Should the Mariners sell? Arguments for and against

[PolarVortex]

We are currently 7 games under .500. Last year, it took 88 wins to make the playoffs. We would need to go 64-43 the rest of the way to hit that number.

Argument for not selling at the trade deadline:
The Mariners have already invested too much in winning now. Nelson Cruz is hitting at an MVP level, he's not going to be this good next year. Seldom do you land a player that is hitting at his level. Also, adding Trumbo would've been pointless if you're not trying to win now. On paper, this team has the talent to go 64-43 the rest of the way. Do I think that will happen? I couldn't tell you. With the way the team has been playing, the pessimism in me wants to say no. But I look at some of the players in our lineup and compare it to our offensive production and it just doesn't make sense. Logically I have to assume something will turn around. All these one run games we've lost, if something had just gone in the Mariners favor in those games, perhaps our record would look a lot different. They've been competitive, just losing by a hair. Lastly, it's not like we have even got anything worth a damn in the past selling our players. Cliff Lee, Erik Bedard, Doug Fister, Jarrod Washburn, none of them landed anything worth shit.

Argument for selling:
The team looks bad right now. Robinson Cano looks lost. Nelson Cruz is 34 and injury prone, his value won't be higher than it is right now. I'll happily admit that it looks like I was wrong with my prediction of roughly 25 HRs and a .260-.270 BA from him - but that still could be a reality either next year or the year after that. There is a strong argument that we won't be able to turn it around, and that 64-43 the rest of the way will be too difficult.

What does everyone think? Should we continue to try to win now? Or sell our pieces and start rebuilding again? I know it's obvious what the franchise is, and will continue to do, but I'm curious to see if anyone thinks we should sell.

Mariners most marketable players:
Charlie Furbush - solid lefty relief specialists are always in demand and Furbush is one of the best.
Seth Smith - professional hitters are also in demand at the deadline.
JA Happ - Lefty starter with plenty of gas left in the tank. Someone will want him.
Tom Wilhelmsen - Effective and versitile. He has spot started, closed, set up and pitched long relief. They would have no problem finding a trade partner for him and might even get bback a decent prospect.

Second Tier:
Fernando Rodney - Someone is alwayss willingg tto take a cchance on a broken closer. They'd have to eat some of his remaining salary - probably about 60-70% of it. And they wouldn't get a player back that would ever even sniff AAA.
Mark Trumbo - They'd have to eat some of his salary too, but any guy who has power hitting on his resume will find interest at the trade deadline.

Third tier:
Austin Jackson - Not really the kind of outfielder contenders are looking for
Logan Morrison - Not really the kind of first baseman contenders are looking for

I didn't bother listing guys who:
- have no trade value (Ackley, Weeks, Beimel, Bloomquist, Sucre).
- probably deemed untouchable (Hernandez, Cruz, Seager).
- salary is so low that trading them would be counter-productive (Smith, Miller, Paxton, Walker, Zunino, Elias, Lowe).
- Couldn't be traded without eating a shitload of their contract (Cano).

 

[Mariners_44]

Mariners most marketable players:
Charlie Furbush - solid lefty relief specialists are always in demand and Furbush is one of the best.
Seth Smith - professional hitters are also in demand at the deadline.
JA Happ - Lefty starter with plenty of gas left in the tank. Someone will want him.
Tom Wilhelmsen - Effective and versitile. He has spot started, closed, set up and pitched long relief. They would have no problem finding a trade partner for him and might even get bback a decent prospect.

Second Tier:
Fernando Rodney - Someone is alwayss willingg tto take a cchance on a broken closer. They'd have to eat some of his remaining salary - probably about 60-70% of it. And they wouldn't get a player back that would ever even sniff AAA.
Mark Trumbo - They'd have to eat some of his salary too, but any guy who has power hitting on his resume will find interest at the trade deadline.

Third tier:
Austin Jackson - Not really the kind of outfielder contenders are looking for
Logan Morrison - Not really the kind of first baseman contenders are looking for

I didn't bother listing guys who:
- have no trade value (Ackley, Weeks, Beimel, Bloomquist, Sucre).
- probably deemed untouchable (Hernandez, Cruz, Seager).
- salary is so low that trading them would be counter-productive (Smith, Miller, Paxton, Walker, Zunino, Elias, Lowe).
- Couldn't be traded without eating a shitload of their contract (Cano).

Dude, have you watched Willie lately?

 

[NWinAZ]

Building through the draft?

Bill Shaikin ‏@BillShaikin 54m54 minutes ago

On draft day, this from @BaseballAmerica research: A first-round pick has a 30% chance of never reaching the majors.

 

[PolarVortex]

Dude, have you watched Willie lately?

Yes. Willie came back to Seattle to die. He's from Bremerton. He wanted to finish his career here. Next year he'll have a job in the organization somewhere as a minor league instructor.

He should have started his coaching career this year. He's beyond done.

 

[Mariners_44]

Yes. Willie came back to Seattle to die. He's from Bremerton. He wanted to finish his career here. Next year he'll have a job in the organization somewhere as a minor league instructor.

He should have started his coaching career this year. He's beyond done.

I was being sarcastic, we suck!