One encouraging factor about Jack Zduriencik, the Mariners' new general manager, is an apparent open-mindedness to considering a variety of ways to evaluate a player. And, by extension, to build a baseball team.

 

His first outside hire with the Mariners, Tony Blengino, is testimony to that. Blengino, a former certified public accountant and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), has a strong background in statistical analysis. Thanks to John Delahanty for remembering Tony Blengino was featured in SABR's "Meet a Member" a couple of years ago: Meet a Member: Tony Blengino.