Rambling thoughts on wlad and adam

by wadswerth on Jul 16, 2007 11:08 PM PDT Comment 38 comments

Even If the M's do resign jose guillen i can see wlad and jones on the club next year. Both ellison and broussards contracts are up and i doubt either will be back. Broussard will probably be looking for a club that will get him more playing time and ellison isnt a must keep as a 4th outfielder.

This leaves the door open for wlad to be our 4th outfielder and adam to take rauls spot provided that raul takes vidros spot at DH and vidro either gets regulated to pinch hitting, traded or is released with the m's eating his salary.

Adam is a no brainer to be starting next season (hell even this season) and with the power and speed numbers wlad has put up in tacoma this year the only way i see him leaving is through a trade which i really doubt will happen given the quality of pitchers avalible in the market right now. He would be a major upgrade over ellison by far as a 4th outfielder.

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You can't make someone like Wlad a backup.

by Jeff on Jul 16, 2007 11:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You could DH Guillen

vs. lefties.

The poster formerly known as CoachOwens

by Coach Owens on Jul 16, 2007 11:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You could be smart

and put Wlad and Adam in the OF in '08, off Sexson somehow and find a Goddamn left handed power hitting first basemen. But then you wouldn't be the M's.

Wait! We're good now? Why was I not informed?

by TheBishop on Jul 16, 2007 11:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Might I also suggest we find

a Goddamn left handed power hitting first baseman with a slight modicum of range?

by Slozbury Stouvre on Jul 16, 2007 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's on the Pirates already.

No, sir, they're saying Boo-vasi.

by Mariner John on Jul 16, 2007 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Goddamnit I concur!

Wait! We're good now? Why was I not informed?

by TheBishop on Jul 16, 2007 11:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My scenario

was based on if jose guillen does resign. and if he did i think that wlad would only be the backup for a year with rauls contract due up after 08. I would rather keep wlad for a year as a backup then lose him to another team because they didnt want to use him as a 4th outfielder.

This is ofcourse moot if guillen doesnt resign then there is room for wlad to be a starter right away

by wadswerth on Jul 16, 2007 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You could

It would just be a gross mismanagement of talent.

by Gomez on Jul 16, 2007 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

Thats what bavasi thinks GM stands for gross mismanagement. I would rather see wlad get a shot at starting next year over guillen. but i do have doubts on bavasi being willing to have 2 rookies starting in the outfield with out somesoft of backup plan ie. a vetren player who is adequate both on offense and defense.

by wadswerth on Jul 17, 2007 12:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No!

Wlad will waste away as a bench fourth outfielder.

by maxthedrummer on Jul 16, 2007 11:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I guess he can go to another team

since it's 4th OF or out if our roster (Sexson, Guillen, Ibanez, Vidro area) is the same next year.

No, sir, they're saying Boo-vasi.

by Mariner John on Jul 16, 2007 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can you sign an extension

when the current contract contains a mutual option? Wouldn't he have to waive that, the Mariners as well, and then do an extension?

I will not make jokes in my sig. I will not make jokes in my sig. I will not...

by TIF on Jul 17, 2007 12:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

ok

I guess i could have made my point a little bit clearer. Im not advocating that we do resign guillen and make wlad a backup. I would love to see wlad get a shot at the starting job during spring training. but i do have doubts about the mariners management going with 2 rookie outfielders given there penchant for wanting vetrens players. and if the only way to keep wlad with the m's was him having to be a backup for a year i would rather do that then lose him and get nothing in return.

by wadswerth on Jul 17, 2007 12:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Does anybody else think signing Guillen...

would be incredibly dumb for the simple fact it almost completely negates Wlad's trade value? I mean I want Wlad over Guillen next year anyway (if nothing else for salary reasons) but teams know if we have Guillen there's NO room for Wlad. If it's clear he's useless to us his market value plummets.

*Call up Wladam Jonentien!!!*

by SethGrandpa on Jul 17, 2007 12:52 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Just a question about WLAD

Would it be hard to teach WLAD 1B? Maybe some offseason intructional time?

If Sexson went away you could get him time at 1B and at DH with a few outfield starts in a rotation with Guillen.

Or we could trade all players at Tacoma for Griffey, refinance Safeco through Ditech.com and use the equity to sign A-Rod, then release all non-useful 40 man players....Ooops. Sorry. I channeled AK there for a second.

by Ben in Va on Jul 17, 2007 7:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wlad

Funny that you bring that up because I sent a message to Wlad yesterday asking him if he had any experience at 1B but didn't get a reply. He seems a little less fan friendly than another guy a couple of us have chatted with. Or, maybe he just doesn't like internet stalkers? Hmmm.

"You guys should be in every major city. This is some heavy shit. This is, like, Lone Ranger heavy, man."

by AZSEAfan on Jul 17, 2007 9:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to split hairs

but Ben is under club control for one more year, so he's not exactly a FA.

by Trent on Jul 17, 2007 8:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Why can't you make

someone like Wlad a 4th outfielder for a year?

Especially now that McLaren is the manager and seems to be more willing to rest players.

Every off-season we here about filling the bench with cheap talent with upside, well isn't that exactly what Wlad is? He gets his first season in the majors in getting a few games here and there to the tune of about 300 at-bats in a season. I just don't see how that's going to ruin him for life, or how it won't help the Mariners. You have someone on your bench that should one of your regulars gets hurt can step in a provide some power, at the same time he's up getting his major league experience and doing it for the major league minimum. Seems like for the M's its the best of both worlds... get cheap talent with upside, and have depth for injury or for trading.

by MfaninAlaska on Jul 17, 2007 10:14 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with you MfaninAlaska...

It's not going to kill the guy to be a 4th OF for a year.

So everyone is advocating that we just dump him rather than have an awesome, cheap player on the bench?

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 17, 2007 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Being a 4th outfieler

Is reserved for people like Jason Ellison and over the hill players. You do not, under any circumstances, make a promising prospect sit on the bench, wasting valuable development time.

by Dylan on Jul 17, 2007 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If it's a choice between that,

and losing said promising prospect completely? I say you keep him on the bench, and try to play him as much as possible.

Throwing him away is like saying you don't have a good spot to spend a $100.00 bill, so you might as well put it through the shredder.

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 17, 2007 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No one wants to give him away for free.

You trade him for quality you can use.

by Jeff on Jul 17, 2007 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, so we could trade him for pitching,

But who's out there that's worth it? So if we don't end up trading him, (and we re-sign Guillen for some ungodly reason) then he needs to be on the roster or we lose him for nothing.

In that situation, I'd keep him as the 4th rather than trade him for 10 cents on the dollar.

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 17, 2007 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And players like Wily Mo Pena...

No, sir, they're saying Boo-vasi.

by Mariner John on Jul 17, 2007 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

One thing to remember

is that the M's have been insanely lucky with regards to injury. With Wlad on board next year as a 4th outfielder, he can easily be "Plan B" should something happen to any of the starting outfielders or Sexson. Add to that PH duties and spot starts and it should be enough to keep from stalling his career too much. Beats losing him for nothing, or next to.

Or, he continues to mash in AAA and dominates in Spring Training '08 and we see him in a starting role next year. But..... I'm a little gunshy with the idea of starting 2 rookies after watching the DBacks and their prospects fail. Not sure how familiar you guys may be with them but Drew, Quentin, Young, Jackson, Montero and Hairston were all huge prospects too. They have all fallen flat on their faces except for Young who is having an "okay" season.

"You guys should be in every major city. This is some heavy shit. This is, like, Lone Ranger heavy, man."

by AZSEAfan on Jul 17, 2007 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Question:

Why do people keep mentioning Wlad and 1st base?

Has he ever played 1st, or anywhere in the infield? As far as I know, he's a career outfieder...

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 17, 2007 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

1B is easy to play and Sexson is an overpaid POS

by Edgar for Pres on Jul 17, 2007 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's relatively easy, but

if everyone's worried about killing his development by having him as a 4th OF, wouldn;t a sudden position switch at this stage be just as harmful?

Sexson and Ibanez have both proven that 1st base isn't THAT easy to play well.

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 17, 2007 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

Imagine yourself playing beer league softball manning an outfield position. If for some reason the coach moved you to 1B would it really screw up your hitting for the rest of the year?

1B is, by far, the easiest position to play whether it's softball, little league, AA or the pros.

"You guys should be in every major city. This is some heavy shit. This is, like, Lone Ranger heavy, man."

by AZSEAfan on Jul 17, 2007 9:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've done it, and no it didn't.

But MLB is a far cry from beer league. I just think they are better off letting him take Guillen's spot next year.

OR... Why not move Guillen to 1st? It might help his sore ankles not having to run so much.

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 18, 2007 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Are there any examples of teams playing young rookies as 4th OFs, backup infielders and the like? We've certainly seen rookie pitchers used as relievers, but don't others teams practice this with their hitters as well?

I think there's a worry in that the M's don't use heir bench as much, don't rotate guys into the lineup so much as use them sparingly to rest regulars.

by Gomez on Jul 18, 2007 1:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lastings Milledge is the first one that

comes to mind. I know it's been done before, and with some very good players. Not every prospect comes in and plays full time right away.

I would be concerned about him rotting on the bench, especially with the way the M's are about bench use, and this being the AL and all. But if he were used correctly, he could play 3-4 times a week I would think.

Worse case scenario is if you can't get him playing time, trade him next year.

I guess I'm just a big fan of holding on to your prospects unless you're getting a plus-plus player in return, and I don't see that player on the market.

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 18, 2007 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Every one talks about trading Wlad,

but does Guillen have any trade value?

by sammy on Jul 17, 2007 2:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not really, no.

by Jeff on Jul 17, 2007 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I keep going back to Minnesota

as a potential trade partner.

I've asked this before, but I'll ask again: would a trade package featuring Wlad be enough to pry away Kevin Slowey? I know top prospect for top prospect trades pretty much never happen, but we'd fill each other's needs so perfectly with this one.

by sammy on Jul 17, 2007 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guillen is the perfect example of a

"rent a player" right now.

This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, "Don't eat the big white mint".

by Thingray on Jul 17, 2007 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Poor guy...

in that P-I notebook, Guillen seemed so hopeful that he could stay around in Seattle for a few years, settle down buy a house. I really like the guy, and feel bad that the most sensible thing to do is to send him packing yet again at the end of the season.

...

Then again, the fucker gets to play baseball for a living, so I guess I don't feel THAT bad for him.

by sammy on Jul 17, 2007 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs