While everyone should be trying to figure out who the next M’s signing is going to be, they are waffling about how excited they are going to be with Milton at DH.

Jack said he was looking at some right handed bats last week. He said nothing about a trade, like Cameron stated in the last write up. I wouldn’t be suprised if the right handed 1B/DH bat was Mike Sweeney. Is that what I am hoping for? No. Just wouldn’t be suprised. I’m hoping for Dye.

And you know this why?

On a roster that didn’t have either Milton Bradley or Eric Byrnes at the time, Jack Z basically told Ryan Langerhans he would not guarantee him a $750k salary by non-tendering him.
750k is nothing. A good 4th outfielder makes more than that (Randy Winn, Xavier Nady, etc.).

Instead, Langerhans agreed to a split contract that allows the Mariners to send him to AAA (and pay him a lot less). These are the kinds of contracts that you give to guys who don’t fit on the 25 man roster but you still want to keep them around anyway. Its very similar to the deal Chris Coste got from the Mets to maybe be their backup catcher, or maybe not.

Now after adding Milton Bradley and Eric Byrnes we’re expected to believe Langerhans is a semi-regular platoon LF? That makes no sense at all.

Oh, and the assisstant GM said they want someone who’s right-handed and plays 1B.

a. they’re not going with an 11-man pitching staff, not at first anyway. Standard 4 man bench.

I don’t see why an 11-man bullpen wouldn’t work right out of the gate. The M’s are lousy with borderline #5 starters that will likely end up in the bullpen anyway, so they’ll have multiple bullpen guys who can work long relief.

Definitely going to make the team:
Felix
Lee
RR-S
Snell
Aardsma
Lowe
League
Kelley
(I’m assuming Sean White is still hurt)

Then, pick three from the 5th starter/long relief cluster: Fister, Olson, Texeira, French, Vargas, Petit.

All those guys, even Texeira I believe, can give you some innings. Also, at the beginning of the year, I’ve definitely heard of teams going without using their 5th starter for weeks, so that essentially gives you a 7th bullpen arm.

Its pretty clear the M’s want someone else on their bench in Langerhans’s slot.

And you know this why?

a. they’re not going with an 11-man pitching staff, not at first anyway. Standard 4 man bench.

b. Griffey and Milton are penciled in for all the PAs at DH/LF vs RHP. They ARE Wak’s starters.

c. Byrnes will be the LF vs LHP, but he wil also get the starts in LF vs RHP when Milton can’t go. He’s your 4th OF.

d. The M’s seem to see the need for a platoon 1B/DH as being greater than the need to have someone who can fill in defensively in LF with the correct platoon split vs. RHP. Oddly enough, they sacrificed defensive flexibility for a right-handed DH bench guy last year too. In fact, Mike Sweeney is still out there and would love to come back…

e. Langerhans is signed to a non-guaranteed contract because the M’s have no intention of guaranteeing him a spot on the roster.

All of this can, and probably will fall apart by May 1, but I’m pretty sure this is what Seattle is thinking right now.

Kotchman has almost no platoon split, so a right handed 1b makes no sense. Hannahan can play all the infield positions and is a natural 3b, so 2 of the things you feel we need, you haven’t actually looked at the roster to determine.

@micahjr

Others (maybe including the M’s) disagree with you.

Saunders should not be brought in to platoon (that is the correct spelling). That would be a waste of a potential full time starter. If the idea is to platoon Saunders, it is better to leave him in Tacoma.

They have other needs for that bench slot too – righty 1B, someone who can play at least 3B (to allow Figgins to shift to 2B/SS), and a late inning PH for Moore/Wilson. They can’t fill all those jobs, but some may be more important to them than having a 5th OF.

Kotchman has almost no platoon split, so a right handed 1b makes no sense. Hannahan can play all the infield positions and is a natural 3b, so 2 of the things you feel we need, you haven’t actually looked at the roster to determine. In addition, Byrnes is likely your righty pinch hitter off the bench, either him or Bradley most days. Lopez can still play 1b, and probably 3b also. Griffey will be able to ph and has done well there, also.