I have to stay this is probably the
easiest part of the report card to write about because the designated hitter
and the outfield were the successful part of team in 2017.
The Designated Hitter : Nelson Cruz was the primary designated hitter
where he played in 155 games. Most of the seven games he didn’t play in were
because the Mariners played inter-league on the road and he did play in right
field in five games. At age 37 he isn’t slowing down and he just missed hitting
at least forty home runs in four straight years. In 2017 he had 39 home runs
and drove in 119. The 119 runs batted in were the most he had in the same
period of time. He did have a period time where he wasn’t getting home runs
however he still was driving in runs which are the most important thing. This
was likely because Jean Segura was the primary leadoff hitter along with Ben
Gamel and Mitch Haniger being the main guys in the number two spot. Cruz has
one more year on his contract that he signed with the Mariners as a free agent
on a four-year contract. It will be interesting what will the Mariners do if he
has another year like he has had and not slowing down at all. Would not
surprise me if they sign him to a two-year contract with an option for a third;
what made Cruz willing to be the full-time designated hitter this year over any
of the past years is that he knew the younger outfielders the Mariners have are
better defensively and at dh he would stay healthy though he did wrestle with
some nagging injuries but he is as tough as they come. He was the Mariners
player of the year and named to the all-star game though he didn’t play in the
game. I grade him an easy A the only player on the team.
Outfield: This group
I will grade on each one and not as a whole group.
I will start with Leonys Martin who
had a disappointing season for the Mariners including being designated for
assignment twice. When he passed through waivers the first time he spent almost
all season at Tacoma where he played well but couldn’t apply it to Seattle. He
did have flashes at the plate and his defense was good. It was a disappointment
as well because he was such an important part of the 2016 team and all the
players liked him very much. After his second designated for assignment he was
picked up by the Chicago Cubs as an extra outfield. His batting average for the
Mariners was .174 in 34 games and he had only three home runs along with eight
runs batted in. With the Cubs he was a pinch hitter and his average was even
lower. His career is at cross roads however I am sure someone will give him a try
out in spring training if it isn’t the Cubs. I don’t want to give him an f so
the next closest thing is D minus.
Ben Gamel is next because I decided
to go left to right. He played more left field than anyone though he started
the season in Tacoma because he was outplayed by Heredia during spring
training. He was recalled from Tacoma on April 26 and made immediate impact.
For about three months he hit over .300 while batting first or second in the
lineup most of the time. Against lefties he was moved down to seventh or eighth
in the order. Not only was his hitting very well his defense was spectacular at
times. A little Ken Griffey Jr not worried about crashing into the fences.
Later in the season he started to slump which is understandable for a rookie
and the pitchers starting to figure him out. Even during the slump periods he
made some key hits as well. He ended with a solid .275 batting average with
eleven home runs and fifty-nine runs batting in. Very good job for someone’s
job is to get on base. So I give him a solid B on his report card and look for
it to go up in 2018.
Next to look at Jarrod Dyson who
started the season in left field as a platoon player than was switched back to
his more comfortable position of center field when Leonys Martin was sent down
to Tacoma. He platooned in left going against righties while Guillermo Heredia
played against lefties. This continued when Dyson took over in center field
though he did play against some lefties. It is easy to forget his
accomplishments since he went out for the season with an injury that he had to
have surgery on. He had just an average batting average going .251 and being a
little below for his career however he had twenty-nine stolen bases to give
pitchers fits on the base paths. He did have a career high five home runs as
well. He will be a free agent going into 2018. Being injured in September the
Mariners may be able to bring him back at a reasonable price if that is what
they want to do. The Mariners present and future in the outfield are Haniger,
Gamel and Heredia though they may decide to go out and get another outfielder
with some power. All three of them may show more power into next season.
Whatever the case the Mariners have a solid outfield. I gave Dyson a report
card score of B.
Since I just brought him up the next
one on the report card is Guillermo Heredia who played most of the season as
the fourth outfielder and platoon player against lefties. He showed us that he
may be the best defensive outfielder in the American League especially playing
in left field. He played a solid center field as well but left field looks like
where he really shines. His hitting started declining at the end of the season
and we found out the last week of the season because of injury to his shoulder
that he had most of the season. He will have surgery on that should and we hope
will be ready when spring training begins. Whether he will be one of the three
starters in the outfield next season or the fourth outfielder we expect more
from him. Another good season from a rookie and his batting average for much of
the season was in the mid two-seventies he ended with a .249 average. He had
only one stolen base however I am sure that will improve next season as well.
What I liked about Heredia besides his defense was that he seemed to always be
in the middle of any rallies where the Mariners scored several runs in an
inning. I give him a grade of B as well.
The next guy is Mitch Haniger who
lived up to his billing coming out of spring training. Like the other guys
plays solid defense in right field and had a good average as well along with
power at the plate. He went on the disabled list on April 26 with a strained
right oblique and returned about six weeks later on June 11. He struggle when
he returned at the plate. He was hit in the face with a pitch and put on the
disabled list again on July 30. His second return was on August 12. This time
he fared much better and was one of the hottest hitters on the Mariners throughout
September; his final stats for the season was a .282 batting average with
sixteen home runs and forty-seven runs batted in. They look real good when you
find that he played in only ninety-six games. Playing a full season he could
hit more than thirty home runs for the Mariners so he could be the power hitter
they are looking for. I give him a grade of B plus.
Final note: If the Mariners infield
can play next season like the outfielders did both at the bat and in the field
along with improvement by the pitching staff the Mariners should play in the
playoffs for the first time in seventeen years. I don’t see them having that
many injuries next year either. Best to Jerry Dipoto in getting players to fill
the holes they have on the team. I will look at Mariners on a weekly basis
including talking about transactions they have made. Go M’s.
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