SodoMojo’s Top-10 Most-Viewed Mariners Stories of 2014

Dec 12, 2013; Settle, WA, USA; A Seattle Mariners fan watches an interview session with new Seattle Mariners second baseman

(not pictured) at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

10: Seattle Mariners FanFest Photo Gallery

Editor Dan Hughes kicks of the Top-10 list with his compilation of photos and memories he shared with his son at FanFest 2014.

With fans lining the warning track, young kids taking batting practice in the outfield, and fans toeing the rubber in the ‘Pen for a throwing session, everyone was in high hopes for 2014.

The Mariners had just signedRobinson Cano to a $240 million contract, Felix Hernandez was still King, and the young guys sprinkled throughout the roster looked poised to take a step forward.

Sodo Mojo’s photo gallery cracked top-10 in views, while the 2014 FanFest set records for the Seattle Mariners with the most ever fans in attendance.

FanFest epitomized the hopeful anticipation of the Seattle faithful, as the Seahawks just across the street had claimed their first ever Super Bowl victory.

I couldn’t attend FanFest this year, as I was spending the winter and spring studying abroad in Paris– what a shame, yea? But my dedication didn’t wane, just like all those fans at FanFest: I woke up at 4 am to watch Mariners opening day in my little apartment in the 10th arrondissement.

The Mariners were back, I thought hopefully. And as the season progressed, it was clear the M’s were finding their will to win.

And at number 9 on our top-10 Mariners stories in 2014, it’s a bold, aggressive, and wishful trade proposal by yours truly:

Oct 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder

(34) celebrates with catcher

(40) after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the 7th inning during game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

9: Could the Mariners Pull Off A Blockbuster Trade for Bryce Harper?

The short answer to that question was ‘no,’ as the day after the post was published the Washington Nationals and Bryce Harper agreed on a two-year deal to avoid arbitration and even more animosity.

The blockbuster trade I proposed was, well, a blockbuster.The Nationals roster is loaded with guys on the last year of their contracts, many of whom will become too expensive for the Nats to resign. Two of those players were starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann and short stop Ian Desmond.

Both players had at one time been speculated as trade candidates for the Mariners. In fact, there was a deal proposed between the two teams that would have sent Ian Desmond to the Pacific Northwest.

In my idealized world, I wanted to see the Mariners go for broke and give the Nationals an offer they couldn’t refuse. My trade looked like this:

The Washington Nationals send OF Bryce Harper, SS Ian Desmond, and SP Jordan Zimmermann to the Seattle Mariners for SP Taijuan Walker, SS Brad Miller, 3B D.J. Peterson, SS/2B Ketel Marte, and SP J.A. Happ.

Such a trade would have gutted the farm system for the M’s, but a rotation that included Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, AND Jordan Zimmermann would immediately be one of the very best in baseball.

Alas, the trade was largely speculative and unsubstantiated by plausibility. The Mariners instead took a few other trade routes, adding Seth Smith to the outfield, adding Justin Ruggiano to the outfield, and sending OF Michael Saunders to the Toronto Blue Jays for pitching depth in the form on LHP J.A. Happ.

The comments on the Harper trade were very mixed, with hopefuls like me throwing support, and realists– the smart ones– shooting it down for the unlikely speculation it was.

But it’s not always a bad thing to go bold, as number 8 on our top-1o list elected to do:

Dec 8, 2014; San Deigo, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants manager

speaks with the media at MLB Winter Meetings at Manchester Grand Hyatt. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

8: MLB Winter Meetings: 5 Bold Predictions:

Coming in at number 8 on our top-1o Mariners stories of 2014, editor Dan Hughes made bold Winter Meetings predictions based on what he had seen so far in the offseason. Did he strike gold on any of his predictions?

Dan’s first bold prediction:

The LA Dodgers will NOT trade Matt Kemp. Despite Dan’s argument– which you can read in the original post– the Dodgers eventually traded the slugging, aging outfielder to the San Diego Padres for a nice haul of prospects. The deal saw a hiccup when Matt Kemp was diagnosed with arthritis in both hips, but eventually the deal was finalized and Kemp took the trek a few hundred miles up the west coast.

Second bold prediction:

The Atlanta Braves Will NOT trade Justin Upton. The San Diego Padres sure had it out for Dan’s bold predictions, as Upton was traded to the San Diego Padres a few weeks following the Winter Meetings. Both Kemp and Upton had been trade targets of the Seattle Mariners, but insistence by other teams that the M’s include Taijuan Walker made now-prudent Trader Jack hesitant.

Third bold prediction:

The Seattle Mariners WILL Sign Melky Cabrera. Had the Mariners offered the switch-hitting outfielder a 4th year on his contract, he likely would have been a Mariner. But the M’s front office wasn’t willing to overpay, offered only 3 years, and Melky elected to stay further east like he originally planned. He signed a three-year deal with the Chicago White Sox.

Fourth bold prediction:

Jon Lester will sign with the Boston Red Sox. Dan-o is 0/4 so far. The ill-treatment of the lefty-ace by the Red Sox proved too much to overcome this offseason. The team lowballed him with a contract extension in the spring, before trading him away to the Oakland Athletics at the deadline. Lester eventually signed with the Chicago Cubs on a 6-year, $155 million contract.

Fifth bold prediction:

The San Diego Padres will do SOMETHING. Ding ding! We have a winner! Dan’s final bold prediction for the Winter Meetings saves him, as the Padres went crazy on the trading block. They traded for an all new outfield with Kemp, Upton, and finally Wil Myers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Then, just a few days ago, the Padres traded surplus outfielder Seth Smith to the Mariners in exchange for relief pitcher Brandon Maurer.

It has been a busy offseason for the Mariners, one that included subterfuge rumors about an international free agent short stop:

Feb 18, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik speaks to the media during MLB media day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

7: Are the Mariners the Mystery Team for Jeong-Ho Kang?

This from Dan’s posted on the mysterious posting of the South Korean short stop:

South Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang will be negotiating with a Major League baseball team very soon. This after his Korean (KBO) team, the Nexen Heroes accepted a posting bid of $5 million. The problem is, no one knows who the mystery team is. Could it be the Seattle Mariners? With two shortstops already in the mix – Brad Miller and Chris Taylor – it seems unlikely. But several teams in the hunt for a shortstop have already confirmed that is wasn’t them. It’s not the San Diego Padres (CBS Sports), New York Mets (New York Post), Baltimore Orioles (Baltimore Sun), San Francisco Giants (GM Brian Sabean), New York Yankees (ESPN), Toronto Blue Jays (team broadcaster Mike Wilner), or Los Angeles Dodgers (LA Times).

If the Mariners had won the posting bid to negotiate with Kang, it would have indicated more moves in the middle infield for the M’s. They would have certainly traded one of their young shortstops, maybe for a sizable outfield bat.

But alas, Kang’s posting bid of $5 million was made by the Pittsburg Pirates, and had little to no impact on the Mariners offseason– aside from a few days of excitement and anticipation from fans.

Coming in at number six on our top-10 stories of 2014 is a familiar face contemplating a return to the Seattle Mariners:

Sep 28, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) is congratulated by right fielder Ichiro Suzuki (31) after being replaced by a pinch runner during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

6: Is Ichiro Suzuki Planning A Seattle Mariners Homecoming?

In a collaboration between FanSided’s Yanks Go Yard and Sodo Mojo, we broke a story about Ichiro and his agent discussing baseball in a Bellevue restaurant:

Ichiro and the other gentleman were overheard speaking to each other in English, talking about baseball and Ichiro’s future plans. In recent weeks, Ichiro has made known that he’d like to continue playing Major League Baseball in hopes of getting to the 3,000 hit milestone in the MLB.

The other gentleman was his agent, and as they discussed possibilities Seattle did come up, though in no definitive way. Later in the offseason, Ichiro made it clear publicly that he wants to play in 2015, and that he wants to reach 3,000 hits in the MLB before he retires. Ichiro currently has 2,844 hits in his 14 MLB seasons to go along with 1,278 in Japan. He would need 156 more hits to get to 3,000.

At this juncture in the offseason, it seems very unlikely the Mariners will sign Ichiro to any sort of Major League deal for 2015. The outfield is already prepped for a platoon with Seth Smith and Justin Ruggiano, and his older, left-handed bat wouldn’t necessarily mesh with the M’s current plan.

But don’t sleep on Ichiro, you never know what the M’s might do. But for now, he remains a free agent.

At number 5 in our top-1o stories, it’s another post about an outfielder connected with the Mariners this offseason:

Sep 17, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher

(17) is congratulated by Athletics left fielder

(15) after Soto scored on a single by Athletics right fielder

(23), not in picture, during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

5: The Seattle Mariners Are Checking In on Jonny Gomes:

On December 4, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick mentioned on twitter that the Mariners, among other teams, were checking in on free agent outfielder Jonny Gomes. We at Sodo Mojo discussed the possibility of Gomes playing in Seattle.

I was largely skeptical of a Gomes signing, unless it was really on the cheap. Also, at the time of the story, the Mariners were still in pursuit of Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Melky Cabrera and the like, and a Jonny Gomes signing felt like a sad consolation prize.

Even without any major trades for outfielders, the M’s got Justin Ruggiano via the trade, a left-handed hitter who should produce more than Gomes would have at Safeco Field. Though Gomes has a .837 OPS against left-handed pitching over the last three seasons, the Mariners elected to go the trade route for a right-handed platoon outfielder.

Clocking in at number 4 in our top-10 Mariners stories of 2014 is a post about Mid-may trades the Mariners should have strongly considered:

Sep 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics designated hitter Adam Dunn (10) is hit by a pitch from Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher A.J. Burnett (34), not in picture during the third inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

4: The Seattle Mariners Should Be Involved in These Trade Rumors:

Only 36 games into the 2014 season, Dan was ready for the Mariners to jump on the trading block and get another piece to improve the young team.

Dan first argued for Johnny Cueto of the Reds, as:

The Reds were three games under .500 going into Sunday’s play, six games back of Milwaukee for the NL Central division and three games out of the 2nd NL Wild-Card spot.

He was hoping the M’s could capitalize on a slow start and get a pitcher who ended up being one of the best in baseball in 2014.

Then, Dan argued for Jason Hammel of the Chicago Cubs, who was eventually traded at the deadline to the Oakland Athletics. He struggled to end the season in Northern California, but it was hard to ignore his potential boost to the Mariners rotation early in the 2014 season.

Lastly, Dan reluctantly endorsed a trade for 1B/DH Adam Dunn of the Chicago White Sox, at a time in the season where it was clear that the Mariners lacked right-handed power. Fortunately this deal never got done, as the M’s had far too many unathletic 1B/DH types on the roster.

And now, we move into our top-3 stories of 2014 here at Sodo Mojo, number three involved the fantasy impact of potential deadline trades in 2014:

Sep 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder

(3) and second baseman

(26) collide as Byrd is charged with an error against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. The Braves defeated the Phillies, 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

3: Fantasy Baseball: Seattle Mariners Trade Rumor Projections:

As the trade deadline approached in 2014, Sodo Mojo explored the fantasy impact of a number of potential trade deadline deals.

Staff writer Russell Hartness looked at the potential impact of a trade for Phillies OF Marlon Byrd (who was traded this offseason to the Cincinnati Reds), arguing an addition of the slugger would improve the Mariners lineup immediately. In his fantasy predictions, Russell projected a .270 BA, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 40 RUNS, 1 SB line for Byrd if he were traded to the M’s.

He then looked at a trade for DH Billy Butler (who is now an Athletic). Russell expected a bounce back second half for the left-handed slugger, with a .290 BA, 15 HR, 50 RBI, 45 RUNS, 1 SB line. The Mariners, instead of trading for Butler, elected to trade the Twins for switch-hitting DH Kendrys Morales. And that worked out oh so well.

Finally, Russell looked at the fantasy impact of trading for Rays ace David Price. The M’s were part of a deal that included Price, though he was going to the Tigers in a three-team deal that sent CF Austin Jackson to the Mariners. Russell predicted a 15 GS, 12 W, 130 K, 2.80 ERA and 1.00 WHIP line for Price had he come to the Mariners.

At number 2 of our top-10 stories is a swift and thorough criticism of a potential offseason deal for the Mariners:

Sep 28, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; New York Yankees shortstop

(2) is congratulated by right fielder Ichiro Suzuki (31) after being replaced by a pinch runner during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

2: The Seattle Mariners Should Not Bring Back Ichiro:

After hearing the Ichiro rumblings, Matt Seto quickly defended a Mariners 2015 that should not include Ichiro.

Ignoring the feel-good, returning-home nature such a signing would have, Matt looked objectively at the Mariners situation:

After yesterday’s rumor began, I immediately got some backlash from other Mariners fans. Most common was that the Mariners should not be bringing him back, simply because they don’t NEED him. I’m inclined to agree. As with all baseball players, we need to look at this from both an offensive and defensive point of view.

Matt compared James Jones and Ichiro, arguing that the Mariners had found their slap-hitting speed-demon outfielder of the future, and bringing Ichiro back would only steal at-bats from the Jones who is the future of the team. Ichiro would be a year, maybe two, of a fun story that wouldn’t add a lot of substance at the plate.

I for one agree with Matt: the M’s really don’t need Ichiro. He would just take reps away from the young guys who need experience. There are more than enough veteran outfielders in Seattle.

And, with THE TOP STORY of 2014 at Sodo Mojo, we have a rumor that spanned calendar years and started many a debate about the Mariners needs in the outfield:

Oct 7, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Matt Kemp in the dugout before game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

1: Seattle Mariners: Could Matt Kemp Be Next?

In a story from one of our newest writers– Jon O’Connor– Sodo Mojo explored the possibility of OF Matt Kemp in a Mariners uniform.

With a glut of outfielders on hefty contracts, it has made sense in recent seasons that the LA Dodgers look to shop at least one of them on the trading block. Kemp was the most sought after, as his numbers were still impressive despite recent injuries.

After the Dodgers traded for another outfielder in Chris Heisey, Jon wrote:

The Dodger outfield  now consists of Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke and now Chris Heisey. This doesn’t even mention their top prospect Joc Pederson who was a 30 home-run, 30 stolen-base guy in AAA in 2014.

The idea of acquiring Kemp– at a steep price no less– was polarizing. Some would do it in a heartbeat if the Dodgers at some of his monstrous contract. Others didn’t want to touch him with a 10 foot pole, as his injuries raised many red flags.

Kemp was traded in 2014, though it was to the Padres and not the Mariners. And looking at the haul the Dodgers received for San Diego, it seems like the Mariners made a good choice not bidding for him with young, promising talent.

Thanks for reading Sodo Mojo’s 2014 in review: the top-10 Mariners stories of 2014. Lots of news, rumors, and success touched the Mariners in 2014. What’s in store for 2015?

Let’s hope the playoffs, at the very least.