Attention Seattle Mariners: Don’t Sell The Farm

And with the 6^th overall pick in the draft the Seattle Mariners select Alex Jackson. Having the sixth pick in the draft is a bittersweet type feeling.

Having a high draft pick gives you the chance at picking the top draft prospects who could become the next greats in the game.

On the other hand, to get that pick your team most likely had a very disappointing season. Mariners did not get the best of either world.

Not only did they have yet another losing season last year but they did not get a top 5 pick in the draft.

Oh well, they still were able to pick a player who is regarded as one of the best prep bats in the draft.

It’s exciting to see the Mariners draft a player out of high school rather than college. While the risk is always higher as many come in as raw talent that needs fine tuning, they usually carry a higher ceiling than those drafted out of college.

It’s good the Mariners are able to bring in fresh talent to their farm system as it had started to look depleted.

Outside of D.J. Peterson there isn’t a lot left in the system. Having a good farm is what will solidify success for the long term.

While we have seen several top prospects not turn into stars, building from the bottom up is the correct way to make a playoff team.

The Mariners are doing everything right and now that they have an offensive star of their own in Robinson Cano to build around.

The team is starting to look like a fringe playoff team as they are tied for the second wildcard spot.

Come the trade deadline they can end up as buyers rather than sellers. While this is very exciting for a team that hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2001 but they cannot be too trigger happy with their trade options.

Quick fixes with aging veteran players will make them slightly better for the rest of the season but down the road will hurt them far more.

Cano will be with the team for the next ten seasons. Think of how much time is actually passing during his contract.

It’s a guarantee that we don’t even know the names of players who will be considered the stars of the game when he’s playing out the last year of that contract. And by that time it will have been a while since he was considered elite.

My point is that while Cano is hitting well right now and needs more consistent back up in this lineup but there needs to be a limit on what the Mariners are willing to give up.

Selling the farm now could end with a playoff run now but soon Cano will start to age and there will be no help on the way.

The team and its fans are itching for the playoffs considering the playoff drought its currently experiencing.

If by the end of June they find themselves in a similar position as they are in now then they must consider themselves buyers and improve the roster, however; low cost trade options should be their main focus.

Those options will present themselves closer to the deadline. Until then, let’s hope they keep up with the competition.