If the Mariners really want to go on a playoff run...

[NWinAZ]

I read a tweet that someone said they heard a rumor that we were interested in Ryan Howard. That would be a player we could get w/o giving up much but we would have to take on some of the contract to get it done.

Funny because I suggested this last year on another M's site that we trade Smoak for Howard and they pay 75% of his contract and I was laughed out off the site because Howard was washed up. Not a huge fan of his, but he isn't washed up right now.

I still suggest we deal Ackley for Dominic Brown and Mayberry Jr. giving us a RH/LH combo that both players play the OF and Mayberry can also play 1B. Both are cheap which is the Mariners way. Maybe we throw in Maurer or a young OF prospect like Blash. Just spitballing.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I read a tweet that someone said they heard a rumor that we were interested in Ryan Howard. That would be a player we could get w/o giving up much but we would have to take on some of the contract to get it done.

Funny because I suggested this last year on another M's site that we trade Smoak for Howard and they pay 75% of his contract and I was laughed out off the site because Howard was washed up. Not a huge fan of his, but he isn't washed up right now.

I still suggest we deal Ackley for Dominic Brown and Mayberry Jr. giving us a RH/LH combo that both players play the OF and Mayberry can also play 1B. Both are cheap which is the Mariners way. Maybe we throw in Maurer or a young OF prospect like Blash. Just spitballing.

Yikes. Ryan Howard is a really risky idea. I don't think the idea is ridiculous, but I'd personally stay away. Ryan Howard is under contract until 2016 at his current $25m per year contract. He would certainly be an upgrade over Justin Smoak, but he is injury prone and a mere shadow of the player he once was. If the Phillies took on the 75% of his contract (I'm not sure if you were referring to the Mariners or Phillies taking on that 75%), then sure, but would the Phillies really be willing to do that? The Phillies have the financial flexibility, but that's still a lot of money. I just wouldn't want to see the Mariners take up a bunch of their "limited" payroll space on Ryan Howard.

If the Phillies would take Smoak for Howard with the Phillies paying 75% of Howard's contract, then go for it. At around $6-$7m a year, Howard is not as huge of a risk.

The Phillies would have to be desperate to trade Domonic Brown for Dustin Ackley. Although Brown is not having a good year, his track record is still a hell of a lot better than Dustin Ackley's.

 

[NWinAZ]

I was referring to the Phils taking on 75% which would still save them 25% for the next 2.5 years and they could get a player back....Smoak?

Not my first or even 10th favorite option, but something that was possible given that M's don't have a lot to trade so taking back older vets on a risk move with the other team eating contracts is where we are at.

I also read that Zobrist was another name that came up and he could play 1B among other positions for us. I love rumor time because that is usually all we get as Mariner fans.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Ben Zobrist would be a great player to add. He is really underrated and he can play just about every single position on the field. The fact that he's solid at the plate and can play so many different positions makes him really valuable.

 

[seahawksfan234]

What about Chase Utley? He has some very limited experience at 1B, but what about trading for him and putting him at 1st? Perhaps that's a bit wishful, but I suppose it could be an option.

 

[NWinAZ]

I like Utley, but would he waive his rights to go to Seattle and then change positions? Doubt it.

Another rumor thread I just read:

The MLB trade rumors for 2014 are starting to heat up into June and names like David Price, Jeff Samardzija, Cliff Lee and Jason Hammel are in the mix with Justin Masterson as targets for the Seattle Mariners and NY Yankees and this comes as the M's are in the second wild card and waiting for the returns of James Paxton and Taijuan Walker from injuries.

 

[cezero]

mariners ownership, ceo, and pres don't give 2 shits about how the team does. i'm betting most of them couldn't even name the entire 25 man roster.

z plugs his ears to the entire baseball world talking about how horrible the m's offense is, and just chants "more pitching, more pitching, more pitching, more pitching."

and fans still talk about playoffs with this team, which is great for the people in my first sentence. effortless smoke and mirrors for them. well done.

 

[mcnabb7542]

mariners ownership, ceo, and pres don't give 2 shits about how the team does. i'm betting most of them couldn't even name the entire 25 man roster.

z plugs his ears to the entire baseball world talking about how horrible the m's offense is, and just chants "more pitching, more pitching, more pitching, more pitching."

and fans still talk about playoffs with this team, which is great for the people in my first sentence. effortless smoke and mirrors for them. well done.

You would think sooner or later this ownership would catch on to the fact that the "Safe" can hold up to 50,000 instead of the 15,000 to 20,000 they have been drawing.

I honestly do see the fans packing the safe just yet, it's still early, come mid August if there one or two games out of the wild card then then the 40,000 to 45,000 will show up again.