Mariners to Trade for a Closer? What about Danny Farquhar?

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Winter Meetings will  be exciting. The Mariners seem to be in the market on pretty much everyone, and speculation is that they will make another splash this week in Orlando.

The Mariners are in the market for at least one more bat and another starter to back the King-‘Kuma combo. Rumors also indicate that the Mariners have been chasing a closer as well.

Before he was re-signed by the Dodgers, Brian Wilson was rumored to be a Mariners target, the same can be said for Grant Balfour and now former Brewers closer John Axford.

After last year’s monumental implosion from Tom Wilhelmsen, and a previous meltdown from Brandon League, it’s understandable that the Mariners are cautious when it comes to late-inning pitching.

Last season we saw the emergence of Danny Farquhar. In the last few months of the 2013 season, Farquhar emerged as a ninth-inning-strike out-machine, and gave us something to be excited about in an otherwise forgettable season. It’s a very small sample size, but over 24 appearances in August and September, Farquhar converted 16 of 18 save opportunities.

This should at least give the Mariners’ front office pause when they consider signing or trading for another closer. Is it worthwhile to give Farquhar a real shot at being their guy in 2014, or would it be better to bring in a proven arm and push Farquhar back as a set-up guy?