The Now : Okay, okay, its not that bad, but it's bad time to ask a Mariner fan, "Hey, how's your team doin'?" Well, the club is playing well (24-18), and in a tight race for the second AL wild-card, but the M's lost their #3 and #4 hitters on the same day yesterday, with Cano being out for 80 games, brutal stuff. Hide your steroids better when you come back in August, okay Robbie? The team is solid though, and I think has a chance to stay in it. Paxton has emerged as a potential replacement for Felix as the staff ace, spectacularly. Diaz is an awesome, young closer. Nelson Cruz will return soon, and the M's have several other position players who can hit, and are having good years: Dee Gordon, Zyle Seager, Ryon Healey, Mike Zunino, Jean Segura, and Mitch Haniger. The big club isn't bereft of talent. Its a solid club, but just an okay one when the number 1 starter isn't on the mound. Felix and Leake are running ERA's between 5 and 6. All and all, its a pleasnat change from years past for Mariner fans. This team can HIT.
The Future: To me, the big question looming with the M's is in 2021, when James Paxton becomes a free agent. Id think he would be likely to stay in a good park for him, as the ace of the staff, but his agent is Scott Boras... so there will be no discount. Cano, Seager, Segura will still be under contract that year, as well as Dee Gordon. Seattle will also have cost-controlled Haniger, Healy, Zunino, and Gamel, who all look like developing assets. I would rarely draft for a bneed, but 2 and 1/2 years (from June '18 til April '21) seems like plenty of time to develop a couple of starting pitchers if we added some now! But, yeah, don't draft for need ;)
The Farm: Apparently, it isn't very good. Eric Longenhagen on his top 30's on Fangraphs saw fit to do a top 14, when it came to the Mariners. So, the depth isn't good. Jerry DiPoto has traded away several of the ones that were actually talented. Because other teams like those. I'm sure he knows what he is doing. He is bright, charming, and good looking, so I have to trust him. This is America. Kyle Lewis was a fantastic OF prospect, before he got hurt, Sam Carlson looks like very projectable young starter, but has 3 innings since being drafted last year. Julio Rodriguez looks like a nice RF, for 2023 or so. Evan White, does not impress me at all, and our #5 prospect Braden Bishop, projects as a 4Th outfielder.
On that note, the overreaching goal for this fun exercise is to identify the best talents in this draft and attempt to select more of them than the other players. Because this team needs more prospects to trade away! Seriously though, If you love the Mariners talk about who you'd like ton see them get. If you don't care about the Mariners, but like to talk about draft prospects... fire away. Who do you think the Mariners should target? We pick 14Th, which is just where I like it in a thing like this... lots of strategy and uncertainty about the pick, and a chance to end up with one of the better future major league players, if we are smart, and lucky.
Seattle picks
1 (14), $3,883,300 slot value
2 (54) $1,287,800
3 (90) $632,700
4 (118) not sure yet
