Way too early offseason

[Seattle or Bust]

And we already blew our shot at Alonso. It's frustrating that our front office didn't seriously pursue him, if he'd been in our lineup this season the Asstros would be chasing us and we could have emphasized bolstering the bullpen last month.

Two problems with that. One, signing him as a FA would mean we didn't Trade for him, Draft him or Develop him, and that wouldn't match their philosophy, and it if worked? They might have looked bad for spending all those years saying that is the only way to win. But most importantly? That would have required them to pay money, and not wait until the deadline, hope they are close enough to trade for someone and hope that someone is available that can help. We don't want to be winning the division at the deadline, because that means we would have had to pay top dollar for players for a full season, and not just rent them later. They can also now throw up their hands when it doesn't work and claim that they tried their best.

Trying their best should start in the winter, but it never does...not since what? Cano?

What do you mean by trying their best? Do you think they don't make deals in the winter, because they're too busy slacking off and playing golf? I would assume it's all intentional, and Jerry is trying to keep his job.

Best = winning.

Pretty sure you just saw Johan Duran fuck fastballs down our throats in the Phillies series when the M’s could have had him at the deadline.

[DanielVogelbach]

Best = winning.

So trying your best means winning? You can't try your best and lose???

Okay, so define winning. I think winning for Jerry Dipoto is keeping his job. I think winning for most owners is staying in the club and making money off their franchise. (and seeing the valuation of the franchise increase for future sale) I think the loose wallet owner prioritizing the creation of a juggernaut team that never loses is the rare exception, which is why I always make fun of fans complaining about stingy ownership. Nobody is forcing you to watch the product!

[DanielVogelbach]

Pretty sure you just saw Johan Duran fuck fastballs down our throats in the Phillies series when the M’s could have had him at the deadline.

I didn't see that, but I know they had a terrible road trip against Baltimore, Mets, and Phils.

I still don't see what that has to do with anyone not "trying their best".

I'm sure there are some players and front-office staff that are lazy and don't try their best. But, Jerry Dipoto made some insane amount of trades they started calling him Trader Jerry. He might fail with his decision-making, but the term "trying their best" insinuates some type of lack of effort. Sure, the effort to win as many games as possible regardless of cost might not be there, but who says that was their intent? They might be failing to try their best to accommodate your personal desires as a fan, but that doesn't mean they aren't bringing high amounts of effort to their endeavors.

[HawkandMariner88]

Would you define lazy not trying your best as chasing pitches out of the zone constantly. I swear this team has to lead the league in strikeouts & whiff rate. How can so many other teams carve out good quality ABs then our guys seem to chase at everything they can. Good teams don't have high chase rates or strikeouts.

[Michael K.]

Best = winning.

Pretty sure you just saw Johan Duran fuck fastballs down our throats in the Phillies series when the M’s could have had him at the deadline.

All they need is for the fans to buy in. I thought this off season, when they came out and cried poor and added a bunch of bullshit to a team that was already not good enough to make the playoffs? I thought that might be enough to hurt attendance and maybe hit them in the pocket book. I don't know that anything will, not to the extent that they realize the best option is to make the team the best it can be BEFORE the season starts. They don't care to do that...mostly because that costs more money.

It'll be more of the same this winter, and they will still draw fans, probably still be just good enough to be a fringe playoff team around the deadline, and probably still try to create a buzz by pretending that once you add players at the deadline you can erase the mediocre baseball you played before. Starting to look like this team will most likely barely get in the WC or barely not. I am sure that having an actual MLB lineup in March wouldn't have impacted that finish one bit...since the games don't really count until after the All Star break?

[DanielVogelbach]

Would you define lazy not trying your best as chasing pitches out of the zone constantly. I swear this team has to lead the league in strikeouts & whiff rate. How can so many other teams carve out good quality ABs then our guys seem to chase at everything they can. Good teams don't have high chase rates or strikeouts.

No, I wouldn't equate plate discipline to effort, nor would I equate production to effort. Some guys can effortlessly put up numbers. Some guys can "try their best" and fail miserably.

I would even say that the players that suck the hardest are probably the players "trying their very best".

It's the guy with the $300 million dollar contract that's going to sandbag it a little bit.

[DanielVogelbach]

All they need is for the fans to buy in.

That's all any professional sports franchise needs

They don't even really need that. Fans will still come even if they don't think their team has a chance to win the WS.

[DanielVogelbach]

Depending on the payroll goals, spending a bunch of money on FAs is not going to make the team as competitive as using that money to buy out a few years of free agency on young players coming up through the system.

[harmony]

No team can field a lineup made up exclusively of All Stars but the Mariners currently have six position players and five pitchers who have been All Star selections in their careers (not including 2017 All Star Michael Fulmer, whom the M's signed to a minor league contract this week).

Never All Stars on the Seattle roster included two two former Silver Slugger winners and two former Gold Glove winners (until Dylan Moore was designated for assignment today).

[ddraig]

It surprised me years ago when the organization turned down the Disney Imagineers to build attractions inside the Park. It would have brought in more customers that didn't care about on-field performance! Right up ownership's alley!