It’s tough to be a Mariners fan this year. At last place in the American League Western Division with only two batters hitting above a .250 batting average, it’s safe to say that the Mariners are struggling. Their shining-star pitcher and 2010 Cy Young Award winner, “King” Félix Hernández, may keep the opposing team run count to a minimum, but their lackluster offense continually fails to capitalize on it.
Although I’m not a die-hard Mariners fan, I grew up watching Ken Griffey Jr. and Ichiro Suzuki dominate the American League, so it saddens me to watch the team linger 16-plus games behind the brute strength of the Rangers and become overshadowed by the immense talent of the Angels’ young roster. So what can the Mariners do now that they’ve had a week to consider their situation?
For the trading block, it may be a smart decision to deal a few choice players in order to rebuild for the future. Unfortunately, the Mariners have recently released a list of names that are off-limits for trade, and it consists of the majority of decent Seattle hitters as well as, of course, Hernández.
There is no doubt that Hernández is a hot attraction at Safeco Field whenever he steps up to the mound, but the likelihood that the Mariners will get a wild card bid this year is severely low, so trading Hernández for some heavy hitters (or some top prospects) may lead to a stronger offense in the next few seasons. The possibility of losing one of the top starting pitchers in the game is a hard pill to swallow for most, but the only way the Mariners can compete with the might of the Rangers and Angels is to boost their hitting power.
Mariners manager Eric Wedge has taken notice of the Mariners’ lack of runs. Before the all-star break, Wedge made a few comments regarding the young group of players and their inability to dig themselves out of their rut—chastising their incompetence for getting on base and warning of demotion to Triple-A. However, after the break, the Mariners office had made no moves or released any news regarding trades. This week, they played against the Rangers—one of the top teams in the MLB—with essentially the same lineup that has dogged their stats for the past few years.
Perhaps Wedge gained a newfound bout of confidence in his players over the break. Or perhaps the lack of managerial action is the result of their ignorance of the weaknesses that plague the team. General manager Jack Zduriencik has made the point that some of the team (Justin Smoak and Kyle Seager included) are still young, somewhat inexperienced and need time to get into the MLB groove. His faith in prospective power is admirable given that it emphasizes the management’s assurance in its players, but Zduriencik’s vague sentiment won’t satisfy the fans’ desire to see their team rise in the ranks.