Mariners name Zduriencik GM

The Seattle Mariners yesterday hired Milwaukee Brewers special assistant Jack Zduriencik as their general manager.

The 57-year-old Zduriencik replaces Bill Bavasi, who was fired in June, and takes over for interim GM Lee Pelekoudas. Known for his skill in drafting players, Zduriencik worked with Brewers GM Doug Melvin.

Since Zduriencik's arrival in Milwaukee in 1999, the team drafted Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks as well as 2007 National League Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun, J.J Hardy, Corey Hart, Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra, and Tony Gwynn Jr. - the young foundation of the Brewers' playoff team this season.

"Seattle is an outstanding organization with great fans, a great ballpark, and an ownership group committed to the goal of bringing a World Series to the Northwest," said Zduriencik, who has worked with major league teams for 25 years. "I believe that working together, we can make the Mariners a model franchise. I am looking forward to getting to work immediately."

He's got a tall task. Seattle just became the first team with a $100 million payroll to lose 100 games.

Astros promote Romero

The Houston Astros promoted third base coach Ed Romero, a former Red Sox utilityman, to bench coach after Jackie Moore was hired by the Texas Rangers. The Astros then hired Dave Clark, the manager of their Triple A affiliate in Round Rock, Texas, to replace Romero. Houston also announced that it has retained hitting coach Sean Berry, pitching coach Dewey Robinson, first base coach Jose Cruz, and bullpen coach Mark Bailey . . . The Rangers hired former Oakland A's manager Moore as bench coach and Dave Anderson as third base coach. Moore, who managed the A's from 1984-86, was the bench coach for the Houston Astros this year after spending the previous eight seasons as manager of their minor league affiliate in Round Rock, Texas. This will be Moore's fourth stint with the Rangers. He was a coach from 1973-76 and returned to coach third base in 1980. Moore and Anderson replace Art Howe and Matt Walbeck, who were fired shortly after the season.