Who would you rather have at 2B?

[HawkandMariner88]

Good intel here on the 2B/3B situation and Jerry coins a new word. The Tri-toon.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/mlb/seat ... us/1832101

I normally like it when JD is upfront about what the broad strokes of the plans are but this appears to me to signal the Cards that we really have a greater need for Donavan because he can do 2B/3B and even O.F.

All talk & no show. It could be teams are asking too much. I'm all for giving up pitching but it's gotta be quality. Marte IDK, I like I don't love. Again you have to fill that spot with another starter. We know what we have.

[Michael K.]

Good intel here on the 2B/3B situation and Jerry coins a new word. The Tri-toon.

https://sports.mynorthwest.com/mlb/seat ... us/1832101

So frustrating. They have this wide open opportunity and they're going to red carpet a couple kids who already disappointed the first time around into starting roles instead of taking the obvious potential upgrades that are dangling on the market.

We'll probably be talking in a couple years about the guys Dipollander traded away for Suarez and Naylor that broke out for their new team.

Meanwhile, Dipoto passes up the easy moves on the free agent market to put in front of Williamson/Young/Emerson. Like usual.

But at least the budget isnt too cresty during the 2026 crest that Dipoto avoided free agents the past few years for...

And they're still taking the cheap route. Remarkable.

I am blown away. We were floundering at the All Star Break, and with Polanco getting healthy and Naylor and Suarez lengthening the lineup, yes, I know, Geno wasn't great....we went on a run.

Understandably, the youngsters were pushed aside during the stretch run and into the postseason in 2025. Their time will likely be in the first two or three months of the season. Their development will have some sort of priority, and to that end, Dipoto is looking to get the right kind of help for them.

They were pushed back because we were about to be pushed aside. Does Jerry forget what this team looked like before the deadline and before Polanco really got healthy? And now we are to just assume that an offense that runs out Williamson and Young at 3rd and 2nd and God knows at DH...is going to be anywhere near productive enough? But our pitchers get a few more ground balls now, so we need Ben Williamson? Fuck me.

I just don't get it. Young and Williamson got a TON of opportunities to produce last year, and we weren't good enough until they were out of the lineup. But I am sure they will be enough this time around. When is the last time this organization fixed a hitter? I read about it all the time, this guy or that guy is going to turn it around after swing adjustments. From Zenino to Kelenic, it never works. But they were home grown, so our organization creams their jeans every time they think about the opportunity to brag about the draft or how they developed a prospect. Meanwhile? Other teams brag about the World Series rings and long playoff runs they went on, with players that were NOT from their Farm System.

I don't think it is a coincidence that it is almost always the same teams selling at the deadline, loading up on prospects for their next big rebuild. Do run it back and do it every single year. Why didn't all the prospects they added by trading proven talent ever turn them into buyers? I don't follow this nearly as closely as you guys, but these are the last ten World Series winners.

Cubs
Astros
Red Sox
Nationals
Dodgers
Braves
Astros
Rangers
Dodgers
Dodgers

At least the last three were bough and paid for. The Astros started out as a rebuild, but I'm not sure you would consider both rings a rebuild, and they added players. Which one of those ten winners got there buy stock piling the Farm System and never blocking or trading the prospects because the Farm talent was so damn great?

[bhofferb]

If it was me I'd sign Polanco and trade the farm for both Donavan and Marte (Without trading any current starters). If that means trading every prospect we have, so be it. My plan would give us flexibility for the inevitable injuries without having to roll out any scrubs.
Go win a damn World Series and then if your farm system needs to be rebuilt, so what. Too many Mariner fans have died "waiting for next year" and I don't want to be one of them

[Sibelius Hindemith]

If Cole Young shows up to Spring training like this then i'd be all in on him taking over the 2B role for the next decade.

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[bhofferb]

If it was me I'd sign Polanco and trade the farm for both Donavan and Marte (Without trading any current starters). If that means trading every prospect we have, so be it. My plan would give us flexibility for the inevitable injuries without having to roll out any scrubs.
Go win a damn World Series and then if your farm system needs to be rebuilt, so what. Too many Mariner fans have died "waiting for next year" and I don't want to be one of them

[Sexymarinersfan]

I didn't include Marte in this questionnaire, because I feel like we all would prefer Marte. But between Donovan or Polo, who you got?

I think that you might have had more peeps chiming in if you had made this a more robust poll. Polonco or Donovan, while probably accurate, is a bit anemic. For me, I would much rather see Young win the 2nd base job, pushing Polonco into the DH position. Donovan might be an interesting player for the M's, but the cost will be prohibitive. We'll see where the market goes for Donovan as we get closer to ST.

I wasn't worried about the traffic, as I rarely post as much as I used too. I just wanted the regulars thoughts most, since I've been blogging with them the longest.

And now that Polanco is off the market, the M's will have to get creative.

[Double Mocha Man]

If Cole Young shows up to Spring training like this then i'd be all in on him taking over the 2B role for the next decade.

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Shouldn't there be food in that mustache?

[Pharmabro]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/ ... novan.html

MLBTR SAYS M’S AND GIANTS ARE front runners!

I am not too thrilled the Giants offer/ names discussed are : #2, and #7 in their system vs #3 Laz, and #7 Cinjente

Their #2 is a 2B/SS from the 1st Rd. Of the 2025 draft. He hit .561 in a SSS in A ball this year.

#7 Is a NLB baptized rookie Whisenhunt 5.01 ERA in 2025 on a few starts and at best he is almost an equal to Logan Evan’s. 4.32 ERA in 15 starts. Logan’s ERA in MILB 3.52, vs Wisenhunt’s 4.19

To me it looks like the Cards are trying to fleece the M’s out of Laz! If the Cards are saying the Giants have a comp package they are full of shit. Logan is better than Wisenhunt

Cijntje is the 1st Rd pick and he is better than Wisenhunt as well. Cijintel went for a 3.99 ERA in A ball and a 2.67 ERA in AA this year.


I have 3 untouchables Colt, Anderson, Laz. (Not that they are completely off limits but not in play unless we are getting a potential/expected MVP level player back. Think the 1st Soto trade.

[GL_Storm]

I don't especially want to give up either Cjentje or Laz. Donovan is a nice player but it isn't clear to me that he's a difference maker.

[Pharmabro]

I don't especially want to give up either Cjentje or Laz. Donovan is a nice player but it isn't clear to me that he's a difference maker.

He has been a consistent 115-ish OPS+ bat who is a good defender and can cover all three of the questionable spots on offense second base third base and right field and he’s only didn’t get paid a little over 5 million next year so that allows you to go out and get another pricey, backend, relief, picture not premium or perhaps a premium added at the deadline