Mariners Analysis: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

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

Stock Down: Jack Zduriencik

I’m going to be honest, I think Jack Zudriencik takes way more blame than he should, because he put together a team this off-season that most thought would contend. At the end of the day, that is all you can do as a GM, and his addition of Nelson Cruz has proven to be phenomenal. But his two trades so far this year have me absolutely fed up. First, he trades away Yoervis Medina for a backup catcher, Welington Castillo. Medina was a guy who was key power arm out of the bullpen the past 2 seasons, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns out to be a solid closer in the future. Welington Castillo on the other hand, is a catcher who the M’s have already shipped off in their other trade, a trade to get Mark Trumbo.

Mark Trumbo has had a couple good seasons, especially with the Angels in 2011 when he had 29 HRs and 87 RBIs. But since then he has been an average hitter at best, and someone who strikes out far too much. I also chronicled how the M’s have struggled all year with runners in scoring position, and Mark Trumbo certainly doesn’t help in that category. He’s a .302 hitter so far this year with no runners on, but with runners in scoring position he’s hitting an uninspiring .178, and .063 with RISP and two out. The M’s need players who get on base, not players who can hit one out of the yard every once in a while, but fail to make contact more times than not. He doesn’t fit into the Mariners lineup, and this strikeout prone lineup just became all that much more.

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