Could affect the Koch situation greatly,

 

For the second time this week, the Mariners were rebuffed in an attempt to make a deal.

 

Jeff Cirillo has exercised his limited no-trade clause, refusing to go to the Mets in a proposed deal for Roger Cedeno, the Seattle Times reported on Saturday.

 

 

"We had a deal worked out with a club, but the player has contractual rights, and he exercised his rights," Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi told the newspaper. "So he is still a Mariner, until told otherwise."

 

 

"I'd rather sit on the bench in Seattle where my kids are," Cirillo told the newspaper, "than sit in New York without my family around me."

 

 

Asked about Cirillo's decision to exercise his no-trade rights, his wife Nancy told the newspaper, "Didn't anyone know? No one asked before."

 

 

Earlier in the week, the Mariners thought they had acquired veteran shortstop Omar Vizquel from the Indians. However, Vizquel failed his physical, putting that deal on hold.

 

 

Cirillo agreed recently to cut the number of clubs in his no-trade clause. But both New York teams were believed to be on his shortened list, according to the paper. Mariners officials believed he would approve the trade because of his desire to get away from the Mariners.

 

 

Asked if he saw a release coming, Cirillo told the paper, "It's a big check to write." Cirillo is still owed $15.125 million on his contract.

 

 

"My intention is to go to camp and play the best I can for Seattle, but I can't see myself walking through the Mariners' door in spring training, and I told them that," he told the paper. "You're trying to win a championship and, especially with new guys on the team, you don't need the distraction.

 

 

"I appreciate Bill being honest with me today, he seems like a great guy, but I wish someone from the Mariners had talked to me before. It's a bad situation. I've played so poorly it's come to this. I really wanted it to work in Seattle; maybe I wanted it too much."

 

 

The Mariners signed Scott Spiezio to play third base. Last season, Cirillo played strong defense but continued to be a liability at the plate. A two-time All-Star when he played in Milwaukee and Colorado, Cirillo hit .205 in 87 games last year after hitting .249 in 146 games the year before.

 

 

The Mets are trying to unload Cedeno, who also has a big contract and has been a disappointment after signing as a free agent before the 2002 season.

New sig says it all, DBAH0....I better not see anyone named Cedeno on the Sox roster in 2004