Monday Morning Mariber is a collection of thoughts on the Mariners week that was, with a focus on the weekend games. Much like the Mariners at the deadline the column is scrambling at the last minute and probably not going to get enough done. 

A History of the Seattle Mariners

In the 100th episode of his exhaustive and indispensable history of the Russian Revolution, Mariner fan (and podcast guest!) Mike Duncan says:

Historical causes become historical effects, that then become the historical causes of the next historical effects…..drawing invisible lines to divide up eras and periods and ages is an absolutely artificial exercise, as one day simply follows from the next in a seamless transition from one day to the next.

With this everflowing concept of history in mind I strongly recommend you re-watch Jon Bois and Alex Rubenstien’s THE HISTORY OF THE SEATTLE MARINERS, preferably in its full, non-episodic form. In addition to being an absolute masterwork of storytelling it does an excellent job conveying how this silly baseball team we root for wouldn’t even exist if, among other things, a dude with a penchant for arson hadn’t torched an old baseball stadium a century ago.

These are the things I’ve been thinking about watching this team the past month. All these events are all tied to everything that has come before, and we’re never really going to get to figure out why or how or who or what caused any of this until well into the future, when such understanding will bring most likely little comfort or solace. Baseball, Mariners baseball is simply going to keep unspooling itself, day after day, season after season, and trying to understand it all is simply next to impossible. Who knows why this team is the way it is, or what its future holds? 

One lesson from history is that it’s useful to understand current events, unless it isn’t. The Mariners haven’t made the playoffs in 20 years, but they’re favored to do so this year. But they were favored to do so at various times in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2021, among other years. There’s always a way to read things to make them seem hopeful, or hopeless. It’s all just going to keep on going, and we’re never really going to understand it.

I don’t have much time for a lot else today, sadly. The Mariners made the biggest trade deadline acquisition in recent franchise history, trading Edwin Arroyo and Noelvi Marte in a package to bring Luis Castillo to Seattle. Within 24 hours the Mariners lost Julio Rodriguez, Dylan Moore, and Sam Haggerty to injury in a game that ended with (an also injured) Ty France at second base, and Carlos Santana pinch running.  They won the game when Abraham Toro, pinch-hitting for Julio, slapped a two-run single in the 9th. The only thing missing was a position player getting the save.

Since trading for Castillo (a wonderful pitcher who solidifies one of the American League’s best starting rotations for not only this year but 2023) the Yankees acquired Frankie Montas and the Padres acquired LITERALLY JUAN SOTO for trade packages that arguably made the one Seattle paid seem like a miscalculation of the market.

Today’s savvy addition is history’s overpay. You can get lost in trying to define and redefine how every single play/game/roster move is viewed and contextualized. It can drive you crazy. For today the Mariners are in pretty firm control of a Wild Card spot, which would put them in the postseason for the first time in my children’s life. For today, that’s the tomorrow I want. At least it’s different from the past.

Three Up

Jerry Dipoto Does a Good Trade

I really don’t care that the farm is now much weaker than it has been at anytime since 2018. I don’t care if Edwin Arroyo and Noelvi Marte have wonderful major league careers. In fact I’d probably prefer that. Rooting against players to make your team looks smart is weird behavior and not for me. 

What I care about is that for at least the next 1.3 seasons the Seattle Mariners theoretically have a starting rotation capable of competing with any team in baseball. They acquired Luis Castillo because they know that now is the time to try and win as many games as possible. They are not hedging, or hemming, or kicking the can down the road. They are trying to win now. Whether they succeed or fail, it’s been a long journey to get to a point where definitive success or failure is even possible to ascertain. Good trade Jerry. 

Paul Sewald Rules

Not a lot to say beyond the fact that, while not quite matching last year’s breakout performance, Sewald has spent 2022 as a very solid major league reliever. While there was never any chance 2021’s bullpen of misfit toys was going to maintain their performance Sewald for his part has kept the regression to a reasonable level. He’s still nasty, his arm slot and fastball/slider combo is still a terror, and he’s still a great dude by all accounts. Way to go Paul.

Let There Words Serve as Praise for Abraham Toro, Weirdly Clutch Baseball Player

While Toro is almost certainly not going to end up the player Seattle was hoping to acquire last year, he has shown an absolutely 80-grade “can’t be arsed” tool. Consider:

-The guy swapped clubhouses in the middle of a series, ducked into a clubhouse still littered with the remnants of a tantrum over his acquisition, and smacked a home run in his home run with his new team.

-Facing the very same pitcher he was traded for later that season he thwocked a highly-amusing grand slam.

-Of Toro’s eight home runs this season, six have been in the 7th inning or later. Four have been in the 9th inning.

-And finally, Saturday night, as the Mariners roster burned like Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was nearby, he calmly laced the game winning single in the only game the Mariners defeated the Astros over their last seven meetings.

He’s not very good. He’s just not. But he also seems to have a resting heart rate of 25 BPM. I tip my cap to dudes who stay cool, and Abe Toro always keeps it frosty.

Three Down

Jerry Dipoto Only Did One Good Trade (So far)

As great as the Castillo acquisition is, the 2022 Mariners are laughably far behind the best teams in the sport. The offense is languishing partially due to injury but also partially because the lion’s share of the team’s offseason acquisitions have played like crap. The team needs more, and in it’s fourth season since blowing up it’s roster and rebuilding, it’s fair to expect more.

In that context it’s fair to question the cost fo acquire Castillo, as it strengthens a strength, and does little so supplement a weakness. Given that the team’s most prized MiLB pieces are now gone (Jarred Kelenic’s value is, uh, not high atm), it’s unclear what if anything else the Mariners have planned between this publication and the 3 PM trade deadline.

They need more, and it’s on ol’ Gerard to make it happen. He’s never shown much of a penchant for finishing a truly complete MLB roster, but as I’ve been saying this whole column that’s simply history, this afternoon’s future possibility will be this evening’s past. Keep pushing, Jerry.

Please, My Vibes, They Are Very Sick

Eugenio Suarez has been perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the 2022 seasons for me. Not only has his production been greater than expected, but the aesthetic experience of watching him play has been, generally, quite pleasant. He picks it just fine at the hot corner, the hair and personality are big but in a playful, not overly-glaring way, and he’s crushed some big ol’ dingers. 

That said, July was not kind to Geno. Most notably his power evaporated, as he slugged only .356 for the month. I’m not particularly concerned at this point. Suarez has already been more productive than I really expected, and anything further feels like playing with house money. Still, the team can ill-afford a full-on collapse from his bat down the stretch. As the ROOT broadcast tells us everyday Suarez has hit the most home runs of any player since 2017. It would be nice to see a few dingers.

Who-Lee-No

Look y’all the kid just can’t be hurt. It’s not a criticism of him or anyone. Just please, Julio, the Mariners are just the Mariners without you. We’re all fairly tired of the Mariners at this point. Please get healthy quickly.

The Weekly “Mariners Tweet that Made Me Laugh Most Embarrassingly in Front of My Family” Award

Mike Cameron ethers me on Twitter about 4x a week at this point. It’s very funny.

*****

The Mariners are beat up as all heck, need more offense, and have five of their next eight games against the Suddenly Very New York Yankees. It’s probably going to be a very challenging time, but then the schedule relents, the team should heal, and a path to the postseason should be ripe for seizing. 

You all have a terrific week. Thanks for reading, thanks for interacting, thanks for caring. Goms.

You can follow Nathan on Twitter at @nathan_h_b. Additionally he appears on the Ian Furness show on Mollywhop Mondays on KJR 93.3 FM every Monday at 1:10 PM with Chris Crawford and Kevin Shockey. Please be nice, he is doing his best.