Offseason

[Hawk-Lock]

Looks pretty weak. To no surprise, the FO is showing to be cheap. While I didn’t expect us to dish out one of these huge contracts, we are basically standing pat.

We’ve slightly upgraded at 2B with Wong replacing Frazier.

Teoscar for Haniger feels like a wash.

We still have not addressed corner OF.

They never went after a DH, and they should, with us losing Santana. Even with him that was a position that needed to be improved.

The playoffs showed that we needed at least one more really good bullpen arm.

Overall it feels like a very underwhelming offseason, primarily because the FO doesn’t want to spend. They’d rather trade assets than sign free agents.

 

[Crizilla]

MLB network ranked Ms come back win against Toronto in the playoffs as the number 1 game of the year

 

[Bobblehead]

MLB network ranked Ms come back win against Toronto in the playoffs as the number 1 game of the year

Well that's something. how do you rank it?

 

[Crizilla]

Frazier to Baltimore.

Well that's something. how do you rank it?

it was up there for sure

 

[Bobblehead]

Buh bye Fraiser.. say hello to.. ahh I forget.. Indians or something

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Benintendi just got 5 years 75 million. That looks very reasonable, one of the few contracts I felt like the Mariners easily could have pulled off. I guess the FO feels comfortable going with JK/Moore platoon in the outfield.

This is honestly one of the worst offseasons for the Mariners. They basically addressed nothing besides 2B. This is why we will never go to a WS. They really think closing the gap between us and Houston is Kolten Wong? Until the team gets new onwership, they will be happy with just having Julio to sell tickets and contend for a wild card.

 

[Crizilla]

Looking like Kelenic is the starter opening day more and more.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Benintendi just got 5 years 75 million. That looks very reasonable, one of the few contracts I felt like the Mariners easily could have pulled off. I guess the FO feels comfortable going with JK/Moore platoon in the outfield.

This is honestly one of the worst offseasons for the Mariners. They basically addressed nothing besides 2B. This is why we will never go to a WS. They really think closing the gap between us and Houston is Kolten Wong? Until the team gets new onwership, they will be happy with just having Julio to sell tickets and contend for a wild card.

The JK/Moore route is CHEAPER. That’s all you need to know how serious John Stanton is about winning a World Series.

 

[seatownlowdown]

@SoulfishHawk come defend mariners ownership.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Oh brother. I'm not going to defend them. I know exactly what they do come free agency. And it's not good enough.
But I'm glad you're thinking about me. I'm pissed off like everyone else. I just don't spend every day freaking out and kicking puppies.
Until they do differently, they will always go on the cheap. It's maddening, but will it ever change? I doubt it.

 

[getnasty]

Without the shift JK is gonna rake. I hope the pick up a solid right hand bat that he can platoon with but I like that there giving JK a shot. Still very young and very talented.

 

[SonicHawk]

JK is a garbage player.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Going with JK as Moore is a big risk. Sure he could be good, but he can also be the same player he’s been the last two seasons. They still need a DH and another arm in the pen.

Outside of Ray, has the Mariners ever made a splash free agency signing since Dipoto has been here? I’m seriously trying to think who the second best FA we’ve signed with Dipoto.

 

[Msfann]

Lucy Dipoto with the hold, the fan's going for the kick and...

 

[sutz]

Well, the offseason is not done yet, so I still have hope. They did give Luis Castillo a big deal, so I'm thinking JP intends to make a trade, let the player play a bit and then work on the big deal for them.

 

[Ruminator]

Ownership is either 1) able to spend more money, but waving the white flag because there are too many powerhouse teams to try to overcome, or 2) interested in doing all they can to try to get the Ms to the WS, looking at options and being methodical about it, in order to supplement and complement the difference-makers currently on the roster (a unique opportunity they haven't had in some time).

If they gave Castillo, J-Rod, and Ray big money to go with Option 1, then we need new ownership plain and simple.

Most are well aware that the Ms would have won a lot more games in 2022 had they managed to hit more runners on base home. So with that, I expect we'll signing a significant bat in 2023.

 

[seatownlowdown]

i don't wanna hear anybody defend mariners ownership or criticize those of us that demand and expect more from an ownership that PROMISED to spend when the time came. you can stfu. after finally making the playoffs after 21 years only to spend LESS (considering the 30m payout by the MLB and inflation), and ownership still doing absolutely nothing in free agency, we all need to demand more.


these 2 articles i've posted are (in my opinion) fairly soft on ownership but still manage to articulate what a few of you don't seem to understand: that in effect, mariners ownership only use the mariners as their cash cow, significantly under-spend their market year after year, and have zero intention of actually competing for a WS.

Mariners sat out MLB’s free-agent frenzy, and now must deal with fallout

The Mariners' approach to free agency in an offseason that has seen skyrocketing contracts has a portion of their fan base up in arms, and understandably so.

www.seattletimes.com

"And then there are the Mariners, who have sat out the free-agent sweepstakes entirely. Nor have they given any indication that they will step up in any significant way later in the offseason."

"This approach has a portion of their fan base up in arms, and understandably so. The team built a tremendous amount of interest and goodwill during its playoff run of 2022 and seem on the verge of being a perennial World Series-caliber team, with a little boost. They feel the Mariners have an obligation to be more aggressive in attacking the free-agent market to fill those holes."

"This seems like an odd time to lean so heavily on fiscal responsibility, when the Mariners’ momentum and championship potential is at a 20-year high. The ballclub had a huge bump in attendance from last season’s playoff run and stand to push 2.5 million fans in 2023 with the All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park (or even 3 million with the right roster additions). The industry is awash in revenue (approaching a record $11 billion in 2022, according to commissioner Rob Manfred). The Mariners have one of the most lucrative TV deals in the sport. Every major-league team is due to receive a $30 million check from MLB’s sale of its BAMtech streaming service to Disney for $900 million."

The Mariners are spoiling an opportunity, not their fans

When the hare thinks it’s the tortoise, things can go wrong in a hurry.

www.lookoutlanding.com

"...I do find it frustrating when the club leaves opportunities to dramatically improve their current and future roster on the table, especially when those improvements would merely cost the team money, moving them perhaps into the upper half of the league in spending."

"Seattle had primed themselves specifically for signing an impact middle infielder, trading away their two best prospects Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo in a deal to acquire RHP Luis Castillo that I’d do again in a heartbeat. However, Seattle’s middle infield depth organizationally is now among the worst in MLB. ... Few teams are more well-situated to sign a star to fill one of their glaring holes given their low payroll, exciting, young, on-the-heels-of-a-playoff-berth roster, and organizational need for several years of development to find their own internal solution. Instead, Seattle did not, by all accounts and their own attitude, give the idea more than a passing glance’s worth of effort."

 

[seatownlowdown]

Ownership is either 1) able to spend more money, but waving the white flag because there are too many powerhouse teams to try to overcome, or 2) interested in doing all they can to try to get the Ms to the WS, looking at options and being methodical about it, in order to supplement and complement the difference-makers currently on the roster (a unique opportunity they haven't had in some time).

If they gave Castillo, J-Rod, and Ray big money to go with Option 1, then we need new ownership plain and simple.

Most are well aware that the Ms would have won a lot more games in 2022 had they managed to hit more runners on base home. So with that, I expect we'll signing a significant bat in 2023.

unfortunately, it's actually 3) able to spend LOTS more money ($320m surplus last season + $30m league payout + revenue sharing for being a low spender) yet won't spend in the most stacked FA class in decades because we have "poor" owners that use the mariners as their cash cow.

 

[JPatera76]

Well I’m disappointed how the off season has been.. and truthfully at this point I’m not even surprised. To me the Mariners are the MLB farm team for the Entire MLB. I can only wish that’ll change.

 

[TIMD]

The M's simply shuffled a couple players for a couple of players. They ADDED nothing. Offense will continue to struggle to score 3 runs in Seattle. At this point, a re-signing of Hanigar to go with the acquisition of Hernandez would have been an actual lineup addition. DiBozo the Clown is always talking about "lengthening the lineup", well that can't be done with simple swap outs. You need to ADD good players. 2023 trade deadline will be the same as the last couple years.... In the chase, needing offense. Not getting offense at the deadline. Making excuses for not getting the job done, while the other contenders make the necessary moves. Lucy, I mean M's management, continue to pull the football away....