Series Thread: M's @ Red Sox; May 26th - 28th

[NWinAZ]

Greg Johns‏Verified account @GregJohnsMLB 1h1 hour ago

Rough first for Rob Whalen: two BBs, two hit by pitches and 3 RBI singles ... but 2 Red Sox thrown out on bases. M's down 3-0 after 1.

 

[NWinAZ]

Bill Krueger: "You have to give Brian Johnson a lot of credit for this shutout." Whaaaaaaaat? This guy is a bum who throws 88 mph at the top end. Fire everyone.

 

[seahawksfan234]

This season is incredibly frustrating for me, which is impressive considering how much we've lost in the last nearly 20 years.

The lineup is in a slump right now, but I do believe they have the ability to finish top 10, maybe even top 5 in MLB.

The pitching on the other hand I believe once healthy (lol) at least has the ability to be league average, or at least adequate enough to let the offense do the work.

The injuries the rotation has suffered are... exceptionally devastating to say the least. What are we at now? 11 different starting pitchers this year? 12? In an organization that is thin at SP.

Pretty unfortunate because I could be (probably am) delusionally optimistic, but I do believe this team has more talent than any team we have fielded in the last 10 years. Although that is not saying much.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

The hole is getting bigger, it's not over yet, but if they continue this downward spiral it's gonna be tough to climb out of, even for the wild-card... Not looking good right now...

 

[Destroydacre]

The Mariners could actually get swept out of Fenway without scoring a run. Fuck

 

[PolarVortex]

See, look, here is the thing right here: fuck the motherfucking Mariners.

 

[Msfann]

Last place in the American league now.

 

[AceKeptic]

Last place in the American league now.

Fitting place for them. And they brought it upon themselves for QUITTING.

 

[WizardHawk]

Wait, people are still talking about not being out of the playoff hunt?

Last place. Dead last.

In other words, the team with the most difficult uphill climb in the AL to reach the playoffs.

And it's going to get worse before it can get better (if indeed it ever does get better).

They STILL don't have their top 4 in the rotation and not going to have all 4 of them back for months if they ever actually are all on the field at the same time at any point. The bullpen is still a joke and should improve somewhat when they stop being the Rainers in the rotation, but they aren't going to be lights out at any point.

Will they ever play a less frustrating brand of baseball this year? I'd fully expect so. Their injury luck can't run this bad for the rest of the season. It just can't.

But fully actualy compete for a playoff spot? No. This is the Seattle Mariners. They don't believe in playoffs.

 

[PolarVortex]

The Mariners could actually get swept out of Fenway without scoring a run. Fuck

Maybe. But Rick Cy Fraud Porcello is pitching like shit this year. I think they will get a run or two off of him. Nellie hit two drives over 390 feet yesterday. He's coming out of his mini slump.

 

[PolarVortex]

Wait, people are still talking about not being out of the playoff hunt?

Last place. Dead last.

In other words, the team with the most difficult uphill climb in the AL to reach the playoffs.

And it's going to get worse before it can get better (if indeed it ever does get better).

They STILL don't have their top 4 in the rotation and not going to have all 4 of them back for months if they ever actually are all on the field at the same time at any point. The bullpen is still a joke and should improve somewhat when they stop being the Rainers in the rotation, but they aren't going to be lights out at any point.

Will they ever play a less frustrating brand of baseball this year? I'd fully expect so. Their injury luck can't run this bad for the rest of the season. It just can't.

But fully actualy compete for a playoff spot? No. This is the Seattle Mariners. They don't believe in playoffs.

What will it say about Dipoto if he is forced into a fire sale in just his second season as GM? We can't honestly plan on keeping Nelson Cruz if they are 6 or more games under .500 by mid July. I'd hate to see Nellie go, but, he's never going to be more marketable than he is between now and July 31st.

 

[WizardHawk]

What will it say about Dipoto if he is forced into a fire sale in just his second season as GM? We can't honestly plan on keeping Nelson Cruz if they are 6 or more games under .500 by mid July. I'd hate to see Nellie go, but, he's never going to be more marketable than he is between now and July 31st.

Everything has to be on the table at this point. Injuries are a part of every major sport and add to the story of every season, but this has been the worst we have ever seen as a team and it came at the worst possible time for JD.

Fans just want to see something that shows the team is at least moving in the direction of getting systemically better. We don't just want to see them backdoor into a wild card round one time and get sent packing. We want progress toward being competitive every year. We want to see a farm system that can respond to injuries, trades, and everything else an organization goes through.

I have no issues at all with trading any/all current assets and taking the step backward if it has forward looking potential. Cruz, Felix, or even promising young talent like Diaz must all be on the table. There can't be anyone that is untouchable.

My youngest is 15. She will be starting driving school in a few weeks. There hasn't been a Mariners playoff game during her entire life.

Dipoto will get criticism, but this team was so bad and the farm system so destroyed that no one was going to come in and turn them into a WS caliber team in two years. He will have time to build this no matter the outcome of this year.

 

[PolarVortex]

Everything has to be on the table at this point. Injuries are a part of every major sport and add to the story of every season, but this has been the worst we have ever seen as a team and it came at the worst possible time for JD.

Fans just want to see something that shows the team is at least moving in the direction of getting systemically better. We don't just want to see them backdoor into a wild card round one time and get sent packing. We want progress toward being competitive every year. We want to see a farm system that can respond to injuries, trades, and everything else an organization goes through.

I have no issues at all with trading any/all current assets and taking the step backward if it has forward looking potential. Cruz, Felix, or even promising young talent like Diaz must all be on the table. There can't be anyone that is untouchable.

My youngest is 15. She will be starting driving school in a few weeks. There hasn't been a Mariners playoff game during her entire life.

Dipoto will get criticism, but this team was so bad and the farm system so destroyed that no one was going to come in and turn them into a WS caliber team in two years. He will have time to build this no matter the outcome of this year.

The problem with having a fire sale is that:
Poor Market
The market for Cruz is limited to AL contenders who could use an upgrade at DH (Yankees, Rays, Twins, Astros)
Only a few contenders who need an upgrade at second base could afford Cano's remaining contract ($160 million), even if the Mariners ate about $30-40 million of it (Orioles, Angels, Cardinals, Dodgers).
Seager's contract is a bit more affordable but there aren't too many contenders needing a third baseman (Yankees, Astros, Angels, Red Sox)
There is no current market for Felix. Probably not one for Iwakuma either.

Strong Market
Jarrod Dyson would definitely draw attention. He'd probably be the first guy to go. Him or a bullpen guy. But we wouldn't get much for Dyson.
Segura is marketable too. Very affordable, still young and the team acquiring him would get him not just for this year but all of next year as well (Yankees, Orioles, Rays, Twins, Angels, Cardinals, Cubs, Pirates)
Vincent, Rzepczynski. Always a lot of relief pitcher movement at the trade deadline and these guys have been our best two so far.

 

[unlvmariners]

So glad Segura got caught stealing again...

 

[PolarVortex]

So glad Segura got caught stealing again...

And extra happen that he wasn't on base when Cano doubled.

Segura plays with a lot of confidence. I like that. And he is trying to make something happen for a seriously struggling offense. I like that too. But at some point he needs to wake up and realize that he doesn't have 40-steal speed any more.

 

[PolarVortex]

Motter, Gamel and Heredia all need to go back down to AAA. They were doing great for awhile, but we haven't got much out of them for about 3 weeks now.

 

[PolarVortex]

Motter, Gamel and Heredia all need to go back down to AAA. They were doing great for awhile, but we haven't got much out of them for about 3 weeks now.

Motter's last 17 games: 54 ABs, 1 run, 8 hits, 0 RBI, 5 walks, 12 K, .148 BA
Gamel's last 15 games: 50 ABs, 1 run, 9 hits, 3 RBI, 5 walks, 18 K, .180 BA
Heredia's last 16 games: 50 ABs, 4 runs, 12 hits, 1 RBI, 2 walks, 7 K, .240 BA

 

[PolarVortex]

Nine baserunners in 4 innings and the only run they manage to score is off of a wild pitch. This team is fucking horrible.

 

[Msfann]

Base hit rbi for Cruz, that's more like it!

 

[Msfann]

It looks like you can pull a guy off base and tag him out now. If you play for Boston.