Mariners Still Looking For Additional Infielder

Trade Julien to them.

20 minutes ago, RpR said:

Trade Julien to them.

Seattle actually has the young, good, cheap starting pitchers that would make a Julien trade worthwhile but I doubt Seattle will want to trade any of them.

Was Ken Rosenthal speculating when he wrote: "The Mariners still would like to add one more bat in the infield so they are not as reliant on Josh Rojas at second and Luis Urias at third."? Rosenthal failed to attribute that sentiment to anyone associated with the Mariners.

In Sunday's article, Seattle Times beat reporter Ryan Divish provided extensive quotes from Mariner PBO Jerry Dipoto. In those quotes Dipoto never mentioned the infield specifically.

If you check stats at  Baseball Ref. Polanco is well below average at SS or 3rd.

Dipoto does a good job of repeating himself. After the season ended, again after the first transaction, and in metronome fashion after every trade thereafter including the last one Jerry has stated something nearly like, "I really like our team right now". It really is consistent ..... and then he goes out and makes another trade.

I'm a baseball fan and always a Twins fan but also have liked the Mariners since Edgar (1990). Dipoto has some more work to do if he wants to win 90 games or more. He likes to trade and might have to gamble a bit more, which he loves to do.

I am also a split Twins/Mariners fan, having been happily exiled to Seattle for several years. Edgar, a deadly clutch hitter and all-around nice guy, isn't quite on the same level with Harmon, who was those same things, but he is in the neighborhood, which says a lot right there. Two HoFers. 

1 hour ago, Met Stadium Usher said:

I am also a split Twins/Mariners fan, having been happily exiled to Seattle for several years. Edgar, a deadly clutch hitter and all-around nice guy, isn't quite on the same level with Harmon, who was those same things, but he is in the neighborhood, which says a lot right there. Two HoFers. 

FWIW I have been a Seattle Mariners fan since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1994 although my childhood hero was Harmon Killebrew when I was growing up a Twins fan in Iowa.

15 hours ago, RpR said:

Trade Julien to them.

No to trading Julien. His offensive profile, ability to get on base, and low salary make him an ideal lead off hitter. Mix in his demonstrated power and he is a keeper, not trade bait.

33 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

No to trading Julien. His offensive profile, ability to get on base, and low salary make him an ideal lead off hitter. Mix in his demonstrated power and he is a keeper, not trade bait.

Kirby and Gilbert are really good pitchers. To get one of them would require trading someone as good as Julien.

34 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Here is a hypothetical; let's say the Twins trade (not Polanco) with another team to add a quality starting pitcher (we'll call that team the Marlins just for an example.)

IF Seattle still wanted to trade for Polanco, what is something that would excite you to get back in a trade that is from Seattle that ISN'T one of their starting pitchers?

Harry Ford

FWIW over the past two seasons Jorge Polanco has posted a 119 wRC+ and 3.3 fWAR in 184 games while Seattle utility player Dylan Moore has posted a 118 wRC+ and 2.8 fWAR in 171 games.

Polanco is guaranteed $11.25 million, including the buyout of the 2025 team option, while Moore, who is a year older than Polanco, has two years and a guaranteed $6.565 million remaining on his contract.

As of today, the Mariners plan to cover second and third base with Luis Urias, Josh Rojas and Moore.

11 minutes ago, harmony55 said:

As of today, the Mariners plan to cover second and third base with Luis Urias, Josh Rojas and Dylan Moore.

Right. As of now the Mariners are planning to use three utility players to cover 2B and 3B for the entire season. This is why there is so much speculation that they would add another infielder to the roster.

3 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Right. As of now the Mariners are planning to use three utility players to cover 2B and 3B for the entire season. This is why there is so much speculation that they would add another infielder to the roster.

Seattle indeed acquired low on Luis Urias and Josh Rojas with their disappointing 2023 seasons.

However, Urias and Rojas were full-time players the two previous seasons, combining for 2,102 plate appearances, Urias with an OPS+ of 111 and 4.4 fWAR and Rojas with an OPS+ of 106 and 4.5 fWAR.

Rojas posted an OPS+ of 103 with 1.2 fWAR in 46 games after his July 2023 trade to Seattle.

Pitching is Seattle's strength but the Mariners also return the position core of Julio Rodriguez, J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh, who last year combined for 15.5 fWAR. Roster Resource's current Seattle lineup has only one starter -- Josh Rojas -- with a projected wRC+ below 100. 

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/mariners

The Mariners hope to improve in last year's team OPS+ of 106 just as the Twins would like to improve on their 2023 team OPS+ of 106.

3 hours ago, Otaknam said:

No to trading Julien. His offensive profile, ability to get on base, and low salary make him an ideal lead off hitter. Mix in his demonstrated power and he is a keeper, not trade bait.

Which makes him a more attractive trade piece that should bring back a better return...

I think Matt Chapman might be part of the wait here. If his price is low enough I would expect Seattle to have interest.

Polo to the Mariners for Bryan Woo. The least heralded of the exciting young pitchers in teal, but he's got promise. He has a live fastball and the Twins have been good at unlocking sweepers. 

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

@harmony55Just curious, what is Sam Carlson up to these days? He was a Minnesota high school prospect drafted fairly high a few years back by the Mariners, and if I remember correctly he got hurt soon in his professional career. 

Not asking for trading purposes, just curious if you know what's going on with him? 

Cory,

https://www.milb.com/player/sam-carlson-672277

Team	Date	Transaction
	January 3, 2024	RHP Sam Carlson assigned to Nashville Sounds.
	November 30, 2023	Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent RHP Sam Carlson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
	November 6, 2023	RHP Sam Carlson elected free agency.