Completely agree with everything you just said, TR.
Re: Austin Jackson I am a little taken aback that an interim GM was allowed to make this move for the pittance of benefits accrued 30 season-days before a new GM is to be hired. Why wouldn't you let THAT guy decide about QO'ing him? It's not like we got the moon back in a one-time opportunity. I suppose it's possible that Jackson told the M's he definitely wasn't coming back, but even then there's the draft pick consideration. Why present the new guy with an unnecessary fait accompli?
I am not at all sold on the idea of Miller at SS, nor Taylor, nor Marte. Let 'em fight it out again next spring.
The idea that Miller is some valuable defender or valuable bat that should be put into CF or SS to get him in the lineup is a bit bewildering to me. Granted a 100 OPS+ hitter with a plus glove at SS or CF is nothing to be sneezed at, but I don't consider Miller a demonstrated plus glove at either position despite his metrical SS rankings. As I recall the question of where Miller would play defensively was raised immediately after he was drafted, and nothing has really changed in that regard IMO. His bat is not so good he demands to be deployed. His glove is not so good he demands to be deployed. The Mariners would not be seriously hampered if he were to disappear from the earth. This is not "hating" Miller. It's just asking the question, what does he bring to the table that demands deployment?
In my book he is another in a long line of Jack Zduriencik draft picks that tantalized with potential but failed to deliver in any sort of big way. So he fell less short than some of the others, he still has failed to realize his potential at the plate. He may yet do so, he may not. But that has become a familiar refrain with Jack Zduriencik draft picks.