A look at the off season additions so far

[D-train]

Screenshot 2024-05-21 9.31.50 AM.png

I think you are a bit off. Including the Rojas deal and you get a recent additions list of:
Canzone 137 OPS+ 0.4 WAR
Raley 133 OPS+ 0.9WAR
Rojas 131 OPS+ 0.9 WAR
Taylor 137 OPS+ (5 ABs) 0.1 WAR
2.3 total

Hanniger 89
Polanco 79
Garver 78
Urias 76
Zavala 60
-1.3 WAR
The new guys have added 1 WAR net improvement.

And even that can be deceptive:
Haniger is 2nd in RBIs 23, and third in runs on the team.

The word OFF SEASON is literally in the title. Should I have included the Luis Castillo and JP Crawford trades as well? The Sons of Sewald are looking pretty good but that was before Cal begging for help and the 54%/fans should thank us speech.

[D-train]

Looks like they are rolling with the platoon nonsense to get their money's worth out of the non performers that they are wasting money on:

Why the Mariners lineup will likely change on ‘a nightly basis’
May 21, 2024 at 5:32 pm

Ryan Divish By Ryan Divish
Seattle Times staff reporter
NEW YORK — When the Mariners’ starting lineup was submitted to Major League Baseball and announced by the team Tuesday afternoon, it marked the first time J.P. Crawford was the starting shortstop since April 23rd. The next day, Crawford suffered a strained oblique before batting practice and was placed on the injured list.

With Crawford back, the Mariners position player group is the same as it was on opening day. But the distribution of playing time will be slightly different from the first days of the season.

It’s why right fielder Mitch Haniger was out of the lineup while Mitch Garver returned to the designated hitter role after a two-game hiatus.

The recent production from Luke Raley and the return of Dominic Canzone from the injured list — both left-handed hitters — has changed how manager Scott Servais will pencil out his lineup each day. He had warned that changes would be coming over the last week with Raley and Canzone earning playing time over the veteran right-handed hitters on the roster, particularly when Seattle is facing a right-handed starting pitcher.

Canzone got the start in right field and Raley was in left field for Tuesday night’s game vs. the Yankees against right-hander Clarke Schmidt.

“We’re trying to give our team the best chance to win every night,” Servais said “It’s going to be a different lineup. It’s going to change here probably on a nightly basis.”

Dylan Moore, who had filled in admirably at shortstop for Crawford, was still in the lineup, but at second base in place of Jorge Polanco.

Moore was jokingly asked if he was sad that Crawford’s return meant less playing time for him.

“No, I’m not sad,” Moore said laughing. “I’m very happy to have him back. I was just doing my job and filling in. Now I go back to filling in wherever they need me.”

Up Next - Scott Servais on the Mariners' comeback win

RELATED Dylan Moore homers twice, Bryan Woo baffles Yankees hitters in Mariners’ win
So how is Servais going to distribute the playing time for his right-handed hitters like Haniger, Garver and even Ty France when there is a right-handed starter?

“You’re looking at matchups,” Servais said. “Who’s a better matchup tonight? Is there personal history? How a particular pitcher or starter is throwing, does it match up better against one of the guys? And then you look at who’s going best — is somebody hotter than the other guy?”

In 93 plate appearances vs. right-handed pitchers, Raley has posted a .315/.344/.483 slash line with four doubles, a triple, three homers, 10 RBI, two walks and 26 strikeouts.

Canzone has 47 plate appearances vs. right-handers this season and has a .233/.277/.558 slash line with two doubles, four homers, eight RBI, three walks and 14 strikeouts.

“The Mitches” as Servais referred to the duo of Haniger and Garver haven’t been as productive as expected thus far.

“I know both Mitches want to pick it up and get it going,” Servais said.

Haniger has posted a .217/.282/.366 slash line with six doubles, six homers, 23 RBI, 15 walks and 48 strikeouts. While the numbers aren’t what he or the Mariners expected, he was one of the Mariners better run producers early in the season.

The bigger concern is with his struggles defensively in right field. He hasn’t looked comfortable on plays near the wall and isn’t moving as well as he has in past seasons. The Mariners admittedly played Haniger more than they intended early in the season as he was one of the few players having competitive at-bats.

But Haniger can’t shift over to designated hitter as a primary position because of the other Mitch.

Garver, who was signed this offseason to serve as the full-time designated hitter, has posted a .169/.276/.331 slash line in 152 plate appearances with six doubles, five homers, 14 RBI, 17 walks and 51 strikeouts. He’s struggled to pull the ball in the air. Against right-handers, he has a .135/.261/.250 slash line with five doubles, two homers, 14 walks and 40 strikeouts.

The lack of positional versatility for Haniger and Garver limits how Servais can use them. When the Mariners face lefty Nestor Cortes on Wednesday, it’s likely that Raley and Canzone will both be out of the lineup with Moore in left field and Haniger in right field.

Someone’s playing time will be lessened in the immediate future. But the ebb and flow of player production could change the distribution in the weeks ahead.

“That’s just the way it is,” Moore said. “It’s basically who is producing in the box. Those guys find their way into the lineup. But as a positive byproduct, you get some guys a day off so they are fresher when they come back and play.”

[Juliooooo]

It’s not a big deal with Calzone and Raley who are going to play a lot because most starters are righties. Moore needs to be playing against righties though. Put Canzone at DH, Raley at RF , Moore at LF when Polonco gets back

[D-train]

It’s not a big deal with Calzone and Raley who are going to play a lot because most starters are righties. Moore needs to be playing against righties though. Put Canzone at DH, Raley at RF , Moore at LF when Polonco gets back

Yep, he used to have issues vs. RHPs but Dylan has a .789 OPS vs. them this season...

[Seattle or Bust]

All of the quotes in Scott's article would have a ton of merit if there were ANY correlating results.

Cool that they scored 6 runs last night... but they're 24th in batting average, 23rd in runs scored, 24th in OBP, 19th in OPS, and they were no hit through 6 and 7 innings in 2 of their last 3 wins.

Early in the seasons he scoffed at anyone who suggested the offense might not be that great with the usual "it's early -" line. Now it's onto, "we'll be adjusting the lineup for best matchups"... oh, so you weren't doing that to start the fkn year?

Well, then put your money where your mouth is asshole. Hit JP 8th and Julio 9th. Hit Rojas 1st and DMO 2nd.

[Seattle or Bust]

“Some guys are off to slow starts. When you get off to a slow start, you’d like to do better. If that’s defined as ‘pressing,’ so be it,” Servais said Tuesday afternoon.

After just five games, Servais isn’t going to deviate from his general plan with the daily lineup. He’ll stick with a fluid batting order that gives the Mariners the best possible matchups against the opposing starting pitcher each day.
Similarly, he doesn’t want his hitters deviating from their plan at the plate after just a handful of games either.

“But what we don’t want guys to do is go start changing your swing and go down these rabbit holes and all of a sudden now you can’t dig yourself out of it, all because you were chasing the results. I’d like to believe that if we do swing at the right pitches, we’ll eventually get good results.”

Oh btw... this article wasn't from this year... it was from 2023... where he was spouting the same bullshit about the slow start.

Gee idk, maybe it's time to evaluate why this happens every fkn year?

[D-train]

All of the quotes in Scott's article would have a ton of merit if there were ANY correlating results.

Cool that they scored 6 runs last night... but they're 24th in batting average, 23rd in runs scored, 24th in OBP, 19th in OPS, and they were no hit through 6 and 7 innings in 2 of their last 3 wins.

Early in the seasons he scoffed at anyone who suggested the offense might not be that great with the usual "it's early -" line. Now it's onto, "we'll be adjusting the lineup for best matchups"... oh, so you weren't doing that to start the fkn year?

Well, then put your money where your mouth is asshole. Hit JP 8th and Julio 9th. Hit Rojas 1st and DMO 2nd.

Instead he hits DMo 9th last night because of a RHP even though he has and almost .800 OPS vs. RHPs. Fucking Caveman brain.

[Big_Maple]

Instead he hits DMo 9th last night because of a RHP even though he has and almost .800 OPS vs. RHPs. Fucking Caveman brain.

[Seattle or Bust]

Instead he hits DMo 9th last night because of a RHP even though he has and almost .800 OPS vs. RHPs. Fucking Caveman brain.

I don't think it's easy... but I feel like Scott makes it really hard on himself.

Sometimes you can simply make obvious choices and they work out.

Then again, look at the Blue Jays.

One of the bottom feeders in runs scored and they've hit Bo Bichette 3rd in pretty much every game this year.

[D-train]

Instead he hits DMo 9th last night because of a RHP even though he has and almost .800 OPS vs. RHPs. Fucking Caveman brain.