So, What's He Thinking?
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Amigos reply to my Morales and Morse question with the counter, "That's what they're HERE for. To help develop the kids. Pressure's off them, they can benefit from the example, etc."
The explanation is eminently *logical* on the face of it. And without a doubt that IS part of what the Mariners are thinking - that if Justin Smoak hits 7th, in a lineup that is ahead 6-3 that evening, that Smoak will relax into this game. For sure that's included in their thinking.
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Couple things, though, once we look at it in 3-D...
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1. I don't even think that Morales, a Cuban (not Spanish or Mexican), communicates very well with guys like Smoak, Ackley, and Saunders, does he?
Kendrys Morales, and Michael Morse, as short-lifers with odd personalities, are very questionable templates for the "team captain" role. Kevin Millwood yes. Kelly Shoppach yes. Raul Ibanez yes. Mike Morse? Are you kidding? :- ) He's here to hit thirty dingers. (For one year!, and then maybe we'll see.)
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2. Morales, Morse, Bay, Shoppach, and Ibanez are going to TAKE AWAY one whale of a lot of at-bats from the kids.
If the primary goal is to develop the kids, you've overdone it. You've added 10c worth of positive influence and taken away 25c worth of actual game-time experience for them.
Showing them how it's done is fine. Making them all sit and watch is another thing. Looks to me like there are wayyyy too many vets here for it to be simply about leadership.
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3. Why target the acquisitions so determinedly to produce runs -- e.g. the pursuit of Morse and Upton *after* the acquisition of Morales?
Ibanez, Shoppach, Sweeney, Millwood, guys who lead in roles without pushing the kids OUT, those guys are around.
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4. For that matter, why the trade of Walker/Franklin/etc for Justin Upton this season rather than next?
If 2014 is the mission, wouldn't you get more for Walker (Paxton, Hultzen) after they've been in the bigs in 2013? It's pretty shrill to trade them right now. And the reported Upton package was extremely shrill (not to say "incorrect").
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5. Veteran leadership could be provided by a Griffey-Sweeney type combo, or Morse-Ibanez for example ... but why BOTH Morse and Morales, if the goal is merely to influence the young guys? After they got Morales, and had Ibanez figured out, the imperative to add yet another banger was increased.
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The suggestion that Morse and Morales and Bazooka Joe are PRIMARILY there to influence kids - in syllogism form it makes sense. In the context of Zduriencik's signalled intentions I don't think that it does.
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There is one sliver of possible middle ground here. If you buy the idea that hitting is contagious, and that Ackley and Smoak need to play in a high-scoring lineup.
You've still paying one whale of a price in game time sacrificed, if your Grand Theme is to develop the kids ...
Hm - :: taps chin ::
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