There was a lot of Mariner news tonight, so I figured I'd start chipping away at it by first tackling the story I find to be most inconsequential. And the story I find to be most inconsequential is that the Mariners re-signed Josh Wilson to a one-year Major League contract, rather than non-tendering the 29 year old plush teddy bear.
For Josh Wilson the person, this has to be a happy day, because he was arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career, and he now stands to make more than he's ever made in his life. This isn't guaranteed, as the Mariners could conceivably still cut him in Spring Training and only be on the hook for a fraction of the cost, but it's a good position for Wilson to be in anyway, at least for a guy like Josh Wilson.
For the Mariners, and for the rest of us, this obviously doesn't mean a whole lot, as Wilson is kind of bad, having posted a .572 OPS a year ago over nearly 400 trips to the plate. He's versatile, and he's able to be stowed away in a carry-on suitcase, but he doesn't actually make much of a positive contribution, which is ultimately the most important point. Re-signing Josh Wilson doesn't push the Mariners towards a championship.
But when you look up and down the roster right now, what you'll find is that Wilson is the team's only capable utility infielder, as Matt Tuiasosopo moves around like he's walking on stilts. There's Luis Rodriguez, of course, who signed a minor league contract a little while back, but Rodriguez is an unknown, as this team has yet to see him for itself. A little familiarity isn't the worst thing in the world.
We'll see if Wilson sticks, as the 40-man roster is nearly full and there are moves to be made yet. The team could still go out and find another infielder. If they don't, they'll go into camp looking for Dustin Ackley to force his way into the starting gig at second base. If Ackley can do that, then I'd expect the utility battle to come down to Wilson and Rodriguez. If Ackley needs a little more time, I could see Wilson and Rodriguez both making the roster, although I'll freely admit that I might find Rodriguez more interesting than most anyone else. Given that it's December 2nd, maybe it's too early for me to be looking ahead to next March.
For now, Josh Wilson remains a Mariner. Be as excited as you want to be.