Reader Poll
Jeff Sullivan · December 4, 2013 at 10:52 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Hypothetically, of course, because this decision isn’t actually up to us. I think. I hope? I do not hope? I feel like that would be too much responsibility. Life’s hard enough as it is, you know?
I’ll vote for the second. I do not hope. I think, maybe I hope but I don’t count on it, but is that true hope?
Straight up, I’d make the trade – so I voted “yes”.
Throwing in more players, though, which is what the rumors seem to be claiming… nope.
We’d have Price for 2 years. If we were actually close to winning a championship, I’d do it. Unfortunately, we are not remotely close to that level.
This only makes sense if the team already has Cano and more. But if they sign Cano, don’t our second basemen get dealt? I’d rather get a third team involved and send off Paxton, Ackley, and Franklin. The whole lot of them is at least as valuable as Walker (right?) and would break my heart less.
I wouldn’t make it straight up because it hand ties the team money wise. Walker is very cheap and the money saved should go towards position players. My reasoning is that position players are generally not 1 throw away from retirement, and lets face it good defense and hitting are more fun to watch than pitching. More fun to watch = more people in seats. I realize this seems short sighted but it’s my feelings on the matter.
Straight across, this seems fair. I’d rather see Paxton go with someone else, though.
Straight up, I’d make the trade, but I don’t think the Rays would.
Although David Price is a better pitcher than Erik Bedard, didn’t the Mariners learn ANYTHING from that disastrous and learn not to give up the farm for one pitcher?
I wonder if the Mariners chances of acquiring Tanaka just became better with the new NPB posting deal?
Targeting him, or one of the many other still very good starters still on the market, would make more sense to me.
I don’t really see the Mariners’ odds improving much for landing Tanaka based on the new posting system.
I would assume most teams with interest will throw a $20 M bid out there and then he’s basically like any other free agent.
I guess there’s a slim chance that Seattle’s closer proximity to Japan and history with other Japanese players could bolster their chances but ultimately the marquee franchises will still have the upper hand.
Too early in the process for rash moves. 2 years of Price is not worth it.
Aoki just went to KC for Will Smith. Where was ‘Z’? Since KC seems loaded now in the OF, maybe this frees up Justin Maxwell who would be a very good platoon bat vLHP. If KC signs Beltran then Billy Butler may be available… can’t field, can’t run, but he can hit, especially LHP.
@Jason
If the Mariners are indeed willing to spend on free agents, and they have the reputation/attractiveness for Japanese players, then it would seem that they’ll have more of an advantage, right?
That was my point. Not that they’re instant favors, but that this might give them a better chance.
I would expect a lot of teams to make the maximum bid, including Seattle. Under the old system, maybe Seattle would make less of an effort?
It will be interesting to see what happens with him.
No. Not even just straight-up 1:1. Pitcher volatility blah blah blah, but I consider Walker as untouchable as Zunino or Seager.
Z should do one of those funky 4-team horse trade thingies again, where Paxton, Hultzen and second-baseman-with-more-value go in a couple different directions and TB gets some better pieces from elsewhere so that the M’s can rent Price. Then when the M’s are a dozen games out in June, flip Price to a contender for some catching depth or something.
I don’t think flipping Price at the deadline will even be an option, because they’ll want to try again in 2015 having spent a bunch of money in free agency.
@Chris
You do know that Hultzen is out for 2014, right? Doubtful there’s any kind of market for him.
Nope. I keep running over this in my head and coming to the same conclusion as most others: it doesn’t make sense at this point.
Walker for Stanton? Sure. Walker for Price? Naw.
If you were talking Walker for Price, with an extension in place for Price, I probably lean yes. But Walker straight up for two years of Price? No.
@ Steve
Yeah I think I understand what you’re saying. Essentially, the ability to at least be in the running due to the lowered $20 M “entry fee” allows a possible Seattle-Japan connection to take shape whereas under the old system it’s solely based on dollars.
Seems reasonable to me.
The dumber the trade the more it scares me.
This one really f#$%^&g scares me.
I voted “no”…because while I don’t question how good Price is, and how good it would be to see him in Mariner teal and blue, the timing of the deal sucks.
We’re nowhere near good enough in our own division and this is the kind of deal you make when you think you’re one special RIGHT NOW player away from being a World Series possibility.
Nope. I don’t touch David Price in this context. Not when Taijuan Walker might give me excellent production and isn’t even arby eligible for years.
Walker made a believer out of me late last season, and I don’t think I even saw him at his best. But you can see the potential…buckets and buckets of potential.
I roll the dice and offer up Paxton/Franklin or Miller as the cornerstones of a deal for Price- and if I get trumped? So be it.
But I HOLD ON to Walker.
I would be really pissed if Miller was traded. He had 1.7 WAR in 76 games and is projected for 3.4 WAR in 2014. He can hit (for some power too), runs well, plays solid defense, and will be cheap for a number of years.
He’s exactly the type of guy we can’t trade.
Breaking news…
Cano rented a private plane to fly out to Seattle today for a SECOND meeting with the Mariners. Reportedly offering 10 years, $240 million dollars. He’s in Seattle right now. For the 2nd meeting with us this week. (per CBSSports)
(butterflies in my tummy)
I mean, I like Brad Miller and all… But!
What does Brad Miller have to do with Cano signing?
Also, Rosenthal just tweeted that the M’s wouldn’t go above $200 million. Cano asked for $240/10.
If Cano is in the plans, I doubt Miller is the trade target.
Point being– bigger fish to fry than worrying about whether we trade Brad Miller.
If we get Cano, I’ll take Willie Bloomquist (ow!) at shortstop until Jay Z finds us a better one.
Cano, Beltran, Kemp, and David Price?
That actually fits our budget. And we fill in the blanks with utility guys– like the big boys do.
I’ll trade a couple classic Mariner “Johnny Hustles with upside and cute stories” for bonafide Major League talent.
On the individual level, each signing has flaws, but EVERY signing has flaws, and there are puzzle pieces starting to come together to form a bigger picture, that Z might actually have a large scale plan in place. And if he happened to pull it off, it could really change the face of the Mariners. And reputation.
This lineup:
Seager 3B
Cano 2B
Kemp CF
Beltran RF
Morales DH
Smoak 1B
Saunders LF
Zunino C
Bloomquist SS
Felix
Price
Iwakuma
Walker
Paxton
I’d tune in…
(The Bloomquist thing is a joke, btw… Point being #9 in that lineup isn’t as tragic as #9 has been in recent M’s lineups)
And the word is out between $200 or $230-240 million…
Hey, if you’re the M’s YOU’RE the ones putting out the $200 number so anyone else trying to beat our offer doesn’t hit the actual $240 number coming out from Cano’s camp…
Other GM’s: “They’re making that up, the Seattle off is $200 million”
A bit devious, but saavy! *laugh*
(Seriously– don’t you think Jack knows he has to WAY overbid for a guy like this, after looking foolish the past couple offseasons with his “reasonable” offers?)
I vote “no,” because the Mariners are not on the brink of contention. If this were the deal that could push the Mariners over the top, I would support it.
I will retroactively support the move if the Mariners land Robinson Cano and trade prospects for Giancarlo Stanton (or do something that adds a similar amount of hypothetical wins).
The rumored Walker ( 6 years? ) for Price ( 2 years ) I’d say no.
Without having a better team behind him the Price addition won’t make that much of a difference. If Pineda was still waiting to return from surgery I’d say yes, but he’s gone and I don’t trust Z with anything.
I’m warming up to the massive overpay for Cano. Do it, something needs to change. Even with Cano I wouldn’t trade Walker we’re still missing an OF.
We are NOT in a favorable position to lose a pitcher of Walkers possible/probable ceiling when we have him firmly under team control. Unless of course, we go on a spending spree and land 4-5 of these guys and they sell more Nintendo gaming stations.
Other than that bold scenario, let Price go to the Braves or the Giants. The Rays are going to need a 1st baseman. Loney will likely sign somewhere else this off season. If they want that badly to dump Price’s contract, they can go after Freddie Freeman or Brandon Belt. Two guys that are still under team control and had solid campaigns last year. I could definitely see a Price for Freeman trade happening in Atlanta with those “go for it now” Braves. The Braves are solid and are close. A LOT closer than we are. We can’t afford to lose Freddie Freeman’s or Brandon Belts, or Taijuan Walkers just to win 5 more games this coming season, then lose Price in two years.