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PolarVortex
Nanook of the North
Dipoto has charged into the hot stove season with guns blazing. He is doing exactly what he said he wanted to do during his introduction press conference. He’s dumping poor fielding guys and acquiring athletic guys with good gloves.
Outgoing: Tom Wilhelmsen, Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, James Jones, Danny Farquar
Incoming: Joaquin Benoit, Boog Powell, Nate Karns, CJ Riefenhauser, Leonys Martin, Anthony Bass
Re-signed: Franklin Gutierrez
Rumored possible acquisitions: Chris Ianetta
Rumored to being shopped: James Paxton
Analyzing the impacts –
The Bullpen: Dipoto has already added three arms and subtracted two arms from last year’s wretched bullpen which was as much responsible for the Mariners under-achieving season as any other factor.
Left Field: Re-signing Gutierrez keeps the LF platoon intact. I believe that Smith and Gutierrez can combine for 25 homeruns and 80 RBI which is about what they did last year.
Center Field: Martin had a down year with the bat last year mainly because he did not hit right handers as well as he typically had in the past. Also, as several media outlets have pointed out, his BABIP was unrealistically low last year meaning at least part of his low BA was attributed to plain ole bad luck. He’ll be in a platoon in 2016, hitting against RH starting pitchers. His platoon partner is undetermined at this time. If it is Gutierrez then that will still leave a platoon spot open for Smith’s partner in LF.
Shortstop: If there was any question of where Marte will play next year (I don’t think there ever was), I think that that has been settled with the acquisition of Martin. If Marte breaks camp with the team (and there is no reason why he shouldn’t), he’ll be the starting SS.
Still to be addressed:
First Base, Right Field, Designated Hitter. Cruz and Trumbo (if he is not traded) will fill two of these spots. Which spots they fill is still up in the air right now. I personally would prefer that neither of them play in the field, which means that Trumbo would have to be traded. Hopefully Dipoto is thinking along the same lines and he’ll find a LFer or first baseman he can trade Trumbo for.
#2 starting pitcher - I expected Iwakuma's deal to have been done by now. I'm not heart broken that it hasn't happened. At a possible $14+ million a year, I would just as soon they move on. But, this is one guy that I think Dipoto has no control over. I think ownership has demanded he be re-signed. If he is not, I'm comfortable with Walker stepping into the #2 spot in the rotation and Karns, Paxton, and Elias occupying the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots. This will be Walker's fourth year that he has been in the majors for all or part of the season. I think he is ready for a more prominent role in the rotation. But, we can't lose both Iwakuma and Paxton. We have to keep at least one of them.
Outgoing: Tom Wilhelmsen, Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, James Jones, Danny Farquar
Incoming: Joaquin Benoit, Boog Powell, Nate Karns, CJ Riefenhauser, Leonys Martin, Anthony Bass
Re-signed: Franklin Gutierrez
Rumored possible acquisitions: Chris Ianetta
Rumored to being shopped: James Paxton
Analyzing the impacts –
The Bullpen: Dipoto has already added three arms and subtracted two arms from last year’s wretched bullpen which was as much responsible for the Mariners under-achieving season as any other factor.
Left Field: Re-signing Gutierrez keeps the LF platoon intact. I believe that Smith and Gutierrez can combine for 25 homeruns and 80 RBI which is about what they did last year.
Center Field: Martin had a down year with the bat last year mainly because he did not hit right handers as well as he typically had in the past. Also, as several media outlets have pointed out, his BABIP was unrealistically low last year meaning at least part of his low BA was attributed to plain ole bad luck. He’ll be in a platoon in 2016, hitting against RH starting pitchers. His platoon partner is undetermined at this time. If it is Gutierrez then that will still leave a platoon spot open for Smith’s partner in LF.
Shortstop: If there was any question of where Marte will play next year (I don’t think there ever was), I think that that has been settled with the acquisition of Martin. If Marte breaks camp with the team (and there is no reason why he shouldn’t), he’ll be the starting SS.
Still to be addressed:
First Base, Right Field, Designated Hitter. Cruz and Trumbo (if he is not traded) will fill two of these spots. Which spots they fill is still up in the air right now. I personally would prefer that neither of them play in the field, which means that Trumbo would have to be traded. Hopefully Dipoto is thinking along the same lines and he’ll find a LFer or first baseman he can trade Trumbo for.
#2 starting pitcher - I expected Iwakuma's deal to have been done by now. I'm not heart broken that it hasn't happened. At a possible $14+ million a year, I would just as soon they move on. But, this is one guy that I think Dipoto has no control over. I think ownership has demanded he be re-signed. If he is not, I'm comfortable with Walker stepping into the #2 spot in the rotation and Karns, Paxton, and Elias occupying the 3rd, 4th and 5th spots. This will be Walker's fourth year that he has been in the majors for all or part of the season. I think he is ready for a more prominent role in the rotation. But, we can't lose both Iwakuma and Paxton. We have to keep at least one of them.