A Way Too Early Look At Seattle Mariners 2015 Free Agency

Notable Free Agents

• SP Chris Young, RP Joe Beimel, RF Corey Hart, DH Kendrys Morales, RF Chris Denorfia, RF Endy Chavez

The 2015 free agency period is not even close. We still have a lot of time left this year to decide the Mariners fate but things are definitely looking bright for the 2015 season!

I think that a lot of you out there, including me, thought that Jack Zduriencik would be making moves for immediate wins in order to save his job. In a weird way, the fact that he hasn’t done something like that still may have saved his job.

Jack could have sold the farm and dumped a bunch of money towards veterans with hefty contracts like Matt Kemp just to win a couple of extra ball games this year. But he didn’t.

He put trust in his skipper that he could win with the guys on our roster as it stands. Lloyd McClendon has continued to make the right moves at the right times this year and put faith in guys who had lost faith in themselves like Dustin Ackley.

His confidence is booming and he has found a permanent home in LF.

Aug 17, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon (23) in the dugout before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest problems the Seattle Mariners have faced this year is the lack of offensive production from the right side of the plate and the lack of an everyday right fielder.

The August trade deadline did not get us the right handed bats that I thought we would have gone after (Marlon Byrd and Matt Kemp). But what it did show us is that the Mariners, regardless of the criticism, will not make any stupid decisions based on a win now scenario.

So in looking towards the future, what right handed bats are out there for us?

How about soon to be free agent outfielder, Nelson Cruz??

There were not a lot of teams that would take a big chance on this guy after his PED suspension. With Nelson’s history he would have brought a lot of negative media attention. It could be that Zduriencik did not want to show players currently within this organization that cheating pays off to the tune of millions of dollars.

Everyone makes mistakes.

This guy has proven that he can be an asset even when he is not cheating. This season has been a success for Nelson Cruz. He is hitting .258 with 33 home runs and is on track to go over the 100 RBI mark. He was selected to play in the 2014 All Star game for the American League.

There was a lot of talk that the M’s were going to sign him last offseason. I am still glad that they didn’t even with those stats.

Cheaters should never prosper.

Don’t look for the M’s to avoid Cruz this offseason. Enough time has passed and his play in 2014 showed that he can hack it without drugs.

I would think Cruz will be looking for a 5 year deal in order to drive up his million-per-year average. At 34 years old, teams would like to only commit 3 years to Cruz with a 4th year club option.

Unfortunately for the M’s, no one wants to play baseball in Seattle so we will likely have to commit to that 5 year contract to get Cruz in a Mariners uniform.

2nd Tier Options

• Michael Cuddyer, Melky Cabrerra, Rajai Davis, Torri Hunter, Ichiro Suzuki

Who would you like to see the Mariners sign this offseason?