A Post With No Name

Adam Moore, the bright and shining future behind the plate of the Seattle Mariners? Huh, question mark? Okay, before I go all Bleacher Report on you all. I have been sitting on this for over a week trying to figure out how exactly to write this the “right way”.

While many of us including myself see Adam Moore as a huge future asset and even possibly more than that.  As Jason Churchill reported on his blog last week he seems to be generating a lot of interest this off-season. Which of all the available pieces for other teams to look into acquiring on this off-season, this one struck me rather odd.

Not because I don’t see his value. But, for that exact reason. I see his great use and has shown within a small sample of plate appearances that he could potentially bring huge dividends to this team as early as the 2010 season.

Those dividends are more likely to pay off in offensive terms opposed to the so called over zealous nature of defensive tendencies. Obviously this has the huge potential that at this point the Mariners can hardly scoff at which is most likely partially why he is a candidate going into this spring for the full time job.

But looking back since arriving within the system. This off-season isn’t that much different than the years prior. Moore has been a subject of interest for the past few years for many teams. Last year the Marlins were reportedly interested. The Red Sox have been rumored to have expressed interest on different occasion. There was also speculation that the Orioles had asked for him during the Erik Bedard trade negotiations.

Not with standing he still has a lot of polish to put on his set of defensive tools prior to being the #1 at backstop. Which is why there is of course the ever convoluted idea of a veteran catcher being circled by the Mariners.

Dave Cameron has touched on this and I think with the signing of Griffey just furthers the theory that the Mariners cannot afford to have a three roster slots to given to catchers. One would have to think with the way the organization treated Rob Johnson that outside of his surgeries killing his season, he would have a guaranteed roster spot out of spring training. Not saying whether I agree with that decision or not. {Griffin’s thought: I do}.

Jack Zduriencik has been shown to be a careful man in his decisions and general roster construction and player management. if his handling the bullpen issue last year is any indication on how he values talent and applies it within an organization construct . I think it can be safely said that at the very least he does not start plans off by putting all his eggs in one basket.

Young and inexperienced players can tend to leave unreliable and insubstantial data from limited or lower level standards.  Not saying that Adam Moore or anyone else with his talent or physical tools is incapable of producing good numbers offensively while in his rookie season. He just shouldn’t and I don’t believe he is counting on it. Like say one would with either Felix’s pitching, Beltre’s fielding or Ichiro’s hitting.

What was he going to say at the press conference. Well it’s either the young injury prone catcher or the unproven young catcher one will have to win the job although they could inherit it by just having the least sucky spring outing.

The Mariners did bring about 5 or 6 total catchers last spring for the increased amount of pitchers that were signed. I think it’s very important to remember some of them as these “veteran” options as well as other teams that have looked at as a backup option in other organizations.

That all said, I don’t think it would be presumptuous at this stage to believe Rob Johnson has a roster slot with the team. The organization seems to think there is still a lot there. Though the fan base seems to have already quickly grown tired of his “growing pains” and “rookie” mistakes.

Jon Shields had theorized that the team could pick up someone around late Jan/Feb on a minor league deal and see how Rob Johnson looked after his surgeries. Which, I would most likely agree as this is very similar to how the bull pen situation tended to play out. That theory tends would rule out the likes of Mike Redmond or even Gregg Zaun though Fox Sports has said that the Mariners are supposedly interested in Zaun.

Adam Moore is a great fit for this organization, with that said I think Jack Zduriencik has earned a bit of our trust in dealing with the organization and if teams are calling on Moore and he’s considering deals. I trust him. Do I think he’ll be dealt? No, I really don’t think they will. But, they are considering every option to make this team better as any team should and in pure speculation, SHOULD the Marlins approach Seattle wanting to deal off Josh Johnson and they want Adam Moore as the primary piece in the deal. I would think they would at least think about the pros/cons of such a deal. Just as an example.

I really do like the article the Tacoma News Tribune and Larry LaRue ran a couple of weeks ago in regards to player development and the chances young players could receive this off season, is a very positive sign from the organization farm system. Which, lets face it has received it’s fair share of complaints the past few years. Between Yuniesky Betancourt, Brandon Morrow, Wladimir Balentien and Jeremy Reed.

While Morrow could eventually pan out and Balentien has a second shot on another team, Reed is obviously at best a replacement player and Betancourt has lost any resemblance of the “prospect” that was once. It’s also partly this reason that people by pass Saunders, Carp, Moore, Tuiasosopo as potential contributors this season. They continue to have their “expectations” fail them. This is where Jack’s spaghetti theory comes into play.

What happened when Brandon Morrow had problems closing last season? David Aardsma stepped up. Should he had issues too, Mark Lowe could have potentially stepped back into that position. You also have Shawn Kelley who has that type of potential too. The Mariners are filled now with cheap solid options for their bull pen. We also have 3 or 4 potential internal options to evaluate this off-season too.

While outside of Rob Johnson and Adam Moore there are slim pickens in the high minors for internal options. That doesn’t mean that they don’t exist within free-agency just because you haven’t heard of them. There are minor league free-agents that teams have had sitting on in AAA last year that have the defensive capabilities of handling a pro pitching staff. That can mentor someone like Adam Moore.

That said the Mariners  may or may not be serious in adding a vet catcher to the team. Maybe or maybe not that turns out to be Zaun or Redmond. They maybe interested because of a possible deal that could include Moore. There are numerous speculator opinions that could be shared at this point covering angels imaginable.

We as a team do not have a ton of pieces to part with and we have to flexible as to who we are currently willing to part with in return for talent that would help us get to that “next level”. I’m not talking about mortgaging our farm system yet again. I am talking about losing Jose Lopez or Adam Moore. That RR-S and Shawn Kelley are cheap commodities that other teams value very greatly.

I would hate to lose Michael Saunders. However, the ever popular sentiment is always issued. You have to give something to get something. At least we can rest in the assurance that despite what happens we know Jack will retain something of value. Directly or Indirectly.