Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but this year’s crop of MLB free agents is the strongest group in recent memory. Top-shelf starters, frontline hitters and dominant relievers are a dime (or tens of millions of dollars) a dozen this offseason. And yet, the Seattle Mariners – a team who have aptly demonstrated their willingness to spend as of late – has been more active on the trade market than they’ve been with those not currently under contract. This isn’t to say that they’ve stood pat in that regard; in fact, they recently signed two players we’ll discuss shortly. Before that, let’s break down the most recent trade pulled off by GM/busybody Jerry Dipoto.
Earlier this week, the M’s dealt erstwhile slugger Mark Trumbo and reliever C.J. Riefenhauser to the Baltimore Orioles for first baseman/backup catcher Steve Clevenger. This represents the second time that Dipoto has traded Trumbo; Jerry originally dealt Mark to the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the 2014 season in a three-team trade. With the addition of Leonys Martin, Nelson Cruz firmly ensconced at DH and a myriad of options at first base, Trumbo was the odd man out on the roster without a clear role for 2016. While the Mariners can always use more right handed power – something Trumbo is capable of providing, having hit double-digit homers every season of his career with two 30+ homer campaigns – his penchant for striking out negates a lot of his value. Moreover, he strikes out close to four times for every walk he draws, so his OBP isn’t anything to write home about. Trumbo will likely hit more Trumbombs in OPACY than he would have in a full year at Safeco, so this works best for both sides.
Clevenger has never topped 70 games in a full season, and he likely won’t ever be mistaken for Mike Piazza, but he has relevant experience behind the plate and can even spell at first or third base in a pinch. However, he’s not the kind of guy you want catching 100+ games a season: He is an atrocious pitch framer and he has a lot of trouble preventing runners from stealing. It therefore wouldn’t be surprising to see most of Steve’s playing time come at the cold corner where he won’t have to gun down would-be thieves as often.
Another reason the team felt comfortable dealing Trumbo comes in the form of the inimitable Nori Aoki. Seattle signed the right fielder, recently of the San Francisco Giants, just one day after the Trumbo trade. Aoki brings astounding consistency in his style of play, if not sheer dominance – he hits in the upper .280s, walks roughly as much as he strikes out, and makes spectacular catches after taking routes akin to those Family Circus “twisted path” comics. He’s even good for 15-30 steals in any given year, although his jaunts from base to base aren’t nearly as entertaining as those in the outfield. Having Aoki at the top of the lineup with Martin should also provide more RBI opportunities for Cruz/Robinson Cano/Kyle Seager, a huge boon for a franchise that ranked 21st in both runs scored and those batted in last year.
Knowing that incumbent backstop Mike Zunino has had quite a rough patch (one lasting a full three seasons and counting), the Mariners signed Chris Iannetta earlier this week for a little insurance. Again, this a move facilitated by familiarity – Dipoto signed Iannetta to a three-year pact with the Los Angeles Angels shortly after the former became the Anaheim GM before the 2012 season. While he only hit .226 during his four seasons with the Halos, that was good for a 105 OPS+ over that span. Unlike Clevenger, Iannetta is one of the better framers in the game, recording a 9.1 oStr% (how many pitches outside the zone that the catcher made to look like strikes) last season. That kind of skill will prove to be invaluable to a Mariners pitching corps known for its pinpoint control: Felix Hernandez and Taijuan Walker don’t need much help, but don’t be surprised if they throw more strikeouts next season.
The feeling of excitement around the Mariners is becoming palpable, with Dipoto’s revamped front office providing new manager Scott Servais with an eminently intriguing roster. While expectations were as high or higher coming into 2015, there’s reason to believe Seattle could once again be a trendy dark horse pick. Stay tuned for more analysis and #hottakes as more moves occur.
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