Insider article on M's

[dude82]

There's an article on ESPN Insider suggesting that the M's shouldn't make any big trades to make the playoffs this year. I'm not an Insider, so I only got the first few paragraphs, but I got the gist of the article. Anyone have Insider for the full article?

 

[octagondd]

I think I saw a post on Lookout Landing about it. Basically they said we won't have a chance down the road, so it would be dumb to make a move. Giving no credit to Seager or Miller in their resurgence or the fact that we had 3 or 4 different SP go down for a period of time, or JJ sparking the team, or Cano finding some more power after his slow start in the slugging arena.

 

[cezero]

if what you (octa) are saying is true, then it's bullshit.

i'd agree with it if the m's weren't making big improvements right now WITHOUT another much-needed bat. the current lineup is getting its stuff together lately, and if they can keep it up AND the m's can get another bat, i think the team can continue to do well this year and beyond.

that's a lot of "if"s, but regardless, ESPN's "journalists" aren't exactly the best when it comes to baseball.

 

[Podunkparte]

It's a non story written by an idiot. So, typical for espn

 

[Ender]

if what you (octa) are saying is true, then it's bullshit.

i'd agree with it if the m's weren't making big improvements right now WITHOUT another much-needed bat. the current lineup is getting its stuff together lately, and if they can keep it up AND the m's can get another bat, i think the team can continue to do well this year and beyond.

that's a lot of "if"s, but regardless, ESPN's "journalists" aren't exactly the best when it comes to baseball.

My buddy Cezero having faith in the M's. That is astonishing.

Remember on Angelswin when at the beginning of the season you said our bullpen was garbage?

 

[cezero]

My buddy Cezero having faith in the M's. That is astonishing.

Remember on Angelswin when at the beginning of the season you said our bullpen was garbage?

remember on angelswin when you were lauding montero?

good to see you here.

anyhoo, yeah, i was wrong about the bullpen's potential, and am very happy about it.

if the offense keeps skyrocketing in their production, i'll have even more faith in this team. all it took to get things going was adding endy chavez and logan morrison, and subtracting justin smoak. who'd have thought. lol.

 

[Ender]

I dug it up for ya ... I could also post my response to you explaining why the bullpen was going to be good, but I won't bother.

Can you not edit posts on this website? I'm new to this.


cezero, on 13 Mar 2014 - 3:32 PM, said:
The m's have pretty much zero RHB, a terrible outfield, a terrible bullpen (not underrated at all, they are awful), and a highly questionable starting rotation outside of Felix and Iwakuma, who is injured.

Playing .500 ball would be a near-miracle for them.

Hope Cano has fun getting pretty much nothing to hit since he has no protection in front of him or behind him in the lineup.

 

[Ender]

Yeah I was wrong about Montero ... but did you really think he'd be as worthless as he is?

Endy Chavez is a mirage ... but I actually like Logan Morrison ... way more than Smoak anyway. And dumping Almonte for Jones was a godsend.

 

[cezero]

Yeah I was wrong about Montero ... but did you really think he'd be as worthless as he is?

Endy Chavez is a mirage ... but I actually like Logan Morrison ... way more than Smoak anyway. And dumping Almonte for Jones was a godsend.

yeah, i just don't know what to make of it right now, but given the strides the kids are making and sustaining, i no longer think it's all just a fluke.

the improvements in offensive team stats are unreal

 

[Ender]

Think we still need to find an upgrade at LF. 3-4 for Ackley was nice today ... but I still see him as a ground ball to 2B machine ... maybe go after Carlos Quentin? He can't be expensive ... and he performed well last season, maybe getting out of San Diego will help.

 

[NWinAZ]

I read the article and it is redic. I can post it if anyone wants it, but not worth the time.

Here is another article of sorts by Keith Law of ESPN regarding the trading of Walker. I actually agree with it and said the same thing to my wife during his game last night after seeing him in personal early last spring and then seeing him on TV last night.

Here is this:

The article:
By Brady Henderson
ESPN baseball analyst Keith Law joined 710 ESPN Seattle's "Brock and Danny" on Tuesday and discussed among other topics how the Mariners should approach the upcoming trade deadline. With Seattle currently holding the second wild-card spot, Law thinks the Mariners are "clear buyers" and that they shouldn't consider anyone untouchable.
Not even top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker.
"I would trade Taijuan Walker without any hesitation," he said.
Law's reasoning is rooted in his concerns about Walker's health and his delivery. The 21-year-old right-hander made his MLB debut last September and would have started this season in the Mariners' rotation had it not been for a shoulder injury he sustained in spring training that sidelined him for most of the first half. After a few setbacks, Walker made his season debut Monday night, pitching six innings and allowing three earned runs in a win over Houston.
Law didn't like what he saw.
"That's not what Walker used to be before the delivery change last year, before all the injury troubles," he said.
Law said the most notable differences in Walker's delivery are a shortened stride, a more upright finish and an earlier release. He added that Walker's curveball isn't what it was when he made three starts during a September call-up last season.
"I was disappointed last night," Law said. "I was hoping we were going to to see a looser, more flexible delivery and I was hoping we were going to see a better curveball than that. But if anything the curveball was worse last night than it was in his big-league debut last September."

 

[Ender]

I read the article and it is redic. I can post it if anyone wants it, but not worth the time.

Here is another article of sorts by Keith Law of ESPN regarding the trading of Walker. I actually agree with it and said the same thing to my wife during his game last night after seeing him in personal early last spring and then seeing him on TV last night.

Here is this:

The article:
By Brady Henderson
ESPN baseball analyst Keith Law joined 710 ESPN Seattle's "Brock and Danny" on Tuesday and discussed among other topics how the Mariners should approach the upcoming trade deadline. With Seattle currently holding the second wild-card spot, Law thinks the Mariners are "clear buyers" and that they shouldn't consider anyone untouchable.
Not even top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker.
"I would trade Taijuan Walker without any hesitation," he said.
Law's reasoning is rooted in his concerns about Walker's health and his delivery. The 21-year-old right-hander made his MLB debut last September and would have started this season in the Mariners' rotation had it not been for a shoulder injury he sustained in spring training that sidelined him for most of the first half. After a few setbacks, Walker made his season debut Monday night, pitching six innings and allowing three earned runs in a win over Houston.
Law didn't like what he saw.
"That's not what Walker used to be before the delivery change last year, before all the injury troubles," he said.
Law said the most notable differences in Walker's delivery are a shortened stride, a more upright finish and an earlier release. He added that Walker's curveball isn't what it was when he made three starts during a September call-up last season.
"I was disappointed last night," Law said. "I was hoping we were going to to see a looser, more flexible delivery and I was hoping we were going to see a better curveball than that. But if anything the curveball was worse last night than it was in his big-league debut last September."

It was Taijuan's first start ......... He had 141 minor league innings before he made his appearance on the M's in 2013.

He had 39 innings ... sporadic innings due to recurring shoulder issues .... before he pitched in 2014. Give him some time to settle in. We don't need him to be Felix ... Felix will carry that load. We don't even need him to be a #2 or hell even a #3 right now.

There are only a few people I'd trade Walker for.

 

[NWinAZ]

Its not about his stats but about his mechanics they switched. He is aiming and not as fluid as he was early last year. Those kinds of mechanics can create issues because he is using more shoulder than legs as before. It also changes the rotation of his curve ball as mentioned making it more hittable than before. law isn't the first to notice this (nor was I), but it is shocking to see the changes and I don't think for the positive for the long run.

 

[cezero]

from what i understand, changing the pitching delivery to keep from getting repetitive stress injuries can cause drastic changes in a pitcher's effectiveness. everybody was down on Z for getting rid of pineda when the physios sniffed a potential breakdown of his shoulder if he kept his current mechanics, but that's exactly what happened to him. he just got hurt again recently, and the yanks are tweaking his biomechanics even more.

if Walker has changed his biomechanics to make his delivery so different from what it used to be, and his curve is suffering because of it, maybe trading is a good idea.

i'd wish there was some video showing the differences between then and now.

just a real shame if law is in any way correct here.

 

[cezero]

Its not about his stats but about his mechanics they switched. He is aiming and not as fluid as he was early last year. Those kinds of mechanics can create issues because he is using more shoulder than legs as before. It also changes the rotation of his curve ball as mentioned making it more hittable than before. law isn't the first to notice this (nor was I), but it is shocking to see the changes and I don't think for the positive for the long run.

hmmmm....i'll trust yours and law's eye.

i don't know what to make of this yet.

 

[SeattleCoug]

I dont know either. Ill be honest I cant recall watching any of his major league starts last year but I watched yesterday. It seemed like a guy who didnt have command early but was able to work through it. I thought his curve improved as the game went on. I was impressed that he didnt fold after getting knocked around early and was able to go 6 innings.

I am open to trading him in the right deal but not for a rent a player or fringe guy. Problem is I dont see a lot of great hitting available as of now. Mainly guys like Marlon Byrd or Alex Rios who I wouldnt trade Walker for

 

[NWinAZ]

It was seriously different. When I watched him live he had great leg drive staying back and when the ball came out of his hand it was like he was playing toss, but it was a 95 mph fastball. Last night the first thing I said is he looked like Jake Peavy with the dart throwing motion.

You hit it on the head with the post about changing delivery and the effects it has on pitchers.

 

[dude82]

I think I saw a post on Lookout Landing about it. Basically they said we won't have a chance down the road, so it would be dumb to make a move. Giving no credit to Seager or Miller in their resurgence or the fact that we had 3 or 4 different SP go down for a period of time, or JJ sparking the team, or Cano finding some more power after his slow start in the slugging arena.

I figured as much.

 

[tnerb57]

Damn Mariners are starting to worry me.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Damn Mariners are starting to worry me.

I still remember a series between the M's and Angels in late August in 2007 where the M's were trailing the Angels by like a game or two in the West. The Angels came into Safeco and swept three games from the M's outscoring them by like 15 or 20 runs in the series. Sent the team into a tail spin where they lost like 12 of 13 or something like that and fell out of it. I remember that series well because its the last relevant series the M's have played in late August. Hopefully there are some relevant ones this year.