Seattle Mariners: Reasons to Love/Hate the James Paxton acquisition
Wait-And-See Fans
The last group, the silent majority of Seattle Mariners fans, want to take a wait-and-see approach to Paxton joining the team. Some have even called for the re-acquisition of Taijuan Walker, which has some merit, especially since the M’s are so lefty-heavy.
This wait-and-see approach isn’t a bad idea for everyone. They look at the sentimental value of adding Paxton and know that when he pitches, he’s dominant and can go fairly deep into games. Also, understanding that Paxton will get injured at some point should mean opportunities for Logan Gilbert and/or George Kirby.
While an injured Paxton has no trade value, a healthy version could. The hybrid fan knows that if Paxton is at or near 100 percent, the Mariners stand a better chance of making the post-season.
Positives and Negatives
In closing, there are plenty of things to like about this signing; there are also ripple effects of the acquisition that should cause concern. The development of the Seattle Mariners stud starting pitchers could have their timeframe pushed back, and when that happens, the rebuilding timeframe can also be delayed.
Keep in mind that the M’s have only been in this rebuild mode for two full seasons. Signing Paxton doesn’t change that conceptually. It certainly doesn’t speed it up. The fans have another favorite to root for until he gets injured. Hopefully, by the time that happens, Gilbert and/or Kirby have shown the organization enough to bring them up.
The Mariners’ six-man rotation affords Paxton an opportunity to stay healthy longer. But again, for many fans, it’s a wait-and-see approach.
Joe Swenson is a Lifelong Seattle sports fan, author, award-winning playwright, director, producer for Broken Arts Entertainment. www.brokenartsentertainment.com