Is it the end for the Seattle Mariners and Mitch Haniger? Part 1 – No
Cost vs. Benefits
The M’s have to decide if it’s worth it to re-sign Haniger, knowing that he’s likely to play less than 60% of the games. Should the Seattle Mariners give him a new contract, they’ll need a contingency plan. There will have to be another big-league-level outfielder on the roster or in their system.
That also means they have to hold a roster spot for the Plan B option, as opposed to somewhere else on the team. For example, remember how Seattle carried three catchers to start this season? It would be a similar situation, except this guy would need to be around all year long and not just while the rosters are expanded.
What if one of their prospects has a Julio Rodriguez type of spring? They might need to start the season in the minors just because the M’s need to have the “Haniger Insurance Policy” on hand in case he gets hurt.
For those saying, “what if he plays in 100 games or more?” Then great! The Seattle Mariners will be even better off. Keep in mind that he’s only done that twice in his six-year Major League career. At 32 years old, the odds seem to be against him.
Because of his injury-prone history, it could just lead to Haniger re-signing for a discount. A contract that’s enticing enough for the Seattle Mariners to like it better than any free agent signing or trade they make. Then they could spend elsewhere to improve the team.
Let’s not forget that Haniger is a veteran and clubhouse leader. There is value in those attributes.
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Come back for Part 2 – Replacing Mitch