Julio Rodriguez didn’t give the Mariners much of a choice. The team announced Monday that the 21-year-old outfielder, who is near-universally ranked among MLB’s top three prospects, has made its Opening Day roster.
Rodriguez obliterated Cactus League pitching, appearing in a dozen games and slashing .419/.471/.839 with three home runs and four doubles through 34 trips to the plate. He tacked on three stolen bases in four attempts, also flashing his wheels when he circled the bases on an inside-the-park home run, and drew three walks against nine strikeouts.
The massive spring showing comes on the heels of a similarly explosive minor league campaign in 2021. Playing the entire season at age 20 — he turned 21 in December — Rodriguez split the year between Class-A Advanced and Double-A, slashing a combined .347/.441/.560 with 13 home runs, 19 doubles, two triples and 21 stolen bases in just 340 plate appearances. (Rodriguez missed time during the regular season to suit up for the Dominican Republic in the Olympics.)
With just 46 Double-A games under his belt, the Mariners might’ve had a defensible case to keep Rodriguez down in the minors to begin the season had he shown any sign of struggles in camp. But with such a blistering performance in the Cactus League and perhaps in part thanks to the new Prospect Promotion Incentives in the 2021-26 collective bargaining agreement, he’ll instead leapfrog the Triple-A level entirely and get the chance to prove he’s ready to face the sport’s very best pitchers.
Rodriguez figures to join an outfield rotation that also includes offseason acquisition Jesse Winker, veteran right fielder Mitch Haniger and another touted, hopeful building block in Jarred Kelenic. Rodriguez figures to see the bulk of playing time in center field during the early portion of his career, though both Kelenic and Haniger have experience there as well. It’s a talented outfield group has sky-high offensive potential, though both Rodriguez and Kelenic will need to prove that they’re able to handle big league pitching at such young ages. Thus far at least, Rodriguez has been up to the task at virtually every step of his professional career.
Scouting reports on Rodriguez gush over his potential not just to emerge as the face of the Mariners but one of the best players in all of MLB. Baseball America touts Rodriguez’s 80-grade raw power (on the 20-80 scale) and places 70 grades on both his hit tool and his in-game power, noting that while his most impressive long balls are to the pull-side, he can hit the ball out of the park to all fields “with shocking ease.” The Athletic’s Keith Law calls him a potential “long-term cleanup hitter who’ll challenge for MVP awards with 30-40 homers, high OBPs and, at least, solid defense in right field.” Superlatives of this nature are easy to find, as scouts and talent evaluators all agree that Rodriguez looks every bit like a star in the making.
Whether that translates immediately remains to be seen, of course, and for all the lofty expectations placed on Rodriguez, it’s worth recalling that not every ballyhooed prospect hits the ground running. Mike Trout hit .220/.281/.390 in 40 games as a rookie. Ronald Acuna Jr. had a .742 OPS through his first 42 games. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was five percent better than league-average with the bat as a rookie in 2019. The mere fact that Rodriguez is ranked so highly that he can even be mentioned alongside talents of that nature is impressive in and of itself, but not every top prospect breaks down the big league door and thrusts himself into MVP conversation from the jump, a la Juan Soto.
If Rodriguez is indeed in the Majors to stay, he’ll remain under club control all the way through the 2027 season. He’d reach arbitration after the 2024 season, although it’s quite possible that via the newly implemented bonus pool for pre-arbitration players, he’ll boost his earnings beyond the standard minimum (or close to it) levels for pre-arb players. That’ll depend on Rodriguez’s overall performance and his finish in Awards voting over the next few seasons. If he fares well, it’s also possible that the Mariners will be awarded some bonus selections in future drafts, under the previously mentioned “prospect promotion incentives” put in place under the new CBA.
All that aside, Rodriguez’s immediate promotion to the big leagues is cause for Mariners fans to celebrate. Expectations surrounding the club have rapidly escalated in recent years, due in no small part to last year’s 90-win season and a vaunted farm system headlined by their new Opening Day center fielder. The hope of both the team and fans alike will be that Rodriguez can play a pivotal role in snapping what has become the longest playoff drought not only in MLB but in the NBA, NFL and NHL. The last time the Mariners made the playoffs, Rodriguez had not yet celebrated his first birthday. If the Mariners indeed break through into October baseball this year, there’s a good chance that Rodriguez will have played a considerable role — but for now, fans can simply look forward to getting their first look at a potential franchise cornerstone just over 72 hours from now.
Hector Gomez of Z101 Deportes first reported the news a few minutes before Seattle’s formal announcement (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
[Cries in Joey Cora]
I guess you can catch JP and Julio down by the baseball yard.
Good for him!
Should be a great competition for AL Rookie of the Year. You have to think Bobby Witt Jr. and Rodriguez are the favorites, but there are a lot of young players who made opening day rosters this season (Torkelson, etc.) who could also press for the award. It’s refreshing to see great young talent come into the league. MLB needs more of this.
As World Champions, we request that the Mariners overthrow the Astros in 2022. Who would you be to turn down the request of champions?
They were an average team that had a better record than they should have due to an unreal amount of luck that went their way. They will be lucky to have the same record as last season, even with the improvements they made. The West won’t be competitive at all for Houston.
I’m not suggesting that Seattle will win it all. I just want some team besides Houston to win the AL West…even though my team took the Astros down in the World Series. I think Seattle has the best chance regardless of how realistic it actually is.
Won’t happen. Seattle is due for a regression (won’t be as noticeable since they did add some good pieces). Luck doesn’t typically last more than one season. Now, I don’t think they are too far away from being at Houston’s level, but it isn’t this season.
They also added significantly to their roster, saying ‘they were lucky last year so they will automatically be unlucky this year’ is not based in reality.
New set of 162 games, much improved team. Their division also improved which is a consideration however it’s spread out. Seattle has a good chance to be a great team this year with or without last years luck.
Their additions will mask the regression. If they added 14 wins to their roster, and the luck goes make to normal, they have the same record they had last season.
If they didn’t add the new talent they would be a .500 team. That is based in reality. Luck doesn’t typically translate across multiple seasons. Sure, it could happen, but it isn’t likely.
And why do you want somebody to dethrone us? Because the media has spoon fed you that we are evil cheaters who deserve bad things to come our way? The AL West is full of terrible organizations. The Rangers just paid 500 million dollars on 2 players. The Angels couldn’t pitch a tent on solid ground in clear weather. The A’s play in a stadium that the Raiders have abandoned twice. And the new media darlings, the Mariners, haven’t played in the postseason since George W. Bush ‘s first year in office.
Maybe it’s because people are tired of seeing the Astros in the ALCS every single year and the World Series every other year.
What is your definition of great team? The word great has become above average this millennium for some reason. A great team to me is 100 wins in the regular season. If the Mariners do that this year ill be speechless
Media did nothing. It is what the Astros did. Not only cheated, but doubled down and acted entitled and without remorse. Definitely want to see their comeuppance.
Whatever, José
Still see all 3 Wild Cards coming out of the East. I think the Mariners will have to run Houston down.
I also think they can do that.
That Manfred Kool-aid sure is delicious. Entire league proven to be using industrial glue to enhance pitching grip but only the Astros stole signs electronically to combat it? Pay no attention to the Red Sox or yankees applewatches and sealed letter in new york superior court.
I want the Mariners to dethrone you because I am a Mariner fan. I won’t get into the whole cheating thing because it is well known except by many Astros who deny it or double down and say it wasn’t CB cheating. You hear a lot less from those guys but they were there in the beginning. I doubt we win the WS but do think we make the playoffs. Will be a fun season barring injury.
The additions aren’t the only thing that will counter regression. Young talent continuing to improve will, as well. If Kelenic is anything like September Kelenic all season, then he’ll be a very good player. Gilbert will likely take a step forward. France, Crawford, and Toro could improve. It’s not as cut and dry as the peripherals saying regression is imminent.
I have no ill will towards the mariners. I hope nothing but the best for them. Scott servais deserves a talented team and di poto has really improved that entire organization. I just dont believe a team relying on kids so young can win big. Losing kyle seager hurts. He was their chipper jones so to speak
@Ducky- Think it’ll be hard for 4 teams from one division to make the playoffs when they’re all beating each other up.
I am not insensitive to that, @myaccount12.
However: would have been the case last season. The East is Really Good, man. I think the biggest issue there will be if Baltimore becomes less of a pushover. But the top 4 clubs in the East are all playoff caliber teams.
48-team MLB: Would you rather see the Yankees or the Red Sox every other year instead?
You can’t figure regression for a team as a whole. You have to figure n the new individuals. This team is undoubtedly improved.
Xcfan- how many times do they have to apologize. Every single player apologized and did it multiple times. Eventually you get tired of apologizing for something, especially when you are a fall-guy for a league wide issue. It would get exhausting after a while. You are the one choosing to not see the remorse.
I’ll settle for just making the playoffs lol.
@Ducky- No doubt! There are 4 legitimate teams in that division and one that is slowly getting there. I appreciate the top 4 trying as hard as they are.
It’s a blast!
I know as a Yankee fan, I am supposed to project a jaded outlook towards something as banal & “trivial” as a Wild Card spot. I do try at that.
However: that 3 team scrum for the WC last September right in our division was…well, I found it exciting, man. Please don’t tell the other Yankee guys on the board I admitted that, however.
Appearances sake & all.
They worry about me already.
I would rather see different teams each year. Mariners, Tigers, White Sox, A’s, Orioles, Royals for example…
Moore Betts had a career year when he knew what was coming with the Red Sox.
@Astros2017- That was more for jjd, but I hear you. I do think losing Seager hurts the clubhouse, but this was such a tight knit team last year, I don’t think chemistry will suddenly crumble. Suarez is known as a good clubhouse guy, Winker seems like he’s willing to be a leader, Haniger certainly is, Crawford certainly is, and I think Kyle Lewis will be when he’s back in the clubhouse.
Jjd- your luck comment would be logical if Seattle fielded a similar team to the 2021 team. You might see some BP regression but the sky is the limit with this 2022 team.
Our rotation is so much better this year. Not just because we signed the reigning AL Cy Young but because we have a staff with 3 guys that have electric stuff- last years OD starter Marco Gonzales is probably our 5th best SP now.
In that SP5 spot the rookie Matt Brash is electric, he’s a stud w a sky high ceiling like Julio. He was not only the best SP in Mariners camp he was one of THE best SP’s in all MLB camps. Only 3-4 pitchers had better Camps. Sure it’s a SSS and his 0.96 ERA and 0.54 WHIP in ST don’t mean much but it was how he went about those numbers.
His 97-99mph FB with run is a heavy pitch that makes MLB veterans uncomfortable. His 80 grade slider made guys like Kris Bryant and CJ Cron look foolish. If our rotation stays healthy we will be right there with HOU. Watch…
No regression. Run differential doesn’t tell the whole story. And define luck.
Sure, there was some luck last season, but one can infer positive things from the M’s going 34-19 in one-run games. I don’t think there will be regression this season. They should win at least 90 games with improved offense, a good rotation like Ayrbhoy says, and a bullpen similar to last year.
Luck is the residue of design…..according to Branch Rickey
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Coach Wooden.
L_abor
U_nder
C_ontrolled
K_nowlege
Byron
They will win the west. Houston got worse by a pretty big amount and the Mariners and Rangers took huge steps forward.
JD is a Angel fan that still thinks his team sucks because of Dipoto. I asked for a hint at the shelf life for the hate. They are just mad they see the Ms get better and are exact opposites in minor league rankings.
Seattle will undoubtedly take a drop with Julio gone but still top 10 at least top 15 at worse. It does suck to keep seeing your team ranked low in minors ranks and your team sucks. Been through it for many years.
Looks like Souza is going to be the locker room guy. JP will be there along with Haniger and Marco. I am pretty sure the team could care less if a bitter Angel fan thinks we won’t be as good because we won’t be as lucky.
Funny thing about luck is it is out there but you have to grab it and capitalize on it. Here is to Seattle capitalizing on every chance especially against the Angels JD will be screaming at his TV they can’t be lucky 2 years in a row. I said so.
I’m not an Angels fan. And, look at historical data from other teams that had a negative run differential and/or a lot worse expected w/l than their actual record ended up being – teams that get as lucky as they did last season don’t do it 2 seasons in a row. The numbers are out there for all to see.
For this team the run differential is false when using it to show if the team is competitive or not. They had a handful of games where they threw in the towel. Saving the good rp arms for another day. Specifically series versus Padres and Astros. M’s chose to use bp days instead of calling up prospects before they were ready. If not for that they could have caught the Astros. Just wasn’t there time. Different this season.
So they threw in the towel in 14 games? I understand bullpen days, as my team had them too. Fans of all the other teams that had similar seasons to the Mariners’ season all said the same sort of stuff and thought their team was better than they were. All then ended up regressing then next season. The Mariners will not be any different.
The throwing in the towel comment is misleading, frankly- he should’ve used a different way to communicate what actually happened.
What he is alluding to is a stretch of games where Seattle played some high scoring offenses while it was dealing with some injuries. The CWS series and one of the HOU series (maybe one additional series) were the single cause of that -55 minus run differential. The team was slightly above .500 in Run Diff if you take out those 2-3 series.
Your comment regarding “all then ended up regressing the next season” – that is true for the rosters of teams who mainly stay the same. Half of Seattles lineup has been improved: 4 brand new players in Frazier, Winker, Suarez, Julio Rodriguez, Kelenic was a totally different player Sept/Oct – has carried that into Camp. Back to back 2R HRs in last 2g. Thats 5 players who are upgrades on last yr.
2 SP’s are clear upgrades on last yr. We signed an Ace. 3 new BP additions to help stave off regression. Depth for days with Toro, Torrens, Moore, Hamilton and Souza. Top Pitching prospects in the minors ready to back us up should we have any injuries. So you see- your “ all teams who have that much a deficit in Runn Diff regress comment doesn’t apply here.
Thanks for clearing up what I was trying to get across. The other team was the Padres. I could barely recognize most of the starting lineup in that series due to injuries. Was a nightmare.
Padres!! You’re right bro- our pitchers got LIT up that series.
My theory there- as long as there are Padres staff or players who watched that 2016 game where we erased a 10 Run deficit to win 16-13 on their turf- They will never EVER take their foot off the gas when playing us!! Haha they certainly didn’t that series!!!
Seattle is extremely lucky! Still!
I’m glad to see Julio, and several other big name prospects, make opening day rosters. However now I have to ask which of the Mariners OFs becomes the primary DH? Also what happens to Kyle Lewis when he’s back? It’s a good problem for the Mariners to have and even as a fan of another team, I’m happy to see they’re a team on the rise
They’re going to rotate through DH based on handedness I’m guessing. Kelenic and Julio need full seasons worth of at bats so I’m guessing Winker and Haniger share the primary load at DH with Lewis getting reps there too upon his return. Luckily Haniger is a FA after this year and that helps clear things up going forward.
Yeah that’s what I figured. It might be bad for club chemistry, but I wonder if they’d consider trading Haniger for pitching, assuming J Rod, Kelenic, and Winker are all playing well
Wouldn’t shock me at all to see Haniger moved at the deadline.
I would hate to see Haniger traded….but now I think it’s the best by the trading deadline as long as Julio is raking and Lewis is back with Winkler and Kelenic. Toro and Frazier are ripping the covers off the ball if that continues you need to figure out a way to keep Toro in the lineup 80% of the time. Seattles top pitching is DEEP in the minors as one of the strongest in MLB. Atlanta wanted Haniger before his injuries and was willing to sacrifice their entire Farm system for him at that time. San Diego is absolutely desperate for good OFers…but has a serious luxury tax threshold to deal with now that they landed Manea.
Contenders are NOT going to sacrifice MLB top SP for Haniger, but Haniger would be a great tool to load up on even more top SP depth in the minors from Padres or Braves etc. even if Seattle come July is a strong contender I can see them pulling off a trade to stock the Farm even more with Haniger…as long as “all” other OFers are pulling their weight.
Haniger alone wouldn’t get a big named SP but the Mariners could package a prospect or two with him. They could also get a third team involved, presumably a contender from the NL, and get Luis Castillo from the Reds
Yep that’s what I’m thinking too!
Hanger could get a big name pitcher. He killed it last year.
You all make good points, however I think its a bad idea to trade him. A push for a postseason run takes precedence over the ROI from 2-3 months of Hanigers contract.
I would also add : if you feel you should trade Haniger because the M’s have too many young OFers- you would have the same problem if you look for ML ready Starting Pitching in return.
A Starting Pitcher would block Kirby, Brash, Levi Stoudt and Emerson Hancock. You might say- well you cant have enough good pitching. To that I say- you cant have enough Mitch Hanigers.
Someone above mentioned a lack of playing time possibly affecting the clubhouse chemistry. Trust me, they will not have that problem. A little over half of this team went thru the Minors together. They are a tight bunch. Haniger (paired w JP) is the undeniable leader of that clubhouse. It would be foolish to trade him imo
While I’m happy to see these young players arrive, I hardly think any team is motivated by that new rule. Seattle isn’t hoping that they will get a draft pick in exchange for J-Rod’s Prime age 27 season. They just feel they are in a win now mode. Let me know how the rule effects rebuilding clubs.
That’s the takeaway for me. If you expect to be in contention, the advantage of being at full strength from G1, plus maybe some fan excitement, might be worth some of what you lose by losing that 7th year. Promoting a guy so that you can win 68 instead of 64, still makes no sense to me.
But it is actually more important to make sure they are ready. The casual fans assume all prospects are ready. They aren’t. To me, a guy like Adell wasn’t even close when he was promoted. Even a guy like Kelenic only carried a 49/17 K/W in A+ and 17/8 in AA. They probably could’ve given him a little more time in AAA, but that was marginal.
I personally don’t see any rule where rebuilding teams would bring top prospects up. Definitely not a salary cap floor which is the worst suggestion ever and doesn’t solve any problems whatsoever and anyone suggesting it, is so ignorant to every other sport it’s not funny.
The only thing that would work is if the league and PA work something out with the cba where each spot in the standings is worth money. This way owners have a incentive to win as many games as possible even if they’re in last place because the difference between 60 wins and 65 might be 3 spots in the standings which if you made the tiers wide enough would make the owners compete for every win.
If he comes out the gate strong and they’re in contention, they can get a pick. If he struggles, they can send him down for a couple weeks and get the extra year. The pick likely incentivized the opening day call up, because they can always send him down if it doesn’t work out.
gonna be fun to watch this year!
Congratulations on making the Mariners Opening Day roster Julio! Well deserved!
A new era in Mariners baseball is finally here!
Everyone but the Pirates doing the right thing
Cubs sent down Brennan Davis as well.
Stop it. The Pirates signed Jose Quintana and Dan Vogelbach, didn’t they?
Apples and Oranges, david, but you just couldn’t resist rehashing the same tired joke that’s been seen everywhere else. The M’s window opened a year or two early and they’ve added pieces to improve upon that. The Bucs just aren’t there yet (JT Brubaker is their Opening Day SP!) and it makes sense to see what they have with some of these lotto tickets.
Pirates are following the blueprint on what some other teams have done to be a sustainable winner only the most ignorant fans seem to have a problem with that.
@iverbure
The Pirates may be trying to do that but the problem is that they’ve been completely irrelevant for three decades now aside from one short three-year run that resulted in two Wild Card Game losses and one NLDS loss.
Well it sure looks a hell of a lot different than what the Brewers and Cardinals do. They actually sign a free agent here and there and draft good players. Same story with the Pirates. Past regime couldn’t scout/draft, give the new guys a chance, hopefully things will be better but need on field progress very soon. No hope for the rotation for the next two years. Even a team like the Marlins is competitive because of their amazing rotational depth.
Exactly. And the Bucs aren’t THAT much of a poorer relation than the Brewers or Cards. AND they have PNC, a marketable asset in and of itself, and whose value is quickly diminishing because of the Pirates performance.
The tanking model is of course a myth; the Astros succeeded because they a ton of money, and the Cubs succeeded because they have TWO tons of money. The real way to build a consistent competitor is to build a winning culture, where players (and of course fans) come to the park every day thinking they have a chance to win. You have to weave prospects n with veterans, realizing the great margin of error projecting both groups bring .The Cards, Brewers, Rays, Indians, A’s, etc. etc. etc. do it that way; and it works.
Welcome to the padres, Mitch Haniger!
The Padres have underachieved. However, they are still more likely to make the playoffs than the Mets (aka Rochester Rabbits).
Trammell got no mention in the article, curious
Because Trammell is not particularly good?
wonder what Seattle will do with him
Didn’t Alan Trammell Retire 25 some years ago?
It’s what happens after this that counts.
We’ve all seen all kinds of spring-training flashes of glory and talent over the years.
But now the going gets serious. Pitchers start keeping their books on hitters and sharing every weak spot.
Everybody’s out to get you.
.
A small sample size in spring training should not be used to make the decision to make the roster for a 21 year old prospect. He only has 205 plate appearances at AA and zero at AAA. Let the young man fully develop as opposed to getting his first dose of failure at the major league level. We’ve been here before with the Mariners.
I watched him play.
The young man is ready for a shot.
Harper and Soto came up at 19.
Rolls eyes.
Pease let us know when you’ll have something of value to contribute.
BRay- There are more factors in Julio’s promotion than his (SSS) in this years Camp. Its much more than that. For one Its how he did it- with elite EV’s off good MLB pitching- nasty pitchers like CLE’s Emmanuel Clase. He also showed an ability to bounce back from his worst game v CHI where he struck out 3 times, had a base running error and
a dropped ball in CF. That quality is a must in the ML’s.
The M’s badly needed a CF. Take a look at the FA options this offseason-Starling Marte was the ONLY true CF option avail: he is a 33 yr old who received 4y @ $78M. Sure, the M’s could use his speed but that $$ and length of contract would block Julio and/or add to the already crowded spot at the DH spot.
The M’s are in win now mode- Julio has a higher ceiling than Starling Marte. Maybe not in SB’s but Julio has 70 grade power, the best Hit tool and arm of all M’s players. He has the potential to be not only the best Mariners player by the end of the 2022 season but one of THE best players in MLB.
If the M’s did not break camp with Julio the players in the clubhouse would be upset especially since the FO already promoted one rookie with limited AA experience- Matt Brash. Finally, the MLBPA forced a change to the Service Time parameters. If Julio does well the M’s receive a draft pick and further changes could be on the way next yr.
Is this a bad sign for Kelenic? Or will a different OF be moved out of the lineup? Asking from a fantasy baseball perspective
Bad for Lewis initially. Things happen.
Hank get to be traded, I bet.
Not a bad sign for Kelenic at all. The plan was always to have Kelenic and Rodriguez in the OF together anyway. It’s bad for Kelenic only if he had designs on playing CF.
If anything it’s good for Kelenic, it will take some pressure off him. He and Rodriguez can be a (more athletic version) of the “Bash Brothers” in the OF for at least the next 5-6 years.
Welcome to the show, JuRod!!!!!!!!
Pronounced “Who-Rod”.
Long season and you need depth. Julio is your everyday CF or he isn’t up. Lewis is the odd man out I’m afraid. If he can prove he’s healthy in AAA, I bet he’s dealt if some path to PT doesn’t appear.
No way Lewis is demoted. He is going to play at least 4 or 5 times a week. He will be rotating in at DH with Winker and Haniger. Kelenic may actually see his ABs dip a little if he’s unable to push his average above .250.
Why would they move Lewis if he’s healthy? Haniger is due to hit free agency after this season. and an extension became a little less likely after acquiring Winker, who is controllable through 2023.
It’s unlikely any of their outfielders are traded unless they fall out of contention early, and if that happens, Haniger would probably be the one who gets moved.
I’d think Kelenic is first in line for a demotion. No chance they send Lewis to AAA. He’s proven himself at the MLB level and was the clear cut ROY last time he was healthy enough to handle everyday ABs. Kelenic also still has (several) minor league options remaining. It appears J-Rod has been much quicker to develop than Kelenic, so the only real question in sending Kelenic down will be how does he handle that from a pride/psychological perspective – something that will be crucial for the M’s to consider and handle correctly.
Crazy stats. Guy was crushing it. Good luck in the majors. Let’s hope he wins the ROY.
they slow-played him last year just to have him start this year off in the Majors?
Slow played? Half year at A. Half year at AA. What’s your definition of Fast play? A 3 game series at each level?
I think they should have started him in AA last season
That’s never going to happen. How many players have ever skipped some level of A ball?
he ended 2019 in A+
My point exactly. He didn’t go straight to AA.
Darkside do you have any player development experience? Answer no. That’s what I thought.
That should put Haniger on the trade block..Get him AJ!
I think that’s premature. We don’t know how well Julio will acclimate. Adell came up and bombed hard at first, so did Kelenic. I think they’ll wait to see how ready Julio is before they go trading Haniger. If he plays well, though, a deadline deal of Haniger is a distinct possibility.
All that said, if there’s a team that matches up well as trade partners, it might be the Padres. Way too many starters and a strong need for a good OF. It makes a lot of sense for both sides.
The difference between Julio and Adell is the hit tool. Adell is a tremendous athlete with crazy skills but his hit tool was always in question. Julio has a much better hit tool. When you have a supposed 5 tool player but there hit tool is by far the lowest tool they have or even subpar there is a much greater chance of busting. I do have to agree, however, Julio hasn’t seen pitching above AA so who knows how he will react to that level pitching my guess is he will be fine.
Mariners overachieved last year. More than likely, they were a .500 ball club. But adding Robbie Ray and Jesse Winker, promoting Brash and Rodriguez, I’m guessing they’re going to be a legitimate 87 win team this season. I think a couple years down the road, they’ll transition into a 95 win club. I’m just hoping the roster doesn’t implode upon itself. For those of you that may remember, Jerry Dipoto did something similar with the Angels. I think they won 98 games in 2014, but they didn’t have lasting power, save here they are two GO M’s later just now getting out from under the mess Dipoto designed.
I think the Mariners will be better though. People learn from their mistakes and maybe Dipoto is better now than he was.
Not even an M’s fan, but I’m happy about this. I understand the service time games, but I applaud teams when they don’t screw over the players.
The teams that suck will always play those games. Teams in contention will sometimes play those games. I’m glad to see players like Rodriguez and Torkelson making the opening day rosters.
This Mariner team is a serious threat to win the AL West. They have absolutely gotten stronger since last year and they also have Kirby almost ready to join that rotation. There outfield is outstanding there offense is much improved over last year wouldn’t shock me at all to see this team win the division. I fully expect Kelenic to have a big breakout season. I’m really happy to see Rodriguez get his chance but things are going to get real now the pitching intensity is going up we will see how he performs against the highest level of pitching. I think he will be fine he is a special talent.
Some players are prodigies, We’ve become accustomed to service time manipulation and “needs more seasoning” but here are a few 40’s-60’s position players who made very early debuts:
Mel Ott, 17, Al Kaline, 18, Mickey Mantle: 19, Mays, Aaron, Musial, Ted Williams, Frank Robinson, 20,
For all those who are concerned about who plays where, I’ll quote Theo Epstein: “I never go to bed at night worrying that I have too many good players”.
I wouldn’t be concerned about having too many good players, but I would be concerned about overloading on a certain type of player or position. M’s have a lot of talent in that OF. If Julio plays well, it makes sense to trade Haniger.
White Sox have an overload of 1B/DH types. Potential for all to be above-average hitters, with some perhaps exceptional, but they’re still deploying these guys in positions they’re not suited for. Point being, if the M’s have a glut of capable OF, but still need pitching, that is a problem that should keep DiPoto up at night until he resolves it.
I’ve never seen that quote before but it is very true about the potential Mariners OF/DH roster crunch. Having too many good players isn’t a bad thing.
For a youngster like him it would be nice to get him consistent at bats. I hope he’ll be penciled in everyday somewhere. “Rotation of outfielders” not sure what that means, don’t wanna see him start one day and sit the next. Who’s supposed to be the DH for the Mariners? No idea as of now, probably wouldn’t hurt to have Winker there so this youngster could start in the outfield everyday.
It’s been widely reported there will be no set DH for Seattle, it will be a rotational spot. Both Julio and Kelenic can play center, as can Lewis when he gets back, as well as at least one corner spot, They don’t want to tie themselves down with a Nelson Cruz type that can’t play anywhere in the field. When Lewis does return, and the rosters go back to 26, there will be some shuffling going on.
Let’s gooo!!!
Rookie of the year guaranteed.
Not guaranteed there are a few damn good ones this year. I’m guessing at this moment it will finish Witt Jr., Rodriguez, and then Tork. It’s a long season though at all kinds of things can happen regardless this is going to be a great year for impact rookies. I still think in the end the biggest impact in his team in the next 5 years will be Adley Rutschman.
Braves need to make a move on Kyle Lewis now
Duvall can’t be our season long answer in CF
Wonder what it would cost ????
We have Michael Harris and Drew Waters.
Jerry won’t sell low on Kyle. He’s not going anywhere. They’re going to ride him out
Drew Waters is a bust & Harris is not ready
We need a CF now unless Acuna can play there til Harris is ready
It’s possible that Seattle would part Kyle Lewis but it’s very doubtful. The Mariners would want a return for a rookie of the year with years of control left and Atlanta would want to trade what Lewis is worth at this point. I doubt that bridge could be crossed.
I’d rather move Lewis and keep Haniger but it all depends on how they are doing and money. Lewis track record of health scares me. Mariners have cash to spend and maybe the fact they didn’t spend as much as expected, they will resign Haniger. Who knows.
A year ago, I bought an authentic signed M’s jersey of his and was like “who calls himself JROD Show”?
Kind of glad to have grabbed that one now.
Sounds like star in the making.
Julio in Center and Jer Bear in Left to start the year.
I am so happy.
Gonna see Mitch and Wink DH’ing a lot.
Toro has been on fire, he may be the DH with Winker, Rodriguez and Haniger in the OF. Kelenic may not be one of the 9 best players to put in the lineup.
Toro is gonna get a shot to play. Scott will love the flexibility moving him around the infield; I saw him play 1st the other day. This lineup is deep!
Maybe Padres try to trade for Jarred Kelenic. Maybe a deal revolving around Kelenic and Campusano as the center pieces. Padres have catching depth. Mariners have OF depth. Seems like both teams benefit long term and in the interim while maintaining their contention dreams.
I don’t think that the Padres would give up what it would take to pry Kelenic away from the Mariners.
Why would Seattle want another catcher!? They’re starting the season with 3 on the roster!
When rosters are cut to 26 players on May 1st, they’re probably going to option Raleigh. If Seattle makes a deal, it should be for starting pitching depth or a reliever and it certainly wouldn’t involve Kelenic.
Angels will rule in 2022 & finish higher than the Mariners. Better Pitching, Hitter and Bullpen wait till Thor and Ohtani deal with Julio.
Wanna place a wager on this?
dshires-I don’t need your $$$
Well I want yours and this feels like a gimme..
I need oven mitts to handle this hot take.
Better pitching? You’re joking right?
The Day the Dynasty Begins!!! Go M’s!!!! 😉
Richard Rodriguez being suspended for peds just helps to show how the Pirates were smart to get anything for him when they traded him to the Braves.
What does that have to do with anything?