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The Seattle Mariners told Jeff Nelson they did not trade him to the Yankees because he criticized them for not making a major move before the trading deadline in July. Nelson still suspects that was the reason, but Seattle's general manager, Pat Gillick, denies it.

"Absolutely not," Gillick said Friday. "We have to do what we feel is best for the club. He can make comments. You can't be that thin-skinned."

The Mariners claimed Armando Benitez off waivers, the Yankees claimed Nelson, and the sides traded relievers Wednesday. Gillick said Benitez was a better fit for Seattle for several reasons.

"Our situation right now is that our closer's been out for two months," Gillick said, referring to Kazuhiro Sasaki. "We're not really certain when he's coming back. Nelson's role was as a setup guy for most of his career, whereas Benitez has been a closer. Plus, he gets left-handed batters out better than Nelson. We only have one left-hander in our bullpen."

Sasaki has been on the disabled list since early June with broken ribs. The Mariners hope to activate him Monday, but he will not return to closing immediately.

ON THE MONEY: The age of wanton multiyear contracts in baseball could be nearing an end.

If the flagging economy doesn't do it, then the paltry performance of many of the players who were rewarded with huge deals in the profligate climate in the late 1990s should serve as a cautionary tale for owners.

Does the name Jeff Cirillo ring a bell?

The Mariners are still on the hook for the final two years of the four-year, $29.05 million deal he signed with Colorado and took with him to Seattle in last year's trade. After this season, the underachieving Cirillo still will be owed nearly $15 million through 2005.

This season has seen a staggering amount of contracts that owners have been forced to eat, the latest being the $15.67 million the Angels swallowed when they cut pitcher Kevin Appier.

That broke the record for the most money paid to a player not to play, set earlier this season by the Tigers when they dumped Damion Easley with $14.3 million still owed to him.

The Pirates released Kevin Young with $3.25 million remaining; Greg Vaughn still was owed $9.25 million when he was cut by the Devil Rays. Then there's long-departed Matt Williams, owed $6.6 million by the Diamondbacks; Jeffrey Hammonds, owed $5 million by the Brewers; and Todd Van Poppel, owed $4.75 million by the Rangers.

Detroit president Dave Dombrowski makes the salient point that the money already is committed, whether you have the player or not. Sometimes, it's better to admit your mistake and move on.

"You're generally going to be bringing up a minimum-salary guy, so you're only talking about $300,000 more," he said.

Dombrowski believes owners might be more wary of whom they reward in light of all the bloated contracts teams throughout baseball are struggling to escape.

"It makes you more aware of the ramifications of giving (contracts) to people that aren't that certain level of talent," Dombrowski said. "... The big contracts are still out there for the star players - look at Jim Thome last year, and Alex Rodriguez - but who you give them to is always something you analyze pretty heavily."

HOT STUFF: With Mark Grudzielanek out for a month with a broken hand, the Cubs are looking for a second baseman. They've been shadowing the Devil Rays' Marlon Anderson.

The Cubs also are interested in Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, but he initially has declined to waive his no-trade clause. If he changes his mind, he'll platoon with Eric Karros.

• Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty has hinted that he still might add a starter, because the pitcher he targeted before the deadline wasn't traded. Speculation has centered on Montreal's Javier Vazquez and Livan Hernandez and Toronto's Kelvim Escobar.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Newly acquired Dodgers third baseman Robin Ventura, 36, on his first career inside-the-park home run, last Sunday against the Braves: "Usually someone has to go on the DL for me to get even a triple."

NICKNAME OF THE WEEK: San Diego's new Petco Field is scheduled to open next season, but some of the locals already are calling it The Litter Box.

AROUND THE BASES: Expos manager Frank Robinson calculates that it will take 90 to 92 wins to capture the National League wild card this year and believes his team still has a chance. "With this ballclub healthy, I think we have enough to make a run," he said.

• Padres pitcher Kevin Jarvis has heard he could be part of the rumored megadeal that would send Pirates outfielder Brian Giles and catcher Jason Kendall to San Diego. And even though he has no say in the matter, he wants no part of it. "I have no desire to go to Pittsburgh," he said. "They're going in a different direction." Apparently, Jarvis didn't notice that the Pirates had eight more wins and 12 fewer losses than the Padres.

• Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly had some pointed words for Luis Gonzalez after the outfielder overran third base and was tagged out Tuesday. "I told him that we do wash our uniforms after every game, so it's OK to go ahead and slide," Brenly said.