Larry Stone ranks Jack Z's biggest busts as GM

[cezero]

1: Chone Figgins signing. He was supposed to provide an offensive spark when the Mariners signed him to a four-year, $36-million contract prior to the ’09 season. But Figgins quickly wore out his welcome and was released with a year to go, having fulfilled none of their expectations.

2: Michael Pineda trade. The Mariners sent All-Star pitcher Michael Pineda to the Yankees for touted prospect Jesus Montero and so far have gotten minimum production and multiple hassles in return.

3: Doug Fister trade. Fister has gone 48-26 for the Tigers and Nationals since the Mariners traded him, with David Pauley, to Detroit at the 2011 deadline, for Casper Wells, Chance Ruffin, Francisco Martinez and Charlie Furbush. Only Furbush remains in the organization.

4: Cliff Lee trade. M’s had a prime chip in Cliff Lee, but Justin Smoak, the centerpiece of the trade with Texas, never developed into the offensive force they anticipated. None of the other pieces acquired from the Rangers made an impact — except negatively, when Josh Lueke’s legal issues were revealed.

5: Corey Hart signing. M’s spent $6 million hoping Hart could regain his form, but injuries limited the former All-Star to 68 games this season, in which he produced a .203 average and just six home runs.

I'd switch Fister/Pineda. Glad to see the Lee trade is where it is, and no higher.

 

[Tapey]

Im not sure if the Pineda trade was a bust, seeing as what happened with him, id put that one as more of a wash.

 

[DunceKaep]

How about Smoak, thoughts on the release. Love it? Hate it? Doesn't matter?
Kuma Signing(s)?
Felix extension?
Morrison? Hart?

read this..
An Analysis of Every Mariners Trade in the Jack Zduriencik Era | Seattle Sportsnet
more later.

 

[wazzu31]

Im not sure if the Pineda trade was a bust, seeing as what happened with him, id put that one as more of a wash.

The reason why I would call the Pineda deal a bust is that Jack got raped in the deal with value. The trade revolved around a young all star pitcher for a guy who was still a prospect who had a nice cup of coffee with the Yankees and couldn't play a defensive position. Historically younger players have struggled as a DH. I hated Jack's remark of it's an old school type of deal, they use to deal prospects for other prospects or deal major league players of generally equal value. Pineda hasn't done squat but they still should've been able to get more than a 2 tool prospect.

 

[ehwq]

How about not drafting Anthony Rendon when the M's are desperate for offense, instead they decide on Hultzen who was supposed to be the safe pick.

If Rendon's injury was that bad at the time, Washington wouldn't have taken him a couple picks later.

This to me was his biggest mistake.

 

[Tapey]

The reason why I would call the Pineda deal a bust is that Jack got raped in the deal with value. The trade revolved around a young all star pitcher for a guy who was still a prospect who had a nice cup of coffee with the Yankees and couldn't play a defensive position. Historically younger players have struggled as a DH. I hated Jack's remark of it's an old school type of deal, they use to deal prospects for other prospects or deal major league players of generally equal value. Pineda hasn't done squat but they still should've been able to get more than a 2 tool prospect.

Yea I see what you mean. I at least like to think we won that trade, because at least we got 1 decent year from Montero, as opposed to what Pineda has done, but thats probably a little to optimistic, because no one really won anything.

 

[Msfann]

6: Becoming a GM in the first place

 

[SeattleCoug]

I'd switch Fister/Pineda. Glad to see the Lee trade is where it is, and no higher.

I think your spot on. I think people love to rip him for the Lee trade but in reality Fister was way worse. Lee was a rental player who was leaving at the end of the year regardless and you had zero leverage in trade talks. I could be wrong but the only other package I heard about other then the Smoak one was a Montero one which would have been a bust anyway.

I am tempted to put the Fister one #1 because it was that bad. Wasnt Fister under club control for cheap the next 2-3 years?? That was just a complete head scratcher that I will never understand.

 

[SeattleCoug]

I dont think the Hart signing is anyway worse then 1 year project DH types we have brought in previously. Bay, Ibanez, Cust, Branyan, etc. It was a typical buy low on a guy who had a crap/injured season and hope he regains form and its never worked.

 

[NWinAZ]

I dont think the Hart signing is anyway worse then 1 year project DH types we have brought in previously. Bay, Ibanez, Cust, Branyan, etc. It was a typical buy low on a guy who had a crap/injured season and hope he regains form and its never worked.

Agreed. The only way I could see this as a negative is if they say said we didn't sign Player X with that money and Player X was a stud last year. I tend to think it was signing Hart or nothing at that point which makes the signing a low risk.

 

[wazzu31]

Without question the Fister trade was worse than the Chone Figgns signing IMO. With Figgins it was just spent money, ya it sucked he wasted it but how did it really hurt the future of the franchise? It might have cost Jack a little credibility when it came to asking for more money but I don't think the deal really set the organization back like the Fister and Pineda deals did. With Fister not only did they waste 3 years of him being a number 2/3 for the team but also traded him for a bag of balls. Fister, Pineda and dealing not dealing Vargas at the prior deadline were horrendous IMO.

I wouldn't blame Jack for the Lee deal had he not tossed in Mark Lowe, dealing Lee and Lowe should've netted more than essentially two prospects who both had struggled in their limited time in the majors and a guy who Jack went on full blown lying mode about. Personally I would've preferred they dealt Lee to the Yankees even though Montero busted. Jack got a decent deal for Capps and Lowe was a much better version of Capps at the time when teams wanted flame throwing bullpen help. And Mike Carp wouldn't have been screwed over by the organization handing Smoak the job when Carp outplayed him every chance he had at 1B.

 

[wazzu31]

I dont think the Hart signing is anyway worse then 1 year project DH types we have brought in previously. Bay, Ibanez, Cust, Branyan, etc. It was a typical buy low on a guy who had a crap/injured season and hope he regains form and its never worked.

That is another deal that confused me, they had him for cheap then instead of signing him for cheap again they let him walk only to then trade for him. I don't think anyone should blame Jack for Hart, they should blame Lloyd for Hart.