The Seattle Mariner’s Got Adam Frazier for Who? An Overreaction

Joe Swenson   |  

Dec 1, 2021

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The Seattle Mariners finally made a free agency signing. It’s shockingly being received poorly.

Seattle Mariners Fans React to Adam Frazier in so Many Interesting Ways

Who knew that one little trade would bring out the doomsday hopefuls in droves? Social media is often an outlet for entertaining, frustration, and whimsical conversation regarding the future of the Seattle Mariners. The Adam Frazier trade has set off a myriad of emotions among those that root for the Emerald City Diamond Dandies.

The reactions have mostly been ludicrous (the adjective, not the rapper). The reasonable is sitting back watching the extremists lob blow after blow at each other in this weird war of insanity.

Here’s What Happened, Adam Frazier was acquired via trade with San Diego

For those of you that shut off your internet and hibernate away from baseball for the winter, here’s what happened. GM Jerry Dipoto pulled the trigger on a no-brainer trade. Acquiring Adam Frazier from the San Diego Padres (The Mariner’s favorite whipping post in trades as of late) for lefty reliever Ray Kerr and outfielder Corey Rosier.

What did we lose? I’m sorry, who? Ray Kerr and Corey Rosier are probably really nice people with families that support their dreams of one day making it to the big leagues. But the likelihood of that is so small and Adam Frazier is an actual All-Star big leaguer already. We don’t even have to wait for him, he’s already at the big league level. It’s confusing, I know.

Ray Kerr, 27-Year-Old Wild Lefty That Throws Hard

Ray Kerr carries a lifetime 3.91 ERA in the minors and a 1.385 WHIP and has walked 110 in 244 innings while striking out 258. The recently turned 27-year-old isn’t likely to amount to much at the major league level. Sure he dominated AA this season but struggled in 12 games at the AAA level. He wasn’t in the Mariner’s top 30 prospects.

Corey Rosier, 22-year-old 12th Round Pick in 2021

I know some of you probably had Rosier in your dynasty leagues, just for the naming opportunities. He also didn’t make the top 30 prospects list for the Mariners. This light-hitting outfielder showed up to Low A Modesto and absolutely raked. Well, he didn’t hit for any power, but he did bat .390 in 118 at-bats with a .461 OBP. The Mariners and MLB were so high on him that they only allowed 11 rounds of the 2021 draft to be completed before taking him.

Adam Frazier, 29-year-old, All-Star

It seems crazy to me when you read the bolded parts of this article that anyone would question this trade as not being a good trade. The Mariners acquired Adam Frazier for two outside the top 30 prospects. The All-Star second baseman for the Pirates, who was traded to the Padres at the trade deadline. Comes to a team that doesn’t have a second baseman. Wait, what? At least the thought was that Toro would take over 3rd base with Kyle Seager being ushered out.

Who Loses a Job With His Arrival?  Wait, no one?  Seriously?

That’s right the team is missing a starting infield spot and the Mariners just plugged that hole with a light-hitting, super-utility player, who Seattle is only on the hook for $7.5 million. Which is nothing for a team that could extend their 2022 salaries into the $100 million range. He has a career average of .281 and averages between 7-10 home runs a year. He doesn’t strike out and gets on base. Both were massive problems for the Mariners in 2021 and he fills a void in the infield for now.

I was wrong, there is someone that loses a job. The clowns that constantly complain about the amount of strikeouts and the Mariners’ inability to get on base. Frazier strikes out once every nine at-bats and got on base at a .388 clip in 2021. Both of these statistics would’ve led the Mariners in 2021.

This is Probably The Mariner’s Last Move of the Offseason

Some of you believe that.  It’s a tragedy too. Look, he’s not the final answer, he’s an answer. He’s also a better answer than not having anyone at either second base or third base at present and he costs the Mariners virtually nothing. The current Mariner’s 2022 payroll is $59 million with Adam Frazier. This means that the M’s have at least $40 million to go in signings, which should include a front-of-the-rotation starter and an impact bat or two. Also, in the event that the Mariners can’t land a free agent, good ole’ Jerry Dipoto has a lot of trade chips to work with here. Based on his history of making trades, he’s not done yet. So sit back, relax, take a chill pill, insert your own calm the F down cliche here, and let the offseason play out a bit.

Joe Swenson is a lifelong sports fan, originally from Port Orchard, he relocated to the East Coast and is now an award-winning film producer, playwright, author, and US Marine Corps Veteran.