SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners interviewed two more candidates on Saturday to replace Lou Piniella as their manager.

General manager Pat Gillick met with Dan Rohn, the manager of the Mariners' Triple-A franchise in Tacoma, in the morning. Later, Gillick talked with Buddy Bell, who formerly managed the Colorado Rockies and Detroit Tigers, bringing the number of people interviewed to 10.

Although Rohn has never managed in the major leagues, the Mariners management liked what he said in his presentation.

"Danny Rohn was a little bit different,'' Gillick said. "He knew a lot about the organization from top to bottom because he's managed a lot of the players. We know Danny's style and how he handles players.''

Rohn flew in from Venezuela, where he is managing a winter league team.

Bell is the father of former Mariners third baseman David Bell, who was a regular on the 2001 Seattle team that tied a major league record with 116 victories. David Bell helped San Francisco get to the World Series this season.

"That interview went more into his style, how he motivates players,'' Gillick said of Buddy Bell.

Piniella, who managed the Mariners into the AL championship series three times, asked to get out of the final year of his Seattle contract and was given permission to take the Tampa Bay manager's job. The Mariners received All-Star outfielder Randy Winn as compensation from the Devil Rays.

Previously, the Mariners talked to three of their coaches about Piniella's former job: bench coach John McLaren, pitching coach Bryan Price and part-time coach Lee Elia.

They also interviewed New York Yankees third-base coach Willie Randolph, Baltimore bench coach Sam Perlozzo, former Kansas City manager Tony Muser and bench coaches Terry Francona of Texas and Jim Riggleman of Los Angeles this week.

Gillick will interview two "mystery'' candidates next and said Saturday that at least one of those interviews will be Monday. That would bring to 12 the list of managerial hopefuls and Gillick repeated Saturday that a 13th candidate could emerge next week.

The Seattle Times reported Saturday that one of the "mystery'' candidates was Arizona bench coach Bob Melvin.

"I can't confirm that,'' Gillick said Saturday.

The expectations for Piniella's successor will be high in 2003. Although the team finished third behind Oakland and Anaheim in the AL West this season, the Mariners did win 93 games, the second highest total in franchise history.

Under Piniella, the Mariners went to the postseason four times, including the ALCS in 1995, 2000 and 2001.

That's why there has been conjecture that the Mariners have a lot of interest in Dusty Baker as their next manager although they don't know if he's going to stay in San Francisco.

Unless the high-profile Baker decides to remain with the Giants after taking them to the World Series this year, the Mariners can approach Baker Thursday, when his contract in San Francisco expires, to talk to him about their open job.

The new manager isn't expired to be hired until the general manager meetings in Tucson, Ariz., end on Nov. 14.

Chairman and CEO Howard Lincoln, who must sign off on Gillick's choice as Seattle's next manager, left this week for a vacation in Spain.

Gillick said he would be working in his office Sunday, but didn't plan any interviews then.

Since the end of the season, seven Mariners players have filed for free agency, including left-hander Jamie Moyer and first baseman John Olerud. The others were pitchers James Baldwin, Ismael Valdes and Norm Charlton, first baseman Jose Offerman and outfielder Ruben Sierra.