Seattle Mariners sign infielder Tommy La Stella to 1-year deal

The Seattle Mariners signed infielder Tommy La Stella to a one-year contract on Thursday, adding another versatile veteran to their roster.

La Stella spent the past two seasons with San Francisco, but was designated for assignment by the Giants in late December. La Stella signed a three-year, $18.75 million deal before the 2021 season, but played in just 136 games and hit .245 over his two seasons with the Giants.

Mariners to induct Félix Hernández into team hall of fame

The Mariners will induct Félix Hernández into their hall of fame during the 2023 season, the team announced Wednesday.

Hernández, widely regarded as one of the best pitchers in franchise history, will be the 11th inductee for the club. The ceremony will be held Aug. 12 during a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Hernández pitched parts of 15 seasons with the Mariners after debuting as a 19-year-old during the 2005 campaign. He was a six-time All-Star, won the 2010 American League Cy Young Award and twice finished second in Cy Young voting.

He went 169-136 with a 3.42 ERA while playing on several terrible teams and should have ended his career with better numbers. Hernández threw the most recent perfect game in baseball on Aug. 15, 2012, against Tampa Bay and for many seasons was the main draw on an underachieving franchise.

Report: Mariners sign veteran OF AJ Pollock to 1-year deal

The Mariners have said this offseason that the goal was to add a right-handed-hitting outfielder with some thump. They’ve apparently done just that as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports Seattle has signed veteran outfielder AJ Pollock to a one-year contract worth $7 million.

Pollock, 35, is an 11-year veteran who made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He made the 2015 All-Star Game while with Arizona and then spent the 2019-21 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pollock was with the Chicago White Sox in 2022.

Jerry Dipoto is the high-volume trader who put Seattle back in the playoffs

Dipoto wasn’t devastated or insulted by the trade. He was excited to join the Mets. And perhaps that positive reaction is one reason why no other baseball executive has made more trades than Dipoto since he first rose to a full-time GM job with the Los Angeles Angels at the end of the 2011 season.

Since then, he’s made an MLB-high 124 trades, according to an analysis of Baseball Reference data. The next closest in that time span are Andrew Friedman (108) and Brian Cashman (107), two of the most successful executives of the century. Dipoto joined the Mariners as GM following the 2015 season and was promoted to president in 2021.

He’s averaged 11.3 trades per year since he’s become chief decision-maker. The MLB average is 7.9 a year per executive.

His 23 trades in 2017 are the most on record in a single year dating back to 1950. His 21 trades in 2016 are tied with Randy Smith (1996, Detroit Tigers) and Bing Devine (1973, St. Louis Cardinals) for the second most in a year.

“I know when I first got (to Seattle), it scared people,” Dipoto said of the trade volume. “Like, ‘Oh my God, what are we doing?’ To the point where one of the people I worked with said, ‘Isn’t that enough?’”

Dipoto countered: “I don’t know. We’re not where we need to be.”

Kolten Wong trade: Mariners send Jesse Winker, Abraham Toro to Brewers

The Seattle Mariners have acquired second baseman Kolten Wong from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Wong, 32, is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner who hit for a 118 OPS+ in 2022. He’s entering the final season of his contract, during which he’ll earn $10 million. The Mariners would be wise to pair Wong with a right-handed platoon partner, as he has generally been a below-average contributor versus southpaws. Even so, he should provide the Mariners with good defense, baserunner, and some quality hitting against right-handed pitchers.

Kyle Lewis trade Diamondbacks Mariners

The Diamondbacks needed an outfielder?

The Mariners and D-backs have reached an agreement that will send 2020 American League Rookie of the Year Award winner Kyle Lewis to the D-backs in exchange for catcher/outfielder Cooper Hummel, a source told MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer.

Mariners hire Dave Cameron

Ran into a familiar face watching the Mariners minor leaguers work on the backfields of Peoria, AZ. Dave Cameron, formerly of Fangraphs, the Padres and USS Mariner,  has been hired as a consultant for the Mariners.

Takeaways from Jerry Dipoto at GM Meetings

It’s probably getting too far ahead of things to consider that Seattle would extend a contract offer approaching $200 million (or more) for a single player, which is what Carlos Correa, Trea Turner and others will likely net.

“We’re not going to sign all of them, that’s just not how we operate,” Dipoto said. “We will wind up doing some type of trade, and it’ll be a combination of trade and free agency—and we’ve already started to initiate the discussions with teams. My sense is that the middle-infield free-agency market is unlikely to move quickly. But there are a number of players in the corner outfield who fit as well. And there are also a number of guys that might be available in trade that we’re interested in. So, we’re not in a terrible rush.”

If the Mariners are unable to re-sign Haniger, their priorities will shift to adding potentially two corner outfielders and a middle infielder.

Mariners and Jesse Winker are reportedly at odds and butting heads

There was more as well. Here are some of the highlights from that conversation on the radio.

Players are tired of Winker’s act. Tired of putting up with him. The team was frustrated with him.
He wasn’t even with the team and didn’t go to Toronto or Houston. The Mariners likely told him to just go home.
Haniger and Winker are opposites. Haniger puts in all the work, and Winker puts in none. Not to improve defense or his arm, and just isn’t strong enough.
Expected to play just by showing up.
If he didn’t get to play a DH, he would essentially pout, causing other players to have to play all 18 innings.
The team puts in a ton of work to get ready, and he does nothing. Doesn’t follow through with what his responsibilities are.
There are going to be hard conversations with him, or they are just going to move on.
When you put up one of the worst defensive seasons in all of baseball, this isn’t something that can come out about you. All year, I had tried to defend him. Whether it was just a down year with the move, injury, or some combination, I was in his corner still. I rep those Good Vibes, and was trying to do it with Winker.

On Jesse Winker, who was not with the team for its playoff run: pic.twitter.com/4Wu6NmxJFt

— Joe Veyera (@JoeVeyera) October 18, 2022

The Mariners’ season didn’t end how they wanted, but they have plenty to be proud of

Remember, this team was 29-39 at one point this season, then ran off 14 straight wins to vault into playoff contention. That’s far from typical.

As for the faces? There’s 21-year-old center fielder Julio Rodriguez, who is the overwhelming favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year. He signed a long-term contract that might keep him in Seattle for the rest of his career. There is 29-year-old All-Star pitcher Luis Castillo, who just inked a five-year extension of his own. There’s also 24-year-old rookie George Kirby, who just pitched seven scoreless innings Saturday.

These guys didn’t come cheap, either. At least not the first two. Rodriguez’s deal guarantees him over $200 million. Castillo — like teammate Robbie Ray — will net over $100 million. Seemingly stingy at one point, Mariners ownership has shown a willingness to spend, which should lead to their players spending more time on the field in October.

“We’re going to be back here,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like this is just the beginning for all of us.”

Why the Mariners are the team to root for this October

Now, less than one month later and after snapping an agonizing 20-year playoff drought, they will be the hottest ticket in town. For that reason alone, the Mariners will be the darling to root for this October, the club that fans outside the Pacific Northwest will latch on to, those who don’t have a team in the dance or who want to cheer for anybody but the Yankees, Dodgers or other big-market teams.

“It’s a very close-knit team, and it feels almost like a college team, an amateur team,” manager Scott Servais said. “Not particularly a big league team, guys making a lot of money and just out collecting a paycheck. That’s not what this group is about. It’s fun to come to the ballpark every day because they’re focused on one thing and that’s, ‘What’s it going to take to win the game tonight?’”

Once the postseason begins, MLB’s best-kept secret that’s been brewing in this geographically removed part of the country will finally be out on the national stage.

The coin flip that saved baseball in Seattle

This year, tiebreakers themselves have been abandoned. Under the expanded MLB postseason format introduced for 2022, ties are to be settled based on regular-season results, with head-to-head records being the first deciding factor. With 12 total teams now advancing to October, the league opted to let math—not Game 163s—settle any unresolved issues so that the postseason schedule is not held up an extra day.

Back in ’95, though, tiebreakers were still on the table ... as were the bouncing coins.

Because the American League and National League still operated somewhat independently of one another at that time, the AL coin tosses—18 in all—were to take place in the office of AL president Gene Budig. Each team would have a representative on-hand to witness the toss of the coin, which was usually a quarter.

“There was a very complicated formula in the league rules that said you draw lots to determine Team A, B and C, depending on how many ties were possible,” says Phyllis Merhige, a longtime MLB executive who at the time was the AL’s director of public relations and who was in the room for many coin tosses. “So [in a three-way tie], maybe A gets a bye while B plays C. It was a whole complicated thing. And then we’d do the coin flip, and, if you won the flip, you decide whether you would want to host [a tiebreaker] or not.”

Because the vast majority of races were settled without need for a Game 163, it’s not as if clubs dispatched high-powered execs to midtown Manhattan in mid-September to call out “Heads!” or “Tails!” Other than George Steinbrenner sending a team rep as a matter of course (and partial paranoia) whenever the Yankees were involved, clubs were typically content to let a league executive or public relations person represent them.

But for the ’95 toss—the first of the Wild Card era—Armstrong pulled out a slight wild card of his own: He wanted Carolyn Taylor, then the director of special events for MLB, to represent Seattle.

“To call somebody from special events was definitely unusual,” Merhige says. “Only Chuck. That’s Chuck.”

Seattle Mariners end 20-year playoff drought on Cal Raleigh’s walk-off home run

More than an hour after Cal Raleigh ended the longest playoff drought in baseball, he was back on the field with his teammates, circling the perimeter of the field to acknowledge the tens of thousands of fans who still stuck around.

The celebration was more akin to winning something big in October, rather than a victory on the last day of September. But after 21 years, the Seattle Mariners could be excused for going a little over the top upon their return to the playoffs.

“It’s better than maybe what you could dream it to be,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Bronx Banter: DeRosa: Leave the Gun. Take the Cannoli.

Oh, my good goodness gracious! Of all the dramatic things I’ve ever seen. Clemenza standing right in…the way of a Montero/Pineda thought!

So when I heard Jesus Montero was traded for Michael Pineda, I felt like we were trading a neck for a necktie. Sure, the tie is important, but without the neck, what’s the point?

Even without the catching, I’ll take Montero’s simple, solid bat over the complex musculature of Pineda’s throwing arm. You can watch Montero hit every game, all season long. There’s no better way to interface with a team than through a star hitter, especially for a young fan, because he’s always in the lineup.

I understand that having Pineda in the rotation probably makes the 2012 Yankees a better team than they would have been with Montero as the DH. But in 2013? And 2014?

Arod and Teixeira are already fractions of what they once were and they will be declining in the lineup for years to come. The Yankees have one big hitter in his prime, Cano, who is fierce but not flawless. You don’t have to squint too hard to see a Yankee team desperate for hitting.

The more I think about the trade, the more comfortable I am with Cashman’s logic and his vision. But I am firmly on the Montero side of the debate. It boils down to this: if they both become stars, I’d want Montero to be a Yankee.

Oakland manager Melvin excited about Japan series

The Athletics and Seattle Mariners open the regular season with a two-game series at Tokyo Dome on March 28-29. Many hoped the series would feature a showdown between Matsui and countryman Ichiro Suzuki, but Melvin said the A’s likely wont be re-signing the 37-year-old free agent Matsui.

“Matsui was a great fit for us last year and we all loved having him on our team,’’ Melvin said at a press conference on Monday to promote the series. “But this year it doesn’t look like a fit for us based on the personnel we have going forward.’‘

...Suzuki also had a down season in 2011. For the first time in his career, He failed to reach 200 hits - finishing with 184 - and hit a career-worst .272. Other numbers were lower too, including on-base percentage, infield hits and home runs, while he struck out a career-high 69 times.

Former Seattle star Ken Griffey Jr., who now serves as a special consultant to the Mariners, said he expects Suzuki to bounce back this season.

“Ichiro is going to be fine, you can ask these two guys (Melvin, Wedge) if a guy had 184 hits they wouldn’t be complaining,’’ Griffey said. “But you are looking at a guy who is a special athlete. He had one hiccup in his career and come this time next year we won’t even be talking about this. He is going to come into this season determined and with a little fire.’‘

Hiccup?...That was a freakin’ Dave McNally tally if ever!

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

Goldman: The Montero-Pineda Trade: Rotation Upgrade at a Sustainable Cost

Or as Barnald points out…“But this is the part of the upgrade that scares me!”

Pineda’s fastball sits around 95 and goes higher, and he has a swing-and-miss slider to go with it. There is also a changeup, but it’s notional and—well, you know all of this stuff if you’ve been on line at all today. Here are the negatives you’re going to hear about:

• He dominated right-handed hitters, but the lack of a good change means that lefties hit, well, still not well, but better.
• His ERA was 2.92 in pitcher-friendly Safeco, 4.40 on the road.
• His first-half ERA was 3.03, his second-half ERA was 5.12.
• He has fly-ball tendencies, which is a problem in Yankee Stadium.
• Batters hit .261 on balls in play, and such things don’t last.
• They could have gotten Cliff Lee or Felix Hernandez for him.
• He could get hurt.
• He cost the Yankees Jesus Montero, a very fine young hitter.

Yankees trade Jesus Montero to Mariners for Michael Pineda

Jay Buhner was unavailable for comment.

Sorry, fans: No televised Mariners games for most of Alaska

Yeah, but can’t you see Moscow Tornados games from Alaska?

Thanks to a media contract dispute and Major League Baseball’s infuriating television blackout zones, Seattle Mariners fans who live in Alaska will have an extremely difficult time watching live games played by their favorite team next season.

Alaska’s largest cable provider, GCI, decided not to renew its contract with Root Sports, the MLB-licensed “Regional Sports Network” that exclusively televises the majority of games in a Seattle Mariners season, and instead has signed up with MLB Network.

GCI told the trade publication Multichannel News that Root Sports was asking for too much of a price hike to renew the contract. Root has countered by blaming GCI and telling people who are upset to switch their service to a competitor.

That decision should please non-Mariners fans because MLB Network features a huge variety of games and other content. But the problem for Mariners fans (aside from the team finishing above .500 just twice in the last eight years) is that MLB Network does not show Mariners games in Alaska due to its regional blackout policy.

On balance, Bud Selig has been good for baseball

I bring all this up because word came out this week that Selig, who has said he would retire at the end of this year, will be offered a contract extension at the owners meetings this week. And by all accounts, he’ll take it, adding at least two more years to his tenure as commissioner. He’s been on the job since 1992, and two more seasons would take Selig to his 80th birthday.

Blasts from the Past

With the Hall of Fame results being announced today, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and dig up some old scouting reports from the Baseball America archives on some of the ballot’s notable candidates. . .

8. Barry Larkin, ss, 21, 5-11, 175, R-R
Larkin looked right at home in AA, hitting .267 for Vermont. He didn’t show power (one home run in 255 at-bats), but that will come. The key for him was just getting his feet on the ground, and he was not overpowered by the high level of competition (21 strikeouts in 255 at-bats). He will have good power for a shortstop.

6. Edgar Martinez, 3b, 25, 5-11, 175, R-R
Martinez’s discipline will produce runs. He’s averaged 70 RBIs the last four years. In the field, he’s solid, with good reactions and the soft hands of a middle infielder.

Cameron: Adam Jones, Unfinished Product

I can’t imagine why the Braves would balk about trading their starting LF, a #3 starter AND “prime” pitching prospects for a new Jeff Francoeur…

The Kick Is Good!

Jack Wilson seems to be having fun on vacation.

Drayer: Why you do not trade Felix Hernandez right now

But deal Michael Pineda instead. (calls Schick Shadel Hospital…confirms bed for evening)

Michael Pineda does not just step into the ace role. It took Felix almost four years to turn into what we see today.

Pineda in the second half of the season was hardly dominating. Yes, they were keeping his pitch counts down, but do yourself a favor and go look at his post All-Star numbers. What is most disturbing is that Pineda was focused on having an even better second half than first. He told me after the All-Star Game that is what he would be most proud of. If he could finish strong knowing that hitters had seen him, Hernandez would consider that to be as big as winning the Rookie of the Year Award. He went in the other direction. All that said, Pineda has a great chance to turn into an ace, it is just going to take time. Felix is there and is showing no sign of slowing down.

...If I am trading pitching, I am trading Pineda. Why? Because he is replaceable. There is a very good chance that by the end of next season Danny Hultzen could be Michael Pineda on the hill in regards to development, path, and what he brings to the rotation. If you trade Felix no one is close to being what he is, an established ace who has suffered through the growing pains, who has learned the league and is committed to his team and community. That is what he is now and what he should be for some time to come.

I am not saying you don’t listen to offers. I am saying you darn well better know what you have, both now and potentially in the future before you make a move. I believe Zduriencik does and that is why he says he will not trade Felix.

Stone: Is a “blatant money grab” the only way Prince Fielder comes to Seattle?

No…there’s also the frolicky Seattle Steampunk Exhibition Ball coming up!

Ken Rosenthal of FOX wrote something today that I found very interesting, and frankly a little irritating. But definitely worthy of discussion. I have a funny feeling this will inspire a lot of reaction.

The story, basically, is about how the Cubs make much more sense for Fielder than the Mariners because the M’s have nothing to offer Fielder. The only possible reason Fielder would choose Seattle over the Cubs is “a blatant money grab,’’ Rosenthal concludes.

...I don’t want to sound like a Mariners honk. Their organization is rife with problems, and has a recent history of extremely poor decision making. They’ve dug themselves a tremendous hole that makes luring free agents even more difficult than it inherently is by mere virtue of geography. But couldn’t Fielder envision himself being part of a turnaround that reverts Seattle back to being the vibrant baseball town it once was? If Prince was still talking to his dad, Cecil, he could ask him about how it used to be in 1995 and 1997—and that was before Safeco Field went up.

Yes, money will be a huge factor with Fielder, as with every free agent. The Mariners would have to swallow hard and pay an exorbinant amount of dough for a lot of years to land Fielder. But if he led a renaissance of the team that led to contention, a full stadium, and maybe playoffs and even championships down the road, would anyone call it a “money grab” then?