TUCSON - For those who wonder where all the money came from that major league teams spent during the offseason, the Seattle Mariners provided some insight.

While attendance at Mariners games was down last year, the team posted a $23.3 million profit, according to documents the Mariners are required to file with the state of Washington's MLB Stadium Public Facilities District as part of the lease on Safeco Field.

Major league teams received a significant boost in revenues because of the sale of the Washington Nationals, increased national broadcast revenue and the revenues from advanced media, which includes MLB.com. Major league baseball's Web site has expanded into running a variety of Internet sites for other entities.

And there were some significant expenditures in the offseason. In the past 12 months, seven contracts of six or more years have been signed by players, the most in a 12-month period since 11 were signed during the 2000 calendar year.

The eight-year deal that outfielder Alfonso Soriano signed with the Cubs was the longest given since the 2000 winter meetings, when Mike Hampton signed for eight years with Colorado, Manny Ramirez for eight with Boston and Alex Rodriguez for 10 with Texas.

Hampton, who has two years left on his deal, is now in Atlanta, and Rodriguez is with the Yankees - the Rockies and Rangers picking up significant portions of those contracts.

Center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. was a huge benefactor of the offseason spending spree, receiving a five-year, $50 million deal from the Los Angeles Angels after hitting .313 with 19 home runs and 79 RBI for Texas last year. That's 50 points above his career average, and those were career highs in home runs and RBI.

Next thing the Angels knew, Matthews was identified as one of the players who was part of a probe into the distribution of human growth hormone. Matthews hired criminal defense attorney Robert Shapiro, who represented O.J. Simpson. He also has hired a media relations consultant.

Matthews has declined to discuss the allegations, which has upset owner Arte Moreno and general manager Bill Stoneman, who told the media earlier this week, "It's certainly not the ideal way to start a five-year relationship with a guy. What we've made clear to him is that we would like him to come out and get the facts out."

Overheard

• Right-hander Wade Miller and left-hander Neal Cotts are getting legitimate shots at earning the fifth spot in the Cubs rotation in light of continuing concerns about right-hander Mark Prior.

Prior failed to get through two innings in his spring debut. Six of the nine hitters he faced reached base. His fastball was steady, between 84 and 86 miles per hour.

• Right-hander Kris Benson is two weeks into his attempt to rehabilitate his partial right rotator cuff tears but says he still has pain. If things aren't better in the next two weeks, he will have to undergo surgery.

• Outfielder Delmon Young is making a strong enough impression that the Devil Rays are looking at him to hit third and moving left fielder Carl Crawford back into the No. 2 slot.

Readers' turn

Peter King asks, "Are the Red Sox simply waiting to see how Todd Helton does in spring training before they come for him, or is this deal really dead?"

Peter, it would be a surprise if the deal is revived. The Rockies wanted the Red Sox to include a quality prospect and assume more of Helton's contract. When that didn't happen, the talks stopped.

There are some hard feelings between the two teams, and it might be awhile before they attempt to do any type of deal again. Also, there is Helton's no- trade power. He has indicated he gave the Rockies a chance to move him but has no intention of making trade talks a regular part of his career from now until the end of 2011, when his contract expires.

For Tracy Ringolsby's response to readers' questions and to ask questions of your own, check out Rockies Inbox at www.Rocky MountainNews.com/rockies.

Two cents' worth

Roger Clemens knows how to get the natives restless in Houston. He showed up at the Yankees' exhibition game Wednesday night, spent some time on television and exchanged pleasantries with owner George Steinbrenner.

Next thing he knew, the speculation was growing about what Clemens plans to do.

Forget about it.

Right now, all Clemens knows is that he plans to hang around until June and then pitch again. And he has narrowed his choices to Houston, the Yankees or the Red Sox.

The feeling is that the Astros can relax. His first choice will be to stay near his Houston-area home, as long as the Astros show in the first two months of the season they will be a factor in the National League Central. If the Astros go flat, his attention will turn to the Yankees, who have made it known they will do what it takes to sign him.

ringolsbyt@RockyMountainNews.com

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