The Seattle Mariners will invite 17 non-roster players to spring training next month, and there are a few familiar names among them – from catcher Jamie Burke to infielder Oswaldo Navarro and former Mariners pitching product Denny Stark.

Here’s the complete list:

Pitchers Eric Hull, Chris Jakauauskas, Shawn Kelly, Luis Munoz, Chris Seddon, Stark, Tracy Thorpe and Sean White

Catchers Burke, Adam Moore, Luis Oliveros.

Infielders Calix Crabbe, Navarro, Chris Shelton and Chris Woodward.

Outfielders Freddy Guzman and Prentice Redmon.

A few highlights from among those invited?

OK – outfielder Guzman, a switch-hitter, averaged 50 steals a season for eight minor league seasons, with a high of 90 steals.

Right-hander Jakbauskas ripped through Class AA last year and jumped to Class AAA Tacoma and went 8-1 with a 1.94 earned run average in relief.

Right-hander Kelly led the Mariners minor league system with 15 saves pitching at three levels, and has a 1.98 ERA in 61 professional games.

Catcher Moore batted .319 in Class AA with 14 home runs and 71 RBI. In his 107 starts, he hit .339.

Outfielder Redmond split time beween Class AA and Class AAA and combined to hit 25 home runs

Right-hander Stark, a fourth round Seattle draft pick in 1996, has a 15-13 big-league record in 64 appearances after going 11-4 with a 4.00 ERA for Colorado in 2000. Last season in the minors he went 6-3 with a 3.86 ERA – this two years after undergoing ‘Tommy John’ surgery.

I was going to post some links earlier, but I had stop for a moment and revel in something we haven't seen in weeks around here - the sun. Of course, now it's gone back to being gray and overcast, but there was a few hours of sunlight and slight warmth which made me think of baseball (it's probably warmer today than it will be at the home opener at Safeco).

Anyway, I haven't posted any links (or much else) in a while. So let's get to a few of them.

MLB.com's Jim Street has an update on the Mariners negotiations with un-signed first round draft pick Josh Fields.

Here's 710 KIRO's "Hot Stove League" show that talks with Jack Zduriencik. Here's hour no. 2 of the show.

The Tigers signed a left-handed Chinese reliever and in the story it says they outbid the Mariners for his services.

KC columnist Joe Posnanski uses some stats to compare and contrast Adam Dunn and Willie Bloomquist after Bloomquist signed with the Royals.

Former Mariner and current Orioles closer George Sherrill checks in with the Baltimore Sun and says he's feeling good.

This Washington Times story discusses how clubs are having to change their selling strategies for season tickets because of the economy, including talking with the Mariners about their strategy.

Along those lines, Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell also offers some thoughts about baseball and the current economic climate.

Apparently though, the economy isn't affecting the sale price of the Chicago Cubs. The going rate is now, $1 billion dollars.

Phillies pitcher Chan Ho Park has decided to not play in the World Baseball Classic and instead wants to focus on earning a spot in Philadelphia rotation.

Mets ace Johan Santana is also up in the air about playing. It certainly won't hurt the Mets feelings if he doesn't play and they are considering barring him from playing.

Elsewhere ...
Salon.com's King Kaufman is demanding that baseball writers start learning and embracing the new statistical measures out there.

Look, I don't understand every measure out there, and as Bill James mentions in this chat, no measure will ever be perfect and change will be constant, but I think you would be foolish to not at least make an effort to understand them and what they are trying to measure.

Also, this one has been bothering me, but the American Sportscasters Association has come up with a list of it's top 50 broadcasters. Vin Scully is No. 1 (no problem there), Dave Niehaus did not make the list (not completely surprised), but Chris Berman and Bill Walton making the list at No.'s 35 and 39, well that list loses most credibility right there.

Also, I really enjoy the ESPN ombudsman columns, because well, it's kind of strange to see someone taking the sports entertainment empire to task, but she does, and does it well. Check out this latest one.