**Seattle Mariners 2024 Season Thread ** | ELIMINATED |

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Good ****.

Another series win.

Props to Noesi and the bullpen
 
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I was sweatin' bullets. 
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On to Cleveland. 
 
Mariners are going to contend all summer  
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May, 17, 2013
May 17

11:22

AM ET

By Jim Bowden | ESPN.com
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Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images Led by Felix Hernandez, the Seattle Mariners have the pitching to contend for a wild-card berth.

After another win in the Bronx last night, the Seattle Mariners are just a game below .500 and in second place in the AL West. This club was built on pitching and defense, and it's strong in both areas. However, with an offense that ranks 14th in the AL in runs, there are some issues.

The good news for the Mariners is that they have one of the deepest farm systems in the majors and can fix some of those problems from within via promotions and by trading some of that depth. When I look around the American League, I don't see any team that is going to run away with a wild-card berth. And while I don't think the Mariners can catch the Rangers in the AL West, I expect them to compete for a playoff spot all summer. They just need to make a few key adjustments.


{C}{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2Doffer%2D%2D%3ESolve offensive problems with depth
It's funny, when Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik was working in the Milwaukee Brewers' front office prior to joining the Mariners, the team’s farm system produced bats by the bushel: Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart.

But aside from Yovani Gallardo, their pitching never really developed: Manny Parra, Mark Rogers, Jeremy Jeffress, Evan Fredrickson.

When Zduriencik got to Seattle, it seemed as if almost the exact opposite has happened, with the Mariners’ system now flush with high-ceiling hurlers like Danny Hultzen, James Paxton, Brandon Maurer, Taijuan Walker, as well as producing a slew of hard-throwing relievers in Carter Capps, Stephen Pryor and Tom Wilhelmsen.

However, outside of third baseman Kyle Seager, their bats haven’t developed. But that's about to change.

“This is the year we think their offense will start to click in,” Mariners skipper Eric Wedge told me Thursday.

There is bright news continuing to come from their farm system, where Nick Franklin, the Mariners’ 2009 No. 1 draft pick, is hitting .339 with four home runs at Triple-A Tacoma. He, along with Seattle’s 2012 No. 1 pick, catcher Mike Zunino, should be ready for the big leagues soon, and the club should not hesitate to get them to the bigs.

Brendan Ryan is a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop, but he struggles to hit his weight. Robert Andino is also a good defender, but he too is hitting below the Mendoza Line. Seattle cannot win with either of their bats in the lineup. Enter Franklin. Whether or not it's a few months premature, the Mariners will instantly get a lot more offense from the shortstop position once they promote Franklin -- a move they should make sooner rather than later, perhaps even this weekend.

Elsewhere in the lineup, Justin Smoak, Jesus Montero and Dustin Ackley have been feeble. Expected to provide much of the thump in the Mariners’ lineup, they have hit a combined eight home runs and driven in 23 runs. To put that into perspective, one of Seattle’s offseason acquisitions, Michael Morse, has 10 home runs and 17 RBIs by himself. If they aren’t producing by June, Zduriencik should not be afraid to option them to the minors. You can't have huge holes in your lineup if you want to contend.

Zunino can help fill that void, and he showed it by posting a 1.137 OPS across two levels of the minors last year. He's hitting just .219 at Tacoma but is slugging .482, so the power is there. Once he gets going, the M's should get him to the majors quickly, and their lineup would instantly improve.


[+] Enlarge
Ron Vesely/Getty ImagesCould Konerko be in the Mariners' sights as the trade deadline approaches?

Let's make a deal

Assuming the Mariners go outside the organization to improve their offense, who could they target in a trade? They have enough to deal in their farm system or even on their major league club to acquire short-term offensive solutions, including players who could become available by the deadline like Josh Willingham, Alfonso Soriano or Paul Konerko. All can still be productive this season, and of course their teams would be looking for young minor league talent in return.

However, the Mariners also have enough to acquire players who fit as long-term solutions, which they proved this offseason when they almost acquired Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks before he nixed the deal with his no-trade clause. Despite Miami’s denials, many baseball people still think the Marlins could change course and eventually listen to offers on outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. The Los Angeles Dodgers might part with Andre Ethier to get out of his contract and open up a space for slugging rookie Yasiel Puig.

Further, the San Diego Padres will probably trade Chase Headley by the deadline if they're not in a pennant race. The Mariners could put him in left field or at third base and move Seager to second. It's also possible that the Blue Jays could even make Edwin Encarnacion available.

Pitching their calling card

The Mariners' pitching staff, in contrast to the team's anemic offense, has been robust. It leads the league in WHIP and is among the top six in most other pitching categories. The Mariners are also sixth in defensive efficiency.

Just as the offense is an embarrassment, the pitching is an embarrassment of riches. The Mariners have two No. 1-quality starters in Felix Hernandez (1.53 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) and Hisashi Iwakuma (1.84 ERA, 0.78 WHIP). They comprise what is arguably the best one-two combination in the AL right now.

They also have one of the game’s best closers in Wilhelmsen -- who leads a strong bullpen loaded with power arms like rookies Pryor, Capps and Yoervis Medina -- and left-handed balance with veteran Oliver Perez.

However, the Mariners’ farm system boasts some of the top and most coveted pitching prospects in the game. Among them: Hultzen is furthest along and could help immediately as the Mariners’ fifth starter, and Walker, who profiles as yet another No. 1 or 2 starter, could be ready as early as September. If the club wants to be ambitious, it could use either as a trade chip.

Last year, the Oakland Athletics rode stellar pitching and a surprisingly potent offense to a playoff spot, and I think the Mariners can do the same this year. They just need to do something to improve that offense. Either way, don't expect them to go away quietly this year.
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I wish Bowden was the GM. :lol

He's on the same page about calling Franklin up TODAY. I seriously don't understand why they're still waiting. Maybe until June?

I would also love Chase at 3rd, Seager at 2nd, and Ackley in the OF. Makes too much sense.
 
651akathePaul said:
I wish Bowden was the GM. :lol

He's on the same page about calling Franklin up TODAY. I seriously don't understand why they're still waiting. Maybe until June?

I would also love Chase at 3rd, Seager at 2nd, and Ackley in the OF. Makes too much sense.
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I would be down with having the outfield consist of Saunders morse and ackley. They say Seager is a gold glove 2nd baseman so why not put him there
 
It felt like they were determined to make Ack work at 2nd considering how much they invested in the kid since he was drafted

It's getting time to let that dream go though
 
Elpablo21 said:
It felt like they were determined to make Ack work at 2nd considering how much they invested in the kid since he was drafted

It's getting time to let that dream go though
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this. i've had the highest hopes on Ackley since we drafted him also. at the time we drafted him, he was the only player i was excited about since Felix, but damn...
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651akathePaul said:
Why?! Why, Pabs? Whhhyyyyy?????
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Something with his eye, I guess he's not out but he won't start? weird
[h1]Morse sidelined by eye irritation[/h1]
CLEVELAND – Outfielder Michael Morse, who has been carrying a hot bat the last week, was scratched from the Mariners lineup about an hour before Friday’s series opener with the Indians due to irritation in his eye.

Morse will be available off the bench for the 4:05 p.m. PT contest, but Endy Chavez took his place in right field to start the game.

Morse hit his 10th home run of the season in Thursday’s 3-2 win over the Yankees. Since moving to the fifth spot in the lineup on May 12, he’s hit .600 (9-for-15) with four straight multi-hit games.

The big outfielder was tied for fifth in the American League with his 10 home runs going into Friday’s games and was hitting .261 with 17 RBIs in 35 games.
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Early-games FTW.

EDIT ~ Joe in trouble already. 
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EDIT 2 ~ Montero...

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5 k's in 2 2/3

I see you Farquhar

Edit: Raul almost threw his back out on that swing, crushed it
 
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