Dodged the Cruz bullet

[Thisnamewasntaken]

As you all know he has signed with the O's for 8 milli LOL we would have had to pay more so screw that! There's really no place for Morales on our team so I think it's almost safe to say IT'S A WRAP! OFFSEASON IS OVER!

 

[gowazzu02]

Imo he wanted nothing to do with safeco

 

[seattlefan75]

As you all know he has signed with the O's for 8 milli LOL we would have had to pay more so screw that! There's really no place for Morales on our team so I think it's almost safe to say IT'S A WRAP! OFFSEASON IS OVER!

I agree with both you guys Cruz really didnt want to come here I think he wants to play for a winning team I dont blame him its similar to the seattle seahawks when we signed all these guys to 1-2 year deals when they could have gotten 3 year deals elsewhere to play in the playoffs and get a ring.

but having already gave up a 2nd rounder for cano to have to give up more picks signing these players would have hurt we pretty much have zero prospects in our farm now that walker is brought up other than dj peterson and he is ranked 85 in the top 100. I think this is pretty much the team were moving with going into the 2014 season

 

[NWinAZ]

and 2015

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

I agree with both you guys Cruz really didnt want to come here I think he wants to play for a winning team I dont blame him its similar to the seattle seahawks when we signed all these guys to 1-2 year deals when they could have gotten 3 year deals elsewhere to play in the playoffs and get a ring.

but having already gave up a 2nd rounder for cano to have to give up more picks signing these players would have hurt we pretty much have zero prospects in our farm now that walker is brought up other than dj peterson and he is ranked 85 in the top 100. I think this is pretty much the team were moving with going into the 2014 season

Well not only that RH hitters don't want to play in Safeco. He essentially took the Beltre route: re-establish value in a hitters park and hope for a better deal next year. F him. I liked him at one point because I'm a Rangers fan but there were too many negatives over positives in having him play here.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I'm quite shocked that he signed for 1 year $8m. I expected that he would land at least $14m (his qualifying offer) on a one year deal, and I figured if he would at least get a two year deal.

There is obviously no way he would have taken that deal from the Mariners. I have a feeling he wanted nothing to do with us unless we overpaid for him. The O's provide a hitters park he can boost his stats at and boost his value in free agency next year.

He would have been better off if he had just taken the Rangers 1 year deal.

 

[NWinAZ]

Maybe, but hitting in another ballpark and succeeding will increase his value next year because it will remove the "Arlington' discussion even though Camden is a hitters park. I think it is a gamble on his part, but worth the risk since he didn't get the over the top payday he was looking for. Somebody mentioned the 'Beltre Move' which is accurate as long as it works. If he struggles, then he probably doesn't see another MLB contract next year.

 

[cezero]

If there's no place for Morales on our team, then we are well and truly fucked unless another rhb suddenly materializes.

 

[NWinAZ]

I don't understand when others say there is no place for Morales. What two players were better than him that play 1B or DH who are currently on our roster? Hart has a chance to be, but Smoak? Morrison? ????

Add better talent and let the roster work itself out. I know this is a new concept for Mariners, but it works with other teams and in other sports.

 

[dude82]

I don't understand when others say there is no place for Morales. What two players were better than him that play 1B or DH who are currently on our roster? Hart has a chance to be, but Smoak? Morrison? ????

Add better talent and let the roster work itself out. I know this is a new concept for Mariners, but it works with other teams and in other sports.

It sounds like Hart is going to play right field. At least that's the report that Shannon Drayer put out the other day. That same report suggested that Ackley isn't being considered for center field this year. Obviously a lot can change between now and the end of March, so we'll see what happens.

 

[unlvmariners]

I don't understand when others say there is no place for Morales. What two players were better than him that play 1B or DH who are currently on our roster? Hart has a chance to be, but Smoak? Morrison? ????

Add better talent and let the roster work itself out. I know this is a new concept for Mariners, but it works with other teams and in other sports.

I agree with this. But I completely understand why people say there is no place for Morales and thats because Jack Z and the Mariners don't opperate like this at least they haven't opperated like this yet. This is one of the reasons I found the Morrison trade so bizarre.

Morales is a better hitter more well rounded hitter than all three of the guys on the current roster. Just wondering WTF Jack?

 

[NWinAZ]

Morales is a better hitter more well rounded hitter than all three of the guys on the current roster. Just wondering WTF Jack?

Amen!

This is one of the reasons I found the Morrison trade so bizarre.

It was bizarre, but at the cost of Capps it didn't bother me that much. Now could we have gotten a like hitter as Morrison at another position for Capps? That would have made more sense. Watching Morrison just the one time in BP here in AZ doesn't give me much hope for the season. Pure uppercut swinger who will get killed on off-speed stuff. Loads of power, but so was Peguiro so it is Peggy 2.0 w/o ability to play OF.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Smoak will play 1st lets get that out of way. Hart will play mostly in right if his knees hold up. That leaves LOMO for DH. If given the choice between LOMO and Kendrys its no contest.

 

[NWinAZ]

Smoak will play if he hits. I truly believe he will not have a free run like in prior years. If he does, I have no faith in Lloyd Mc.

 

[SeattleCoug]

If we had any other options in the OF I would say Hart could push Smoak for 1st. That's a different story I guess. The yearly "Is it the year Smoak turn's the corner?" question is getting old though I agree.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

Amen!



It was bizarre, but at the cost of Capps it didn't bother me that much. Now could we have gotten a like hitter as Morrison at another position for Capps? That would have made more sense. Watching Morrison just the one time in BP here in AZ doesn't give me much hope for the season. Pure uppercut swinger who will get killed on off-speed stuff. Loads of power, but so was Peguiro so it is Peggy 2.0 w/o ability to play OF.

The dumb thing is we wouldn't need LoMo if we would have just kept MIKE CARP!

 

[NWinAZ]

The dumb thing is we wouldn't need LoMo if we would have just kept MIKE CARP!

True, and I liked Carp. He wasn't an All-Star, but he provided depth and some hot streaks. I read the other day that he is practicing 3B this spring with Boston.

 

[unlvmariners]

It was bizarre, but at the cost of Capps it didn't bother me that much. Now could we have gotten a like hitter as Morrison at another position for Capps? That would have made more sense. Watching Morrison just the one time in BP here in AZ doesn't give me much hope for the season. Pure uppercut swinger who will get killed on off-speed stuff. Loads of power, but so was Peguiro so it is Peggy 2.0 w/o ability to play OF.

Good point about Capps.
The one thing I really do like about the Morrison deal is that Morrison and Smoak are both at a point in their careers where they either make it or they don't especially because they are getting into arbitration years now. I think there are 3 different scenerios when talking about Smoak/ Morrison.
1.They both suck. Or they are both mediocre with flashes of hot streaks.
2. They both hit the cover off the ball
3. Or one of them proves it and makes the other one irrelavant

If #1 is the case and assuming Hart is healthy and able then whats the harm in putting Hart (or possibly Morales) at first base. This is another reason why signing Morales would be a good idea.

#2. Good problem to have.

#3. Actually something i kind of hope happens. This allows the Mariners to in a way close the book on one of them and let the other guy play.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

I want Smoak to be the player we all thought he was going to be.

 

[NWinAZ]

I want Smoak to be the player we all thought he was going to be.

God I hope not since he currently is the player I thought he was going to be after watching him for a couple years in spring training on limited basis....lol.