Seattle Mariners: Negative Nick and Positive Pete discuss Cano-Diaz

Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz have been shipped to the New York Mets in a blockbuster deal. Let’s see how our resident Mariner fans, Negative Nick and Positive Pete, feel about the deal.

PP: So Nick, what do you think about the latest Mets and Mariners blockbuster?

NN: In terms of who we sent, I half approve. Cano lost my fan trust with his Furosemide bust last year. His poor decision ruined the Mariners’ season. We’ll also never know how much of his performance was honest and how much wasn’t.

PP: I agree. But why do you disapprove of trading Diaz?

NN: Why do you think, Pete? Did you watch any of last season? He led the Majors in saves! We just gave him away?

PP: While I’m also cringing about trading him away and at such a young age, it made little sense to keep our closer during a rebuild. The Mariners would be wasting Diaz’s save totals by keeping him. Prioritizing a closer makes more sense when you’re planning to contend. But saves themselves have less importance when planning for 2021. Spend that time grooming potential new closers instead.

NN: Or closers by committee?

PP: Exactly.

NN: Who we got back for them is nothing special. Jay Bruce? He hit .223 last season as well as a negative WAR! And he’s the most well-known player the Mets gave us?

PP: His 2018 was not good but don’t forget that this guy was once the young slugger in Cincinnati. His problem was being stuck in Joey Votto’s shadow. The man is also a three-time All Star.

NN: Then explain why the man has bounced from team to team since 2016. He has gone Mets to Indians to Mets again. Isn’t that a red flag?

PP: Maybe that means he’s trusted in crunch time by teams. You forgot that both teams picked him up mid-season to help bolster their playoff runs. That sounds like a compliment to me.

NN: The bottom line is that Mitch is young and exciting but like him, Bruce is also a rightfielder. Does this mean the Mariners are surely trading Mitch?

PP: It would be sad to see him go but us fans can’t control this rebuild. Then again maybe he’s just someone to get in the short term so that Dipoto would agree to the swap.

NN: Then you’ll be thrilled to know that the other veteran the Mariners acquired, Anthony Swarzak, posted a lovely 2018 ERA of 6.15. And four times in his long career his ERA was north of 5.00. And what do you know? Just like his buddy Bruce, his 2018 WAR was -0.4.

PP: But twice in his career his ERA has been in the ballpark of 2.00. He’s inconsistent but he’s had his moments.

NN: He’s mostly been consistently bad and that’s all I need to hear.

PP: What if I told you his average K/9 the last four seasons was 9.75? If you saw his numbers, that’s a solid increase from the seasons before that.

NN: He’s a relief pitcher, Pete. K/9 matters mainly for starters.

PP: Not if relievers pitch enough innings in one season.

NN: I want to know more about these prospects. Or in Gerson Bautista’s case, players with only five games of MLB experience.

PP: In a nutshell, Nick? Bautista has a reputation for hitting triple digits. Tim Healey of Newsday once referred to him as the “hardest-throwing of all Mets relievers.” Remember how hard Diaz threw during his stint here?

NN: How do we know this guy will be Diaz? He’ll win my approval when he posts almost 60 saves as well. Otherwise, let’s see. Who else?

PP: Prospect outfielder Jarred Kelenic. He was only the sixth overall pick last draft and per John Harper of SNY, he was promoted a level in the Minors sooner than average due to his over-.400 BA in the Gulf Coast League.

NN: But what if the Mariners mismanage him like most other prospects? Or call him up too soon?

PP: I’m trying to not worry about that. Especially since multiple Mets sources are pulling their hair out over him leaving the organization. Last is pitcher Justin Dunn. A New York Post article referred to him as a “real good athlete.” And by the by, striking out 10 hitters in the Minors isn’t too shabby either.

NN: I struck out 10 hitters in Little League, Pete. The Major Leagues is a different animal.

PP: Let’s just take stock in who we received in the trade. And who knows? Maybe Robbie will bust in Queens.