The Seattle Mariners haven’t won a lot of games over the past three seasons, but they’ve managed to avoid personnel disasters that are befalling the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals today.
Ichiro Suzuki isn’t happy with the win-loss record, but he’s never complained about his $18 million a year salary, or the way the team has dealt with him.
The Rangers, who made their first World Series appearance in October – and then lost the bidding war for ace Cliff Lee – have managed since to add Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli to their roster.
Along the way, they so infuriated team leader Michael Young that he’s asked to be traded.
Now the Rangers are faced with the prospect of not only moving a man teammates consider the soul of the team, but eating much of the $48 million they owe him over the next three years.
That’s a problem.
As for the Cardinals, they’ve put off negotiating with 31-year-old Albert Pujols so long that they’re now faced with a player-issued deadline – a week from today – to come up with a contract agreement with arguably the best player in baseball. If they don’t, Pujols has said, he’ll decline any trade and become a free agent after the ’11 season.
That’s a problem, too.
Young is a team-player, a six-time All-Star who’s average season is batting .300 with 17 home runs and 87 RBI. Asked to move from shortstop to third base last year, he did so without argument. Asked to become the full-time DH when the Rangers signed Beltre, Young again accepted. Then Napoli was acquired in trade, and told he’d share DH at-bats with Young.
Not only did Young object, he said publicly the team had manipulated him, lied to him and he’d had enough. Hard to see how keeping him with the team now would help Texas return to the post-season.
And Pujols? Though his average season has been – gulp! – .331 with 42 home runs and 128 RBI – he has been among the Top 10 paid players in a season just once in his 10-year career. Pujols never complained, never demanded a renegoiation. Now, however, he’s asked for a contract before his spring training begins – and the Cardinals, after months of waffling, have yet to make him an offer.
When the Mariners pitchers and catchers report to camp on Sunday, the focus will be solely on improving a team that lost 101 times in 2010. Felix Hernandez is happy. Ichiro is, if not happy, Ichiro-like in his preparation for a new year.
No, Seattle isn’t going to win more games this year than the Cardinals or Rangers – but they won’t have the impossible to ignore distraction of unhappy franchise players, either. Sometimes, front offices are too smart for their own good. In Texas and St. Louis, the issues of February aren’t on wins and losses. Those teams have turned two of the game’s finest assets into liabilities.
But I would rather HAVE more wins. Really? Who wrote this? A girl? And I’m a GIRL.
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Don’t we need a SS or 3B? I know it’s $16 million/year, but c’mon, it’s Michael “Freakin” Young we’re talking about….AND he’s a true leader.
How about Ichiro (and his $18 million), +.300 average with no power, and reluctance to steal bases for Michael Young (and his $16 million), +.300 average with power, leadership, and the ability to play either SS or 3B??
That’s a deal that would require daring and a willingness to admit that this team will never be competitive while Ichiro is still able to be productive….guess that means that it will probably not happen as long as Chuck and Howard are at the helm of the SS Mariner. Too bad.
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How about Chone Figgins (owed $35M over four years), plus Jack Wilson (owed $5M for 1), for Michael Young and a prospect? Texas is discussing a “salary dump” with Colorado- hey, let’s BOTH dump salary, and get ourselves a clubhouse leader, a #3 hitter, and a shortstop/third baseman!
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This article was written by an idiot.
Michael Young would be perfect for the Mariners.
We blow more than $16 million every year on such baseball greats as Richie Sexon, Milton Bradley, Jack Wilson, Chone Figgins.
We should be begging Texas for a chance to trade for Young, a perenial 300 hitter with power who drives in nearly 100 runs per year.
We pay more for Ichiro who also gets 200 hits per year, but never with a runner in scoring position.
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Ummmm…. Micheal Young has actually demanded a trade several times in the past…
“Asked to move from shortstop to third base last year, he did so without argument.”
–He actually demanded to be traded multiple times in december 2009 after the winter meetings…then several times in January 2010…..
I remember because of Ken Rosenthal describing Young’s demenor in January 2010 as “absolutely livid” when Texas brought up the move for the 3rd or 4th time since the Winter meetings.
And at that time…it only gonna happen if Elvis made the team.
Young is doing the same thing he did last offseason…
Being Deep with Talent is what Front offices are suppose to do.
…
Kinsler missed a month TWO times last year….
Napoli is gonna catch at least 50+ games
Young was/is gonna play at least 130 games if no injuries….toss in couple DL stints for ANY of the infield players and Young is 145 games like he was gonna play before Napoli got there.
2009
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Nice article, Larry.
“Sometimes, front offices are too smart for their own good.”
This really hit the nail on the head. Texas has been acting way too slick and cute recently, and indeed they have jerked Michael Young around too much.
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The pathetic thing about Ichiro bashers is how full of garbage they are.
Soundlife claims: “We pay more for Ichiro who also gets 200 hits per year, but never with a runner in scoring position.”
If someone would like to take a look at actual numbers instead of some blowhard, go to Fangraphs and check their “Clutch” statistic.
Among ALL ball players from 1974, Ichiro is the 13th “clutchest” player. Among active players I think he is actually No. 1.
And it may be the same guy under two screen names (bashers are pretty sad), but this also:
wabubba67 claims: “How about Ichiro (and his $18 million), +.300 average with no power, and reluctance to steal bases”
Ichiro averages per season: .331 average, 105 runs, 38 stolen bases.
That would only look like reluctance to a fool or a basher with some worthless agenda.
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tomiron24–38 stolen bases is way too few for a slap-singles, leadoff hitter, who annually garners over 200 hits. His reluctance to run in clutch situations has been documented….his baserunning style is the anti-Willie Bloomquist, who was often brought in as a PR with the game on the line in a situation where everyone knew that he would steal.
That said, I don’t believe I am a fool (though I have been called worse) or a basher with some worthless agenda (other than wanting the Mariners to be competitive again)….Ichiro is just not the type of player (especially at his age and at the developmental stage that the Mariners are in) that I would want to sink $18 million dollars a year into. To do so, is to appease casual fans while neglecting the overall health of the organization. I would rather spend that money on a younger, more productive, more vocal Michael Young. Isn’t Ichiro also due to become a free agent soon?
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Ichiro, with his speed and baserunning instincts should be stealing 60 bases a year. it seems though that the unwanted CS on his record overides the need to have a baserunner in scoring position.
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