Mariners Make Splash

I was wondering if the Mariners were going to make a splash during the GM meeting that were held this week Monday thru Wednesday.

On Tuesday they announced that they had filled the vacancy of assistant coach with the signing of Jimmy Brower. It wasn’t what I was expecting because Brower was minor pitching coordinator for the Chicago Cubs. I thought they would be signing a hitting coach in this spot however they decided that pitching is a priority which it is for sure. They still have to get a bullpen coach and Cabrera who was in that position the second half of the season after Mike Hampton resigned. Cabrera will still be on staff just not as bullpen coach. So you see the Mariners will have four coaches that will deal with the pitching. Scott Brosius who was Edgar Martinez assistant hitting coach is now the third base coach. I am sure part of his duties will still deal with helping the hitters.

On Wednesday the Mariners made a splash trading reliever Emilio Pagan and a minor league infielder to the Oakland A’s for power hitting first baseman Ryon Healy. I see this as a pretty good pickup though I hate to lose Pagan in the process. I am sure the Mariners feel that they can replace him in the bullpen. Of course like Healy he was a rookie in 2017. Healy brings the Mariners a power hitter that will help them out and is only twenty-five years old and the Mariners will have control of him for the next five years. He can play third base as well if the Mariners need to rest Kyle Seager or he gets hurt for a period of time. I don’t see Healy playing much at third though he played about half of his games in 2017 at third base. Most likely whoever goes in for Seager when he needs the rest will be the utility player.

According to general manager Jerry Dipoto that Healy is considered the everyday first baseman so other words there will be no platooning. When he needs a rest this will likely come from the utility player as well; with the acquiring of Healy the chances are good that Daniel Vogelbach likely will be traded. He is seen more as a designated hitter than a first baseman since his defense is somewhat suspect though he has been working on it. He likely be traded to a team in the American League to be used as a dh and part-time first baseman.

With the acquiring of Healy this means that Yonder Alonso will not be returning to the Mariners and the same most likely goes for Danny Valencia. The reason Valencia would return be to play in the outfield and an occasion at first or third base. To sign Valencia who is a free agent the Mariners would have to make him a regular in either left or right field. So this would mean that Ben Gamel and Guillermo Heredia would be platooning most likely in left field with Mitch Haniger in center field. We would see Heredia playing on occasion in center field as well.

With the acquisition of Healy this means that the Mariners don’t necessarily have to go for an outfielder that has power though it would be nice at the same time. Like Gamel, Haniger and Heredia the Mariners would feel right about getting someone that has speed and can play defense. Also getting Healy this means that the Mariners are free to spend money on the starting pitching. With Alonso being gone along with Iwakuma and Gallardo options being declined the Mariners have plenty of money to pick up a high quality starter well as another starter. With Paxton, Felix Hernandez and Mike Leake it is hard to know whether they are thinking of getting two starters. This would depend on how much depth that Dipoto wants to go with beyond what they already have. Good job Dipoto we look forward to see what is next on the horizon.  Go M’s.