Following the Mariners' signing of Robinson Cano, many speculated that Nick Franklin or Brad Miller would be displaced by the move. Several teams reportedly had interest in Franklin at the time, but there hasn't been too much chatter surrounding him in the two months since. That could change, as ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin hears from industry sources that Seattle is likely to move Franklin or Miller prior to Opening Day, with Franklin being the more likely candidate.
While Franklin played shortstop more frequently than second base throughout the minors, most evaluators seem to feel that Miller is better equipped, from a defensive standpoint, to handle shortstop in Seattle going forward. As such, Franklin, who will turn 23 on March 2, finds himself without a clear role on the team (Kyle Seager is in at third base, not that Franklin has experience at the hot corner anyhow).
Franklin got off to a hot start upon being called up from Triple-A Tacoma last season, slashing .270/.337/.453 with six homers in 43 games (175 plate appearances) in the season's first half. However, following the All-Star break, Franklin slumped to a .194/.280/.333 batting line in 243 PAs. The result was a sub-par .225/.303/.382 triple-slash line. Still, Franklin is entering just his age-23 season and is no stranger to appearing on Top 100 prospect lists, having multiple appearances on those produced by Baseball America, MLB.com, ESPN's Keith Law and Baseball Prospectus.
As Rubin notes in his piece, some teams could still view Franklin as an option at shortstop, meaning any team with a middle infield deficiency could have interest. Rubin points out that Franklin would be an upgrade over Ruben Tejada for the Mets, though he stops short of concretely citing interest on the Mets' behalf.
Of course, Rubin's report leaves open the possibility that the Mariners could deal Miller instead, who slashed .265/.318/.418 with eight homers and five steals as a 23-year-old rookie for Seattle in 2013. Both players would be controllable through the 2019 season, making them attractive long-term assets for teams with middle infield needs. The Mariners have been said to desire an additional power bat for their lineup as well as rotation help, and they may not wish to pay free-agent prices to land both. A trade of Miller or Franklin would certainly seem an alternative route to addressing one of those needs, while the addition of a free agent such as Ervin Santana, Nelson Cruz or Kendrys Morales could fill the second.
Blue Jays please.
We could take Colby off your hands
Yeah, 6 years of Franklin for 1 of Rasmus. A year the M’s won’t sniff the post season. Sounds fair.
Why wouldn’t the Ms compete after signing Cano, getting Rasmus..and emergence of young pitchers?
Assuming the young pitchers actually emerge.
Their offense still isn’t that great
Because everything would have to break right for the M’s to compete, including the A’s or Rangers stumbling. 3/5 of their rotation is a question mark, plus Kuma is injured and who knows if it will have any lingering effects. Ackley might be a bust. Smoak is mediocre – at best. Miller/Franklin are babies. The outfield is largely a mess. The ‘pen was awful last season and will have to rely on rookies like Carson Smith to pan out for it to be any good.
Ackley OPSd over .800 after HoJo got his mitts on him in Tacoma. Smoak OPSs over .800. Just don’t let him bat right handed. Miller and Franklin are baseball rats. Have you heard them talk? These kids know the game and have talent. The pen has Rodney in the back now and Farquhar was outstanding down the stretch. The M’s have a bunch of vets in camp on NRI’s like Minor, Rogers, Ramirez and Palmer. The bullpen will be better.
Kuma may miss a week or two to start the season. Erasmo had an awesome winter and Paxton and Walker are ready. Their pitching will be fine.
Ackley’s big turn around, .800 OPS!! was just a fluke August. The other 2 months in the 2nd half he OPS’d around .640. Smoak is mediocre and was a better RHH the two previous season; he doesn’t need to be platooned – at least not until we have a clearer picture. Being a “baseball rat” doesn’t mean anything. It didn’t keep Franklin from swinging away like a blind man last season. Miller isn’t much of a threat, just a decent-hitting SS. The ‘pen also lost one of it’s better pitchers in Perez. NRIs don’t get me excited. Kuma’s finger could be stiff or sore and could affect how he pitches. Erasmo needs to remember how to throw strikes. Paxton and Walker MIGHT be ready.
Even if half those things you mentioned somehow turn out favorably for the M’s, they’re maybe — maybe — the third best team in the AL West.
I agree it would be difficult but Hart and Cano (and Rasmus if there was a deal) is not too shabby middle of the order, add in young promising Miller, Zunino and Seager and they will get by. Not world beaters but certainly improved. If Walker and Paxton are even close to what people think they can be they’d have 4 very strong in their SP with a good bullpen.
I am not sure Angels have the pitching, that the As weren’t just playing way over their heads last season, and that the Rangers have the pitching.
This is of course assuming they got Rasmus as he might not be all that special but he could get you twenty plus homers and provide some protection in the lineup. 85-90 wins is a real possibility imho. BTW I’m a Red Sox fan so I have no horse in this race. Just basing it on how good I think your young pitching is and underrated Zunino and Miller are.
Too many ifs. They aren’t the A’s. Trading Franklin for Rasmus is tantamount to throwing him away.
LOL, I am trying to be optimistic as I recently moved to Seattle area and plan to adopt the Ms and see some games. You aren’t making it easy!
I agree, the Mariners are my team too. But, they are still a couple of players away. As much I hate to say it, I think they need to sign Cruz, and they could still use a pitcher. It’s not that I like Cruz, we just need someone to protect Cano now, and he is really the only option.
If were talking about Rasmus…the only deal I would do with Toronto would be adding a bigger package and getting Bautista. Not sure what that would take though, since it’s probably too much. Otherwise, you can do better with Franklin. Maybe send Franklin and another piece for Gardner…
if Franklin is so good why can’t he start over Miller or push Seager? I am not sure the Ms can expect much in return for him except a high priced soon to be FA. I like the idea of Lagares. I imagine there is some talk going on about that as it just makes too much sense for both sides.
I wouldn’t mind Franklin for Rasmus
I’m sure you wouldn’t. I would rather stash Franklin in AAA for a year and save him for a bigger deal. When he’s hitting .300 in Tacoma with 25 homers, he’s going to be a big part of something better than Rasmus. Rasmus has more sub .700 OPS years in the last three years than .800+ OPS years. He’s not a guarantee.
The M’s management wouldn’t. Rasmus only has a year of control left.
I would do it we could add a few players and take Bautista off your hands 🙂
I’m sure Sandy Alderson is exploring SS upgrades…but I don’t hate Tejada entirely and he could have somewhat of a bounce back year, but to expect him to be a .700+ OPS 2-3+ WAR SS is probably foolish, especially if he is going to play 150 games and get lots of AB’s vs. RHP. Perhaps Boras will crack and the Mets can sign Stephen Drew for closer to their price, and utilize Drew’s better #’s vs LHP, and Tejada’s vs RHP.
I think ideally though, and I believe I speak for all Mets fans, what we’d really love to see is Wilmer Flores prove he can play SS, rake at the MLB level like he has at all other levels, and just straight up win the full time starting job.
Franklin to the Mets for Juan Lagares?
Do the Mariners need OF’s?
Yes, especially a CF
Wait a week into the season when Brian Roberts goes on the DL. Trade Franklin for Brett Gardner or….. Ichiro.
Ichiro has almost no value and no one would want to take on his salary.
Those teams could easily split $6.5 mil
But why would they for someone who really shouldn’t be starting everyday?
Is Suzuki going to the bullpen this year? I would rather see the M’s move Franklin + in a Kemp deal if he’s healthy than for Gardner. The M’s need RH power not LH slap hitters. Pass on Gardner and his injury prone quick twitch muscles.
Kemp’s not going anywhere. Longtime Mariners fit Andre Ethier, however….
No Kemp, no big deal. Keep him and Either and their contracts.
Don’t bank on the M’s chasing left handers–especially lefties that can’t hit LHP.
Meh. Another lefty hitter and bad fielder, who makes WAY too much. Not getting Franklin for that.
No way. Maybe a few years ago, but there’s no way that happens now. Ethier would be better suited for someone like the Orioles.
No they need a corner OF/1B/DH type.
Haha. I don’t think we have enough with Hart, LoMo, Smoak, and not to mention Monerto and Choi and Peterson
No. They need more 1B/DH types. They only have 3 right now, so they could use a couple more.
I’d give you a ‘like’ Stevil, but so many people won’t and don’t understand.
Hmm, a deal around those two players might work for both teams if the Mets actually think Franklin can handle SS. Mariners don’t really have a true CF so Lagares could makes sense.
If Franklin is someone the Mets really like and think could be a franchise-type SS, that’d be a tough deal to pass up. I love Lagares’ glove, the dude is sick out in CF, and although he could improve with the bat (hopefully he does), not sure anyone expects him to become anything particularly special offensively.
The other problem for the Mets would be then you’re filling one hole and creating another. Chris Young/Granderson/and EY JR in OF? Eh, EY JR should be a bench player.
They could sign Cruz.
Mariners don’t have a legitimate outfielder, period.
When Saunders is healthy, he’s a legitimate outfielder. After he recovered from his shoulder injury he OPS’d close to .800.
Saunders has been a disappointment again and again. I used to have a lot of hope for him, but it’s been five years and he hasn’t developed. He’s had a few flashes here and there but he’s not a starting OF on a good team.
Edgar Martinez OPS .619 at age 26. Age 27 was his first year over .800. Some people just start slower. If Saunders can put up an .800 OPS that’s a valuable OFer.
Ackley OPS’d over .800 in the 2nd have after HoJo got his hands on him in Tacoma where Ackley OPSd over .900.
HoJo is going to square these kids away after being messed with by Wedge. I loved the Brendon Ryan quote the other day that the M’s told him to hit for power. LOL
Saunders was really good to start the year, ran into a wall and was bad, got better and was really good again. Now is a very bad time to give up on him.
He has developed. If you take out the 2 months he was forced to play injured, because the M’s had no OF depth, he was one of the M’s best hitters last season. And despite the numbers, he’s a decent fielder, especially in a corner. One of the writers at SSI goes to M’s a lot of M’s games and thinks his “defensive metrics” suffered last season because he was being positioned too shallow and had guys like Bazooka Joe and Harang tossing meatballs, so he was constantly sprinting for the warning track trying snag deep flies. He has scouting reports to back up his assessment.
Either for franklin
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
He’s expesive and no better than Saunders now. Saunders is getting to his prime and getting better, Either is getting older and starting to decline. 12 homers?
Dude needs a change of scenery. Dodgers need 2b man. Since guerrero isnt transitioning well.
Sure, Dude can go to the Marlins. The M’s have an entire infield that hits left handed. They don’t need any left handed dudes. Hart, Zunino, Romero and Buck are going to have to carry the load vs lefties.
He aint going to.the marlins
12 homers and a .783 OPS largely driven by OBP and he’s owed pretty much $18 mill a year for 4 years? He’s likely not going anywhere.
Literally every one who has seen him play says Franklin can’t play SS. Mets would be better off with what they have, although I could maybe see them do a musical chair thing with 2B and ship their current guy to Toronto.
I’d do that. Too bad it won’t happen. Z will end up trading Franklin for a mediocre relief pitcher and a toolsy prospect that won’t pan out.
You know it’s true.
Perfect. The Jays have lots of mediocre relievers and toolsy prospects that won’t pan out. How about Brett Cecil and Anthony Gose?
It’s probably in the works as we speak.
Yup. Exactly.
And?
I would not want Franklin for Lagares…
Trading Franklin seems like the obvious route, but what player(s) would interested teams be willing to part with to acquire the young middle infielder?
It shouldn’t be obvious. But if they could land someone like Jennings from Tampa, I’d be on board.
Jennings is a very good young player, I don’t see why Tampa Bay would give him up for an unproven player and leave a hole in their OF
They wouldn’t give him up for just one prospect. I wasn’t suggesting they could swap players straight across. But they have Kevin Kiermaier coming up fast. He was a late call-up last season and there’s a good chance he’ll be back up fairly soon–if not out of spring. He’s the better center fielder of the two.
Tampa would likely move Jennings to left when Kiermaier settles in, though they have options. Point is, they could strengthen their middle infield depth considerably and probably net a decent Catching prospect, such as Hicks, at the same time. A trade would make some sense for Tampa.
If it were my call, I’d probably keep Jennings. But as a Mariner fan, it’s fun to consummate plans to acquire talent in brutal areas of need. The M’s really need outfield defense as much as they do offense.
Kyle Kendrick, John Mayberry Jr, and any underclassman draftee who hires an agent and then goes back to college
FOR
Nick Franklin
EDIT: I guess it’s too soon for the jokes.
Gross.
so a #5 starter and a 6th OF for Franklin? ummm
Franklin isn’t worth any more than that. In fact, that’s too much. Kendrick alone should be fine.
Kyle Kendrick? He of the 4.4 fWAR in 7 seasons for an impact bat at a premium position?
I hate to break it to you, but Nick Franklin didn’t show anything that makes him an impact bat.
You’re right. Beyond those >1 BB/K ratios and >150 wRC+ numbers in the high minors while playing a premium position, that Nick Franklin kid is worthless…
Oh, wait…
Yeah he really raked in the MLB last year…
Oh, wait…
Especially since, as everyone who knows anything knows, every single MLB hitter in history will always perform exactly as he did during his first ~400 MLB PA and that crazy-good MiL numbers over the course of ~2000 PA have absolutely zero correlation to MLB success.
Oh, and especially that a 22-year old MIFs are absolutely required to hit like Miguel Cabrera or Mike Trout just to have any value, whatsoever for a MLB club.
Holding your own at the plate while playing a premium defensive position in your first go-round at the league is immensely valuable. The average 2B with 300+ PA last year had a 92 wRC+. Franklin put up a 90 in his first go-round the league. If he’d been a 26-yo 1B putting up a 110, I bet you’d be absolutely giddy even though that’s comfortable worse than league average for the position and the age relative to competition means he would be less likely to improve upon it.
I’m used to a 150 wRC+ or better out of my 1B, 110 is absolutely awful for that old of a 1B. Also it is a defensive position but Nick Franklin is not a defender, his value comes from his bat.
No, you’re not. I guarantee it. 150 wRC+ are MVP-caliber type seasons. The total number of players at all positions with that type of performance was 10. The average starting MLB firstbasemen puts up is about 115-120. 110 is bad, but can be made up in age, defense and baserunning — not very easily for a 1B, mind you, but it can.
And you’re right to say that Franklin is a bat-first player at a non-bat position. The reason for that is because he hit better than most 1B in the high minors at a younger age while playing SS and 2B well enough.
How about Cliff Lee for Ramirez, Gillies and Aumonte? Oh dang it, we used that trade already. 🙂
Franklin for either
Either what? Finish your sentence, the suspense is killing me!
I wonder whether Ethier enough to get Franklin
He isn’t. Not unless the Dodgers are eating a lot of salary.
i could see a deal including Gose/Franklin
Gose isn’t worth anything. If the M’s are taking him for Franklin (more or less), every team in baseball will make an offer. They all have a Gose in AAA.
Are they going to trade Cano?
No
It was a joke…
Not getting Capuano hurts. Maybe sign Santana if the cash is right. Then deal Franklin for a true CF. Who that CF, im not sure, but we need one
White Sox have DeAza available but I don’t think they need an infielder.
Capuano will be 36 this year and had worse numbers than Joe Saunders last year. I don’t get all the love he gets. Keep the prospects to make a big deal at the trade deadline to put the team over the top. The M’s are fine in CF for now. Saunders is going to have a good year and there is no reason to trade our good prospects for people that won’t be as good as him this year.
Saunders is big and strong and runs like an elk. He’s going into his age 27 year where a lot of major leaguers have their break out season.
Worse year than Joe Saunders? That would be really hard to do. ERA isn’t everything, but Capuano’s was exactly a full run lower than Saunders’ with Saunders pitching half his games in an extreme pitchers’ park. How was Capuano worse than Saunders? Please tell us.
Capuano had a .298 BAA and a 1.45 whip. Saunders had a .296 BAA and a 1.41 whip. Capuano got hit and hit hard.
I like Junior Lake or Jeff Samardzija from the Cubs. I know Franklin is not worth both or even Samardzija alone. Cubs look weak in the infield though, unless they are saving 2b for Baez.
I also like Joc Pederson and think that might be a nice one for one swap.
That actually makes a little sense for the Dodgers perspective, but there’s no incentive for the Dodgers to make that trade, not when they just gave nearly 30 million for their “hopeful” starting 2b
Oh yeah I forgot about Alexander Guerrero
If it wasn’t for Guerrero, as a Dodger fan i’d gladly make that trade, straight up 1-1 challenge trades between prospects are fun, but it doesn’t make sense to trade a top 40 (consensus) prospect for depth/insurance
It does if they don’t think he can adjust to 2b this year. Or they decide to move Hanley back to 3B.
Franklin for kemp is a deal they’d probably do to.
I have a feeling a Kemp for Franklin deal would have been agreed to already if the Dodgers really had interest in it
The M’s don’t have any interest until he shows he is healthy. The M’s can afford to take on his contract and give quality pieces back in return. No deal gets done though until Kemp takes the field every day.
and if he does stay on the field and stay healthy, what’s the point of dealing him?
Getting a bucket of picks back and clearing money from the books to extend Hanley. Oh, that’s right, the Dodgers have more money than most countries and can pay $18 million per positions, including the bullpen.
Nevermind.
I assume you mean prospects? but if Kemp is healthy he’s a mid .800 OPS player with MVP upside who plays a premium position, why would you deal that?
Yes. Thanks for correcting me instead of bashing me!
Because you would rather play Puig and Joc Pederson and get a bucket of prospects from the M’s and clear $18 million off the books for the next 6 years? One of those things may not have value, but all three of them combined?
picks? how are they getting picks? teams can’t trade draft picks in MLB.
My head hurts. Read the comment above. He figured it out.
I would like to see us get Rasmus. Yes, he’s a lefty and he only has one year of control left, but if he would agree to sign an extension it could work. If he wouldn’t resign, what about one of the Yankees guys like Zoilo or one of their other prospects. The outfield is the only place theyu have Any depth
The Yankees have a lot of “4th outfielder” kinda guys. Zoilo Almonte has no speed, no power, but might be able to hit around .270 in the majors, I can’t see how anyone would want him. They have good young catchers though, but thats about it
Yeah but they do have Tyler Austin. He’s supposed to develop into a strong leadoff center fielder. Just what we need. Although I would love for Ackleyto have a breakout year
I’d like them to get Franklin, but I just don’t see them trading one of the few good prospects they have for him.
While I wouldn’t deal any of the big three (Harvey, Wheeler, Syndergaard) and would be hesitant to deal Montero, I wonder if the Mariners would have interest in Gee or Niese.
Of course not.
Gee and Niese are above average young pitchers, you overvalue Franklin.
They had average years last year. If I’m going to move Franklin, I’m targeting a little higher… at least to start. Why spend your cookies now when you don’t really know what you need. The M’s have been building to get to this point for 5 years. If it wasn’t for Cano, Buck, Rodney and Hart, the M’s would have had a team of a bunch of 23 to 27 year olds this year. Felix is only 27. Oh, and Kuma is 31 I think.
Paxton and Walker may be better than Gee and Niese this year. Felix and Iwakuma will be solid. The M’s brought in Baker, Rogers and Palmer to push Ramirez. Rogers had some solid MLB numbers before his injury. More than a K/IP. Gee and Neise can’t say they can do that.
They may be better than Gee but Niese has had a 3.58 or lower FIP two of the last 3 years, with any improvement he can be a quality #2 or a fantastic #3. To say two rookies will be better is ridiculous, the Cy Young Max Scherzer was thought of as a bust an traded for pennies on the dollar after being a hot prospect when he came up. Pitchers can develop slowly, if you want to make the playoffs I wouldn’t give the #3 and #4 spots in the rotation to rookies.
FIP shmefsmismeee. I get a little fed up with these made up numbers. Gee and Niese are contact pitchers that don’t strike guys out. Period. I would rather have Rogers. The guy K’s 9+/9.
With improvement… they will always be what they are, back of the rotation pitchers. #2’s and #3’s can miss bats. contact pitchers that K about 6.5/9. Can you say Jason Vargas? Oh, he came from the Mets org.
Paxton and Walker are pitching in the 4 and 5 spots. Sucks to be the Mariners.
Felix
Iwakuma
Baker/Rogers/Ramirez
Paxton
Walker
That’s an awful rotation.
Too much for Franklin. Especially Niese.
Given the years of team control and the fact that they play an extremely thing position, it seems like a fair deal from the Mets perspective (this under the assumption Franklin can play SS, if he can’t there’s no point). To me, it seems like the Mariners would want more.
Big mistake even thinking in this direction. Giving up Gee or Niese for a down year of Franklin would be like someone giving us a solid mid rotation starter for Ike. Not happening.
Most Met fans think a team should give up a top rotation starter for Ike.
Jack Z is on the phone with Cashman right now. “How about Cano for Masahiro Tanaka?”
Z*
Thanks, fixed
is that supposed to be funny? It’s not true, so if it’s not funny, what was the point of posting it?
Well of course it isn’t true. A post that’s based on the Mariners possibly dealing one of their infielders is prime territory for joking as to whether or not it’s Cano. Sorry to get in the way of your lack of a sense of humor.
Orioles? Clear upgrade over Jemile Weeks.
thought the O’s traded most of their of depth last year..
was thinking twins rf Oswaldo Arcia would be a good match for a franklin trade.
Arcia proved he can hit major league pitching, Franklin didn’t. The Twins would say no
Would be a great deal for the Phillies to pick up a young, controllable utility man to back up the aging core. Think about Cody Asche, Maikel Franco, Nick Franklin and Freddy Galvis as a new age infield heading forward. Only one move away from that but would Amaro pull the trigger, probably not.
The perfect player for the Mariners is a center fielder who hits lefties well. If they can trade Franklin for a similarly MLB-ready player that fits that mold they should do it. If they can only get a corner outfielder who’s more offensively-oriented but hits lefties well, they should probably still make the deal. The team was awful against lefties last year and haven’t improved much in that area.
So much for the Andre Ethier discussion…
To vastly improve Seattle’s outfield defense for the next six seasons, I would trade six years of Nick Franklin and the M’s Competitive Balance Round B draft pick to Miami for six years of righthand-hitting centerfielder Jake Marisnick and one of the Marlins’ two Competitive Balance Round A draft picks. Franklin and Marisnick, former (or current) Top 100 prospects who turn 23 next month, were exposed at the plate in their MLB debuts last season, but could have similar values going forward.
Why? Saunders is going to be fine in CF. Save Franklin for a deal for Smarkdjflsdjfslaaa or Price at the deadline or Kemp once he’s healthy.
Your spelling is spot on according to Will Farrell
You think Franklin is worth Price or Kemp? He is not even worth Samardjiza
No, but Franklin, Taylor, Diaz and maybe a lefty reliever like Furbush.
Price is going to demand two of the games premier prospects, that package can get Samardjiza for sure and possibly Kemp, but that is not going to get you Price.
I hope the Rays extend Price personally. But his price will go down a bit as his time of control withers. Not every GM is the KC GM or the MLB group that let Cleveland steal all the prospects for Colon back in the day.
I thought I replied to that. Franklin would only be a piece of course. I wouldn’t be crazy to think Franklin would be a 1 for 1 deal.
That package you responded with still isn’t worth Price though. They wanted Walker in any package so that tells you how much they want
Well, like I said, I hope Tampa extends Price. I like the Rays beating up on the AL East. By the end of next season Taylor is going to be one of the hottest SS prospects in the minors. One of the better defensive SS around, stole 38 bags last year took 84 walks and scored 108 runs. Oh, and he can hit a little. He had himself a pretty solid AFL this last year, too. Most of the Mariners really good prospects are in the majors right now. Teams with real talent have guys like Seager, Ackley, Miller and ever Franklin and Zunino aging a little longer in the minors.
Michael Saunders can’t play all three outfield positions at once and his UZRs suggest he is better-suited in the corners. I have no problems with Saunders in one outfield slot, but I’d like to keep Logan Morrison and Corey Hart out of the outfield.
Corey Hart should get plenty of time at DH. He’s not a slug if his knees are better. He’s stolen 20+ bases in a season. I read something online a guy put together about Saunders. They had him play really shallow last year so it affected his range. Also, I think he just looks slower in the OF because most CFers aren’t 6’5″. When I go to the airport and a 747 lands it looks like it travels a heck of a lot slower than a 737 because it’s so big. It’s not. UZR and most defensive metrics out there are eyeball metrics. It’s not like a base hit. There’s personal judgment. Ackley will settle in fine, too. He can play some LF when Saunders is in CF or CF when Saunders is in a corner (RF)
To be precise, Baseball Reference lists Michael Saunders at 6-4, 225 and Jake Marisnick at 6-3, 225. I’d be OK with Dustin Ackley in LF, Marisnick in CF and Saunders in RF because Marisnick easily has the best defensive reputation.
Well, this team needs to get more mature, not less. We’ve been trying to get younger for the last 3 years. Now we’re finally younger and adding decent vets and not Jack Cust as our MOTL bat.
I don’t know about the scouting on Marisnick, but Franklin has performed better at AAA and the Majors. Is Marisnick a true CF?
Jake Marisnick has played all of his MLB innings, and the vast majority of his minor league innings, in centerfield. The Oliver projections are wildly optimistic about Marisnick’s defensive skills. The Baseball America Top 100 prospect list ranked Marisnick No. 67 in 2012, No. 64 in 2013 and No. 79 this morning in the 2014 rankings.
Want.
The M’s will be fine vs lefties. Hart can play 1B or RF, Zunino can DH and Buck can catch. The M’s have a young kid who can platoon vs lefties in Romero who can cover an OF spot if necessary. Morrison had decent splits vs LHP the last time he was healthy. Ackley has never had issues with lefties. He’s just had issues with silly batting stances.
Eduardo Nunez, Francisco Cervelli or Austin Romine, and prospects for John Buck and Nick Franklin?
Throw in some more junk and it’s a deal.
I’m a Yankee fan and I find this funny.
@BadMLB
Why doesn’t this article mention Smoak? Is he unlikely to be traded?
What do the Mariners need? I’d love for my White Sox to take a run at him.
A new GM. A good CF. A good RF. A real 1B. Bullpen depth. Another starter. A cooler mascot.
I’d love Nick Franklin
He’s probably taken.
He is not getting proper love, I would cuddle him every night and never put him on the trade block.
Dayan Viciedo or Alejandro De Aza as a starting point for Franklin.
De Aza for Franklin actually makes some sense. De Aza is a really solid player.
He’s mediocre and expensive. I’d rather just play Almonte and put Franklin in a deal for someone good.
De Aza is cheap, he is in his first year of arbitration next year so he is basically free. And his 7 WAR over his last 338 games or just over 2 seasons says he is closer to an All-Star than he is mediocre. Edit he had his first year this year.
He making $4MM and WAR depends on the source. He doesn’t look impressive offensively or defensively, and the M’s have enough of those guys running around the OF. He’s also getting old and is a FA in 2016.
29 is definitely not old, that gives him 6+ quality seasons left, Nick Franklin has not proven that he can give one quality season.
He’s 30 at the start of the season. And I said “getting” old, which he is. He doesn’t have much upside left. I don’t think he’s an improvement over Saunders or Almonte and they might even outperform him.
I was thinking De Aza for Ackley, since the M’s wouldn’t need him in CF if they had De Aza, and Ackley could start at 2B for the Sox.
Ackley is in no way worth De Aza, I don’t think you understand that De Aza is a top 10-12 CF in the MLB.
Alejandro De Aza, who turns 30 in April, remains under team control only through the 2015 season after ranking 16th among centerfielders in WAR last season with a modest 2.2. The Mariners don’t need another lefthanded bat in a lineup that is already too lefthanded. Four years of 25-year-old Dustin Ackley is too much to give up.
The thing your forgetting is that Ackley has been pretty terrible the last 2 years
I think the Braves should be all over Franklin. they could eat a huge portion of Uggla’s contract and give the Mariners the power hitting DH they need. Works well for both teams.
Uggla is a worse hitter than Franklin and he is old, unless they throw in a couple nice prospects then you are a ridiculous homer
Do you realize that only the Baltimore Orioles hit more homeruns last year than the DH-rich Seattle Mariners?
How about four years of centerfielder/secondbaseman Dustin Ackley for four expensive years of centerfielder B.J. Upton and cash? The 25-year-old Ackley plays the two positions the Braves filled last year with players who last season posted lines of .184/.268/.289/.557 and .179/.309/.362/.671. The 29-year-old righthand-hitting Upton averaged 3.7 WAR annually in the six seasons preceding last year’s debacle.
Its obvious the M’s are wanting veteran players…..Cano, Hart, LoMo, Rodney. Although he has been struggling Uggla fits their bill.
Um, no. Ahhhhh. You got me! Hahahaha!
I bet Atlanta would love Franklin instead of Uggla. Why did the Braves ever sign him? Of course, he’s not Chone Figgins bad.
Chone Figgins is not Prince Fielder bad.
You messing with me? I thought I was the only guy in the world that saw the Fielder signing as a dead weight. I did see picks of Fielder and he’s lost some weight, so maybe there is hope. Still, I have a feeling in my gut that he’s going to decline early. Then again, maybe that’s just gas.
No he is already on a crazy decline, he has no pop. His swing is long and has no bat speed. He hit 25 homers last year and swung for the fences every swing. I don’t think he has power for more than 30 homers or the bat speed to hit above .280 again, and oh my is his defense awful. He is not a good player.
I love to hear stuff like that. Not that I’m wishing anyone bad luck. I’m just going to enjoy gloating on my Mariner board at all the guys that were upset the M’s let him get away on a 9 year deal.
Kyle Seager would bring back more than either Franklin or Miller, then they could move Franklin to third, just like they did with Seager. I wonder if the Brewers would be willing to part with Carlos Gomez for a package that included Seager. They’d probably be more willing for that than one including Franklin. It would be a risky strategy, but at some point you have to start putting value out there if you want to get something in a trade.
As a cardinal fan, if we dont sign diaz, would a package of jon jay and tyler lyons and say the lefty sam freeman net us either franklin or miller and a low level prospect. I know the cards dont necessarily need either but i think petalta will age quickly at short. The pieces could be interchanged but was wondering as mariners fans what you think it would take
No. Sorry. Not a chance in hell would the Mariners trade Franklin for that value.
Not for a lefty reliever who throws low 90’s and an up and coming lefty starter and a career 300 hitting centerfielder. Sounds like you over value franklin, who you guys are looking to move anyway. I would even switch jay for the outfielder we just got from the angels. Gridchuk? I think his name is.
With that said, I do think the cards could match up with the Mariners for one of your younger starters. Not saying one for one for like Miller or Wacha, but someone else with pieces in the mix from Mariners side as well.
You think they would do lynn and a young reliever named rondon for miller or franklin and a low level prospect or international slot money? I think these 2 teams match up well for a trade.
The Mariners are looking for a right handed outfield bat before they are looking for a CF. So I don’t think Jon Jay would have much appeal. Allen Craig though…
I know everyone overvalues their players but craig is a proven beast. Not sure cards would part with craig. Now adams is a different story. But adams is strictly dh and firstbase capable
What do you think it would take, besides Franklin, to get Lance Lynn and John Jay from the Cards?
I think the cards would probably trade you jay and lynn for miller or franklin and an international draft pool slot money. With taveras coming jay is redundant for our team who is left handed heavy. With all the pitching surplus lynn could be traded before he starts really getting paid.
How about a deal centered on Franklin for Will Venable of San Diego?
Two years of 31-year-old outfielder Will Venable won’t be enough to land 22-year-old infielder Nick Franklin. The Mariners probably aren’t looking to add another lefthanded bat to a lineup that is already too lefthanded.
Sorry about that, totally that mixed up Venable’s stats with Kyle Blanks. Hmmm, back to the drawing board. If only we could pry Springer away from Houston!
The Ms need to trade both miller and franklin to the mets for ruben tehada(sorry about the mispellingof the last name) so that way the mets can use them if one of their infielders go down
Why would the Mariners trade both Miller and Franklin for Tejada who would be a downgrade.
because the ms would save a lot of money
Robbie Cano to the Yanks.
Aaron Hicks, on a 1-1 deal would help the Twins, who need some MI help. About an even as trade as your gonna find. Both top prospects, who struggled a little in their major debuts. Hicks maybe has a little more upside and the Twins might not be willing to give up on him. But Hicks can play a pretty good cf and the M’s need somebody like that.
I could see that, as he would be a younger CF with potential. Though, if the Mariners do sign someone like Cruz, then they have Saunders to man CF. I’d still like to give Hicks a chance in Seattle though…
Smoak to the Brewers for Mike Fiers, Rob Wooten and Sean Halton.
(Brewers taking a gamble on Smoak, and M’s taking a gamble on Fiers. Both had a good year, then slumped badly since.
Mets should be all over this with Franklin, but strictly as a 2nd baseman. Seattle would be more inclined to retain Miller and for a higher price. If the Mets were to acquire Franklin, they could have him start out in Vegas for more seasoning and to work out some drawbacks (I.E. high strikeouts), while their incumbent 2nd baseman Murphy builds up his value offensively. Should both get hot simultaneously, sell high on Murphy & insert Franklin at 2nd, upgrading defensively both at 2nd & the middle infield in general.