Mariners 2014/2015 Offseason

[octagondd]

I am not giving up on Montero yet. He is still only 25 and maybe not a spring chicken with HOF potential, but possibly a serviceable 1B. A big disappointment given how touted he was and who we gave up to get him, but he may be useful.

I do understand the main issue everyone has though and that is that there is no MLB talent level 1B on the roster and that is concerning. Lomo is a huge question mark and Montero even larger.

 

[NWinAZ]

Here is Jack's full response to the 1B question:

NO WORRIES AT FIRST
Zduriencik dismissed concerns regarding the need for the Mariners to acquire a backup for first baseman Logan Morrison, who has played fewer than 100 games in each of the last three seasons.
“We’re going to work real hard with Jesus Montero in spring training,” Zduriencik said. “We’ve talked about the strides he’s made this winter. We’ll see if he’s a player or not.
“That’s going to be up to him, and we’ll see what happens in spring training.”
Personal issues plagued Montero over the last two seasons, including a pair of season-ending suspensions. He was connected in 2013 to the Biogenesis drug scandal and had an on-field dispute last year with a scout.
Another possibility is Brad Miller — if he fails to beat out Chris Taylor as the starting shortstop. Zduriencik did not mention Miller, but club officials often point to Miller’s athleticism is assessing possible position changes.
“We have other players on our 40-man roster who could fit the bill,” Zduriencik hedged. “We’ll see what happens. In no way am I panicking about our first-base situation.
“If we were put in a position where something would happen to Logan, I certainly feel we could fill that role, and I think we’d fill it comfortably.”

Read more here: Mariners acquire outfielder Seth Smith from San Diego for reliever Brandon Maurer | Mariners Insider - The News Tribune​

 

[Msfann]

I wouldn't be against montero getting a shot, but call it his last one.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Well they left Smoak alone for 3+ years without competition. Maybe some day Z will learn

 

[johnfree63]

I wouldn't be against montero getting a shot, but call it his last one.

I actually like the way they're handling Montero. Knocking him down a peg and Making him earn his playing time unlike Smoak and Ackley before him. Even last year when he was tearing up AAA they didn't "reward" him with a spot (other then that one week call up where I think he played one game) because his work ethic hadn't been there in the offseason.

If the reports are true and he's been working his ass off, the M's might have lucked themselves into a quality 1B.

 

[NWinAZ]

Maybe a quality hitting 1B, not even close to being a quality 1B. I have watched him in person trying to imitate a 1B. Not pretty.

And if he makes roster, then Taylor (or Miller) won't along with Jones.

 

[octagondd]

Reality is Ackley is the backup 1B, but no one can say that out loud for fear of ruining Ackley's mojo and sending Montero back to the buffet. Have Cruz or Smith ever played First?

 

[NWinAZ]

Neither has in the bigs if I recall reading that right the other day. Willie is the other current option.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

I actually like the way they're handling Montero. Knocking him down a peg and Making him earn his playing time unlike Smoak and Ackley before him. Even last year when he was tearing up AAA they didn't "reward" him with a spot (other then that one week call up where I think he played one game) because his work ethic hadn't been there in the offseason.

If the reports are true and he's been working his ass off, the M's might have lucked themselves into a quality 1B.

I like the way they're handling him too. They're making him hungry! He has to sweat and work for that shit. I'm also glad they didn't dump him after the ice cream incident. In a way they sided with him but still didn't let him get away with losing his temper. I think Cano & Cruz can be good role models for him. I hope Montero wants to be here because even though I've forgotten him I'm hoping deep down that he can contribute to this team and sort of come out of nowhere and off the radar after being forgotten and for him to actually become a difference maker. I'm hoping..but not banking on it. I made that mistake with Smoak.

 

[NWinAZ]

My dirty little baseball secret.....I actually like watching Montero bat. I just expect big things when he comes to the plate almost, and I mean almost not quite, like I did when Edgar batted. The fat version didn't do much for me though so I hope he lost at least 30 lbs.

 

[kcden]

My dirty little baseball secret.....I actually like watching Montero bat. I just expect big things when he comes to the plate almost, and I mean almost not quite, like I did when Edgar batted. The fat version didn't do much for me though so I hope he lost at least 30 lbs.

It's more entertaining to watch him run... in that morbid-curiosity, "how the fuck is a human that un-athletic", way.

 

[NWinAZ]

It's more entertaining to watch him run... in that morbid-curiosity, "how the fuck is a human that un-athletic", way.

Ain't that the truth. Morales was sloooow, but Montero is just painful to watch run. I am almost 48 and i know I could run circles around him. They would have to be huge circles, but I know I could still do it.

 

[NWinAZ]

Fact you may not have known (I didn't):

Saunders - 231 AB's 2.4 WAR
CarGo - 260 AB's -0.7 WAR

A lot of people want the expensive CarGo, but he was bad last year. And who would have thunk he played more games than Saunders?

 

[wazzu31]

Ain't that the truth. Morales was sloooow, but Montero is just painful to watch run. I am almost 48 and i know I could run circles around him. They would have to be huge circles, but I know I could still do it.

The little kids that run with Rhubarb every Sunday at Rainiers are faster from 1st to 3rd than Montero was, I can't understand how someone can be that slow yet be a professional athlete, it's baseball not golf.

 

[NWinAZ]

You can't actually know that....Montero has never made it from 1st to 3rd to know how slow he really is.

 

[wazzu31]

I swear he got a triple though

 

[NWinAZ]

I swear he got a triple though

I think that falls under the category of 'even a blind squirrel finds a nut once'

 

[seahawksfan234]

Fact you may not have known (I didn't):

Saunders - 231 AB's 2.4 WAR
CarGo - 260 AB's -0.7 WAR

A lot of people want the expensive CarGo, but he was bad last year. And who would have thunk he played more games than Saunders?

Carlos Gonzalez had a terrible year in 2014.

Also his value is massively inflated by the stadium he plays in. Here are his career home/away splits:

Home: 82 HR 295 RBI .329/.387/.601
Away: 54 HR 162 RBI .258/.314/.437

That home/away different is just too massive to ignore.

 

[seahawksfan234]

The little kids that run with Rhubarb every Sunday at Rainiers are faster from 1st to 3rd than Montero was, I can't understand how someone can be that slow yet be a professional athlete, it's baseball not golf.

Between the big three American sports (NBA/MLB/NFL), MLB by far requires the least amount of athleticism. I feel like with enough training, you can get good at basketball and football, but a lot of baseball just comes to you naturally. Or perhaps that's just my experience with the sports.

 

[NWinAZ]

Also his value is massively inflated by the stadium he plays in. Here are his career home/away splits:

Home: 82 HR 295 RBI .329/.387/.601
Away: 54 HR 162 RBI .258/.314/.437

That home/away different is just too massive to ignore.

That added to my shock of him having a 3 WAR less than Saunders.