The talk of Prince Fielder in Seattle changed speeds when the Mariners announced a trade involving Michael Pineda for Jesus Montero of the Yankees. If that wasn’t enough, news that Fielder is talking with Texas also hit the wires on Saturday.
Last year, the Mariners hit .233, this following a .236 performance in 2010, both last in the majors. The Mariners also ranked last in the bigs in runs scored, hits, on-base percentage, and slugging in 2011. They were 25th in HR.
With that said, bringing Montero to the Emerald City is one of the more promising affairs for Mariners fans in a while.
Sure, he might not be Fielder, who is a proven player in his prime with a resume of solid numbers, but he’s more promising than the past transactions Seattle management has finalized.
The past has included deals with overpaid players (Milton Bradley, Adrian Beltre, Chone Figgins), once-promising players after an injury peppered season or a down year (Mike Sweeney, Richie Sexson, Casey Kotchman) or even baffling trades, releases, and non-signings of players after good years with the club, (Russell Branyan, Jose Guillen.)
Instead of those trades, this one includes a couple of players, one with plenty of promise in power. And, he only earned just over $400,000 in 2011. Not the potentially $15- to $25-million dollar deal Fielder might land.
There are two ways to view this trade, and either one is a positive for the Mariners: (1) The Mariners are looking to build a team that would attract Fielder, or (2) the Mariners are hedging losses and trying to build a contending team in the future.
In the first scenario, Seattle is showing that it’s willing to trade away key players to build a contender, supply a power-hitter, an all-star, with talent around for protection and numbers and contending. In the second, the Mariners are saving the monster contract it would have to shell out for Fielder, and instead develop a kid who could one day produce just as much.
Montero is that kid who could hit 30-40 HRs in a year while batting for average higher than .280. If he starts to produce, the Mariners have an intriguing position. They can sign him for a short-term deal that keeps him in Seattle and ultimately underpays him for the production he provides.
This option feels better financially than paying a hefty sum for Fielder as he nears the waning years of his baseball life.
Conversely, if Montero doesn’t develop, the Mariners count their losses – very cheap, non-costly losses – and continue with a ballclub deep in pitching prospects, and ace in Felix Hernandez, and developing young hitters with the names of Justin Smoak and Mike Carp.
Whether or not the Mariners sign Fielder, their chances of winning the AL West in 2012 are low, especially with Texas proving it finally has a quality ball club and the Angels signing large checks for Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.
This trade signals that Seattle is accepting that fate and looking to move forward, and in a way that doesn’t compromise the long-term vitality of the team. This way, there is still money if the team decides to chase Fielder, or lure another star next year. If everything goes right, the Mariners might be a more lucrative position after 2012.