Add new comment

Your statement about trading quantity for quality is exactly the situation that Seattle is in now. Catricala, Jones, LaFromboise, Maurer, Moran, Carraway, and probably Gillheeney need to be added to the 40 man roster. Possible candidates to be removed from the 40 man roster are Figgins, Medina, Robles, Ruffin, Carp, Peguero, Robinson, and Thames leaving room to add a starting corner outfielder, a back up catcher, and maybe a 5th outfielder. This tells me that Zduriencik must make a few trades this year as he has more inventory than he needs with more coming the following year. Another great situation to be in with another draft coming up in June and having a 12th round pick.
I start with the assumption that they will want to resign Iwakuma and Perez and that they will want to keep Jaso, Kelley, Kinney, Ryan, Saunders, and Vargas through arbitration. In signing Iwakuma and Vargas to 2-3 year contracts, they lock in two nice trade chips when Hultzen, Maurer, Paxton, or Walker arrives.
Carp, Gutierrez, Kinney, Robinson, Ryan, Vargas, and Wells are out of options.
I think the key to this whole off season is signing Iwakuma and Vargas to 2-3 year contracts, finding a starting outfielder, a back up catcher, and maybe a 5th outfielder. They could use Peguero, Robinson, or Thames as the 5th outfielder if there is no other choice and Thames could still be optioned to Tacoma.
There is going to be a huge log jam in Tacoma with Franklin, Miller, Triunfel, and possibly Romero in the infield. I think Triunfel should become the reserve infielder in Seattle to eliminate some of the problem.
The last big problem is that Figgins is also going to be a reserve infielder in Seattle at least until they can trade him of DFA him before the trade deadline in July when Franklin could be brought up. The budget isn't a problem this year and it doesn't matter what they spend as long as they spend it wisely and get what they need. There is about $68M of the coming Budget that is eaten up but there is enough room to add a Corner Outfielder, and the cost to resign Iwakuma and Perez. What a great situation to finally be in and still be flexible enough to do something at the trade deadline and the following year when another $15M is off the books.