A Week After Winter Meetings

We haven’t heard much from Jerry Dipoto since the Winter Meetings. He mentioned that he was looking to get a third or fourth starter for the rotation. I am Ok with that though I wish he would go after a number one or two starters.

I am sure that a third or fourth starter would be easier to get for the Mariners especially with the lack of players in the Mariners farm system that he would be willing to depart with. I am sure he would not want to depart with someone like Tyler O’Neill unless a number one starter would come back in return. Of course it would take more than O’Neill to get a number one starter.

The reason that I would like a number one or two starter is that we can’t be sure that Felix will get back to where he was before he got hurt last year and then there is Iwakuma who is older now and can’t be sure if he can be injured free as well. James Paxton could rise to be a number one or two starters however we are not sure if we can count on him either because of his past experience. I truly hope that Paxton can be that number one starter. Having Felix being the solid number two at the very least would be nice. In fact having two number one starters would be great. I am sure if Felix is healthy he will be the opening day starter once again no matter who the Mariners pick up.

With the current rotation I would see Felix starting first, then Paxton followed by Iwakuma, Miranda and Karns or whoever would be the fifth starter. This way the rotation would have right, left, right, left and right.

Unless something happens this week I am sure we won’t hear anymore from Dipoto until after the holidays. I sure hope that Karns can be the pitcher that Dipoto expected when he traded for him last off-season with the Tampa Bay Rays. He could be a good fit in the bullpen if not in the starting rotation. The reason I say that he seems to do well for an inning or two. Often he didn’t make it through five innings. So he could be good being the first one coming out of the bullpen.

Anyway I am sure that Dipoto has more tricks under his sleeve and we will hear more from him far as transactions go. So everyone enjoy your holiday season. I will write again if he makes a move. Go M’s.