1
Figgins 300 games in the OF, Seager 0 in the minors.
Mike Carp, however, plays left field and is in good shape.
Kyle Seager a Seattle Mariner
Sez OKDan,
Per Drayer, and now the official M's twitter, Seager has been called up.
WOW, 12 games in Tacoma. That was FAST. Very excited, though.
SSI had, ridiculously, suggested that Kyle Seager might provide a hold 'em flip card this July. When Dr. Detecto cannot keep up with Jack Zduriencik in the Stars & Scrubs track meets, you know something is wrong.
G-Money sez,
I dunno where he's gonna play (3B I assume, with Kennedy in LF?) but it was RIGHT after the game.
Tomorrow's an off-day, and today is get-away day for the Rainiers. They could have left him on Tacoma (for me to see!!) and made the move tomorrow.
It was a statement. I'm really interested to see the North Carolina re-union on the Mariners.
~G
It is a statement for sure -- about the 15th time this statement has been made by Wedge and Zduriencik in 2011. This statement being, "Excellence is expected." ... "If you cannot win, we will find somebody who can."
The Seattle blog-o-sphere (excepting LL) says, again and again, that the Mariners have no right to chase the 2011 pennant. Jack Zduriencik says, again and again, that he has no intention of waiting until 2012, much less 2014, before he throws down.
My man Geoff Baker debates his audience nightly about this. He can take comfort in the fact that there is at least one man who does not agree with the "wait till next-next-next year" crowd. That man being Jack Zduriencik.
You know what, gentlemen, a team like this doesn't have to actually win, in order to secure my loyalty. In 1995, the Mariners didn't win, but they tried to win. They made a full-throated attempt to win. And in doing so, provided us a lasting human drama even though they were only chasing a little ball around a field.
***
Russ and I have spent 10 years trying to measure the importance of a top-down message. Finally, it is here. :sniff:
You can reasonably argue the Seager move to be a bit too shrill, a bit too desperate. It probably is. My reply to that is simple: this particular chess position (historic rotation, deadball-era offense) is unorthodox. As the requirements of the position become more unusual, it becomes more justified to apply unusual treatments.
The 2011 Mariners literally have a deadball-era offense. Go back and check the 1905 offenses. Many of them were more productive than ours is. That don't fly in the American League in the 21st century.
***
There are stories about the young Ty Cobb getting beaten down by bigger Tigers teammates. I forget the guy's name now, but one of them was a boxer. As the tracers go, Cobb was in a fistfight with this boxer one time ... left, right, Cobb hit the ground hard, blood flying out of his mouth. Cobb struggled to his feet.
"Get him off me," pleaded the boxer. "Yellow!," spat Cobb, and came back in for more.
Ty Cobb's life turned out okay. I think he was the first ex-ballplayer to become a millionaire.
Entirely too much attention is being paid to the Mariners' offensive problems, and entirely too little is being paid to the heroic way in which the organization is standing bloodied in the dirt, tears in its eyes, snarling and coming back for more.
Forget the math. How can you bring yourself to not cheer for this baseball team to beat Texas?
***
My man Geoffy will suggest returning Kennedy to 3-4 games per week; he's on that theme persistently. But that would cut into the effectiveness of any help that Seager would provide, and Wedge hasn't shown any inclination to take Kennedy out of his lineup.
What do you do with Figgins now? And what's the lineup rotation?
You figure that Kennedy, DH is the basic idea, but I'd like to see them fix LF. I'd like to see Peguero go down and face some AAA curve balls.
***
Here's the POTD on Seager. Here's hoping he really is the reincarnation of Yoda.
Kyle Seager is most assuredly not Dustin Ackley. His track record proves that. If he doesn't contribute immediately, you haven't lost anything, either with him or with the ballclub. But he is on a hot roll as we speak, and I'd give him a 40% chance of contributing immediately.
.
Standing O,
Dr D
Comments
2
They really do have to get Peguero out of this lineup and preferably down to Tacoma. If this team could acquire a lgetimate LF then they would be in position to make a serious run at the playoffs. I'm not talking about a Ludwick or Cuddyer type either but instead a stud player entering 4th or 5th year with a bad team/organization. My preference would be:
Matt Kemp
Hunter Pence
Alex Gordon
something similar that I haven't thought of yet :-)
...
5. Cuddyer
C'mon Jack, we know you have the stones and the bait so let's make this a summer to remember in Seattle.
-bg
3
...The I-5 u-turn I think.
4
I don't see this as a reach. Seager has the type of skillset where I wouldn't be suprised if he was effective immediately. Could be a 90 OPS+ right off the bat, maybe better because his player type is a great fit for Safeco.
5
Did Peguero's 74 K's in the last two game (well, OK...6) cause Z and Wedge to see the HUGE holes in his swing?
I was listening to the game tonight (as i drove through montana listening to the A's broadcast on MLB radio), and the A's announcers called each one of Peggy's K's on changeups.
I just expect him to miss on a 2 strike change, every time he comes up.
So who went down?
BTW, I love this move and the message it sends. first Wilson kills AAA (still is, btw) and gets called up. Then Carp. Now Seager clubs MiLB pitching and he gets the call.
Hey man, you've got to love the incentive that lays down.
6
Thanks all for the info. I hope Seager's lack of power is not an issue for 3rd when it was singles Figgins originally destined for 3rd. Jeff, or anyone, if Seager is showing promise, would you cut Figgins loose or keep for a late innings runner? I am watching from a distance but figure Figgins not to be a happy camper?
Jeff, I need to remeasure long toss next week after we get through some mor double headers but my 15 yr old was sitting at 260 for his last tosses. I couldn't remember your son's numbers. 260 should be about an arm that can attain 80mph but that has not been as consistent in games. In time for them both I hope.
7
too much to hope for?
8
This is not an attaboy move. There's absolutely no benefit in Seager's call-up unless their plan is to use him. A lot. And realistically, the only option is third base (unless you want to really get edgy and talk Kyle and second and Dustin in center!!!) ((No, I don't either.)).
Anyway, we were talking Seager at third and what it means. You gotta think he gets 5 games a week there. But at this point I don't know that Kennedy is a better leftfield option than Seager is. So I expect Kennedy to get significant DH time, plus back-up duty all around the infield except short. Basically, he (not Chone) becomes McLemore minus outfield time.
I can't help but wonder whether Z has convinced the FO that Figgins has to be gone, no matter the cost. And soon. You have plenty of gloves to handle whatever moves Wedgie needs to make in a game, including carrying Cust as a bench bat. I see absolutely no plusses in keeping Chone around any longer.
I, too, would like to see Peguero back in Tacoma. That just leaves room to pick up a leftfield bat. Carp is a better fit for a back-up outfield bat, and Carlos still has lots reps to get in without dragging down the big club. He has had plenty of time to show his stuff, and has come up short.
So knock us out, Jack. Get what you can for Figgy and get us a leftfielder. Then we go to war.
9
I hate the position changes but if Gutz can't get his poop in a group, I wonder if we could see Ackley in CF and Seager at 2B next year? That keeps Ackley's bat at a position not typically known for its offense and puts Seager at his best position, where his lack of power isn't a concern.
10
Not according to me, according to The Official Site of the Seattle Mariners. Seager is the starter, which Baker and others had already covered.
AK is now the first-team DH and backup at third, second and first.
The outfield is still crying out for help, but they don't appear inclined to put Kennedy out there.
[I like the depth-chart feature on the Official Site because it tends to be "where the rubber hits the road" between the "public relations" side of the org and reality. They had moved AK to first-team at third over Figgy a week or so ago. In short, Figgy, Cust and Wilson are now officially non-factors from a team PR standpoint, which is usually a pretty good sign they are about to go bye-bye.]
***
And, mal, I would say Bill Mueller with a dose of speed would be an excellent comp. Seager has 9 SB this season; Mueller never had more than 4.
But the 30-doubles, 10-HR, .290/.370/.425 part looks reachable for Seager, and would be awesome.
11
So no..Peguero isn't down yet...he will go down as soon as a viable alternative emerges...as bad as he's been...he's been better than Gutierrez (OUCH!) and Halman isn't an everyday player yet in LF (only in CF would that make sense). So we need to trade for a left fielder that can easily outhit Peguero before he goes down.
12
Jack indicates in an interview with Shannon Dreyer that the trade market just isn't there right now, so for now he's going internal with Seager. Of course, he doesn't preclude something happening as we get closer to the trade deadline, and he could (at least in part) be showing potential trade partners he DOES have options so they need to be (more) reasonable in their demands.
13
Rule of thumb for reading interviews from Jack Zduriencik. Whatever he says...believe the opposite unless you have independent confirmation. :)
Of course, in this case, I do in fact believe the market is quiet (independently confirmed by the lack of trades everywhere else)...and I think it's because there are too many teams in contention this year and too many of the teams eliminated from realistic shots at contention are beseiged with drama, bad-value contracts, financial distress, or a surreal lack of talent depth. The guys still in it right now, realistically, would be:
Yankees
Red Sox
Rays
Jays
Indians
Tigers
White Sox
Rangers
Angels
Mariners
Phillies
Braves
Cardinals
PIRATES (!!)
Reds
Brewers
Giants
D-Backs
Rockies
Of the teams currently eliminated from contention, the Orioles don't have the position currently to give up bats...they've got injuries (Scott would potentially have been a target, for example), bad performances, and not a lot of AAA depth. The Royals have a ton of position player prospects, but that's their only hope to get their pride back going forward...they need to develop more before they start moving the chips around looking for pitching. The Twins got blown up by the injury hijacker and had no hitting to offer anyway other than Kubel, who they might prefer to lock up cheaply if they can. Oakland might actually have a worse offensive outlook than Seattle. Florida can't afford to trade for guys about to hit arbitration and they need to hold the two or three interesting bats they do have. The Nats aren't exactly overflowing with extra bats to trade for or minor league depth in the offensive department. The Cubs are a total mess...and I don't think any of the guys they'd be offering we'd actually want. The Astros have some interesting pieces...but...Pence is going to take a while to get the market pulse on so we have to wait. The Dodgers have Kemp and Ethier, but their problems are large and they don't have a ton of time to figure out the on-field product right now. The Padres have nothing we'd want... And you're not going to get a big bat from teams still in contention without paying twice what he's worth.
Sooooo...we're going to have to be patient. Stinks, don't it?
14
Did turn out that Seager's here to play third ... that Kennedy's now the primary DH ... and without a doubt Zduriencik's motivated to find any face-saving Figgins/Silva/Bradley deal that he can sell to Armstrong. As we know, easier said than done, that last.
:cpoints:
15
... though as y'know, Ackley's own career begins to transcend all other considerations.
The resonant part of your idea, though, is: who plays CF? This year, next year, or the one after?
Wish Ichiro would.
16
Still have never been quiiiiiite sure who does the depth charts, but that site is a work of Seattle Mariners Inc.*, so ....
Amazing to see Figgins 3rd-string in a team that has 14 players vs. 9 starters. That used to happen to me in junior high.
17
Never measured John's throws (he's 30-50 feet past anybody who throws against him, provoking laughter at the sight...)
... but 260 for a 15-year-old, that is some serious cheese Jeff...
Doesn't look like the college path is ruled out by any means... go get 'em my man...
18
Thanks Jeff. You never know. How many should make it that don't and then the opposite. Supposed mathematical formulas (I need to refresh) state that to throw 300 feet is equal with 90mph arm strength. It doesn't mean that a guy can throw strikes but I believe in working the arm, stretching it to the max and keeping it in balance.
Fun to watch. Great staying in touch, thanks.