The Season Officially Ended Yesterday

[blade]

It's probably been over for a while now, but the futility of thinking the team had time to get back in the race officially ended yesterday.

*To win the division (based on a 93-69 record), they would have to go 66-32 the rest of the way. There has only been one season in the Mariners 37-year history when they won at a pace like that.

*To win a wild card (based on an 88-74), they would have to go 61-37 the rest of the way. There is no chance of this happening chance either.

*To finish at .500, they would have to go 54-44 the rest of the way. They probably don't have the offense and rotation to do that either.

*To improve upon last year (a 76-86 record would be a one game improvement), they'd have to go 49-49 the rest of the way. That might be possible, but very doubtful with the current 25-man roster.

So, once again, it is time to plan for the future. Here are the biggest questions:

1. What to do with Jack. He'll probably get fired, but I don't have much hope that Chuck and Howie are qualified to find a suitable replacement.

2. What to do with Wedge. If Jack gets fired, Wedge will be gone too. An incoming GM needs to hire his own manager and be made responsible for him. If Jack isn't fired, it doesn't make much sense to fire Wedge, but they may choose to do so anyway, making him the fall guy.

3. What to do with Kendry Morales. I want him retained. I think we all do. But it won't happen. He's gone. The only question is when. Will it be July or November?

4. What to do with Mike Morse. In his last 38 games, Mike has 5 homeruns, 13 RBI, a .231 BA and 40 strikeouts. Still, the Mariners need to try to re-sign him. I think a 3-year/$27 million deal would do it. But I don't think Jack will have the authorization to make deals that lucrative until his own future is decided.

5. What to do about the rotation. They need to invest some money in the rotation. They didn't more project guys like Bonderman. Nor do they need more vets trying to hang on like Millwood and Harang. And they don't need one-year stop-gap guys like Saunders. They need a solid #3 signed to a 3-4 year deal. If they got one of those, then I wouldn't mind if they signed another Saunders-type to keep a spot warm for the first young farm hand who is ready to move into the rotation.

Plenty of other issues that need to be addressed. I think these are the top five

 

[Banned 10x]

Damn depressing, isn't it. You would think we would be used to it but every year I get my hopes up and by early June the season is over.

I agree with all your points, but I think Jack and Wedge are going to get another year. You watch, this team will finish strong and there will a slight amount of hope going into next year when our rotation will feature the "big 3". I've heard in a couple of interviews that this off season is when they will spend money, we'll see.

I would certainly like to see them keep Morales and Morse.

 

[BigDDude]

Damn depressing, isn't it. You would think we would be used to it but every year I get my hopes up and by early June the season is over.

I agree with all your points, but I think Jack and Wedge are going to get another year. You watch, this team will finish strong and there will a slight amount of hope going into next year when our rotation will feature the "big 3". I've heard in a couple of interviews that this off season is when they will spend money, we'll see.

I would certainly like to see them keep Morales and Morse.

This one got my attention just from the thread name. And, I was going to take issue with it. However, now that I see which team is being talked about, I have no issue here at all.

I say that, as though we are not quite to the halfway point of the season, I am surprised to find a total of 7 teams, including the M's, that can already comfortably get into or be in "wait till next year" mode.

Those being, the Brewers, the Cubs, the Mets, the Marlins, the Astros & the Blue Jays.

This kind of snuck up on me a bit, as I have not paid much attention myself to MLB standings ( as another set of standings is a bit more important to me personally ).

 

[SeattleCoug]

It's probably been over for a while now, but the futility of thinking the team had time to get back in the race officially ended yesterday.

I think it ended after the Cleveland Series. Not that we all realized it at the time because they were playing well before that. However the team that came into that series and then team that left it are two different teams. You can say we encountered bad luck in that series but games like that are the ones fringe teams like Oakland and Baltimore find ways to win and instead we found ways to lose and have never recovered.

 

[SeattleCoug]

Damn depressing, isn't it. You would think we would be used to it but every year I get my hopes up and by early June the season is over.

Its like watching Ground Hog Day isnt it? Around this time year we are having the same conversations and I feel like its the same issues that bog us down constantly

 

[seahawksfan234]

Boy aren't you just a glimmer of hope Cotton?

1. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not sure if there will be much better than Jack out there. I can understand them going either way.

2. Having never played baseball at a very high level I can't really be a judge of the importance of a good manager/coaching staff but I think it's a bit ridiculous to blame Wedge for the low level of talent on the roster. That being said, I still think he should be fired anyways. I never liked the hiring from the beginning seeing as how he had mediocre at best credientials, has never really been a winner at the major league level and I'd like to see him replaced. Nothing I've seen from him really makes me believe he's any better than mediocre. But if you give any major league manager a good roster, he'll win.

3. Good question. I think the Mariners need to try to judge the likelihood that they can retain him and go from there. If they think they have a chance (i.e. if he would stay if we matched his best offer), then go for it and take a chance. I like our chances of retaining a guy like Morales more than I like our chances of signing someone like Morales who has never played for the Mariners. Sure the empty stadium may suck but I get the impression players like being here.

4. I would totally go for 3 years ~$30m. I like Morse a lot and I think he likes it here. He is an above average starter, something the Mariners lack.

5. I'll throw something out there that may be interesting to discuss... How about Tim Lincecum?

 

[seahawksfan234]

Although I've got to say watching Morse and Morales run is cringeworthy. Morse looks so unathletic at times, didn't he play SS at one time in the Mariners system?

 

[Banned 10x]

5. I'll throw something out there that may be interesting to discuss... How about Tim Lincecum?

I certainly wouldn't mind taking a look at Lincecum, I think he would love to come back to Seattle and might revive his career.

I watched Lincecum pitch at UW a couple of times and was excited to see him in the draft, I think the Mariners had the 6th or 7th pick that year and took Morrow instead, not thrilled about that and to this day it still gets my blood boiling. Winning that last game in '08 to miss out on Strasburg is a wall puncher too.

 

[BigDDude]

I certainly wouldn't mind taking a look at Lincecum, I think he would love to come back to Seattle and might revive his career.

I watched Lincecum pitch at UW a couple of times and was excited to see him in the draft, I think the Mariners had the 6th or 7th pick that year and took Morrow instead, not thrilled about that and to this day it still gets my blood boiling. Winning that last game in '08 to miss out on Strasburg is a wall puncher too.

Is the season still now over, even after they are bringing up the kid Zunino? Or, is this just one way the M's brass are thinking their season is over, so what do they have to lose?

 

[Banned 10x]

Is the season still now over, even after they are bringing up the kid Zunino? Or, is this just one way the M's brass are thinking their season is over, so what do they have to lose?

I do think the season is still over, Zunino alone won't bring these guys back, but they need somebody who can handle catching duties and he is their only option, I think. He'll probably play a game or two a week and will be back down in AAA when Sucre is off the DL.

I'll root for the kid though.

 

[BigDDude]

I do think the season is still over, Zunino alone won't bring these guys back, but they need somebody who can handle catching duties and he is their only option, I think. He'll probably play a game or two a week and will be back down in AAA when Sucre is off the DL.

I'll root for the kid though.

The M's sure are a team in great need of a prospect to really work out, especially one that could become the face of the franchise within the next few years.

 

[blade]

I certainly wouldn't mind taking a look at Lincecum, I think he would love to come back to Seattle and might revive his career.

I watched Lincecum pitch at UW a couple of times and was excited to see him in the draft, I think the Mariners had the 6th or 7th pick that year and took Morrow instead, not thrilled about that and to this day it still gets my blood boiling. Winning that last game in '08 to miss out on Strasburg is a wall puncher too.

I would consider Lincecum as a setup reliever or closer, but not as a starter. He needs to develop another pitch to his arsenal. But, truthfully, as a starter,I don't think he will ever return to his 2008-2011 form.

 

[blade]

I do think the season is still over, Zunino alone won't bring these guys back, but they need somebody who can handle catching duties and he is their only option, I think. He'll probably play a game or two a week and will be back down in AAA when Sucre is off the DL.

I'll root for the kid though.

You might be right. My prediction is that he will stick and stay on the Mariners 25-man roster for the rest of the year. And eventually (mid July), he'll be catching about 70% of the games. I think he'll get all the starts against lefties and most of the starts against righties who don't have good curves/sliders. I can see him finishing the year with about 65 starts and 12-15 homeruns, 35-40 RBI. And he'll hit around .225

 

[Banned 10x]

You might be right. My prediction is that he will stick and stay on the Mariners 25-man roster for the rest of the year. And eventually (mid July), he'll be catching about 70% of the games. I think he'll get all the starts against lefties and most of the starts against righties who don't have good curves/sliders. I can see him finishing the year with about 65 starts and 12-15 homeruns, 35-40 RBI. And he'll hit around .225

He looked real good behind the plate tonight, I can see why they're high on him

Wilhelmsen blowing the save... ugh.