Mid-summer Review: SS / 3B
We now turn our attention to the left side of the infield. At an organizational level, we were never as weak at third base as people perceived, nor was the shortstop position of strength at any time in the last several years, including today However, the team has made a number of moves recently to try to address problems at both positions.
They acquired Jack Wilson to buy them time at the sortstop position, they picked up Jack Hannahan to cover a huge hole at third base while Beltre was recovering from bone spurs, They drafted a low-upside fast-track-possible shortstop (Nick Franklin) in the hopes that he can provide immediate help to the high minors at the position. So where do we stand today compared to 10 months ago?
Third Base (MLB - 2008)
- Adrian Beltre (B)
- Miguel Cairo (F)
Third Base (Prospects)
- Matt Tuiasosopo (B)
- Matt Mangini (C+)
- Ronald Prettyman (D+)
- Alex Liddi (B-)
- Jharmidy De Jesus (C+)
This is actually an organizational strength. It’s hard to see it now, because our best near-term depth happened to get hurt at the same time that our starter did, but the Mariners have a lot of quality third base prospects backing an above average AL third sacker in the show.
MLB: B-
Prospects: B-
Depth: C+
Overall: B-
Third Base (MLB - 2009)
- Adrian Beltre (B-)
- Jack Hannahan (C-)
- Chris Woodward (D-)
Third Base (Prospects)
- Matt Tuiasosopo (B-)
- Matt Mangini (C)
- Alex Liddi (B)
- Mario Martinez (C-)
- Vincent Catricala (D)
Simultaneous injuries to Tuiasosopo and Beltre made us feel like third base was an organizational hole, but the reality is that the position has gotten significantly stronger, thanks in part to the forced acquisition of Hannahan but largely to the progression of Alex Liddi (granted…at High Desert, known as a hitter’s haven).
MLB: C+
Prospects: B-
Depth: B
Overall: B-
Shortstop (MLB - 2008)
- Yuniesky Betancourt (D+)
- Willie Bloomquist (D)
- Tug Hulett (D)
Shortstop (Prospects)
- Oswaldo Navarro (D-)
- Mark Kiger (F)
- Carlos Triunfel (B-)
- Juan Diaz (D-)
- Gabriel Noriega (D+)
Not a pretty picture here. Betancourt had become so much of a problem on defense that it was no longer justifiable to picture him in the future of the Mariner franchise. Unfortunately, Bavasi hadn’t been focusing on middle infield glove men since he thought he’d extended a pretty good defensive shortstop and locked him in for several years. The result is a major league and minor league system bereft of quality.
MLB: D
Prospects: D
Depth: F
Overall: D
Shortstop (MLB - 2009)
- Jack Wilson (C+)
- Chris Woodward (D-)
- Jack Hannahan (D)
Shortstop (Prospects)
- Oswaldo Navarro (D)
- Alex Cintron (D-)
- Juan Diaz (C)
- Nick Franklin (B-)
- Terry Serrano (D+)
- Gabriel Noriega (C)
Jack had to go dumpster diving to fill out the system with enough shortstops to complete 7 minor league rosters. But the real story is the move from Betancourt/Cedeno to Wilson. If you combine the Betancourt trade and the Wilson trade (minus Clement and Snell who I consider swapping broken but high ceiling prospects), You get the total cost for upgrading from a D- (Betancourt + Cedeno) to a C+ (Wilson) as Pribanic/Lorin/Adcock for Cortes/Saito. I see it as a minor upgrade going from Adcock to Cortes and a minor downgrade going from Lorin/Pribanic to Saito. Kind of brilliant if you ask me.
MLB: C
Prospects: D+
Depth: D
Overall: C-