Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

[bomberooski]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Last 4 games, 5 runs on 5 solo HR's. Just terrible.

I think the stat I heard was they are on an 0-24 streak with runners in scoring position. Great...

[MarinersVsDodgers]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Never thought I would ever be mad to see the Mariners hit home runs

[12]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

I am getting to the point where I think Smoak is getting dangerously close to approaching BUST status. It sucks to say that because I was beyond pumped when we got him from Texas, but the guy's struggles are pathetic. .184 batting average and he just looks lost at the plate.

He's not above being sent to Tacoma at this point. I was all for letting him fight through his struggles at the plate but he truly has not shown enough at the MLB level to earn that luxury. Send him to Tacoma, keep Liddi in the line up... Play Carp at 1B some and let Smoak figure it out in Tacoma.

Just my opinion, and I could be damn wrong... It just seems to me like he's keeping his place on the team because of his former prospect status but the guy has been absolutely putrid. He's 25 and needs to figure it out now as this team can not afford his struggles right now.

Love the kid, but man, get it together. I've stuck up for him constantly with my friends but it's getting harder and harder to do that.

[55]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

He has a .223/.308/.376 career line which is absolutely atrocious for a projected middle of the order slugger.

Also has more strikeouts than base hits in his career as well as twice as many strikeouts as walks.

If I were you, I would stop sticking up for him like, yesterday.

EDIT - I just crunched the numbers and he hit a HR every 32.2 plate appearances in the minors and has hit a HR once every 31.5 plate appearances in the majors. So, his power HAS progressed.

[Coug00]

He is a guy who was rushed through the minors by the Rangers and his time in Seattle has been full of injuries. For some reason he is having trouble hitting fastballs this season, but I'm not ready to give up on him. He needs to start drawing walks and working counts in his favor like he did in the minors. He has only seen two 2-0 counts so far this year (I partially blame Wedge/Chambliss). He'll never be a big masher, but he could still have a Lyle Overbay-type career.

I'm tired of Seattle giving up on young hitters too soon only for them to develop elsewhere (Morse, Ibanez, Choo, etc).

[MarinersVsDodgers]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Each hitter that is now raking was being mistreated here in Seattle, and forced into a pitcher-friendly environment.

[bomberooski]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

6 game home stand (3 vs Twins, 3 vs Tigers) starts up today. Really really hoping we can take 4 of 6 and start to creep back towards .500.

Feeling like this is the homestand that could completely bury the M's if they lose 4.

[bsurocksrule]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Oh Mariners fans, how I wish they would be content and give management a few games before they bash 'em around.

[bomberooski]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Oh Mariners fans, how I wish they would be content and give management a few games before they bash 'em around.

Oh bsurocksrule, how I wish you realized we've given them over 300 games the last 2 seasons before we bashed 'em around

[bsurocksrule]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Dude come on, don't you realize this a young team that management has put together? How long does it have to take for you to realize that? Expect losses to happen, they'll be more mature within the next few years.

[thaima1shu]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Oh bsurocksrule, how I wish you realized we've given them over 300 games the last 2 seasons before we bashed 'em around

As mentioned, this team is so young. What are they supposed to do other than continue to try to develop the young players? Start benching/demoting every young hitter that struggles and replace them with ... different young hitters? Fire Jack Z and start the entire rebuilding process over again? Throw insanely above market value contracts at free agents like Prince Fielder, who wasn't even interested in coming here anyways?

It's been frustrating no doubt, but I'm liking what I see so far in general. We've got some promising hitters that we just need to give some time to see how they develop. And of course we've got the phenoms in Jackson to look forward to. It's not all doom and gloom.

Side note: Figgins just notified that he's going to be a utility player going forward

[bsurocksrule]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

I second what thaima1shu said. I love what the Mariners can bring to the table within the next few years. We've got so many top prospects in our roster. I dare say, we can become another Yankees dynasty if our players hold up to their hype.

Note, I said we can, because there's always the chance of us failing.

[RunningTheNight]

Annnnd Wedge is to blame for their 7th loss in a row. Way to take out the starter when he's pitching a gem.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

Chone is out of the leadoff spot after a month. Ackley was leading off with Liddi batting second. Carp is in at LF. At least Saunders got a hit last night...

[12]

Re: Seattle Mariners 2012 team thread

I might get laughed out of the thread but if I were GM and had control, here's what I would do...

(this is what I plan on doing when I start my M's franchise on MLB: The Show 12)

1. Ichiro, RF

Back to the lead off spot you go, Ichiro. Truth is you're our best option there at this point. You haven't done bad hitting third, but we need to kick start the offense.

2. Ackley, 2B

Fully expecting this guy to start hitting any time now. He's in an early season funk, but he'll get it going. Here's one of the very few guys that I'm still not too worried about. A good rest of May and he's hitting .300.

3. Montero, C

Move him up to #3 because he's our best hitter at this point. Seager might also be an option here, but I would like to see Montero here. I'd also like to see him get the bulk of the catching duties, because I could be wrong, but it just seems like he has better games at the plate when he's catching. Defensively, there will definitely be some growing pains, but getting him reps behind the plate is the focus here.

4. Carp, LF/1B/DH

Jury is still out but he has some power. He's not the most ideal clean up hitter in baseball, but I don't see too many more options here.

5. Seager, 3B

He's been solid and can square up on the ball pretty good. He has minimal power potential at this point in his career, but his eight doubles are encouraging. He's right behind Montero as being our team's best hitter thus far.

6. Liddi, 1B/DH

Early impressions on him are encouraging. Good power potential and we need to keep his bat in the line up to gauge whether or not this guy has a legit shot at being a part of this team's future.

7. Saunders, CF

It's undeniable that the guy has made strides this season. He has played a solid defensive center field thus far. He still has a long way to go offensively, but he's our best option in center until Gutierrez returns to the team.

8. Triunfel, SS

Wait, what? No, I am serious, and maybe this is why I am not employed by the Mariners. I just think the guy should be given a shot in Seattle right now. It's not even that he has earned it, but I think he's our organization's best option at SS right now. In Tacoma, he's second on the team in home runs and third in RBI's. His overall line is not an impressive one; nor are the nine errors in 27 games. This is a bit of an "out-of-left-field" suggestion, but I am done seeing Brendan Ryan manning SS. While solid defensively, his putrid bat needs to go. Young teams need veteran leadership, but I am not sure if Ryan's that type of guy.

Give Triunfel a shot. He's been in the organization a long time and has handled himself decently in AAA. With the position this organization is in now, that should warrant a call-up. Wedge preaches about giving the young players reps and a shot, so go all in.

That leaves Justin Smoak heading to Tacoma for the time being. I know that it might not make a difference, but something needs to be done with him. I DO NOT want him out of the organization, because like Coug_00 mentioned earlier, the guy did not get many minor league at-bats and was rushed a bit while in the Rangers' organization. He just needs to figure things out and right now, I don't know if the best place for that is in Seattle with the big club when we have young bats that could be getting more reps at this point. I am rooting for Justin Smoak and want him to find success here, but the kid needs a brief change of scenery and some pressure taken off of him while he does that. I see Tacoma as being a good place for that to happen right now.

Bring up Shawn Kelley (I thought I read on MLB.com's transactions page that the M's recalled him from Tacoma today - could be wrong, though).

Thoughts? I am not an expert, these are just some thoughts that I have.