2K24: Seattle Mariners

[Bodhizefa]

I've gotta admit, Cano coming to Seattle would re-enthuse me a bit, but it would take more than Cano alone to really rev my M's fan jets. I don't, under any circumstances, want Nelson Cruz, though. If they pulled off a Cano, Kemp, and Garza/Jimenez off-season with some supportive bullpen signings or trades, I'd be all for it. The team has the money, and we need as much legit talent as possible.

[Don Quixote]

That's a lotta Bloomquists

Four times the years and over 34 times the money.

[Controller Jacobs]

Rumor has it the Mariners are the front-runners for Cano, offering 8 yrs $200m.

That's a lotta Bloomquists

[revo]

Rumor has it the Mariners are the front-runners for Cano, offering 8 yrs $200m.

[fuhrdog]

Ryan Divish, the new Mariners beat reporter for the Seattle Times, had a live chat today. Here was a revealing Q&A:

Q: Do you think Jack Zduriencik is in over his head with full GM responsibilities?
Divish: Many, many many many people in baseball have told me that.

Willie Bloomquist for 5.8 million.

https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/407601347211833346

p.s. Can somebody check on Bod and make sure he is ok

[Don Quixote]

That's a lot of manys.

It's also a cheesy, popular-among-reporters way of saying, "I agree but don't have the balls to say so in public". If he says it this way and Mariners management gets upset (understandably), he can always say, "Hey, I was just reporting what I was told!"

Or it could be that no one told him this and he's just stirring the pot, trying to establish himself as an in-your-face participant rather than as an actual reporter.

[revo]

Ryan Divish, the new Mariners beat reporter for the Seattle Times, had a live chat today. Here was a revealing Q&A:

Q: Do you think Jack Zduriencik is in over his head with full GM responsibilities?
Divish: Many, many many many people in baseball have told me that.

That's a lot of manys.

[Bodhizefa]

Ryan Divish, the new Mariners beat reporter for the Seattle Times, had a live chat today. Here was a revealing Q&A:

Q: Do you think Jack Zduriencik is in over his head with full GM responsibilities?
Divish: Many, many many many people in baseball have told me that.

[Don Quixote]

I've recently had an idea for a Michael Moore type documentary where I go up to all former and current Mariners front office and manager types and ask them what the **** they've been doing for the last decade. I'd like to call it Stalking Bill Bavasi (patent pending).

I don't picture you as a fat, disgusting slob who wears his politics on his sleeve and who edits people's words to fit his political agenda and who leaves out the inconvenient facts. Then again, you probably wouldn't need to edit it that much; the honest answers alone would make your point.

[Bodhizefa]

Bodz,

If I didn't know better, I'd say you're a bit on the pessimistic side right now.

Seriously, though, I know the feeling. We Pirates fans went through 20 years of this. Hang in there, my friend; unless you're a fan of the Cubs, Royals, Mets, or Marlins, you know the bad times WILL end.

I've recently had an idea for a Michael Moore type documentary where I go up to all former and current Mariners front office and manager types and ask them what the **** they've been doing for the last decade. I'd like to call it Stalking Bill Bavasi (patent pending).

[Grinch]

unless you're a fan of the Cubs, Royals, Mets, or Marlins, you know the bad times WILL end.

Well played.....except for the last one, with the Marlins the bad times will end.....then start again the following season!

[Don Quixote]

Bodz,

If I didn't know better, I'd say you're a bit on the pessimistic side right now.

Seriously, though, I know the feeling. We Pirates fans went through 20 years of this. Hang in there, my friend; unless you're a fan of the Cubs, Royals, Mets, or Marlins, you know the bad times WILL end.

[Bodhizefa]

It sure seems like the Mariners have a crap-ton of freed up budget space this off-season. The only two guys with big contracts are Felix and Iwakuma, and they total a combined $28.5 million in 2014. Beyond that it’s either guys at league minimum or early arbitration along with a few buyouts (F.Gutierrez, J.Saunders, C.Figgins). I suppose it depends on how they’ve allocated the 1st round draft pick money for Ackley and Hultzen, but even then, that’s still only a few million more if it goes against the budget. If we have a budget of $95 million or so, it seems like we could legitimately have somewhere in the vicinity of $50-55 million to spend.

That's a lot of money, but we’ve also got a slew of question marks across the roster. I see openings at DH, 1st base (I’m not counting Smoak at this point as he’s just terrible), at least two outfield spots (depending on what happens with Ackley and/or Nick Franklin), and at least one starting pitcher spot.

Even with all this dough, as an M's fan, it's very tough to stay positive at this point. I was hoping a new GM would be given the keys to this off-season considering how much money is available to spend. Instead, Zduriencik will get yet another chance to put his stamp on our roster, and it could be the final nail in the coffin of his career. If he goes after anything like what he's been targeting the last couple of years, consider me frightened with what he could do with such budgetary freedom.

They've been near the top of the draft for years now and have been fairly mediocre in how they've brought along that talent, including those they've traded for. Ackley sucks. Nick Franklin might just suck. Smoak is historically awful. Montero is horrible, even at the only thing he was supposed to be good at. Michael Saunders looks more like a 4th outfielder than a starter. They brought up Zunino before he could even hit over .200 in Triple-A and it shows. Hell, they only have two guys on offense who project as league average or better in 2014 -- Brad Miller and Kyle Seager -- and that's giving Miller the benefit of the doubt on his progression.

As for pitching, sure, they have Iwakuma and Felix. But Tai Walker is still super raw and is years away from settling into his upside. And Paxton is overrated by most everyone at this point due to his hot September. Realistically, he'll likely top out as a #3 starter, but he's got more downside than most people are admitting. And the relief corps is crappy, too. Every good relief arm that's come up in the Seattle system in the last few years has either blown out his arm or been traded for next to nothing.

And there isn't much minor league depth at this juncture either. They have a slew of 4th outfielder types, but no real impact outfield prospects. The only hitter worth a damn in their system is 1st baseman DJ Peterson, but he's in the low minors and has a long road ahead. Hultzen is likely toast with his labrum injury and that leaves Victor Sanchez as the top arm in the system -- not exactly a five star stud. The big league squad has gaping holes at first base, DH, left field, center field, they need a platoon partner for Saunders in right, and the team has next to nothing in the minors to fill these slots any time in the next two years or more.

I just don't see it. The M's have been horrible at growing their own talent for a good long while, and their GM is incapable of putting together a team of managers who shows any interest in helping the kids develop at the big league level. Oh, and the same GM also has next to no idea how to best construct a big league roster with available talent. Instead, he opts to go for flashy things like dingers in lieu of actual value to his team.

I liked Buster Olney's article the other day on the M's. He basically said that every guy in baseball wants Zduriencik's job right now because of all the budget room, the great stadium, and the new tv deal the team has. It's just too bad the M's wouldn't get rid of Z and hire one of those imminently more qualified chaps to take those reins and lead the franchise into a better place.

[Grinch]

This may also change a few things--
Per MLBTraderumors:

Longtime Mariners president and COO Chuck Armstrong will retire effective January 31 of next year, the team announced via press release.

[Grinch]

I'm no expert, but I don't see what he can do to save his job. He's had several years to build, and hasn't done it. The offense is still offensive and the pitching indifferent at best once you get beyond the first two starters, as Controller Jacobs mentioned.

True, perhaps I should have said "All said it comes down to what Jack Z does in an attempt to save his a$$.