Sorry about the lack of Snack on Friday. Between the lack of actual baseball news (or even good gossip) and my own slight depressive funk, I wouldn’t have been good company anyway.
But today is a new day and I have all sorts of good stuff for the fam. So let’s get started.
The Wilhelm(sen) Scream: The Mariners are this season’s Padres for offseason moves. Last week, they pulled the trigger on a deal with Tampa, and today Seattle announced a trade with the Rangers. The Mariners get Leonys Martin, while the Rangers get Tom Wilhelmsen. I like this trade. Martin had a down year, but I can’t imagine he’ll stay down. Meanwhile, the Rangers get Wilhelmsen, a solid relief pitcher who also has some sick moves:
Feast on it, ladies and gents.
An Unlikely Comeback: Guess who wants to return to baseball? Come on, guess. If you said Aubrey Huff, you’re right. (I know. No one said Aubrey Huff.)
The former major leaguer hasn’t played a game in three years. He’s 38 years old (not that much older than I am, actually). And yet, he thinks he might be able to make a 40 man roster again.
What I didn’t know about Aubrey was that he has social anxiety and depression issues. This is what lead him to leave the field. He’s been working out and documenting it on YouTube. I wish him well.
Fan Interference 
I note that DiPoto did note Martin’s K rate and other things and specifically said he’s a bottom-third of the lineup guy. Looks like DiPoto is already ahead of Jack Z on the sabermetrics front.
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Looking ahead on the D side, with Miller traded, and a defensive orientation, I suspect the M’s will be looking long at Ian Desmond. With Cano already in the house, that’s a solid up the middle D in a pitcher’s park.
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LOL and people thought I was nuts saying I thought they’d jump on Desmond.
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Add an “innings eater” No. 3/4 starter, get your middle relievers to throw more ground balls, and … that’s a team that could contend.
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Like I mentioned, Martin did have a bit of a down spell last year. I fully expect him to improve this coming year. However, DiPoto is not wrong to want to put him further down in the lineup.
On paper, the M’s look to be interesting already for next year. But then again, we all said that about the Pads last year, too, didn’t we?
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Right-o, but DiPoto may have a bit bigger wallet?
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My thought process is this, though – it’s all well and good to have a big wallet and be willing to spend, but your moves ultimately have to make sense.
The Pads last year got all kinds of supposed impact players – Kemp, Upton (Justin, not Melvin), Kimbrel, James Shields. On paper, that was quite the haul. Remember when people were saying they were going to content heavily for the playoffs, if not outright win the NL West? Well, that didn’t happen because the team actually sucked.
The difference between this shopping spree that Seattle’s embarking on and San Diego’s is that Jerry DiPoto has a good idea of what he’s doing and is able to see the bigger picture. I think that he’s going for quality and fit, not necessarily the big name or the sexy pick.
Ultimately, I think that it will come down to what kind of pitching they’ll be able to get. Felix can’t carry that team, they need another arm or two to get it started.
Just don’t steal any of the ones the Cubs want. Just sayin’. 🙂
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Oh, I agree. That’s why I mentioned “innings eaters.” As far as getting pitchers to throw more grounders … did they can any of their coaches along with McClendon?
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I think I recall some others getting a pink slip but I’m too lazy/tired to look it up. lol It’s times like this I wish I really cared more about the AL, because then I’d know.
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And, per their previous trade I mentioned, Nathan Karns could be one of those “innings eaters.”
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I think the M’s will be pleasantly surprised by Karns. He was a rookie last year, and his numbers, while not world-beating, were pretty good for a rook. His stats with runners on base were actually better than Felix’s,. 187/.261.311 to .217/.310/.367. I think he can turn into more than just an innings-eater with a little more development.
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I always liked Huff and I wish him well. I could see some team taking a chance on him if he signs one of those start in AAA but must be promoted or released by the All-Star game type of deals.
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A 39 yr old that hasn’t played baseball for 4 years?
Here is the complete list of guys that got PAs last year that were 39 or older (NOTE: 60% of them are pitchers).
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2015&month=0&season1=2015&ind=0&team=&rost=&age=39,58&filter=&players=
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And, of the non-pitchers, two are pure DHs, one has retired, and arguably, the other should retire, with an OPS that’s below the Kozma Line.
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Yeah, being 39 is a horrible thing for a position player. Pujols is signed until he’s what? 41?
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Yep, through 41. And (sorry Hist or others) Miggy Cabrera’s signed through age 42.
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Yeah, well, Pujols’ dWAR this year was better than Gold Glove winner Eric Hosmer’s (25)….
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What I know about Aubrey Huff is that the Astros in 2006 dumped a little known minor league shortstop named Ben Zobrist on Tampa Bay in order to pick him up for a two month run at an illusory playoff season.
For that may he freeze in the bottom level of Dante’s Inferno alongside Tim Purpura, the incompetent GM who made the trade.
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