DaddyO

Jack has what he thinks is an even better option.

I usually don't skip any opportunity to flay Howard and Chuck, but in this case I find it hard to believe the cost was the issue. I think it must have had to do with Jack's plan and his talent evaluation. 

Agree.  Drives me batty that the M's lost out on the NPB batting champ, considering that their own SS's were like -30 runs to league average.

But I don't believe for a second that this was an Armstrong call OR a Zduriencik call.  And it has frequently been the case that Z got sighted going after big game .... AGone, Chone Figgins, Lee, etc...

.................

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CA points out later, that it may be as simple as the fact that Jack Wilson has a $5M contract - ergo, is the number one shortstop.

G-Money points out later, it may be as complex as the fact that Jack doesn't want to hobble around with a 6-year NPB limp that spirals far beyond his ability to heal.

Sensible, though I think Jack is year-to-year and if he ever survived to the Nick Franklin era, could find a place for him later.  But the thought is fascinating.

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SABRMatt

If we don't put a quality player at short and find a big bat at one of the corners to add to Ackley and Smoak...then Z has utterly failed in his duty to this team and I will have lost a huge chunk of my respect for his leadership.

Z is also not interested in failing his duty to himself and his huge-$$$$ GM job.

We want the Mariners to win in 2011.  Nobody on this board wants to win anywhere near as badly as Zdurienik does.

Thing is, we fail to appreciate his constraints....

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Cool Papa

When it comes to the Mariners and Japanese players, there is a ton of politics that goes on. If Yamauchi doesn't like a guy for whatever reason, the M's won't pursue him.

Question: how does Nishioka's arm compare to David Eckstein's?

Would love to hear Taro's, or IceX's, or Dr. Naka's speculation as to why Yamauchi might not have been fond of Nishioka on a personal level.

More likely:  the State-side contingent is aware that it will receive a certain number of NPB-ossified contracts, and in the interest of keeping such roster-petrification to a minimum, doesn't move on them until the edict falls out of the sky...

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Taro answers CPB:

I'd say his arm is definetly better than Eckstein's, maybe a little better than Ryan Theriot.

His arm is below-average, but I think its being a bit overblown. Nishioka gets rid of the ball very quickly, perhaps to compensate.

You know what's ironic here?  They'll take guys like that, and let them play forty games at shortstop, as fifth infielders... they just won't let them play one forty.

If it's a fatal flaw on Opening Day, why is it not a fatal flaw on day three?  Is there some team that can slap the ball in the 5-6 hole at will?  :- )  Which team is the matchup against whom you need to have that rifle arm at short?

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