Kyle Lewis, Seattle Mariners.
This week there was a ton of information about the future of the Seattle Mariners. Literally 2,000 pounds. From MLB.com’s annual posting of the Top 100 prospects to spring training, non-roster invitees. Fans, players, management, and the league filled social media with literally hundreds of posts about the team. There’s plenty to keep the hot stove warm.
There isn’t an official stat on this, but I would think that most Mariners fans are excited to get this season underway for many reasons.
This year the M’s have one of the best infield defenses in the league. J.P. Crawford and Evan White won gold gloves in 2020, and Kyle Seager already owns a gold glove. While using a plug and play isn’t ideal, whoever plays the position on a given night could reap the benefits of Crawford’s and White’s range. If the Mariners add a player such as Kolton Wong, then the infield defense could be legendary.
According to MLB Pipeline, the Seattle Mariners have the numbers one and two outfield prospects in baseball, Jared Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez. Anyone who followed the M’s for any length of time hasn’t seen this. Ken Griffey Jr. A-Rod, and Felix Hernandez, all at different points, were top prospects at their position. But the top two at the same time? It’s a Mariners first.
Contrary to popular belief, the Seattle Mariners don’t need to add a veteran arm to the rotation. First time in forever that the Mls haven’t added a Wade LeBlanc or Wade Miley type pitcher. No Mike Leake either. Taijaun Walker? Frankly, they don’t need him either, and adding Walker might put a cork in the development of one of the young pitchers.
Is Marco Gonzales an ace? He’s not prototypical, but his 36-24 record as the Mariners number one starter says that he is. Marco as a second or third starter? It’s more plausible, but not at this time, which makes 2021 exciting to watch. Logan Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, and George Kirby are waiting in the wings to push Marco down the rotation.
Kelenic and Rodriguez are the top prospects, but they aren’t all of the Seattle Mariners future. Fans can look forward to the arrivals of Gilbert, Hancock, Kirby, Taylor Trammell, Andres Munoz, Noelvi Marte, Juan Then, and Cal Raleigh over the next few seasons. Adding those talents to a developing core that includes Crawford, White, Justus Sheffield, Justin Dunn, Kyle Lewis, and Ty France will lead to something special.
Sadly, many things can kill the excitement of the 2021 season and give fans some anxiety. Here are a few of them:
COVID-19. Political affiliations and stances aside, this is a major threat to sports, including baseball. It’s an undeniable fact. Earlier this week, the Cactus League requested to hold off spring training by a month. The delay would then cause the regular season to start late. That is, if a plan is approved by the MLBPA and the Commissioner’s Office.
Delaying the regular season in any capacity puts the Seattle Mariners rebuild time-table under a bit of stress. While COVID is an excellent excuse for the rebuild to fail. It would also shrink the window of opportunity for the M’s to realize success.
Additionally, the issue of minor league ball is still up in the air. There is only so long the league can put off player development.
Last-minute veterans added to the roster, unless it’s Trevor Bauer, or Kolten Wong, adding any veterans are a roadblock to the development of Seattle’s youth. At one point or another in the last decade, the Houston Astros were the youngest team in baseball, so was Atlanta. Last season it was the San Diego Padres.
This year, the Mariners could be the youngest team in baseball, three years removed from baseball’s oldest team. Seattle needs to gel, create a winning culture together, and find team-leaders from within. Searching for that on the open market goes against what is waiting in the seasons ahead.
Leftfield and second base are the Seattle Mariners biggest holes. At the same time, they also have youth ready to tackle and take over these positions. Any hole filled by an outside vet means advancement opportunity down on the farm at those positions slows down.
The Mariners are in a situation where they have one of the best farm systems in the league. Just like San Diego did over the last several months, a transaction happy GM can go all-in at any time with veterans and gut the farm.
The pandemic could cause Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto to make knee-jerk decisions. If the season doesn’t start as successfully as planned or worse, poor productivity from any of the young players could lead to changes.
As a Seattle fan, it is understandable not to trust management with the development of younger players. They’ve suffered through Michael Pineda, Dustin Ackley, Alex Jackson, DJ Peterson, Mike Zunino, Phillippe Aumont, and John Mayberry Jr. All prospects that we expected to be something for the Mariners but fell short or were moved for veterans. Let’s be honest, Seattle has an atrocious track record when it comes to the development of talent since 2000.
The sense of urgency to get these prospects up and try them out at the big league level must be tempered. A winning-culture with the nucleus of youth that we’ll see in 2021 must be developed. It’s one thing for super-prospects Kelenic and Rodriguez to say they are excited to get to the big leagues and help the team win. But winning isn’t on their shoulders alone; it’s on everyone’s shoulders.
Twenty years is a very long time to go without making the playoffs. That pressure on management has to be unbearable. There will be a trickledown of that pressure to the players as well. It’s what the fans want, and the days of settling for “give us something to be excited about” are wearing away.
While some might think that the window of opportunity is just opening up, it could be closing just as fast. The pandemic might force among other things a condensed season, limited spring training for non-roster invitees, and curtailing the lower minor leagues. The Mariners can’t afford that, or they’re going to be in a rebuild pattern for a very long time.
Joe Swenson is a lifelong Seattle sports fan, author, award-winning playwright, director, and producer at BrokenArtsEntertainment.com.