Seattle Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto.
It’s a new year. Baseball organizations like the Seattle Mariners are preparing for another season. Players are wrapping up their vacations or downtime and getting back to the gym, batting cages, or mounds. The point is everyone is back to work. There is no time to slack off.
The Mariners come into 2021 as a team on the rise. Last year many predicted Seattle to be at the bottom of the American League standings. They were in a rebuild and lacked proven MLB veterans. Even with all the young players, the M’s were competitive. Emerald City’s team was in the hunt for a postseason spot until the final week of the season.
I have big plans for General Manager Jerry DiPoto’s offseason. It includes some possible free-agent signings. There is value in the marketplace. Seattle can add players to their rosters who make them a legitimate threat for an AL West title and won’t break the bank. That’s not to say the team will avoid signing a big-name free agent, but generally, that’s not how the Seattle Mariners do business.
Aside from additions, the Mariners also need to replace Tim Lopes and Phillip Ervin. Two players thought to be key pieces of the 2021 puzzle.
As the season draws closer, the market turns in favor of buyers. There are several players I believe Dipoto and the Mariners should seriously consider. The popular belief is that all the M’s need better pitching. They could also use a big bat or two, especially if they trade Kyle Seager.
Dipoto has been active so far, mainly working on the bullpen and signing bargain-basement payers. Here is a quick recap of the moves.
Keynan Middleton – After a few years with the Angels, they let him go. Before last year, Middleton’s ERA was in steady decline. So has his number of innings pitched. If Middleton can revert more to his 2017 & 2018 form, he can be an effective reliever.
Kendall Graveman – Last year, he was brought in to compete as a starter. He gave the Seattle Mariners two starts before an injury took him out. Upon his return, Graveman pitched exclusively out of the pen. The M’s brought him back in the offseason to continue his role as a reliever.
Matt Magill– Former M’s closer whose best year was 2019. His 2020 never really got on track due to injury. Dipoto resigned him to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Maybe Matt Magill regains the closer role, but most likely, he’s a good (hopefully) reliever in 2021.
Drew Steckenrider – The reliever with an unorthodox and controversial delivery. He also signed to a minor league contract and is working his way back from an injury like Magill and Graveman. When healthy, Drew Steckenrider has the stuff to be an effective late-inning reliever.
Chris Flexen – He over from the Korean Baseball Organization where the former New York Mets prospect posted some good numbers as a starter. The M’s hope that Chris Flexen can be the next Miles Mikolas. A good starting pitcher that can go deep in games while baffling the opposing hitters.
Rafael Montero – The current front runner for the Seattle Mariners closers gig in 2021. Rafael Montero came over in a trade from the Texas Rangers last month. He’s been mostly a relief pitcher in his career after initially beginning his career with the Mets as a starter. Since Montero moved to the pen and he’s been very effective.
These are good quantity moves, not necessarily quality moves.
The infielder was part of Washington’s 2019 World Series Champion roster. Last year, he even blocked young highly rated prospect Carter Kieboom from getting valuable playing time. I’d say that’s more of an indication that Kieboom isn’t a major leaguer than Cabrera being great. I do think Cabrera can be an everyday MLB player but is better utilized in a platoon.
Cespedes is a personal favorite of mine and a former AL West player. He was a part of the New York Mets’ memorable 2015 World Series run. Since then, he’s been recovering from some strange and bizarre injuries, including one caused by a wild hog.
Early last season, he started to look like the old Cespedes when he slugged a majestic opening day home run. Then he cooled off and suddenly left the Mets without telling them. Reviewing what was reported on this incident, I’m leaning a little more toward what Cespedes said about the situation. This, unfortunately, hurt his reputation, but it should help keep his cost down and be an affordable designated hitter/part-time outfielder for the M’s.
The Seattle Mariners legacy is a highly unsung, heralded player. All Michael Brantley does is hit, as in a career .297 batting average. Having him near the top of the order would set the table for last season’s Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis to knock in more runs.
Brantley is a 12 year Major League veteran. His hitting approach would be extremely beneficial to a young roster.
Right now, the only guaranteed starter in Seattle’s outfield is Kyle Lewis. Phenom Jarred Kelenic will be in the show sometime this season. In the meantime, Brantley can play a corner outfield spot. In the chance Kelenic breaks camp with the big club, Brantley’s presence allows skipper Scott Servais some flexibility. Servais can start the season with Mitch Haniger as Seattle’s designated hitter and then ease Haniger back into the outfield as his recovery progresses.
It’s no secret that the Seattle Mariners 2020 bullpen was atrocious. Baez is an effective end of game reliever. If Dipoto can entice Baez to move to the Pacific Northwest as the M’s closer, it would allow flamethrower Andres Munoz more time to recover from Tommy John surgery.
The former Mariners closer is still successful and effective late in games. At age 34, Cishek is a late-innings specialist who can still get batters out.
I’m all for signing Chris Devenski away from Houston and then using him to beat them. A converted starter, Devenski became an outstanding relief pitcher. At times he is unhittable and is good in high-pressure situations. I don’t see him as a closer, but he can definitely help in crucial late-inning situations.
The one drawback to all these moves is the impact they have on Mariners top prospects. Potentially blocking a roster spot. More to come about our prospects in our next installment.