Mariners OFF-season thread

[Hawk-Lock]

Address the catcher, shortstop and outfield. Sorry, but I can't take another season of watching Zunino hit .170. I'm not going to wait on Taylor and Miller, because last time I waited on our prospects....well you know how that goes. And we need to find a CF. Guti was a nice addition, but no way would I expect him to be an everyday player. I think Guti would serve as a good platoon guy.

Address the bullpen and solidify the back end of the rotation. After Felix, Iwakuma (assuming we re-sign him) and Walker, what do we really have? This will be the prove it year for Walker.

As for the managerial position....I'd like to see them hire someone who can get the players and fanbase excited. Please don't sign some no-name bench coach. No one got excited for Lloyd or Wedge. Dusty Baker anyone?

 

[SeatownJay]

As for the managerial position....I'd like to see them hire someone who can get the players and fanbase excited. Please don't sign some no-name bench coach. No one got excited for Lloyd or Wedge. Dusty Baker anyone?

Don Mattingly is available.

 

[KitsapGuy]

Former big-league catcher Scott Servais has emerged as the leading candidate to become the Mariners’ next manager, according to multiple reports.

There has been no confirmation from the Mariners, but such a move would reunite Servais, 48, with general manager Jerry Dipoto.

Servais currently works for the Los Angeles Angels as assistant general manager for scouting and player development. It was Dipoto, while serving as the Angels’ general manager, who hired Servais as an assistant in 2011.

Fox Sports reported Servais as a "strong front-runner" for the Mariners’ managerial position. Shortly thereafter, MLB.com reported it was a "strong chance" that Servais would join the Mariners "probably" as manager.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/ml ... rylink=cpy

 

[Sports Hernia]

They are interviewing hitters above .250 ?

He is a name, former Mariner, but I think he is unknown and Cheap to sign also. He has been tutored by the Red Sox which is good, at least a winning environment anyways.

Thats just one though, I am sure we will see at least 10 potential candidates.

I wouldn't mind seeing Gardenhire get a look...

The old Minne manager? If so then I agree.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Former big-league catcher Scott Servais has emerged as the leading candidate to become the Mariners’ next manager, according to multiple reports.

There has been no confirmation from the Mariners, but such a move would reunite Servais, 48, with general manager Jerry Dipoto.

Servais currently works for the Los Angeles Angels as assistant general manager for scouting and player development. It was Dipoto, while serving as the Angels’ general manager, who hired Servais as an assistant in 2011.

Fox Sports reported Servais as a "strong front-runner" for the Mariners’ managerial position. Shortly thereafter, MLB.com reported it was a "strong chance" that Servais would join the Mariners "probably" as manager.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/ml ... rylink=cpy

We haven't had very good luck with former catchers.

 

[Crizilla]

It is time for Servais to lead us to the series.

 

[Tech Worlds]

This is sooooo Mariners.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/13952 ... rs-manager

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

This is sooooo Mariners.

Sure feels that way, doesn't it? Hope we're wrong this time.

 

[Exittium]

Color me NOT even close to enthused by this.. He has zero experience, besides playing.. #facepalm Ugh I hope im wrong but here's to another season or seasonS of suck.

 

[DHawk]

Not really enthused by this at all. It just feels like another new GM bringing in his guy, which we've seen many times. Hope this guy works out for us.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Time will tell if this a good hire or not. A lot of folks thought Pete Carrol would crash and burn here too, 2 Super Bowls later.......... Maybe this guy and Dipito will be great or maybe they will fail. I am hoping for success, Seattle needs playoff baseball.

 

[nategreat]

Color me NOT even close to enthused by this.. He has zero experience, besides playing.. #facepalm Ugh I hope im wrong but here's to another season or seasonS of suck.

Ehhh, I don't think experience is the most important thing when it comes to baseball. What are you gonna do, call a steal? Shift the infield and outfield every now and then? Just set a lineup and make a few calls. You have to be motivating and provide a little energy I think, and that's what the Mariners have been lacking. This isn't like football, where you have do actually do a whole lot. Or at least be the most experienced in order to have any success. I kind of like the move. We'll see what happens though.

Oh and I think playing experience is worth a lot, actually.

 

[jkitsune]

Color me NOT even close to enthused by this.. He has zero experience, besides playing.. #facepalm Ugh I hope im wrong but here's to another season or seasonS of suck.

Ehhh, I don't think experience is the most important thing when it comes to baseball. What are you gonna do, call a steal? Shift the infield and outfield every now and then? Just set a lineup and make a few calls. You have to be motivating and provide a little energy I think, and that's what the Mariners have been lacking. This isn't like football, where you have do actually do a whole lot. Or at least be the most experienced in order to have any success. I kind of like the move. We'll see what happens though.

Oh and I think playing experience is worth a lot, actually.

I agree wholeheartedly. One problem with baseball is that it's extremely difficult to accurately judge the contribution a manager makes to a team, particularly over only 1-2 years. Look at Lloyd - last year, he was the toast of the town. This year, not so much. It's based so much on simply placing your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the team on the manager. Bob Melvin went on to be very successful after leaving the Mariners, but seemed like a terrible manager at the time.

IMO, the most important thing a manager needs to be able to do is manage the personalities in the clubhouse and put the the best players on the field at the right time, and try to maximize everyone's strengths while minimize their weaknesses. I see no reason to believe Servais is unable to do that as compared to other managers. Not having managerial experience is a reason to question whether he will be able to manage personalities, but not knowing anything about Servais as a person, I don't have any real reason to doubt that he can. Having an experienced bench coach like Bogar should help, as well. And we've seen on the Hawks what an impact harmony within an organization can have on rebuilding a damaged culture, so I think that having someone he can work well with, who shares his philosophy, is imperative.

I also don't see any reason whatsoever to be interested in Ron Gardenhire, and Dusty Baker is a fine manager but is nearing the tail end of his career, and is not necessarily the sort of manager you want to look at for a long-term answer. I'm perfectly fine with the hire - at the end of the day, all that anyone will judge Servais' performance on is the team's record, and it's debatable how much direct impact a manager has on that, unless they let the team devolve into infighting like in Washington.

 

[dumbrabbit]

I was interested in his thoughts on making the team better.

The main thing I was excited about hearing from him was hearing the team needed to get on base. His interests in walks to strikeouts ratio was rather intriguing. I am looking forward to seeing how his first year goes.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Dipoto is a sabermetrics GM, and he needs a manager on board with the new. Somehow I have my doubts that Lloyd was a big "new" guy.

 

[Hasselbeck]

Time will tell if this a good hire or not. A lot of folks thought Pete Carrol would crash and burn here too, 2 Super Bowls later.......... Maybe this guy and Dipito will be great or maybe they will fail. I am hoping for success, Seattle needs playoff baseball.

Small difference between hiring one of the most successful college coaches ever and a guy that's never managed before.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Time will tell if this a good hire or not. A lot of folks thought Pete Carrol would crash and burn here too, 2 Super Bowls later.......... Maybe this guy and Dipito will be great or maybe they will fail. I am hoping for success, Seattle needs playoff baseball.

Small difference between hiring one of the most successful college coaches ever and a guy that's never managed before.

Maybe, maybe not.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Dear Jerry Dipoto,
Did you catch the World Series this year? I'm guessing you did being a baseball man and all. I know you know that the Kansas City Royals won the whole thing and have now won two pennants in a row as well. Are you aware that they play in a large park where home runs are tougher to come by than the average MLB stadium? Are you aware that because of this they built a team based on pitching, speed, defense and gap power rather than home run power? Are you aware the franchise you now run is in the same boat? I ask because your predecessor couldn't seem to grasp this fact. He seemed to think the team was playing in Camden Yards.

If you do know these things, please act accordingly. If you don't, I'm sorry but you'll be looking for work like your predecessor here in about five years. As a long suffering Mariners fan, I sincerely hope you understand this stuff. All your advanced sabermetrics will be pointless if you don't start with and grasp the basics.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Dear Jerry Dipoto,
Did you catch the World Series this year? I'm guessing you did being a baseball man and all. I know you know that the Kansas City Royals won the whole thing and have now won two pennants in a row as well. Are you aware that they play in a large park where home runs are tougher to come by than the average MLB stadium? Are you aware that because of this they built a team based on pitching, speed, defense and gap power rather than home run power? Are you aware the franchise you now run is in the same boat? I ask because your predecessor couldn't seem to grasp this fact. He seemed to think the team was playing in Camden Yards.

Agreed, but to be fair how many years did the Royals have top 5 draft picks LOADING their roster with talent? Like 10-15 years straight?

Dipoto has said now a couple times that he wants to get more athletic in the outfield and focus on pitching and defense to cater to Safeco.

But if we're handing out indictments on the Jack Z regime, it isn't philosophy, it's his failure at drafting and development, two things he was suppose to be a genius at.