Mariners Continue to Stay Busy

Right now Jerry Dipoto is the busiest general manager in major league baseball making more trades and transactions this week and we will see what happens with the Winter Meetings happening next week in Nashville, Tennessee.

I know some people are questioning the trade of Mark Trumbo to the Baltimore Orioles for left handed hitting catcher/first basemen Steve Clevenger. Besides Trumbo the Mariners sent left handed reliever C.J. Riefenhauser. The full purpose of the trade was to dump Trumbo’s salary so the Orioles ask for another player in return as well. According to Dipoto Trumbo’s salary which is expected to be around $9 million because of arbitration will allow the Mariners to find another player a pitcher, an outfielder, or first basemen. Right now the Mariners have one first baseman in Jesus Montero. According to Dipoto Montero should have the opportunity to win a position on the Mariner roster or be sent elsewhere to do so as well. Montero is out of options so he has to make the Mariner team or he would have to put on waivers in which likely he would be picked up by another team. The Mariners would trade him to get another player possibly a prospect in return.

The Seattle Mariners signed right handed reliever Justin De Fratus who is a free agent who played last season with the Philadelphia Phillies.  Dipoto feels that De Fratus can rebound from a poor season with the Phillies. Dipoto feels that De Fratus best situations is to pitch no more than one inning per outing, and the Phillies pitched him more innings that did not fit him best.

Clevenger likely will be the Mariners backup catcher; however, he may see some action at first base as well. Depending on how Mike Zunino does coming out of spring training it is possible the Mariners may carry three catchers on next season’s roster. Of course, we know at this point things may change and most likely will. In fact, we expect more will happen to the roster in the next week or so adding a first baseman, an outfielder, and a pitcher. All the other positions seem to be in good shape at this point. The Mariners maybe adding outfielder Nori Aoki who played for the San Francisco Giants last season and the Kansas City Royals the year before. He has to pass a physical, and with the Giants he had to deal with concussions. What makes him a good fit with the Mariners is that he has speed along with defense. Also, in the four seasons he has played in the major leagues he has batted just over .280. Most likely he will be platooned and play right field. He will be a good choice to play some center field as well.

We know that Dipoto has some other fires going on so we will have to hold tight to see what the next moves will happen for the Mariners. I am sure some of that salary dump of Trumbo’s will go toward paying starting pitcher Iwakuma who still is a free agent. We will look to see additional presents acquire this month. Go Mariners!