What I would like to see happen during the All Star break.

[Chapow]

First off, this is just my opinion and I'm well aware that this is extremely unlikely to happen.

Second, these are moves they could make without needing to acquire any players outside the Mariners organization. In other words, they could make these moves right now without needing to make any deals with other teams.

DFA Mitch Haniger. Yes, this sucks. I know many of us like Haniger, and he has played very well for us in the past. However, we are slightly over half way through the season and Haniger has a dreadful -0.6 WAR. He has been significantly worse than a replacement level player. He's very bad (by MLB standards) both in the field and at the plate, and I haven't seen any reason to believe he's going to just suddenly start playing better anytime soon (or ever, really).

DFA Jorge Polanco. Same story as Haniger. He's bad on both offense and defense. -0.4 WAR. He's worse than a replacement level player.

DFA Mitch Garver. He's a designated hitter that sucks at hitting. He's got a waaay below league average BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. He has a 0.0 WAR. He's a replacement level player.

Commit to Victor Robles as the everyday left fielder. I don't mean forever, but I do mean for a significant amount of time. You can always reevaluate in a month or whatever if he's struggling badly, but at this point he might be our best OF not named Julio. Stay with the Raley/Canzone/Moore platoon in RF for now. Raley more often than not, imo.

Commit to Ryan Bliss at 2B. He's a clear upgrade over Polanco on defense and on the base paths, and he very well might be an upgrade at the plate too.

Commit to Tyler Locklear at 1B, move Ty France to DH. Locklear would be a clear upgrade over France at 1B on defense, and France would be a clear upgrade over Garver at DH if you care about BA and OBP.

Yeah, they'll need to find a new backup catcher. I'm guessing Seby Zavala is still available if they can't find someone better. I get that it's tempting to call up Harry Ford, but if he gets called up, he's sitting behind Cal and only getting to play once, maybe twice a week. I'm not sure if that's the best thing for his development.

In my opinion, these moves would be a significant upgrade on the entire right side of the defense (RF, 2B, 1B, which have all been a problem this year), and would provide at least some hope on offense. With as bad as Haniger, Polanco, and Garver have been this season, I very much doubt these moves could make the offense worse, and they very well might make them better.

 

[Threedee]

Some well-earned batting practice would be nice.

 

[Crizilla]

Well they just used their first round draft pick on a pitcher. Lol. Worst offense in the league takes a pitcher 15th overall. Also on the radio today they interviewed Polanco and he said he's in a good happy place right now because "his family is safe and he has a job". Actual quote. Lmfao. Nobody within the organization cares about having the worst offense in franchise history. Literally nobody. These people don't deserve anything. All the credit goes to the pitching. Screw everyone else, it's a damn shame. What's up Jerry's sleeve before the trade deadline?

 

[NoGain]

Here we are at the break tied with the Stros in the loss column. Man they got here faster than I thought they could. Are we sellers now? LOL Good lord, I wouldn't trade any of our top prospects now, or any of our top five or six starters currently. This organization should be forced to ride it our with what they've got, chips fall where they may. Just a piss poor off-season in addressing our needs. What a waste of a staff.

As you can see I'm not optimistic about the rest of the year. We're trending downward, and the Stros, even the Rangers a bit, are trending upward. Not good.

 

[sutz]

Well they just used their first round draft pick on a pitcher. Lol.

Ignoring the more whiny parts of your post, I'll comment on the fact that anybody who they draft this year won't be available to the M's for years, at least. Meanwhile, over the past 2-3 years they selected numerous position players early in the draft who are climbing up the ladder in the minors.

There are a couple of them who are close, but we've seen in the past what happens when you call a kid up early and they struggle, numerous times. Kelenic is the most recent case where we called him up and leaned on him too early and he's just now coming around for another team, 3 years later.

Bliss and Locklear have been called up as injury replacements. Both had those outstanding starts, followed by extended slumps and were sent back down for more seasoning. Riding our bench won't help them learn or grow. Probably, calling them up now and DFA-ing a couple of vets is a bigger risk. Will a rook learn better and faster than a vet who has a history of production going back years. Frankly, I'm glad I don't have to make that call.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Criz, did you expect them to draft a bat who would magically be ready to play in 2025?

 

[Crizilla]

Nobody said anything about expecting a drafted bat to be ready soon. Wow lmao

 

[Seahawks Guy]

I would like to see this team locked in a toolshed until they learn how to bat. They don't deserve an all-star break.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Nobody said anything about expecting a drafted bat to be ready soon. Wow lmao

Well, you're whining about a pitcher being drafted. I figured you expect them to draft someone who will be a starter next year.

You make ME sound positive about the M's. And I'm real close to being flat out DONE this year.

 

[Chapow]

Here we are at the break tied with the Stros in the loss column. Man they got here faster than I thought they could. Are we sellers now? LOL Good lord, I wouldn't trade any of our top prospects now, or any of our top five or six starters currently. This organization should be forced to ride it our with what they've got, chips fall where they may. Just a piss poor off-season in addressing our needs. What a waste of a staff.

As you can see I'm not optimistic about the rest of the year. We're trending downward, and the Stros, even the Rangers a bit, are trending upward. Not good.

If I had the chance to win a million dollars if I could correctly guess where the M's would finish in the division, my guess would be 3rd.

The offense is just so god damn bad I can't imagine this mess is salvageable this season. It's going to take a major overhaul in the off season to fix this dumpster fire.

 

[sutz]

I don't believe we'll be sellers, but I do believe there will be some screams about who we trade away to get help.

 

[sutz]

Some well-earned batting practice would be nice.

I would recommend some bat to ball skills and tone down all of the bat speed drills. Doesn't matter if you can generate 100 mph bat speed if you can't square the ball up.

 

[Chapow]

Bliss and Locklear have been called up as injury replacements. Both had those outstanding starts, followed by extended slumps and were sent back down for more seasoning. Riding our bench won't help them learn or grow. Probably, calling them up now and DFA-ing a couple of vets is a bigger risk. Will a rook learn better and faster than a vet who has a history of production going back years. Frankly, I'm glad I don't have to make that call.

I would normally agree with you, but in this case those vets have quite literally been worse than replacement level players.

And I gotta say, "extended slumps" seems like a stretch. Locklear only played in 11 games and only had AB's in 9 of those games. He went 0 for 3 in his last game, but he had a hit in 6 of the other 8 games in which he actually had at least 1 AB. He was also very good on defense in his short time in the bigs. He wasn't sent back down because he was slumping or because he wasn't playing well. He was sent back down because Ty came back from injury so he wasn't going to get any playing time.

"Extended slump" is an even bigger stretch in regards to Bliss. I fact, I would argue it's just plain incorrect. Bliss had just gone 7 for his last 12 when Polanco returned from injury, and then he was promptly benched for a guy that plays poor defense and was hitting well under .200. Also, Bliss hasn't been sent down. He just isn't getting any playing time except as a late inning pinch runner every once in a while.

I'm also not suggesting that they ride the bench. I'm suggesting that they should be playing.

It's a risk for sure. I totally get that. But again, the guys that I'm suggesting getting rid of are literally worse than replacement level players.

But regardless, this is all a pipe dream anyway. I very much doubt they're going to do anything at all during the break. I'm sure Haniger, Polanco, and Garver will all be in the lineup on Friday night, and we'll all be kissing 1st place goodbye by Sunday night.

 

[Chapow]

Some well-earned batting practice would be nice.

They're probably spending the break at a luxury resort in Cabo or something.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I'd like to see servASS actually know how to handle a pitching staff. Pulling Walter at 87 pitches and NO runs.....pathetic.

 

[Chapow]

I'd like to see servASS actually know how to handle a pitching staff. Pulling Walter at 87 pitches and NO runs.....pathetic.

I kinda feel like the no runs part is the far more pathetic part. But hey, that's just me.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Gilbert was in a zone. No excuse for pulling him. He's done it several times this year, only to see the bullpen blow the lead.

 

[IndyHawk]

As long as it's not Montes or Celestine,I'm good.

 

[IndyHawk]

Well they just used their first round draft pick on a pitcher. Lol. Worst offense in the league takes a pitcher 15th overall. Also on the radio today they interviewed Polanco and he said he's in a good happy place right now because "his family is safe and he has a job". Actual quote. Lmfao. Nobody within the organization cares about having the worst offense in franchise history. Literally nobody. These people don't deserve anything. All the credit goes to the pitching. Screw everyone else, it's a damn shame. What's up Jerry's sleeve before the trade deadline?

They went extra heavy on pitching so far in this draft,next year it will be more
offense.
However don't forget the Ms love to use the IFA to pick up both offense/pitching.
One day you'll see me on here having a few eat crow.
It takes time in baseball to develop a complete team of homegrown talent, some
of you just are blind to what's coming .
We are never going to be buying our way like the Yankees,Red Sox or Dodgers so
it takes some time but every year it gets closer.
One year soon it will be that time and you'll know but until then we just have a chance
with the pitching and some streak luck if we get in.

 

[Crizilla]

I'd like to see servASS actually know how to handle a pitching staff. Pulling Walter at 87 pitches and NO runs.....pathetic.

SoulfishHawk is starting to get it. Weird thing Servais has been pretty good at handling the pitching since he's been here. Besides the Robbie Ray debacle he's been pretty good. No clue why he pulled Logan there though. What stupid stat are they looking at. Why pull your ace all year pitching a shut out at 87 pitches. This is was unheard of 15-20 years ago.