Trades

Mariners trade for Aaron Harang to save rotation

Posted on April 11, 2013 by SoDo Mojo

The newest Mariner starter, Aaron Harang. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The back end of the Mariners rotation has struggled mightily in 2013, and patience has apparently run out. According to Fox’s Ken Rosenthal, the Mariners are in the final stages of securing a deal for Rockies’ starter Aaron Harang.

Harang, who went 10-10 with a 3.61 ERA last season for the Dodgers, was traded to the Rockies Saturday in exchange for backup catcher Ramon Hernandez. Immediately, the Rockies designated Harang for assignment and began shopping him to prospective teams around the league.

According to Rosenthal’s twitter account, the teams need approval of the commissioner’s office, which typically is required when a trade involves an exchange of over $1 million. Harang presents an inexpensive option, since the Dodgers are already covering more than half of his $7 million 2013 salary.

Recent reports have also linked an unnamed right-handed reliever to go from the Mariners to the Rockies once the trade goes through.

Harang would likely replace either Brandon Maurer or Blake Beavan in the Mariners’ rotation. Maurer, who is 0-2 with an atrocious 16.20 ERA thus far in 2013, failed to get out of the first inning Tuesday. He surrendered six earned runs and seven hits while recording just two outs. Beavan has posted an 0-1 record with a 7.59 ERA in his first two starts. The Astros beat him around Wednesday night to the tune of five runs (four earned) and nine hits in 5.2 innings.

Tags: 2013 Season, Aaron Harang, Blake Beavan, Brandon Maurer, Breaking News, rockies, trades, Transaction

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Potential Trades for Starting Pitchers

Posted on January 31, 2013 by SoDo Mojo

Beavan after allowing a homerun. Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Even though we are just a few weeks away from the long awaited beginning of spring training, there are still lots of potential moves to be made by the Mariners.

Seattle needs to make some moves in the starting rotation. At the current moment, the third starter in the rotation has a 4.79 xFIP in his career, the fourth starter has just 59 innings in the major leagues,

Noesi getting pulled after a rough outing last year. Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

and the fifth starter had the second worst WAR and second worst xFIP in baseball last year among pitchers who completed 100 innings.

For the record, I think Erasmo Ramirez will be a solid starter down the road, but that doesn’t change the fact the rotation I just described isn’t going to foster much success, especially since it won’t receive an incredible amount of run support.

The rotation needs some help. There are plenty of arms that Seattle could trade for with relative ease. Let’s start with the Los Angeles Dodgers which is a team that essentially has eight suitable starting pitchers. Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang, and Ted Lilly will all probably be available through trade.

Capuano posted a 2.1 WAR last year in almost 200 innings of work and posted a 3.95 FIP. Harang posted a 1.5 WAR. Although Lilly’s 2012 season was plagued with injury, he posted a sub 4 FIP in his 8 starts, and it appears that he will be in full health by spring training. Any of these three players should be available and could serve as solid middle of the rotation starters in Seattle.

Last week, I corresponded on twitter with a couple of acquaintances that are Dodger fans, and they both estimated that a deal for Harang would take something along the lines of Mike Carp/Eric Thames and a decent pitching prospect like Jordan Shippers. Capuano would probably take a little more in return and Lilly may take a little less. If that is an accurate representation of what LA wants in return, it could be a good deal for Seattle. The Mariner organization has a plethora of subpar corner outfielders that would not be missed.

The bigger issue with one of these deals is contracts. Each of these players is locked into a substantial and overpriced contract. In 2012, Lilly will make 12 million, while Harang will receive 14 million over the next two seasons, and Capuano will get 12 million in ’13 and ’14. In theory, Seattle would get some financial help from LA if they acquired Lilly or even Harang, but if that isn’t possible, Capuano would probably be the only of the three pitchers that would be worth their salaries to Seattle.

Recent rumors have surfaced concerning Capuano that included losing Franklin Gutierrez. Considering the questions concerning Gutierrez’ health and ability, along with the fact that he has an unfavorable contract, this would be a good opportunity to receive a nice piece in return for a player with questionable value.

Fiers pitching last August. Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

If a deal can’t be made with the Dodgers, Milwaukee may have an arm Seattle could be interested in with Mike Fiers. Most Seattle fans probably haven’t heard this name, but he appears to be a solid major league pitcher after one season. Last year, the 27 year-old threw 127.2 innings and posted a 3.09 FIP and 3.0 WAR. He averaged over a strikeout per inning in his first pro season along with a reasonable 2.54 BB/9. In addition, his .309 BABIP indicates that his numbers were not a fluke.

Milwaukee may not be willing to part with Fiers considering they too are short on starting pitching, but if Fiers is available, he should also be somewhat affordable in a trade. I wouldn’t expect any of our top prospects to be involved in a deal.

Jose Quintana is the last arm that I will highlight as a possible target for Seattle. The 24 year-old from Chicago would be the only lefty in Seattle’s starting rotation. There is nothing phenomenal about Quintana. He doesn’t strike out lots batters and he doesn’t have phenomenal control, but he’s a solid pitcher who got close to a 50% ground ball rate and nearly a 2 WAR in 2012. His skill set fits Seattle’s stellar defensive infield well and he would be a much needed lefty in the back of the rotation.

It is apparent that Seattle’s rotation needs help in the upcoming season, and these were just a few of the several possible trade targets. Keep an open for a deal, because its reasonable that Jack Z will make some sort of a move for a back of the rotation starter before pitchers and catcher report in Arizona.

Tags: Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano, featured, Jose Quintana, Mariners General, Mike Fiers, Off-Season, Popular, seattle mariners, ted lilly, trades

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Mock Trade Negotiations for Rick Porcello

Posted on January 15, 2013 by SoDo Mojo

In the past week, rumors have popped up concerning Seattle’s interest in Detroit starter, Rick Porcello. In response to this, I engaged in mock trade negotiations with Tiger blogger, Brian Sakowski whose work you can find at blessyouboys.com or on twitter at @B_Sakowski.

I tried a similar project last month by trying to barter for Billy Butler, but I was unable to reach a deal. However, this time a deal was met. At the bottom, I will explain my rational for the trade.

Here are the actual trade talks. Again, I will interject my thoughts using italicized text.

Joel Condreay: Just looking at your organizational depth, it looks like you could use an infielder, so I’ll start with middle infielder Brad Miller. He should be ready to step into second base as soon as Infante’s contract expires at the end of the year.

I would probably throw in a young relief arm like Charlie Furbush since you could probably use a lefty in the pen if Coke is taking over as closer.

It would also probably take a young prospect you could dream on as well, since there aren’t any real holes to be filled at the MLB level. Maybe 19 year old Guillermo Pimentel, who has insane power potential with a lot of refining to do. (I have essentially given up on Pimentel as a prospect.)

So I’ll start with Porcello for Miller, Furbush, and Pimintel.

Brian Sakowski: Keep in mind I’m willing to move other pieces as well: I know Brennan Boesch has sparked at least moderate interest with the M’s.

Garcia hitting a single in the ALCS. Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Joel Condreay: Boesch doesn’t spark much in me. Seattle already has plenty of fringy outfielders.

I will be inquiring on Avisail Garcia at some point, though. (I really like Garcia. He has five-tool potential and is just 21 years old.)

Brian Sakowski: We’re interested in middle infielders, yes, but only ones who can play SS. Miller is a nice piece, but I’m not sold on him as an everyday player. We’re more interested in Nick Franklin, who we believe has a better chance to stick at SS. (While I would prefer to give up Miller over Franklin, I feel fairly comfortable losing Franklin in the right circumstances considering the good depth the organization has at the position.)

We’re intrigued by Pimentel, but we already have essentially his clone in Steven Moya. At the moment, we’re also in the market for a late innings reliever. I don’t want Furbush, you can have him.

So, here’s our counteroffer:

Rick Porcello and Avisail Garcia for Nick Franklin, Tom Wilhelmsen, Casper Wells, and Carter Capps. (I believe that Garcia is more likely to succeed than Franklin and has more positional value to Seattle than Franklin. Wells is nothing more than a fourth outfielder who can hit lefties a bit, and bullpen arms are pretty easy to replenish. However, I didn’t want to lose to young arms at the same time.)

Joel Condreay: I actually really like this deal for the most part.

The one thing is that I can’t dismantle my bullpen like that right now. I want to switch out Shawn Kelly for Tom Wilhelmsen. Kelly won’t embarrass batters like Tom will, but he will be a reliable arm in the pen.

Considering your lack of rotation depth, I can toss in someone like Hector Noesi or DJ Mitchell.

Brian Sakowski: Ok. We’re really kind of dead set on getting Wilhelmsen, but at the risk of destroying your bullpen, we’re willing to drop Capps from the deal if you toss in Victor Sanchez and Hector Noesi.

So the proposal would be: Rick Porcello and Avisail Garcia for Nick Franklin, Tom Wilhelmsen, Casper Wells, Victor Sanchez, and Hector Noesi. (There was no way that I would be giving up a second good prospect like Sanchez in this deal.)

Joel Condreay: That seems a bit steep. Instead of Sanchez, I’ll offer Jordan Shippers.

So here it is: Porcello and Garcia for Franklin, Wilhelmsen, Wells, Shippers, and Noesi.

Brian Sakowski: I’m not a big fan of Shippers. We have several fringe lefties already. (Personally, I think he may be underestimating Shippers.) What about Brandon Maurer? (Don’t worry, I never even considered putting Maurer in this deal.)

Joel Condreay: Well Maurer will have a decent shot at making the baseball America top 100 this year, so that’s not going to work. How do you feel about Anthony Fernandez?

Brian Sakowski: I’m a fan of Fernandez. I’ll do that deal if you’d like.

Porcello and Garcia for Franklin, Wilhelmsen, Wells, Fernandez, and Noesi.

Joel Condreay: You got yourself a deal, sir!

There it is: Rich Porcello and Avisail Garcia for Nick Franklin, Tom Wilhelmsen, Casper Wells, Anthony Fernandez, and Hector Noesi.

Admittedly, the deal doesn’t look great on paper, but don’t rush to judgment just yet.

Let’s take a look at Porcello. On the surface, he looks like a 3-4 starter, but I think he is more than that. His 2.9 WAR last year was comparable to players like Jered Weaver, Yovani Gallardo, Ryan Vogelsong, and C.J. Wilson.

Take a look at this blind comparison:

	WAR	FIP	xFIP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9
Porcello	2.9	3.91	3.89	5.46	2.25	.82
(Mystery)	3.0	3.75	4.18	6.77	2.15	.95

As you can see, Porcello is slightly worse in his strikeouts and walks, but his xFIP is a bit better. Overall, these two

May 16, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello (48) pitches in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

pitchers are quite similar. The mystery player is CY Young finalist, Jered Weaver. Granted, Weaver didn’t deserve to be a finalist, but he was nevertheless.

Porcello has also gotten a bit unlucky over the course of his career. Last year his BABIP was .344 and his LOB% was 69%. As soon as those numbers move to reasonable levels, his ERA should drop significantly. The thing especially impressive about Porcello is his 52.3 career GB%. Last year, he was fifth in the American League in the category. The ability to get ground balls will fit especially well in Seattle.

Considering he is just 24 years old, I would say that Rick Porcello could be a solid starter in the Mariner rotation for years to come. We need a piece in the rotation, and he is the perfect solution. He is certainly preferable to Jason Vargas.

As for the prospects, I think that Seattle needs Garcia more than Franklin. Franklin has caused considerable concern with his struggles against lefties, and his glove may not even be able to stick at shortstop. He hasn’t shown great power in the upper end of the farm system either. Considering these things as well as the fact that Brad Miller is just as likely, if not more likely, to become a solid major league player, I would say that getting Garcia back for him is an excellent deal for Seattle.

Garcia, on the other hand, has already hit at the MLB level. As the 21 year-old continues to age and mature, he will only get better. He has 25/25 potential. Seattle’s farm system lacks outfield prospects with power, so Garcia could be a real difference maker. I know that most prospect lists don’t agree with me, but I think that Avisail Garcia is a better prospect for Seattle than Franklin is.

Losing Wilhelmsen was difficult, but with Capps and Pryor in the bullpen, I think the closer role will be filled quickly.

Please give me your thoughts on the deal in the comment section below.

Tags: Avisail Garcia, featured, Mariners General, Popular, Rick Porcello, seattle mariners, Trade Theorys, trades

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Stanton, Upton, and Ethier Trade Rumors

Posted on January 4, 2013 by SoDo Mojo

The Mariners are desperate for bats according to several baseball reporters, and they are already in pursuit of three power hitting outfielders just a few days into 2013. These three players are Giancarlo Stanton, Justin Upton, and Andre Ethier, and Seattle is said to be in somewhat-serious talks concerning all three. Let’s look at how each player would fit in Seattle and what it would take to acquire each player.

Stanton in action. Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s start with Stanton. There is a lot to like about this young outfielder. He just turned 23 years old last November, and has already hit 93 homeruns in his career. There is not another young hitter in baseball that has his kind of power.

As a 22 year-old last year, he played in just 123 games but still hit 37 homeruns which ranked seventh in all of baseball. He also had the third highest OPS in baseball behind just Miguel Cabrera and Ryan Braun. Mike Trout was the only other player 24 years old or younger to reach 30 homeruns in 2012.

While this is quite bold, Giancarlo Stanton might possess once in a generation type power. Let’s compare him to Barry Bonds and Seattle’s own Ken Griffey Jr., both of whom started their historic major league careers at very young ages.

Here are the numbers from the first three seasons of each of their careers.

	Ages	HR	AB/HR	ISO	SLG%
Barry Bonds	21-23	65	23.1	.212	.471
Ken Griffey Jr.	19-21	60	26.6	.181	.479
Giancarlo Stanton	20-22	93	16.1	.282	.553

Due to past failures, many Mariner fans are afraid to invest in right-handed power hitters. However, I would not be concerned about the right-handed Stanton coming to Safeco Field for two reasons: 1) The fences are coming in which will help remedy the problem. 2) Mike Stanton has already succeeded in other bad hitters’ parks.

Sunlife Stadium, where he played his first two years, and Marlins Park, where he played last year, are both pitchers parks, but Stanton excelled anyway. In Marlins park, which measures 340 feet down the left field line, 384 to the left-center gap, and 420 to center field, he averaged a homerun every 15.4 at bats last season. There is no reason to worry about his ability to hit in Safeco Field.

Due to his young age and immense talent, there will be hefty price tag on Stanton, but the Mariners are one of just a few teams that have the farm system capable of pulling off such a deal. Bringing the Miami outfielder to Seattle would almost certainly require Taijuan Walker and several other top prospects. I am a big fan of Walker, but a ridiculous, and more importantly, a proven talent like Stanton is worth Walker.

In the past I have said that Stanton is one of just a couple guys in baseball I would even consider trading Felix for, and I don’t believe that Walker will ever be quite as successful as Felix, so it makes sense to concede Walker in this case.

Larry Stone predicted that a deal would require Walker, Hultzen, Franklin, Gabriel Guerrero, and rising star Kyle Seager. This seems like too much to me, mainly because of Seager’s involvement. If Seager could somehow be replaced with someone like Alex Liddi, Vinnie Catricala, or Stefen Romero, I would be pretty happy with the deal, although giving up Walker and Hultzen would be difficult.

A package of Walker, Paxton, Franklin, Liddi, and a few lesser prospects would be excellent for Seattle. JJ has some of his own expectations for what acquiring the 23 year-old would require, but only time will tell which expectation is most accurate.

Justin Upton. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The next player that the Mariners are connected with in trade talks is Justin Upton. Surprise surprise. We made it just three days into 2013 before Justin Upton trade rumors resurfaced. At 25 years old, Upton is also immensely talented and is also better rounded than Stanton. Upton has legitimate 5-tool talent and could still be improving. However, he is not quite the dominating force on the baseball field that Stanton is and is also much less reliable.

In 2012 he hit 18 homeruns, stole 17 bases, and posted a triple slash of .280/.355/.430. His previous season was much more impressive when he accumulated 31 long balls, 21 stolen bases, and a line of .289/.369/.529.

However, these numbers have been aided by the hitter friendly Chase Field. Take a second to analyze Upton’s home/road split over the course of his career.

	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG%	wOBA	wRC+	ISO	HR/FB
Upton at Home	67	.307	.389	.548	.399	138	.241	17.2%
Upton on the Road	41	.250	.325	.406	.320	96	.157	10.4%

Unlike Stanton, Upton has not had tremendous success in difficult hitters’ ballparks.

The price tag on Upton is a bit difficult to predict. Considering that Upton trade talks have brewed for years without a deal ever being completed, it seems fair to assume that Arizona has very high expectations for a return on the young outfielder.

A few months ago, it looked like Nick Franklin would be necessary in any deal with Arizona, but the three-way trade between Arizona, Cleveland, and Cincinnati that brought Didi Gregorius to Arizona eliminated their need for Franklin.

Taijuan Walker would likely be at the center of any deal and would be accompanied by other prospects such as Paxton, Maurer, or possibly still Franklin. A Potential package might look like Walker, Paxton, and Brad Miller. If a deal arises that excludes Walker and instead includes Hultzen, it would be far preferable.

Ethier. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The final bat that the Mariners are said to be interested in is Andre Ethier of the Dodgers. At 30 years old, Ethier does not have the future of Stanton or Upton, and does not have their offensive stature either. Over the past three seasons, Ethier has averaged 18 homeruns per season with a slash line of .289/.361/.459. Currently, he has a decent bat, but he’s not a difference maker, and he certainly won’t swing an impact bat by 2015 or in the years after that when Seattle will hopefully be making runs into the playoffs. Trading for Ethier isn’t as practical for the future of Seattle.

The five years remaining on Ethier’s contract makes the Dodger outfielder less attractive as well. He will earn an average of 16.5 million per year until he is 35 years old. It was a bad contract for the Dodgers to agree to, and it would be an even worse contract for Seattle to take on.

It would seem unwise to bring in a 30 year-old player who they will have to give nearly 17 million for the next five years in exchange for average run production.

Although not as talented as other trade options, Ethier will also be less costly to trade for. It would probably take a top pitching prospect, but I would not surrender any more than James Paxton or Brandon Maurer in a one for one deal.

Tags: andre ethier, featured, giancarlo stanton, justin upton, Mariners General, Popular, Rumors, seattle mariners, Trade Theorys, trades, Transaction

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The Mariners Add Power-Hitting Kendrys Morales

Posted on December 20, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

Yesterday, the Mariners helped to fill a hole that had been gaping in their lineup for years by adding power-hitter Kendrys Morales. In order to add this 29 year-old first baseman, Seattle sent Jason Vargas to the Angels.

This was an excellent deal for Seattle for two main reasons. First of all, Seattle gained something they dearly needed without spending money. In addition, they gave up a piece that was, not only unimportant to the team’s future, but was on the verge of losing its value.

Morales is an impact bat. He’s no Josh Hamilton, but he has certainly demonstrated his ability to be a legitimate power hitter. In Morales’ only full season in the MLB, which was 2009, he posted a .924 OPS and finished fifth in AL MVP voting. In the following year of 2010, he averaged a homerun every nineteen at bats before injuring himself celebrating a walk-off homerun just fifty-one games into the season.

Morales missed the rest of the 2010 season and the entire 2011 campaign as a result of the injury before coming back to play 134 games last year. In his limited opportunities, he hit twenty-two homeruns and posted a line of .273/.320/.476.

Remember that those numbers were produced by a man who had not played in almost two years. His numbers improved as the year progressed, so now that he has shaken off the cobwebs, he is ready to be the player he was pre-injury. For those of you worried about his health, the Mariners did extensive research concerning the status of his injury before making this deal, so it appears that he is ready to play every day at first base.

With the switch-hitting Morales in the middle of Seattle’s order, the young players around him will have a lot less pressure mounted on their back and they are now more likely to come to the plate with men on base. The addition of Morales will help everyone in the lineup.

As for losing Jason Vargas, I am not at all disappointed. As I have said in previous articles, I believe that Vargas would have quickly lost value once dropped into the habitat of the new Safeco Field. His success has been largely due to the pitcher-friendly ballpark, but with the fences coming in, Vargas’ numbers at home would have reflected the new dimensions. He would have had close to no trade value by the trade deadline next year. It was wise to move him now.

Vargas’ loss will also not damage Seattle’s future considering there are lots of great young pitchers in the top of the farm system that will step up into the void left by Vargas by the time that Seattle is in the playoff hunt.

There is nothing not to like about the long-term effects of this trade. Seattle now has a dependable middle of the lineup bat, something that they have not had since Raul Ibanez.

Tags: featured, Jason Vargas, Kendrys Morales, Los angeles Angels, Mariners General, Popular, seattle mariners, trades, Transaction

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The Mariners and the Win Curve

Posted on December 3, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

The Baseball Winter Meetings, worthy of capitalization, began today in Nashville. Among other activities, owners and GMs hang out and talk about signing and flipping assets. Assets being players in this case. Jonah Keri of Grantland wrote a piece about which 10 teams are most likely to “make a splash.” Regardless of how you define “making a splash,” the Mariners are on the list as they should be.

I would guess that each team’s fans want to “make a splash” in some way. Splashes are exciting, and more often than not, splashes bring with them more winning. But there are certain teams that should be more into splashes, and the Mariners are one of those teams.

It really comes down to a cost-benefit analysis. Splashes cost money, but provide benefits in terms of wins, and wins lead to playoffs (sometimes). Wins and playoffs lead to more revenue, and the splash cycle can restart with more juice. But there’s a catch. Five more wins for the Houston Astros or New York Yankees does not provide the same benefit as five more wins for an average team. One of those teams mentioned will not make the playoffs, and one of those teams will (probably) make the playoffs, no matter what splashes are signed.

But now think about a team like Seattle. Without any signings, Seattle’s expectation is probably about 75-to-80 wins. But as the A’s and O’s of 2012, along with the Mariners of 2010, have shown us is that variation in baseball is high. A good team expected to win 85 or 90 games can wind up with just 60, and some mediocre teams expected to win 75 can win 90+ and make the playoffs. That’s the variance of baseball, so consider these theoretical numbers.

1) Results from last year suggest that a team needs at least 88 wins to make the playoffs.

2) Say the Mariners are expected to win 77 games, plus-or-minus 10 games. 67 to 87 wins.

Though these are theoretical expectations so far, we can see that if they are true, the Mariners are unlikely to make the playoffs. If this were, for instance, a 95% prediction interval, then the M’s essentially would have a 2.5% chance of making the playoffs. Now let’s give Josh Hamilton to the Mariners, and increase their expectation by 5 wins, to 82. Now the range of expectation sits at 72 to 92, and a chunk of that expectation lives in Playoffs Land, which is inhabited by Revenue Fairies. This would increase the M’s playoff chances substantially, perhaps to 15 or 20%. Just think if we added both Hamilton and Edwin Jackson

In this scenario, the benefits of players like Hamilton, Justin Upton, Jackson, or whomever very well could outweigh the financial/asset burden in the near future. I’m not prepared to discuss the future beyond 2013, but I can argue strongly that the M’s are in prime position to make the most of free-agent signings because of their proximity to the “playoff bubble.” The Astros and Yankees are probably far from the playoff bubble, and should not make major changes. The Mariners are extremely close to the playoff bubble, and should take this opportunity to push themselves over the edge. Whether they sign free agents with monetary costs, or trade for MLB-ready talent with asset costs, now is a strategic time to maximize the benefits for our beloved Seattle Mariners.

Tags: edwin jackson, featured, free agent market, Josh Hamilton, justin upton, off season plans, Off-Season, playoff chances, Popular, trades, win curve, winter meetings

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Mariners Trade Trayvon Robinson for Robert Andino

Posted on November 20, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

Today, outfielder Trayvon Robinson was sent to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for utility infielder, Robert Andino.

Robinson dives into third base. Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

This was a good move for the team. Robinson was one of many outfielders competing for a spot on the major league roster, and wasn’t going to become a difference maker in Seattle. There was a strong chance that he wouldn’t have made the 25-man roster out of spring training next year and would have ended up going through waivers where another team would have picked up him anyways. Seattle has a plethora of outfielders such as Carp, Thames, and Peguero that can fill the gap left by Trayvon.

The young outfielder was certainly a pleasure to watch. Every day, we got to see him play hard baseball and his smile could light up a stadium. His fun personality and love for the game will be missed here in Seattle. I hope he finds success in his new home.

Robert Andino was a sensible pickup for the Mariners. With the release of Kawasaki, the organization needed a reliable utility infielder and Andino fits that mold. He has a solid glove and can bring a bit of speed to the bases. He also brings a much better bat than Kawasaki did. The new Mariner struggled last year, but he posted a respectable 1.8 WAR in 139 games in 2011 which was tenth in the American League at second base. That’s a pretty good return for a journeyman outfielder.

The interesting thing about this deal is its possible implications. Billy Butler has been a potential target for the Mariners, and one name that has been tossed around in a possible trade has been Dustin Ackley. The acquisition of Andino could mean that the Mariners are more available to move Ackley. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on.

If Ackley is traded, Andino could be a good guy to hold down the fort at second base until a prospect like Nick Franklin or Brad Miller is ready to step in.

Overall, this was a practical and necessary move for Seattle. The really fascinating thing about the trade is whether it will lead to bigger moves in the future.

Tags: Billy Butler, dustin ackley, featured, Mariners General, Off-Season, Popular, Robert Andino, trades, Transaction, Trayvon Robinson

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Trade Bait

Posted on July 9, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

Here we are again, sellers at the trade deadline. The deadline is now less than a month away, and it’s time to start looking at what the Mariners will be selling and what they might get in return.

First on the block: Jason Vargas

Vargas may be the biggest piece the M’s have to offer this trade season. Despite his respectable 4.31 ERA in 117 innings of work, his value isn’t as great as the stat line indicates. Safeco Field is the perfect conditions for a left-handed pitcher. Vargas lacks tremendous tools on the mound, but the spacious outfield at Safeco combined with the marine layer makes a perfect combo for him. Take a look at these splits.

	Innings	ERA	FIP	wOBA	K/9	HR/9
Home	57	2.84	3.58	.270	6.95	.95
Road	60	5.70	6.29	.344	5.40	2.40

While there is still value for Vargas, he would be a 4th or 5th starter on most playoff-bound teams, so the Mariners wouldn’t get more than bottom of the rotation value. A comparable trade could be the Jerrod Washburn deal in 2009 when the M’s sent him to Detroit for Luke French and Mauricio Robles. Vargas and Washburn share the similarities of being crafty lefties, but Vargas’ age and contract will raise his value a bit over Washburn’s. The Mariners would likely get one or two mid level prospects in return for Vargas on the market.

Next up: Kevin Millwood

Millwood has had a respectable season posting a 4.00 ERA in 83.1 innings of work, but teams trading for him would be getting no more than a 5^th starter/long reliever and veteran presence in the locker room. This skill set can be valuable to a playoff ballclub. Still, I wouldn’t expect to get any more than a low-level prospect and maybe some cash. A Millwood trade would also open a rotation spot for quickly progressing prospect, Danny Hultzen who has three starts in AAA currently. If Seattle can get a decent offer for Millwood, I would expect them to accept considering they will have no use for him next year.

How about dealing Miguel Olivo?

Like Millwood, Olivo is a veteran presence, but he can also pitch in a little power. A team with a suspect catching situation may be interested in him to add some depth and pop at the position. The Rays, Angels, and Mets are a couple of playoff contenders that may be interested in a guy like Olivo. Again, Seattle wouldn’t get much in return, perhaps a minor prospect or two. John Jaso could probably get a bit more in return, but I don’t see the Mariners being willing to part with him.

Of Course, Brandon League

League is no stranger to trade rumors; his name has been mentioned for the last couple seasons. Unfortunately, his stock is at an all-time low due to his demotion from the closer role. Nevertheless, an organization with an unstable closing situation could still see him as a potential closer. It would be interesting to see what a team would sacrifice for League. Some teams may be willing to pay a typical price for a closer who is one year removed from an all-star year, and some teams may pay the price of an average reliever. I could see League fetching anything from a plus prospect to a low A pitcher.

Believe it or not: Chone Figgins

Yes, I said it, Chone Figgins has trade value. Very little value, but value nonetheless. An article from a while back

Chone Figgins stealing a base. Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

indicated that the Rangers might be interested in our disaster. There is a market for the pinch runner/utility man mold that Figgins fits, and I don’t think any Mariner fan would object to ridding themselves of the most hated man in the Mariner organization. The M’s would likely have to eat most of Figgins’ salary and get little in return, but if that’s what it takes to make sure he never wears a Mariner uniform again, then I wouldn’t hesitate.

Mike Carp and Casper Wells

Depending on the team, both of these players could be a 3^rd or 4^th outfielder or even a pinch hitter which is basically a position of its own in the national league considering that pitchers need to be pinch-hit for in late innings. One guy is a lefty, and the other a righty, but I could see teams showing interest in these two guys, especially Wells considering the year he is having.

Tags: Brandon League, Casper Wells, Chone Figgins, featured, Jason Vargas, kevin millwood, Mariners General, miguel olivo, Mike Carp, Popular, Rumors, Trade Deadline, trades

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How I View The Pineda-Montero Trade

Posted on January 16, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

I’m not a very articulate guy. I talk a lot and I’m good at talking, but that’s not really communicating and it certainly isn’t nesscarily the ability to properly express one self in such a manner in which others might understand. You would think having written in this blog for the last year I would have gotten better. Maybe I have and if that’s the case I hope never to read the achives. Regardless of my writing ability I’ve not really followed up with any posts on my final how I feel about the trade so if you don’t read twitter (which is where I’ve spent the majority of my time recently) you might be a bit confused by some of my conflicted comments.

I like the trade overall. I don’t love it. I don’t get the anger or disappointment with the front office and I certainly don’t get the Bill Bavasi compairsons. People have been screaming for a “big bat” for nearly 3 years and that’s exactly what Jack Zduriencik has delivered. The problem is that many people have found 20 different problems with what we “recieved” and to be fair those types of people are always going to complain. It’s annoying but at least you know what to expect out of them.

… [visit site to read more]

Tags: Jesus Montero, justin smoak, Michael Pineda, trades

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Michael Pineda To The Yankees and Jesus Montero To Mariners Trade

Posted on January 13, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

Here is the deal as it looks right now. Michael Pineda and Jose Campos are being traded to the Yankees and in return we got Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi. A very fair but interesting swap. Not all the details have been released. There are … [visit site to read more]

Tags: Hector Noesi, Jesus Montero, Jose Campos, Michael Pineda, trades

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HOLY YANKEE

Posted on January 13, 2012 by SoDo Mojo

WHAT THE ….

MONTERO SAYS WHAT?!?

MY HAIR IS ON FIRE!

MONTERO IS A MARINER!

A REAL POST WILL EVENTUALLY … [visit site to read more]

Tags: Hector Neosi, Jesus Montero, Jose Campos, Micheal Pineda, trades

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Jaso, Meh, I Guess That Works.

Posted on November 28, 2011 by SoDo Mojo

That thing that sucks about living in Africa is that I’m on a completely different sleep schedule than the rest of America. I go to bed just as things start getting dialed up and into working motion and I wake up and get into work just as everyone is getting ready for their own bed and closing down shop for the night.

So when I get to work and I check all the news stories I get to be the last of the bunch to write about the Josh Lueke-John Jaso trade. I get that for the most part everyone appreciates and/or likes the trade. We used a piece of our depth and got a league average hitter that can play a premium position. Not only that but he comes in rather cheap too. There isn’t much not to like about this trade.

The thing is I’m going to go all Buzzkill Brita on this thing because I have some minor qualms associated with this deal that I haven’t seen many people bring up. So if you are rather up beat about this and positive… you might not want to read everything below. Because my normal upbeat, positive disposition is kind of missing here.

… [visit site to read more]