,  I just don't know what Seattle has that I actually would want.

We know the Sox are looking to upgrade left field, but the Mariners don't have a left fielder to give us or else they wouldn't need Viciedo. The Sox could use a third baseman if they don't want to rely on Conor Gillaspie again, but the Mariners just gave Kyle Seager $100 million, so he isn't going anywhere.

Would a pitcher work?

Even with Jeff Samardzija in the fold and Carlos Rodon looming down the road, the Sox could still use some help at the back of the rotation. Could a swap of Viciedo for Erasmo Ramirez or Brandon Maurer work? Should we want it to?

I can't lie, I'm ready to trade Dayan for just about anything at this point, but I'd like something useful in return if possible. Ramirez and Maurer have not lived up to the expectations that Seattle had for them, so I don't think the Mariners would be all that opposed to saying goodbye. Both are right handed, and neither are eligible for arbitration until 2017 or free agency until 2020. So they don't cost a lot.

Maybe Don Cooper can work some of that famed magic of his on them?

I don't know. Again, I'm not exactly enthusiastic about this idea. It's nice to know that the Mariners are still interested in Viciedo at this point, but they might be a fish we want to throw back. There could be a bigger prize out there lurking beneath the water if we're patient enough.