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Seattle Mariners

Winter Meetings: Questions swirling concerning Mariners’ shortstops

From Wire Services

Other than their plan for finding a right fielder, the biggest question affecting the Mariners this week at the Winter Meetings in San Diego concerns their shortstops.

The two issues, as it turns out, might be related.

Start with this: The Mariners continue to field inquiries into the availability of shortstops Brad Miller and Chris Taylor.

“There’s good interest in there,” general manager Jack Zduriencik confirmed. “There’s interest from the Seattle Mariners, No. 1. And there’s interest in them from other clubs.

“Why wouldn’t there be? It’s a difficult position to fill.”

Sources say Miller was among the players included in a proposed deal with the Dodgers for outfielder Matt Kemp before talks stalled when Los Angeles insisted Taijuan Walker or James Paxton be included in the trade.

Generally, though, the Mariners show a preference for retaining both players as they put together their 2015 roster.

“I think they both showed us things that we liked last year,” Zduriencik said.

The 25-year-old Miller opened the season as the starter but struggled defensively and, while he showed flashes, never settled into a productive offensive groove in finishing with 10 homers, 36 RBIs and a .221 average.

The Mariners promoted Taylor, 24, on July 24 from Triple-A Tacoma, and he responded by batting .287 with a .347 on-base percentage in 47 games.

Since Taylor started 40 of 61 games after arriving, he seemingly enters spring camp as the incumbent. But Miller figures to get a long look because, simply, the Mariners want to find a spot for him.

“I think this kid is going to hit,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “You look at what he did in the minors. That doesn’t just happen. And we’ve seen a little of that up here. He’s a good athlete. He can do a lot of things.”

Clearing the bases

A person familiar with the negotiations says Francisco Liriano is staying with the Pirates, agreeing to a $39 million, three-year contract. The 31-year-old left-hander joined the Pirates for the 2013 season and went 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA. He dropped to 7-10 with a 3.38 ERA this season. … All-Star catcher Miguel Montero has been traded from Arizona to the Chicago Cubs in a deal that relieves the Diamondbacks of having to pay $40 million over the next three years. Arizona receives minor league right-handers Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley. … A person familiar with the negotiations says the Braves have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent infielder Alberto Callaspo. The 31-year-old Callaspo played second base, first base and third base last season for Oakland.