Official Mariners arm-chair GM offseason thread

[seahawksfan234]

Boy, as much as I want to see us make a run at some of the guys in free agency this offseason:

Looking ahead to baseball's 2018-19 free-agent bonanza

Incredible upcoming class next year. Really makes me wish the Mariners would go into full rebuild mode, ship off what we've got now, rebuild the farm system and re-tool with that free agency class.

 

[PolarVortex]

Boy, as much as I want to see us make a run at some of the guys in free agency this offseason:

Looking ahead to baseball's 2018-19 free-agent bonanza

Incredible upcoming class next year. Really makes me wish the Mariners would go into full rebuild mode, ship off what we've got now, rebuild the farm system and re-tool with that free agency class.

Works for me:
Roster with salary per year, in millions, in parenthesis:
SS Segura (14)
CF Pollock (17)
RF Harper (37)
3B Machado (29)
1B Cano (24)
2B Dozier (21)
LF Haniger (.5)
DH Seager (18)
C Zunino (7)

SP Kershaw (35)
SP Polmeranz (16)
SP Paxson (9)
SP Felix (25)
SP Rameriz (9)

RP Kimbrel (18)
RP Miller (14)
RP Britton (12)

Bench and remaining bullpen (19)

Total payroll $334.5 million. Let's do it.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Works for me:
Roster with salary per year, in millions, in parenthesis:
SS Segura (14)
CF Pollock (17)
RF Harper (37)
3B Machado (29)
1B Cano (24)
2B Dozier (21)
LF Haniger (.5)
DH Seager (18)
C Zunino (7)

SP Kershaw (35)
SP Polmeranz (16)
SP Paxson (9)
SP Felix (25)
SP Rameriz (9)

RP Kimbrel (18)
RP Miller (14)
RP Britton (12)

Bench and remaining bullpen (19)

Total payroll $334.5 million. Let's do it.

You know, while we're at it, we should make a run at Darvish and J.D. Martinez this offseason as well. I don't think we've spent enough yet.

The irony is, even if this all happened, I'd still have faith in the Mariners to fuck up somehow.

 

[NWinAZ]

I was hoping we would trade Seager for Machado this winter. They get a guy under team control and we get one year of Machado with hopes of signing him long term or trading him at deadline for youth. Long shot I know, but what do we have to lose?

 

[PolarVortex]

I was hoping we would trade Seager for Machado this winter. They get a guy under team control and we get one year of Machado with hopes of signing him long term or trading him at deadline for youth. Long shot I know, but what do we have to lose?

Interesting article on Seager in lookout landing. Based on the stats they provided, it appeared that Seager might have given in to home run fever last year.

 

[SeattleCoug]

You know, while we're at it, we should make a run at Darvish and J.D. Martinez this offseason as well. I don't think we've spent enough yet.

The irony is, even if this all happened, I'd still have faith in the Mariners to fuck up somehow.

Yea 100%

 

[wazzu31]

Interesting article on Seager in lookout landing. Based on the stats they provided, it appeared that Seager might have given in to home run fever last year.

I don't think there is a question he fell in love with the home run. Problem Seager mostly has offensively is he hasn't adjusted really anything with the shift they put on him. He's not skilled enough at the plate to keep trying to beat it.

 

[NWinAZ]

Tim Dierkes‏ @mlbtrmariners 2h2 hours ago
Mariners Could Be In Mix For Jay Bruce http://dlvr.it/Q07Wr8 #mariners #mlb

 

[NWinAZ]

From The Brewers:

Why would the Brewers and the Mariners partner on a deal?
The Mariners have needs at first base and center field. Dan Vogelbach currently occupies first base. He has a ton of power, but is horrible defensively. Yonder Alonso was their first baseman along with Danny Valencia last year, but they’re free agents now. If they sign elsewhere, the Mariners will want someone to come in to play first base.

In center, 26-year old Guillermo Heredia is going to take over for Jarrod Dyson. That’s not exactly an ideal scenario. The Milwaukee Brewers can help the Seattle Mariners with these problems. The Mariners have a lot of big contracts that have sent their payroll north of $165 million in 2017. They will be looking for some inexpensive options to fill these holes in the roster.

If David Stearns and Jerry Dipoto decide to make a trade together this winter, here’s one way that deal could look.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS GETRHP THYAGO VIEIRA, RHP WYATT MILLS, LHP ROBERT DUGGER

SEATTLE MARINERS GETOF KEON BROXTON, 1B JESUS AGUILAR
The Milwaukee Brewers got three young pitchers for Adam Lind in 2015 and in this trade they get three young pitchers once again. Although these pitchers are much closer to the majors than the other group. Keon Broxton and Jesus Aguilar head to Seattle in exchange.

Who are the prospects in this deal?
Thyago Vieira is the Mariners eighth ranked prospect and reaches triple digits on his fastball. He also possesses a good curveball and profiles as a late inning reliever. He could be a future closer but his control is still lacking and may need a few years of development in low pressure situations out of the bullpen until he can become a full time closer. Corey Knebel went through the same situation and these two would make a great one-two punch in the back of the bullpen.

Wyatt Mills is the Mariners 22nd ranked prospect according to MLB.com and pitched to a 1.77 ERA in 18 games since getting selected in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft. His lanky, side-arm/low three quarter delivery is devastating to same sided hitters and he commands his fastball-slider combination extremely well. He’s basically a right-handed version of Josh Hader without the potential to start.

Robert Dugger finished the season with the High-A Modesto Nuts and had a 2.75 ERA in 31 games, including 18 starts The lefty struck out 116 batters in 117 innings and also collected two saves in 2017. Dugger does have the potential to stay as a starter, although he would be a back-end starter. He’s done well since being drafted out of Texas Tech in 2016.

What about the Brewers headed to Seattle?
Keon Broxton had a 20 homer season for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017, but he’ll get forced out of his spot in center field if he stays. Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto will need starting outfielders this winter. Given the state of the Seattle farm system, any trade acquisition will have some flaws. But Dipoto loves athletic center-fielders that play good defense. Keon Broxton fits that description perfectly. His bat is very streaky, but his defense is consistent.

Jesus Aguilar will also be a cheap option for the Mariners to plug in at first base instead of Dan Vogelbach after the departures of Yonder Alonso and Danny Valencia. Aguilar turned in a good season and could be on the trade block this winter. He posted a .265/.331/.505 line with 16 homers in only 279 ABs this year. If Jerry Dipoto doesn’t want to pay a ton of money for any free agent first baseman, Aguilar can come in and play on a regular basis.

Does this trade suit both sides?
In this deal, the Milwaukee Brewers give the Seattle Mariners two players they can plug into their starting lineup on Opening Day. In return, the Brewers receive a late inning relief arm that could be in the bullpen to start the season, a right handed version of Josh Hader, and a potential left-handed starter in the future. Getting two top-30 prospects is key to Milwaukee giving up the long term control over Broxton and Aguilar.

In a potential deal with Seattle, Broxton and Aguilar wouldn’t necessarily need to be packaged together. These two could easily go to Seattle in a deal individually. Everything depends on how the market shakes out for Seattle. But if the Winter Meetings roll around and Seattle still has not found an answer for center field and first base, a deal like this makes a lot of sense for both clubs.

 

[wazzu31]

Tim Dierkes‏ @mlbtrmariners 2h2 hours ago
Mariners Could Be In Mix For Jay Bruce http://dlvr.it/Q07Wr8 #mariners #mlb

Can I get a big fat hell no? Isn't he the opposite of what Jerry has preached? Athletic and high on base guys?

 

[seahawksfan234]

Can I get a big fat hell no? Isn't he the opposite of what Jerry has preached? Athletic and high on base guys?

Who the hell knows. He has some obsession with Lucas Duda too.

 

[seahawksfan234]

I have to assume that the interest in Jay Bruce stems from the fact that Nelson Cruz will be playing the final year of his contract and will be 38 in July. Mariners could use a DH type.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Kinda funny.

 

[wazzu31]

Who the hell knows. He has some obsession with Lucas Duda too.

Ya, they have an eventual one in Cano or hell even Vogelbach could do it, gets him out of the field, or go unconventional and rotate the odd man out in the OF to DH. Bruce won't come to Seattle on a 1 year deal and highly doubt Duda would either.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Ya, they have an eventual one in Cano or hell even Vogelbach could do it, gets him out of the field, or go unconventional and rotate the odd man out in the OF to DH. Bruce won't come to Seattle on a 1 year deal and highly doubt Duda would either.

I don't really have enough faith in Vogelbach to be a competent hitter, and right now Cano is still playing well enough defensively to warrant being out there at second.

 

[wazzu31]

I don't really have enough faith in Vogelbach to be a competent hitter, and right now Cano is still playing well enough defensively to warrant being out there at second.

Vogelbach is such a bad fielder that I think him even stepping on the field stunts his growth as anything but a AAAA hitter. Cano is definitely still a good enough fielder to still play 2B but eventually they need to spend wisely and not over pay for a 1B or DH when Cano can slide into 1B this year and DH when Cruz is gone. Truthfully I'd rather see them move Cano to 1B, pay nickels for a scrub 2B then use all the money they would've paid for a 1B and get Darvish if it means Otani is coming...let alone if they just try the gimmick of Otani and let him play 1B/DH when he isn't starting. Duda nor Bruce really accomplish going for it for 2018 or rebuilding, they are the definition of having no plan and why they haven't made the playoffs before the TSA started feeling up grandma's.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Vogelbach is such a bad fielder that I think him even stepping on the field stunts his growth as anything but a AAAA hitter. Cano is definitely still a good enough fielder to still play 2B but eventually they need to spend wisely and not over pay for a 1B or DH when Cano can slide into 1B this year and DH when Cruz is gone. Truthfully I'd rather see them move Cano to 1B, pay nickels for a scrub 2B then use all the money they would've paid for a 1B and get Darvish if it means Otani is coming...let alone if they just try the gimmick of Otani and let him play 1B/DH when he isn't starting. Duda nor Bruce really accomplish going for it for 2018 or rebuilding, they are the definition of having no plan and why they haven't made the playoffs before the TSA started feeling up grandma's.

I agree with all of the above.

Although I think that Cano was still defensively strong enough last year to warrant keeping him at 2B for another year until we find some sort of adequate replacement for him. By moving Cano to 1B, we fill one hole but create another.

I'm not a fan of many of the 1B options. I'm unsure what kind of contract we can expect Alonso to receive, but I almost wouldn't mind seeing the Alonso/Valencia split again. It seems like the cheapest option. It's not ideal, but it's a way to avoid regression from our 1B production without breaking the bank. The idea of giving a longer term contract to a guy like Eric Hosmer somewhat worries me, especially if we eventually want Evan White to eventually be our future 1B.

Apparently Jose Abreu is on the market. That could be an option. His defensive abilities are mediocre, but he's under control until 2020. Could move him to DH after Cruz leaves, then slide Cano in at 1B. Biggest issue with that is we have minimal prospects we can realistically trade away from him.

This team really is an absolute clusterfuck. I don't think we are good enough to contend next year, but we don't have the prospects or money to build a substantially better team. Meanwhile the FO doesn't seem willing to sell.

 

[Msfann]

Anyone see the Yankees are looking at Eric wedge?

 

[wazzu31]

I agree with all of the above.

Although I think that Cano was still defensively strong enough last year to warrant keeping him at 2B for another year until we find some sort of adequate replacement for him. By moving Cano to 1B, we fill one hole but create another.

I'm not a fan of many of the 1B options. I'm unsure what kind of contract we can expect Alonso to receive, but I almost wouldn't mind seeing the Alonso/Valencia split again. It seems like the cheapest option. It's not ideal, but it's a way to avoid regression from our 1B production without breaking the bank. The idea of giving a longer term contract to a guy like Eric Hosmer somewhat worries me, especially if we eventually want Evan White to eventually be our future 1B.

Apparently Jose Abreu is on the market. That could be an option. His defensive abilities are mediocre, but he's under control until 2020. Could move him to DH after Cruz leaves, then slide Cano in at 1B. Biggest issue with that is we have minimal prospects we can realistically trade away from him.

This team really is an absolute clusterfuck. I don't think we are good enough to contend next year, but we don't have the prospects or money to build a substantially better team. Meanwhile the FO doesn't seem willing to sell.

I don't know about Abreu's availability but if they got him it makes a ton more sense than buying a 1B. Valencia might be cheap and makes sense for their current situation, but Alonso, Duda or Bruce are all going to be expensive options for guys who really don't move the needle. But this is just my opinion on how the market will play out for those guys and my feelings on how the organization, who doesn't want to spend the payroll big markets do, needs to spend wisely, not just say we have a budget and need to meet that budget. They need a GM with balls, they have more than enough money from this ownership group to outspend the Yankees and Dodgers and that GM needs to say quit saying you're going to reduce the budget or slightly raise it. Jesus, let the market play out and not pigeonhole themselves.

 

[cezero]

our bench coach left to be the 1B coach for the nats

we'll see how much longer edgar bothers to stick around (and no, i don't think he'd move anywhere else)