Mariners week in review and would you…

By Shannon Drayer

The Mariners week in review…

 

 

Okay, on to other topics. With the exception of the possible additions of a backup shortstop and George Sherrill (nothing official here yet) all was quiet on the Mariners front from what we can see and hear. There is no telling how many conversations were had, with who and how far talks have progressed on both free agent and trade fronts.

In the span of a week we have heard that the Cubs are the front runners for Prince Fielder and we have heard that they are barely interested. We have heard that if Fielder were to come to Seattle it would be nothing more than a “blatant money grab”, thank you Ken Rosenthal. Love that. No doubt the Cubs are dazzling Prince with their hall of World Series Championships trophies and tales of harmony and goodwill from their dugout and clubhouse. I am not saying that the Mariners would be more attractive to a free agent, they may or they may not but lets not overlook the various levels of dysfunction both on and off the field the Cubs have displayed of late. Cheap shot, intended or not, to an organization that has at the very least put a very good development plan into place.

Yes, I know. Even the best laid and executed plans could still use a big bat. Believe me, I am with you on that one. The biggest question in my mind is the same now as it was at the beginning of the week. Will Prince want to come here? Does it matter what the Mariners offer? West of the Mississippi, furthest from home, tough division, bigger park, we know what the obstacles are. Will money and years be enough?

If they are not I would hope that Jack Zduriencik is ready to make some trades. He seems reluctant to part with his young talent which I find so interesting in that he had no problem trading not much of anything for something when he first got here. They were his inherited players that he moved. The guys in the system are now for the most part his. He and his staff know them, have seen them develop and no doubt have the best idea of what they can become. Or so we hope. In the Bavasi era one of the Mariners biggest faults was their own player evaluation. They thought too much of some, not enough of others. They seemed to get it wrong more often than right. I don’t think we are going to see that from Zduriencik and crew but it hasn’t played out yet.

I have to wonder if the Mariners could have been in on the trade that went down this morning between the Reds and Padres. Mat Latos to the Reds for pitchers Edinson Volquez, Brad Boxberger, switch hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal, and first baseman Yonder Alonso. I wouldn’t have given up Felix for them but what about Pineda?

We don’t know if this was an option, but if it was, is this a deal you would have made? Could Pineda bring a similar haul? If Pineda was not enough, who would you have included? Would you pull the trigger if you had another established starter in the rotation and knew that Hultzen or Paxton were close? Does Pineda seem more replaceable than Felix at this point? Questions to ask when you are thinking trades.