I Think Mi(K)e Zunino Deserves His Own Thread For This

[cezero]

Good for him. If he comes back up to the big club in the near future, he'll be in a much better environment than with incompetent Lloyd.

 

[Podunkparte]

Definitely good news. I'd be curious to see more detailed analysis. How has he hit on off speed pitches vs fastballs? That kind of thing.

Still... September call up at the earliest barring major injury to Iannetta.

 

[NWinAZ]

I look at him as a future free agent signing. If he puts it together and brings it to the majors, it will be like a free agent signing. He is kind of a no-lose player right now.

 

[gohusk]

I look at him as a future free agent signing. If he puts it together and brings it to the majors, it will be like a free agent signing. He is kind of a no-lose player right now.

It's more than that. He's shown he can be a great backstop and has power at the MLB level. He'll be up after the AS break and hopefully he never goes back down.

 

[NWinAZ]

It's more than that. He's shown he can be a great backstop and has power at the MLB level. He'll be up after the AS break and hopefully he never goes back down.

yes, making him akin to a free agent signing. a bonus player after the break.

 

[gohusk]

yes, making him akin to a free agent signing. a bonus player after the break.

BS. You're calling a guy who already has 1K+ AB's with the team and did exactly what was asked of him even though it was wrecking his bat akin to a FA? He's an M. Show him some respect. Even when he was falling apart at the plate he was a great backstop and knew how to handle the pitching staff. There's nothing akin to FA about him. Hopefully we haven't ruined him.

 

[Anointed One]

Depends where the team is at the break... If Iannetta continues on with how he's performing, I wouldn't be too excited to bring Zunino up unless he was going to backup Iannetta and spell him time to time... Iannetta has been a very solid catcher for us this season offensively and defensively...

 

[cezero]

Zunino is arb eligible starting next year. What NW is suggesting isn't an insult.

 

[unlvmariners]

I look at him as a future free agent signing. If he puts it together and brings it to the majors, it will be like a free agent signing. He is kind of a no-lose player right now.

I think that is a good way to look at him right now, and it is a testament to him as a player to find a way to get his game back to where everyone thought it could be. Granted this is still AAA and not the majors but based on what he has done in the first month or so of Tacoma ball he appears to have improved with his approach at the plate.

 

[SeattleCoug]

I'll go ahead and throw it out there. Not sure how exactly Dipoto views him but if the M's stay in this race, he could be a valuable trade chip in July. I'm not advocating a trade necessarily but it's something to think about.

 

[EVille3]

I don't think a trade would be wise. Ianetta is not the long term answer at catcher. I still believe Z will be the franchise catcher moving forward. There really isn't anything in the minors below him and he is still only 25.

 

[mcnabb7542]

I'll go ahead and throw it out there. Not sure how exactly Dipoto views him but if the M's stay in this race, he could be a valuable trade chip in July. I'm not advocating a trade necessarily but it's something to think about.

Let's keep that in the "back of our minds" for now, god knows they can't bring a younger 1st basemen up through the minors, the thought of actually dealing good young talent is scary....

 

[Banned 10x]

I'll go ahead and throw it out there. Not sure how exactly Dipoto views him but if the M's stay in this race, he could be a valuable trade chip in July. I'm not advocating a trade necessarily but it's something to think about.

Something to definitely think about

 

[Anointed One]

There is no way I'd trade Zunino... I wouldn't even entertain the idea... Jason Veritek comes to mind when I think about it...

 

[wazzu31]

There is no way I'd trade Zunino... I wouldn't even entertain the idea... Jason Veritek comes to mind when I think about it...

Any comparison with Zunino to Varitek is apples to oranges. Varitek was good, but wasn't the price in that deal as well as the Mariners had their franchise catcher. With how the farm system is any deal involving Zunino would be where he'd be the main piece and there is no long term answer at catcher. Ianetta is what 3 years away from becoming a 1B?

 

[seahawksfan234]

I'd keep him in AAA. We've heard this a trillion times, but Zunino has massive potential. He has demonstrated he can pitch frame extremely well at the MLB level, and he certainly has the strength to hit 20-30 HRs if he improves his K rate.

That being said, Iannetta is playing well and there's really not much reason to call up Zunino. Let him keep improving in AAA. He was rushed to the majors so fucking fast, some time in Tacoma will do him some good.

 

[cezero]

i'd just like to see him treated the same as any other catcher at AAA with 1700 total pro PA's who might be useful as either a roster or trade piece.

the new staff we have aren't rubes...or at least, they haven't demonstrated they are yet.

 

[NWinAZ]

Larry Stone ‏@StoneLarry 6h6 hours ago


Since starting the Tacoma season 26-for-63 (.413) with 7 HR & 22 RBI, Mike Zunino is 12-for-64 (.188) w/2 HR & 3 RBI.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Larry Stone ‏@StoneLarry 6h6 hours ago


Since starting the Tacoma season 26-for-63 (.413) with 7 HR & 22 RBI, Mike Zunino is 12-for-64 (.188) w/2 HR & 3 RBI.

Will be interesting to see how he bounces back. He may say all the right things but hope he has the confidence to make the necessary adjustments

 

[NWinAZ]

Will be interesting to see how he bounces back. He may say all the right things but hope he has the confidence to make the necessary adjustments

In his case it really is more like the saying 'It isn't about how many times you fall, but how many times you get up'. The hot start was great, but he needed failure to get back to where he needs to be. Now the real work begins.