Rosenthal: M's need free agents...but will find it hard to attract decent ones

[cezero]

Desperate Seattle Mariners must consider all free-agent options this offseason - MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN

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hitters look at Seattle and see the following: Bad team. Pitcher-friendly ballpark. Undesirable geography, particularly for players from Latin America who want to be close to home.

The Mariners need to change the conversation, establish a winning culture under new manager Lloyd McClendon, establish an identity. Problem is, all of the free-agent hitters they are pursuing – with the possible exception of Ellsbury, a native of Oregon - would accept comparable offers from more competitive teams before coming to Seattle.

The best way for them to get free agents is to overpay, and circumstances may line up for them to do just that, whether it’s the right decision or not.

At this point, the M’s cannot afford to be picky, cannot dismiss any option. They are like the poor guy in high school who keeps getting rejected by girls he asks to the prom. Whichever hitter says “yes” will become instantly more attractive.

Two sources used the same word to describe the Mariners’ current approach – “desperate.” Desperate teams shift course. Desperate teams spend money. Desperate teams are capable of just about anything.

 

[unlvmariners]

It sucks that the Mariners have to overpay to get good free agents but I wish they would.

The article kinda makes it sound like the Mariners can be undesirable to work for... I don't mean only as a player but as a staff member.

 

[NWinAZ]

Mariners put themselves in the position of having to overpay for free agents by being so bad for so long. If they overpay for a few guys and become competitive, then they will be back on even ground to sign free agents in the future. I don't buy the other excuses IF M's were competitive.

I believe the management has a rep for being hard to work for. Constant turnover is never an attractive way to get people to come and work for you.

 

[seattlefan75]

Im not gonna lie im from seattle and If i was a big time free agent I wouldnt come to seattle either unless the money was something i couldnt turn away

 

[briwas101]

Yes it sucks that we have to overpay to get free agents, but giving into that will just make us a bad team for even longer.

Think about ALL the free agent sluggers that most (not me EVER) Mariner fans have wanted us to sign over the last 5 years.

How many of those deals would've worked out for us? Damn near zero.

Baseball teams are hurting themselves with these huge contracts and yet the Ms would have to offer an even BIGGER contract to get them.

The Ms need to draft better (especially 1st round) and be WAY WAY WAY more aggressive when it comes to international players.

It would be wiser to give a $1M signing bonus to 10 international prospects each season for the next 5 years than to give out a $50/5 deal to a veteran FA.

The Ms will never become good by overpaying players who have already peaked.

$50m over the next 5 years for international prospects would pay much bigger dividends.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

Sign Cano! Make a statement and others will follow suit. We have to show players that we're serious. If we were going to overpay for Hamilton or Fielder then why not Robinson Cano? I actually think he's a better option than the previous 2 FA we were courting. Then we need to add another bat to compliment Cano via trade maybe. If we're ever going to spend it's NOW. We have the funds. We don't need Ellsbury. We need to do what the Nationals did when they signed Werth. We need to take the risk, we can afford Cano. We CAN'T afford to trade prospects away for duds or players like Kemp.

REMOVE THE STIGMA

 

[briwas101]

Sign Cano! Make a statement and others will follow suit. We have to show players that we're serious. If we were going to overpay for Hamilton or Fielder then why not Robinson Cano? I actually think he's a better option than the previous 2 FA we were courting. Then we need to add another bat to compliment Cano via trade maybe. If we're ever going to spend it's NOW. We have the funds. We don't need Ellsbury. We need to do what the Nationals did when they signed Werth. We need to take the risk, we can afford Cano. We CAN'T afford to trade prospects away for duds or players like Kemp.

REMOVE THE STIGMA

Funny you mention Cano because out of all the big name FA of the last decade I think he has the best chance of living up to his contract.

Out of ALL the high-priced FA that fans have wanted over the last decade, Cano would be the best.

I still wouldn't sign him though.

The Ms supposedly could have traded Felix for Cano 2-3 years ago and I was disappointed we didn't. Cano as an everyday player would have been more valuable for us than Felix is (or has ever been).

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

Why not sign him? I mean obviously not for 300 million lol. But 225 or something? I mean of course we're going to have to overpay. I haven't heard about the M's being linked to him at all which is why I wonder if we're sneaking around waiting to see what the Yankees will max out at.

 

[NWinAZ]

If it means signing Cano and nothing else, then I pass. One player does not make a team. If he is just piece one of 5, then a good place to start as any.

 

[NWinAZ]

I am still warming up to signing Loney on say a 3/$21M deal. I think of him as Olerud 2.0 w/o the Washington ties.

 

[NWinAZ]

I just spent $125M for the M's for this season via one of those you be the GM sites.

Added:
Napoli
Morse
Choo
Ellsbury
Youkilis
Crain
Tanaka
Kelly Johnson

It didn't allow for trades, but I would look to deal for a closer and another LH bullpen arm.

Fantasy is fun.

 

[NWinAZ]

1- Ellsbury (CF)
2- Choo (RF)
3- Seager (3B)
4- Napoli (1B)
5- Youkilis (DH)
6- Morse (LF)
7- Miller (SS)
8- Franklin (2B)
9- Zunino (C)

Bench: Johnson, Ackley, Sucre, Almonte
Johnson can sub in at 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, RF, DH
Ackley at 2B, 1B, OF
Sucre at C
Almonte OF

 

[seahawksfan234]

Robinson Cano would take $300m to come here.

Nobody else will give it to him but in order for him to sign with the Mariners that is probably what it would take.

 

[NWinAZ]

$300M for 20 years would be a steal!!!!

 

[briwas101]

Why not sign him? I mean obviously not for 300 million lol. But 225 or something? I mean of course we're going to have to overpay. I haven't heard about the M's being linked to him at all which is why I wonder if we're sneaking around waiting to see what the Yankees will max out at.

I still wouldn't sign him because it only improves our chances of winning if it is part of a MUCH BIGGER plan to revitalize the Mariners.

Im talking about team payroll of $160-200 million.

It would be similar to the rangers signing Arod. They got the best player in baseball but it prevented them from putting together a TEAM.

Signing cano won't improve our playoff chances if we have to spend so much that he is our only upgrade for the next 5 years.

Signing Cano would not fix our problem with signing FAs to a fair contract because we would still be a bad team, so FAs would basically just demand we overpay them like we have always overpaid players.


If the Ms raised payroll to $160+ million and pledged to increase it to $200m by 2020 then I would fully be on board, but as long as money is tight and payroll is low so we would just be spinning in circles like the Mariners love to do.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

If it means signing Cano and nothing else, then I pass. One player does not make a team. If he is just piece one of 5, then a good place to start as any.

Of course we add to Cano, he wouldn't be our only signing he needs another bat to compliment him in the lineup. At the worst maybe we give Morales a 2yr deal?

 

[NWinAZ]

I prefer Napoli on a 3 year deal than Morales. I just think he is a better clubhouse guy as well as a grinder type that makes others better.

I know you and I would add to Cano, but would M's management? That is the question.

 

[Thisnamewasntaken]

I prefer Napoli on a 3 year deal than Morales. I just think he is a better clubhouse guy as well as a grinder type that makes others better.

I know you and I would add to Cano, but would M's management? That is the question.

Okay I could live with that. I think you're right about Napoli, just the whole hip thing worries me. I've also said this a billion times but we shouldn't count out Corey Hart either. If we could be absolutely sure that Napoli can cover 1B then you let Hart DH.

 

[DunceKaep]

Usually on the Seahawk board, but I thought I'd stop by.
I agree with Briwas this time in that M's have usually signed 'past their prime' FA.
Thisname also has some good points.

No way I consider Morse again. Morales, no.
Choo versus Ellsbury, I say Choo.
I like Billy Butler, I did like Peter Borjious, but he's gone.

What we have, I like Miller, Zunino, Seager, I still like Ackley and Franklin, even though the saber guys seem to disagree.

Pitching, Felix and Iwakuma, hopefuls in Paxton and Walker and Ramirez, Hultzen is TOAST in my opinion, hope I'm wrong. PLEASE don't sign some older crap pitcher like Saunders, Bonderman, other old shit we signed, etc. ****I hate that*****

Zunino
Butler
Franklin
Miller
Seager
Choo
Ackley
Some other OF'er, Almonte
DH

Let's go Young.

 

[NWinAZ]

Okay I could live with that. I think you're right about Napoli, just the whole hip thing worries me. I've also said this a billion times but we shouldn't count out Corey Hart either. If we could be absolutely sure that Napoli can cover 1B then you let Hart DH.

Ya, I am a big Hart fan. He only lost his numbers because he couldn't play. If his knees check out, I would make a run at him for 1B/DH as you mentioned. I still have interest in Loney as well as a 1B/DH option. Like I said before, he has that Olerud vibe going for him to a lesser degree. He would be cheaper than Morales as well. So if we could get 2 of Loney/Napoli/Hart, I would be happy. Then we could move on to the OF and a #2 SP they have been talking about.