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Seattle Mariners Trade a Day: Mark Trumbo

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 11: Mark Trumbo #45 of the Baltimore Orioles is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during MLB game action as Marco Estrada #25 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts at Rogers Centre on September 11, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 11: Mark Trumbo #45 of the Baltimore Orioles is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during MLB game action as Marco Estrada #25 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts at Rogers Centre on September 11, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Do you remember Mark Trumbo? Well, you should because he spent the second half of 2015 with our team. In 96 contests, he totaled 13 homers with 41 runs batted in. His Mariner average ended up at .263 but his start was sluggish after being acquired.

There’s no doubt Mark Trumbo is a talented baseball player. But as Tony “Duke” Burton told Apollo Creed in Rocky II, “He’s all wrong for us, baby.”

One can easily counterattack the previous statement. From 2011 to 2013, Mark racked up 95 homers as an Angel. Look away as I mention his 2016 season, M’s nation. In Mark’s first year away from Seattle, he defined career year with 47 homers, 108 runs batted in, and his second All-Star appearance.

Setting that success story aside, we need to look at strikeouts and batting average. In 2015, he struck out 93 times as a Mariner. That’s a lot for only part of the season with the team. His 2016 strikeout total was 170, 10th-worst in the Majors. That wasn’t even the worst of his career as he struck out a career-high 184 times as an Angel in 2013.

Mark’s batting average hasn’t been eye candy either. Only once in a full season has he finished above .260. He’s currently hitting .261 through 54 games but there’s a lot of seasons left. His “monster” 2016 as an Oriole finished at .256. In baseball, anything .260 or over should be classified as good and anything below as fine or bad. An average in the .250’s is no more than fine.

The Mariners don’t need fine, they need good or great. Especially for a team who has been on the short end of a good first baseman for a while.

Richie Sexson and Russell Branyan either struck out or hit a home run with not a lot between. Casey Kotchman didn’t meet standards with a .217 average while Justin Smoak never played well enough to be our desired first baseman of the future.

The proposal if anything were to happen:

Mariners get: 1B Mark Trumbo

Orioles get: 1B Daniel Vogelbach & P Nick Rumbelow

Acquiring Mark wouldn’t make sense because our team needs averages, guys who can consistently reach base. We would be resorting back to the mediocre first basemen of old.

Next: Should the Mariners Extend Felix Hernandez?

Isn’t Ryon Healy batting .245 currently? Yes, but every player goes through rough patches and Ryon seems more clutch than any of his predecessors. Clutch is a keyword the Mariners should prioritize. Stay loyal to Healy and forget about Trumbo.

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