The Seattle Mariners moved two right-handed pitchers from their 40-man roster to the minor leagues – and lost two players, left-hander Jake Woods and infielder Yung Chi Chen in player transactions.

Pitchers Jared Wells and Joe Woerman accepted assignments to the minors, but Woods did not and became a free agent.

And Chen, a 25-year-old with a history of injuries, was claimed off waivers by Oakland.

The moves left the Mariners 40-man roster at 36, giving general manager Jack Zduriencik room to maneuver in the coming weeks.

Chen played in 69 games fofr Tacoma last season before knee sidelined him. Woods, 27, was acquired off waivers in in 2005 and went 7-4 with a 4.61 earned run average in 56 appearances with Seattle.

Wells, 27, came to the Mariners last May in the Cha Seung Baek trade to the Padres, and led the Pacific Coast League with 20 saves. In six appearances with Seattle, he pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed six runs.

Woerman, 25, started 21 games last year, splitting time between Class AA and Class AAA. Combined, he went 3-11 with a 6.69 earned run average.

None of the four were expected to challenge for a job in spring training.

You can't say the Mariners aren't moving this managerial search along - Oakland bench coach Don Wakamatsu's interview this morning was the team's fourth in three days.

And number five - Portland Beavers manager Randy Ready - will include dinner with general manager Jack Zduriencik tonight.

Wakamatsu asked and answered questions:

"This is club a lot of smart people picked to win 90 something games last year," he said. "Tampa went from rebuilding to almost winning a World Series. This is a young, athletic team. Maybe with some instruction, some prodding, this team could win in a hurry.

"I had questions: did we want to win now, is it a rebuilding year – a lot like the questions they had for me.

"It’s important we’re on the same page. Anybody can come in and say ‘I want to win right away,’ but you have to be realistic. There’s work to be done this winter."

Wakamatsu would love to be part of it - Zduriencik already is.

It's one thing to listen to a managerial candidate talk to the local media after his job interview, often another to see what he has to say when he gets back home.

Boston coach Brad Mills talked to the Boston Globe a day after his interview with the Mariners.

"I had really prepared for an interview my whole career," Mills said. "Manager in the minor leagues 11 years, being in the major leagues for 10 years as a coach and a scout. All those experiences came to light."

Mills also talks about getting to the Boston airport at 6 a.m. Monday only to see his flight cancelled - and credits the Mariners for getting him to Seattle, anyway.

Read Mills interview, including quick thoughts on fellow candidate DeMarlo Hale, in its entirety here.

The Seattle Mariners haven’t changed their Major League roster, but new GM Jack Zduriencik’s front office team continues beating the bushes for talent – and they’ve come up with a first baseman.

Ian Michael Bladergroen, 25, is a long (6-foot-4) and lanky (195 pounds) left-handed hitter with power who played last year with the Independent League Lancaster Barnstormers, batting .260 with 15 home runs and 51 RB I in 89 games.

Drafted by the Mets, traded to the Red Sox, Bladergroen has never played as many as 100 games in a season. No, the Mariners don’t view him as the answer. Yes, they do see him – like outfielder Steve Moss, signed two weeks ago – as a player who can fill a role in the minor league system while they take a look at him.