Seattle Mariners: Negative Nick and Positive Pete on Swarzak trade

The Seattle Mariners traded away a popular punching bag in Anthony Swarzack to the Atlanta Braves. How are fans reacting? We check in on our old pals, Negative Nick and Positive Pete for answers.

NN: Hey, Pete. The Mariners finally traded Anthony Swarzak, he’s going to the Braves.

PP: Who’d we get in return?

NN: Relievers Arodys Vizcaino and Jesse Biddle. But why did we acquire Vizcaino if he’s injured for the year?

PP: Leverage. For the same reason, we acquired Edwin Encarnacion last December. Just so the trade can be completed. But will he ever put on a Mariner uniform? I doubt it.

NN: Well in terms of the healthy Braves player we landed, Biddle’s stats aren’t impressive. His ERA is just as bad as Swarzak’s, just over 5.00.

PP: Exactly. Which is why it makes no sense why we traded poor ERA for poor ERA.

NN: Come on Pete, think. Swarzak was a reminder at us getting the short end in the Cano and Diaz deal.

PP: How’d we get the short end?

NN: Bruce and Swarzak aren’t performing.

PP: But they’re the veterans. We made the deal prioritizing the young guys in that trade, Jarred Kelenic for example.

NN: Look, I’m just glad Swarzak is gone. Who knows? Maybe Jesse Biddle will be our setup man or something.

PP: Are you serious, Nick? How many former Mariners could you say that about it?

NN: A lot.

PP: Exactly! But our management’s biggest flaw has been giving up on players before they hit their peak.

NN: But what peak could Swarzak have, Pete? His rookie year was 2009 and his ERA has been 4.00 or higher for seven of his seasons.

PP: Hey, Nick. Remember Justin Smoak and Rafael Soriano?

NN: Smoak was a mediocre hitter and Soriano never panned out due to injury problems.

PP: But what happened after they left? Smoak was a 2017 All-Star while Soriano had a career year in Tampa during 2010.

NN: Yay, that was one season!

PP: It made a big difference. The 2010 Rays had the AL’s best record, a reason being Soriano was a lights-out closer for them. He could have done the same as a Mariner if Bavasi had waited him out and not traded him too soon for a mediocre starter in Horacio Ramirez.

NN: But Swarzak’s old, there’s no more peaking to do.

PP: Why not? Soriano was in his ninth season as a first-year All-Star. And Smoak was in his eighth. If Swarzak becomes an All-Star setup man for the Braves, I’ll tell you I told you so, Nick.

NN: You’re making Swarzak sound like a future Arthur Rhodes, he wasn’t. And neither was Colome.

PP: You’re missing the point. Dipoto didn’t give Colome and Swarzak enough time to prove they could turn into Arthur Rhodes-type pitchers by getting rid of Colome after a half-season and Swarzak not even that long. All it takes is good management and just watch, the Braves will give Swarzak that.

We will see who ends up being right. But leave your thoughts in the comment section below.