12/11/13 Errata

Did you know:

Justin Smoak DESTROYED right-handers last year? It’s true. 134 wRC+ against last year and it might not be a fluke. Smoak has generally hit right-handers better than lefties. Sure, he had an even split in 2010 and the trend was reversed during his bizarre 2012. But, generally speaking, the platoon designation on Smoak could be appropriately applied. He could be a valuable player if deployed correctly.

It is time to stop thinking of Justin as a player who has a chance to ‘grow into his potential.’ Continuing to do this does both him and his team a disservice.

Deploy Smoak as the left-handed half of a platoon and your team could be cooking with some seriously undervalued gas.

::smug:: Well, it’s now obvious that the Mariners have learned their lesson about deploying resources appropriately. When it came to Mike Carp, they watched the BoSox turn a puzzling player into a key cog of a championship machine when they gave him a niche. But the cleats are on the other foot now because the Mariners have acquired Logan Morrison to platoon with Justi...huh?

What? Logan Morrison has the same platoon split? Only not as good against righties? And still terrible against lefties?

Oh.

Well crapbaskets.

 

AhCHOO!

Erryone’s saying, “Don’t sign Choo! 7 years, $140 mil. Is way too expensive!” ::fake swoon::

Look gobbledonkeys. Sign Choo, overpay him even, and don’t look back.

1)      The Mariners still have plenty of money to spend. Overpaying Choo would not hinder them financially now or in the future.

2)      What else are they going to spend it on? Three Brad Hawpes and a Jon Garland? You’ll still have plenty of room to extend Seager.

3)      Dude is money at the plate. He projects as a 130 wRC+ for next year and has a skillset that ages well.

4)      He sure wouldn’t be blocking anybody. We have no outfielders in the Majors OR the Minors. You want Abe Almonte holding down a line-up spot for a pennant race? Depend on Saunders or Ackley?

Sign Shin-Soo Choo.

Additional moves I would pursue as of today:

• Trade Nick Franklin for Country Breakfast (Alternatively, find a platoon partner for LoMo)

• Trade Erasmo Ramirez for Colby Rasmus

• Sign Tanaka
• Find a legitimate alternative to Zunino (???)

That gives us field of:

		2014 wRC+ (projected)
Ca	Zunino	90
1B	Butler	114
2B	Cano	131
3B	Seager	111
SS	Miller	104
LF	Choo	130
CF	Rasmus	110
RF	Hart	118
DH	LoMo	109

That's a lot of triple-digits in there. Tell me we couldn't go to war in the AL West with that.

Robinson Cano

Robinson Cano - Seattle Mariner

Heh. Heh heh. Hehahahaha. HAAAhaahhahahahah. HAAAAAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!11!!1!

Seriously, screw those out there that are wringing their hands at the cost.
::mockingly whiny:: "Nine years! $240 Million." ::Pretends to swoon::

1) It ain't your money. Why do you care?

2) It doesn't hinder their acquiring additional resources. They could, quite literally, make FOUR MORE of these blockbuster contracts THIS YEAR and still be fine financially. There is no salary cap. They have money coming out of their ears.

3) If Robinson gets bad as he gets older then you trade him or cut him and eat the money. It's been done MANY times before. That's how it GOES.

4) This move legitimizes the organization. Without hyperbole. They weren't a legitimate baseball club before. One day later, they are.

This is cause for celebration. Celebrate.

Domino Effect
Franklin will be moved as part of a trade package for a legit hitting outfielder. Giancarlo, I'm still looking at you.

Other free agents are about to be signed. Catcher, DH, SP, RP, and OF. The team missed out on the catcher train so there are only dregs left. That means that a minor trade for a catcher must be in discussion. Nothing that would block Zunino for a long time, just a guy that'll let him develop.

OMG

This is awesome. Welcome to Seattle, Robinson. Welcome back, modicum of hope. I've missed you.

What The Seahawks Should Do After They Win The Super Bowl This Season

Yes, I will write about the Seahawks whenever the whim strikes me. You have no choice in the matter. You don't get another turn to debate. Time to face your permenant fate. Now Dalek my balls. (Exterminate!)

The 'Hawks are 6-1 as we sit today and after analyzing the team's current state and comparing that to the players' contract statuses, here are my thoughts as to what the team should do after they win the Super Bowl (heh):

• The team should renegotiate lucerative contract extensions with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas
• The team should sign veteran DT Jason Hatcher
• The team should prioritize re-signing, in order:
• Michael Bennett
• Golden Tate
• Walter Thurmond III
• Doug Baldwin
• Clinton McDonald
• Brandon Browner
• O'Brien Schofield
• Steven Hauschka
• This would leave the following players as free agents. If you can get 'em back cheap, great. If not, let 'em move on:
• Breno Giacomini
• Tarvaris Jackson
• Tony McDaniel
• Chris Maragos
• Jeron Johnson
• Lemuel Jeanpierre
• Anthony McCoy
• Mike Morgan
• Paul McQuistan
• If all the above is completed the team's priorities heading into the draft would be (along with the reason as to why the position is a position of need):
• OT - Talent/Depth
• TE - Talent/Depth
• DT - Talent/Value
• DE - Value
• FS - Depth
• SS - Depth
• CB - Value/Depth
• WR - Value/Depth
• C  - Depth/Value

Finding adequate value in the next two drafts would allow the team to re-negotiate RW3's contract in 2015 (the earliest opportunity that they can do it). Also, with only three positions  identified as needing to be upgraded talent-wise, the team would be in a good position to go into the 2014 season with expectations of dynastic magnitude. Only role players would be heading into 2015 without a contract (Farwell, Gresham, Smith, Maxwell, Caprenter, Wright, Avril, Kearse, and Clemmons.)

Now, addressing the quibbles:
Why would you let Giacomini and McDaniel walk if OT and DT are such a dire need?
Great question. Glad you've been paying attention. My premise in letting both go is that their respective upsides are limited. We are looking to upgrade the talent at the positions. Sure, both would be great for depth purposes but if this team is going to improve in any marked way (and they should always be looking to do so) they need to upgrade the upside, if you will.

Salary cap, yo. You can't just say 're-sign these guys.' and expect it to happen.
You're absolutely right. There are people more intelligent and more in tune with the salary cap situation than I am. I do not know how feasible this offseason would be as presented. I think and kinda feel it should be feasible. None of those feelings are backed up by solid data, however. Please, if you want to breakdown, with specific numbers and historical precedent, how feasible or not this scenario is, please present it in the comments. I'd love to nosh off of your expertiese.

Anthony McCoy? You're just casting him off?
Eeeehhh. I vascilated between having him on the re-sign list below Hauschka and letting him walk as a free agent. What it came down to is 1) He's been hurt all season and, thus, he shouldn't command too much on the open market and 2) His upside isn't all that great. He's servicable as depth but if you're bringing him back at any contract number that restricts cap space that should go to the stars, I'd say he's not worth it.

Who's going to be your back-up QB? Not B.J. surely?
Maybe. Why not? And don't call me Shirley.
Basically, I don't care enough about the back-up position to lose any sleep over it. If they can re-sign Tarvaris at the veteran minimum, great. But have you seen the QB play this year? There's no way he doesn't sign for a couple million $ and make it into a QB competition somewhere.

Ain't Life A Bitch

So, screw it.

I haven't posted in a while and abandon a fun little game mid-way through. Why? 'Cause I got testicular cancer and needed time to get better. Now that I'm better (and, yes, I am better. Not a jot of cancer and maintining active survailance to ensure that, if it does come back we'll destroy it like the Mariners destroy hopes and dreams.) I find I'm less enthused about posting things.

I'll probably post random things as they come to me but no longer expect regular postings. This'll be more of a personal sounding board than anything else.

So there.

Next Round

Jeff Sullivan goes with the time-honered stragety of ignoring. Looks like it backfired as Kyle Davis advances to the next round.

Next up:

Megan Shear vs. Keith Myers

Megan Shear vs. Keith Myers Megan Shear Keith Myers Current Results

    
For reference:

Link to premise

Link to analysis of the participants

Sullivan vs. Davis

Well Chris barely managed to squeak by. Next up:

Sullivan vs. Davis

Jeff Sullivan vs. Kyle Davis Jeff Sullivan Kyle Davis Current Results

Link to premise

Link to analysis of the participants

Kenneth Arthur vs. Chris Sullivan

Well, Johnnie dominated Jon in the previous poll. Let's see how this one goes:

Kenneth Arthur vs. Chris Sullivan

Kenneth Arthur vs. Chris Sullivan Kenneth Arthur Chris Sullivan Current Results

        
For reference:

Link to premise

Link to analysis of the participants

Johnnie Peel vs. Jon Shields

Next match:

Johnnie Peel vs. Jon Shields

Johnnie Peel vs. Jon Shields Johnnie Peel Jon Shields Current Results

For reference:
Link to premise
Link to analysis of the participants

Marc Webster vs. Aaron Campeau

Marc Webster vs. Aaron Campeau

Marc Webster vs. Aaron Campeau Marc Webster Aaron Campeau Current Results

First Match!

Alex Vs. Harrison

Which Twitter Personality Should Win? Alex Akita Harrison Crow Current Results

For reference:
Link to premise
Link to analysis of the participants

A Breakdown on the Field

Some items may or may not be true. Relativism rules the day today, bitches!

Alex Akita

Twitter Handle	@AlexSSN
Website	Seattle Sports Net
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	All around crazy guy. Routinely starts trending memes on twitter. Is hilarious.

 

Chris Crawford

Twitter Handle	@CrawfordChrisV
Website	MLB Draft Insider
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Writes for ESPN’s draft blog. Seems really cool on Twitter.

 

Kenneth Arthur

Twitter Handle	@KennethArthurS
Website	FieldGulls, kennethauthor.com
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	His name on Twitter is “88bottles of whisky.”

 

Megan Shear

Twitter Handle	@Section331
Website	Section 331
Why she would be good to have a beer with:	I’ve never liked her. We disagree on everything and she blocked me on Twitter. Beautiful photos and a passion for the M’s.

 

Keith Myers

Twitter Handle	@12thMan_Rising
Website	12th Man Rising
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Passion for the ‘Hawks.  Runs a blog.

 

Chris Sullivan

Twitter Handle	@30AcreFortress
Website	30 Acre Fortress (defunct?)
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Makes terrible puns (my kinda guy).

 

Mariner Mandy

Twitter Handle	@MarinerMandy
Website	MarinerMandy.wordpress
Why she would be good to have a beer with:	Politically agree on many things.  Announced engagement via agreeing to terms on a lifetime contract.

 

Harrison Crow

Twitter Handle	@Harrison_Crow
Website	AmericanSoccerAnalysis.wordpress
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Didn’t complain (that I know of) while we were writing for Sodo Mojo together (briefly).

 

Jacson Bevens

Twitter Handle	@JacsonBevens
Website	FieldGulls
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Almost a caricature of what a man should be. Founded steak and a BJ day.

 

Brian Nemhauser

Twitter Handle	@hawkblogger
Website	Hawkblogger
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Gregarious, smart, already invites strangers to drink with him.

 

Jason Churchill

Twitter Handle	@ProspectInsider
Website	Prospect Insider
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	The dichotomy between what seems to be arrogant dickery online and being the nicest guy in real-life blows my mind.

 

Craig Johnstone

Twitter Handle	@MCraigJohnstone
Website	Fieldgulls
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Writes the Drunkard’s Player Profiles.

 

Logan Davis

Twitter Handle	@thirteenoftwo
Website	Lookout Landing
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Bridging the SeattleSportsInsider and LookoutLanding communities.

 

Peter Whitmore

Twitter Handle	@MarinerMagic
Website	Seattle Sports Net
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Interacted on Twitter. Seems like an awesome, interesting guy.

 

Aaron Di Silvestro

Twitter Handle	@TheSilvestro
Website	FieldGulls
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Knowledgable and personable.

 

Conor Dowley

Twitter Handle	@C_Dowley
Website	Bullpen Banter
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Passionate about sports. Can speak intelligently on many topics.

 

Dave Cameron

Twitter Handle	@DCameronFG
Website	USSMariner/Fangraphs
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	I get creeped out by blinking so he’d be perfect.

 

Matthew Carruth

Twitter Handle	@msea1
Website	USSMariner/Fangraphs
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Smart, knowledgable, wastes his time writing about the Mariners.

 

Jay Yencich

Twitter Handle	@JayYencich
Website	Wherever he damn well feels like.
Wye he would be good to have a beer with:	Does to minor-league knowledge what Josh Lueke does to oh God this isn’t going well.

 

Marc Webster

Twitter Handle	@USSM_Marc
Website	USSMariner
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Has continued to write about the Mariners for years. Why? Why does he hate himself?

 

Aaron Campeau

Twitter Handle	@AaronCampeau
Website	7500toholte.com
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Has sports and beer in his Twitter profile. Good enough for me.

 

Lonnie Mathis

Twitter Handle	@MCLonnie
Website	Mariner’s Central
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	More work for less return than I think I’ve ever seen in my life.

 

Rick Randall

Twitter Handle	@randallball
Website	Mariners.scout.com  / LookoutLanding
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Smart family man, majors in the minors, has his own website.

 

Paul Marsh

Twitter Handle	@PositivePauly
Website	Paulmphotography.com
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Interacted now and again on Twitter. Is a great person.

 

Jeff Sullivan

Twitter Handle	@based_ball
Website	USSMariner / Fangraphs
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	He’s in Portland. Or near it. Probably. Why would he leave? There’s a non-zero chance he’s in Portland as you read this.

 

Johnnie Peel

Twitter Handle	@DKSB17
Website	DKSB
Why she would be good to have a beer with:	More passion than all of the jabronis on this list put together.

 

Danny Kelly

Twitter Handle	@FieldGulls
Website	Fieldgulls
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	He took over FieldGulls from John Morgan using what I can only assume to have been extreme violence.

 

Scott Weber

Twitter Handle	@ScottyWeebs
Website	Lookout Landing
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Took over Lookout Landing after Jeff Sullivan departed. It’s still going. Strong.

 

Nathan Bishop

Twitter Handle	@NathanHBishop
Website	Lookout Landing
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Lives in Port Orchard. (So, you know, pity.)

 

Lisa Gilmore

Twitter Handle	@CompassRosy
Website	Compass Rosy
Why she would be good to have a beer with:	Been writing about the Mariners for years and has become really good at it.

 

Jon Shields

Twitter Handle	@TheJonShields
Website	Jonathanshields.com
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Lives in Battle Ground, WA which may be a metaphor or something.

 

Kyle Davis

Twitter Handle	@AgainstKyle
Website	Lookout Landing/ TheTranceOfWaiting.wordpress
Why he would be good to have a beer with:	Another one with both Sports and Beer in their Twitter profile. Also, contributes to BeerGraphs.