M’s sign Soriano to contract, avoid arbitration

The Seattle Mariners agreed to a one-year, $450,000 contract with middle reliever Rafael Soriano, avoiding salary arbitration.

The 26-year-old right-hander made his major league debut for Seattle in 2002 but missed the last half of the season with shoulder problems.

Soriano is 2-6 with 2 saves and a 3.24 ERA in 63 career major league games, all with Seattle. He has 112 strikeouts and 32 walks in 111 innings.

•The Mariners hired Bart Waldman as their new vice president, baseball counsel and associate general counsel.

Waldman had been the team’s outside counsel as a partner in the Seattle law firm Perkins Coie. He will handle contracts and labor matters for the Mariners under team executive Cylde H. MacIver.

Waldman graduated from Harvard, where he played baseball, in 1970, and from Georgetown University law school in 1978. He joined Perkins Coie Seattle that year and eventually specialized in sports, labor and employment law there. He has negotiated the building of Safeco Field, plus many business and player contracts for the Mariners.

Boone signs with Mets

The New York Mets agreed to a minor league contract with former Mariner Bret Boone, a move that shows Kaz Matsui’s hold on second base is tenuous.

A three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, Boone was cut by the Mariners on July 3, dealt to Minnesota eight days later, then released by the Twins on Aug 1. He batted .221 with seven homers and 37 RBIs in 326 plate appearances.

If added to the 40-man roster, the 36-year-old Boone would get a $1 million salary and the chance to make $500,000 in performance bonuses, a fraction of the $9.25 million he earned last year.

“I look at this as a tremendous opportunity,” Boone said in a statement released by the Mets. “Last year was a season I’d like to forget. The Mets have given me a chance to revive my career and I plan to make the most of it.”

MLB files for mediation with D.C.

Major League Baseball filed for mediation against the District of Columbia after the city failed to approve a lease for the Washington Nationals’ new ballpark by last Saturday’s deadline.

Washington agreed to the deadline in the 2004 deal between the city and the commissioner’s office that allowed the Montreal Expos to be moved to Washington for the 2005 season. The D.C. Council failed to vote on a revised lease last month after Mayor Anthony A. Williams apparently failed to garner enough votes for approval.

“We believe the best way to move the process forward for the benefit of the District’s baseball fans is through the mediation process,” said Bob DuPuy, baseball’s chief operating officer.

Around the league

The Chicago White Sox agreed with Rob Mackowiak on a $5.3 million, two-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. … The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired right-hander Jae Seo and left-handed reliever Tim Hamulack from the Mets for right-handed relievers Duaner Sanchez and Steve Schmoll. … The Brewers and reliever Dan Kolb agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract, one month after Milwaukee reacquired him from Atlanta. … The Rangers completed their six-player trade with the San Diego Padres to acquire right-hander Adam Eaton and reliever Akinori Otsuka. Texas also got minor league catcher Billy Killian, and sent right-hander Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Terrmel Sledge to San Diego. … Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior voided the final year of his contract, making him eligible for salary arbitration. … Relief pitcher Kerry Ligtenberg and the Florida Marlins agreed to a minor league contract. … Jeff Conine and the Baltimore Orioles finalized a $1.7 million, one-year contract. … Jeromy Burnitz finalized his $6.7 million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates after taking a physical, but only after the unhappy Baltimore Orioles said the outfielder’s agent backed out of a two-year deal. … Starting pitcher Shawn Estes and the Padres reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract.