Mariners offseason rumor/discussion thread

[cezero]

I'm ambivalent about Smoak.

I think he might just develop into a league average 1B, which I guess isn't that bad.

I'm also against store-bought teams.

The M's are terrible at developing talent, though, which is why we're in this situation.

It's tough.

 

[SeattleCoug]

The M's are terrible at developing talent, though, which is why we're in this situation.

It's tough.

Yea that's right on. Besides Seagar and Felix we havent really developed any home grown talent the last 10 years. Why do I feel like if Smoak were in Cardinals system he would be putting up Allen Craig numbers.

 

[Baseballnut77]

not for nothing guys but it is hard to say we cant develop based on guys like franklin miller and zunino where they were just rookies. these kids are way to talented to just write off. I know its been a long time since we have been able to talk about winning teams but really lets just let these kids get started this year before we write off every rookie that ever comes up. There is a reason zunino is rated so highly and going into year 2 I believe we will start to see why. Miller is not as highly rated but you all have to have seen how much effort the kid puts out. Franklin (if he is still around) is another highly rated talent for reason. and then you have guys like Petersen and pike among others that are also highly rated. This isn't 1 seattle front office guys opinion it comes from talent evaluators league wide. And lets remember when we discuss smoak or Morrison that Petersen is on the way and probably coming fast so lets not get to tied up into whether either can be good or not because once Petersen hits both will likely be gone.

 

[NWinAZ]

Justin Smoak is not a playoff caliber 1B but he is currently our best option at 1B unless you want to put Hart at 1B and find a different outfielder, because Justin Smoak and Logan Morrison are essentially the same player.

That is exactly my hope. While adding offense, let us not kill our defense in return. Hart at 1B and ? in the OF would be much better than Hart in OF, or Morrison, and Smoak at 1B. If Smoak can hit like Morales, then I consider giving up some defense in the OF to add offense. Again, all I can base my opinion on is past performances with him. If he finds himself and delivers, then fine...but if he doesn't, then we won't even get the Capps value for him.

 

[NWinAZ]

There's a difference between being on the 40-man roster in December and starting for a playoff caliber team and I'm not suggesting they keep him there indefinitely and never try to trade him.

No, the point is what if we just cut the next Johan Santana or Dan Uggla only to keep Smoak around for a couple months before trading him? Now if their plan is truly to keep Smoak for the season, then that is the decision they go with and have to live with. My point is more about the timing than the actual player, but Smoak might be the player who gets squeezed out the most because of the two latest moves. Odds are the guy they released will never be heard from again in the majors, but why just throw a guy away IF you intend to move a guy later anyways opening up a 40 man spot then? And yes I am assuming Smoak would be part of a package deal for a player since he alone doesn't bring back enough.

It is like when we gave up on Catricala for a month or so of Bonderman who had no future. Maybe Catricala didn't either, but I hate just moving guys for no reason. You can probably do this 100 times with no issue, but maybe the 101st time he becomes the Santana's or Uggla's of the game. Just my whacky view of it.

 

[NWinAZ]

I was on another M's site talking with a Braves fan who asked what we would give up for Kimbrel? I doubt it would ever happen, but they want to dump Uggla, and while I am not a big fan of his, he could provide some RH DH/1B pop for us if they included Kimbrel, who they have mentioned they could move because of arbitration hit.

Give them Franklin, Wilhelmsen, and Montero for the two and salary relief. We plug our hole for DH/1B and for closer. Fun to speculate.

 

[NWinAZ]

Another cheap gamble M's should look at is Casey McGehee. He is reported to want $2.5-$3M and probably a one year deal gets him. RH power bat that can backup 3B and 1B. Low risk guy.

 

[NWinAZ]

Question on budget. Everybody in baseball keeps mentioning M's have the means not to break the bank this year, but then all the reports I read by Seattle writers say we have between $12-14M left to spend. Right now we are $3M below last years payroll so that means our big bank breaking is $9-$11M? If true, that would be very disappointing.

I was hoping for a $125M budget to compete with the division (i.e.- Texas and Angels), and remember we have to spend more to get the same players. I will reserve judgment until opening day.

 

[unlvmariners]

Question on budget. Everybody in baseball keeps mentioning M's have the means not to break the bank this year, but then all the reports I read by Seattle writers say we have between $12-14M left to spend. Right now we are $3M below last years payroll so that means our big bank breaking is $9-$11M? If true, that would be very disappointing.

I was hoping for a $125M budget to compete with the division (i.e.- Texas and Angels), and remember we have to spend more to get the same players. I will reserve judgment until opening day.

$9-$11M more than last season is still not a high payroll. Correct me if Im wrong but isn't that still under $80M?

I have been happy with the players the Mariners have brought in so far this off season. But I am a little disappointed that the improvements made to the outfield are Hart and Morrison, I like those players just not in the outfield. I would also like to see them add 1 or 2 starting pitchers and not the shitty Joe Saunders types but we may not be able to add much if the payroll only has $10M left to spend.

 

[unlvmariners]

$125M would be nice I think Seattle would have a solid team if that were the case even $100M would be nice.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I have not seen anything on the current budget after the addition of Cano + Hart. If anyone has anything on it I would like to see it.

 

[pistlpete]

The Cano deal makes no sense if the Mariners don't sign a stick to hit behind him.

 

[NWinAZ]

$9-$11M more than last season is still not a high payroll. Correct me if Im wrong but isn't that still under $80M?

I have been happy with the players the Mariners have brought in so far this off season. But I am a little disappointed that the improvements made to the outfield are Hart and Morrison, I like those players just not in the outfield. I would also like to see them add 1 or 2 starting pitchers and not the shitty Joe Saunders types but we may not be able to add much if the payroll only has $10M left to spend.

Per deadspin Mariners 2013 payroll was $84.2M and per TNT mariners current 25 man projected roster is at $81.2M. There is no actual reports on what their cap is for the year because GMZ says it would create a competitive unbalance when negotiating with free agents, but most reports who are covering them say they will be at a cap of $95M which was their cap for last year but didn't have players to spend it on. That is where the prediction of $12-$14M comes in.

 

[unlvmariners]

Per deadspin Mariners 2013 payroll was $84.2M and per TNT mariners current 25 man projected roster is at $81.2M. There is no actual reports on what their cap is for the year because GMZ says it would create a competitive unbalance when negotiating with free agents, but most reports who are covering them say they will be at a cap of $95M which was their cap for last year but didn't have players to spend it on. That is where the prediction of $12-$14M comes in.

So it is possible to end up in the $100M range... I'm curious to know how they treat incentive heavy deals. Do they calculate the highest possible payout or with the guaranteed salary? In Harts situation he could actually double his money with all the incentives.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

The Cano deal makes no sense if the Mariners don't sign a stick to hit behind him.

They think Hart is the answer there... We still have months to figure it out. 7 yrs for Choo is just Choo much.

 

[Tapey]

They think Hart is the answer there... We still have months to figure it out. 7 yrs for Choo is just Choo much.

That wasnt funny, but at least you put your Hart into it.

 

[NWinAZ]

So it is possible to end up in the $100M range... I'm curious to know how they treat incentive heavy deals. Do they calculate the highest possible payout or with the guaranteed salary? In Harts situation he could actually double his money with all the incentives.

That's a great question. Would be interesting to know.

 

[seahawksfan234]

That's a great question. Would be interesting to know.

I think they would do it with the highest possible amount. Businesses always believe it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

Tanaka requested he be posted and said he wants to prove himself on the next stage. Earlier reports mentioned RGE honoring his wishes if he wanted to make the jump to the mlb but they said they would try to persuade him to stay. SO... It sounds like he's going to get posted! We should def. make a run at him and I don't see why we wouldn't since Z keeps mentioning that we need a SP and I don't think he's going to the recycle bin again. I'm starting to warm up to the idea of Jimenez a little bit too.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

That wasnt funny, but at least you put your Hart into it.

I recycled it from saying it a few days before lol. I'm going to sneak it in every chance I get.