1
Exactly. Willie would actually be around average at that position offensively, but he can't field it.
Nishioka for 5.3 million...and we passed?
Stub thread begging for further commentary from Doc or others...
To my admittedly primitive eye, it sure looks like the Mariners need a shortstop, considering they have no SS prospect anywhere close to ready (Franklin is at least 2 years away...minimum) and no legitimate major league options that can hit better than .650 (OPS).
And it sure SEEMS like the guy who just hit .340 with a near-one EYE ratio and played well-above-average defense at both short and second in the NPB...might just hit better .650 for the Mariners. Especially since he's a switch-hitting contact/line drive type who uses the whole field like Ichiro and can run pretty well. How the heck did a 5.3 million dollar bid from the Twins win this chase? What in blazes does Z plan to do to fix this long-standing gaping hole in our line-up? Why should I NOT take this as evidence that the Mariners are going to be cmopletely pointless to watch in the next three years? Why shold I even bother following this slap-shod team any further?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Comments
2
You need those speedy OBP hitters too and power hitters. You need a full lineup.
Its been so long since we've seen a good offense in Seattle.
3
As I've pointed out before, the Mariners have now rolled out six consecutive seasons where they were outscored by their opponents. Let that sink in for a bit, and we gain perspective on Zduriencik's task and Lincoln's sham. Friends, that is not bad luck. The Mariners have acknowledged that they need to pay more than other teams to get talent. They must, therefore, lay out more resources than other teams just to compete. If they were willing to do so for a couple of seasons, they have pulled back from that now. Seattle also needs to be more wise in the use of the resources they commit. But this has not be "sufficient effort" thwarted by "bad luck." If it was a matter of bad luck, the M's would have crested the surface of relative scoring once or twice in those six years. This is a comined lack of vision, expertise, resource commitment, and determination.
Jack may prove to be good, or he may not, but his efforts are being hindered, make no mistake about that. He is being given a task that's difficult enough, but he must close a systemic talent gap while the resources to accomplish it are being whittled back.
Six years in a row. Oh, and cut payroll buddy while you solve that.
4
The OBP/SLG debate is mostly nickels and dimes by the time you get down to it.
A coordinated OBP/SLG attack is probably more effective than one or the other, mostly due to the inertia a team gains with the ability to 'win day in day out'.
Though I don't particularly believe in team inertia, I can't imagine it being bad to be able to win with legs & singes or walks & power.
5
Prospects & trades, sure. Even then, it's not like he's superfantabulous.
But on the open market, he's done nothing.
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I somehow stumbled on this, ande it sparked lots of bittersweet memories for me.
Remember the days...
+When we put our hope in the development of Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak, and the re-juvenation of Chone Figgins?
+When we still "trust[ed] in Jack"?
+When some Japanese shortstop called Nishioka could stir 20 posts on the merits of Oriental imports? (Apparently our best hopes at shortstop, at the time, were a) Jack Wilson; b) Josh WIlson, and c) Luis Rodriguez (This is the KING County team, NOT the PIERCE County team)
Ah, hope springs eternal! Great to see that many fo the same posters (Jemanji, DaddyO, SABRMatt, Moe the Dog) are still loyal contributors, still hard at it.