Mariners Moose Tracks, 1/2/17: Dipoto Done?, Hammel Struggles, and Thomas Breaks Record

New year, but still no new Mariners. What gives, Jerry? It’s been nearly a month since Dipoto’s last major transaction — when he acquired Chris Heston from the Giants to round out the Winter Meetings on December 7th — and the media has noticeably quieted down when it comes to Mariners rumors.

For months it seemed like Seattle got a name drop in every offseason rumor article. But in the last month we’ve heard barely a whisper. For example, the Mariners were completely ignored in this Beyond the Box Score story about a potential new home for Jason Hammel.

The Mariners tab at MLB Trade Rumors is surprisingly barren as well. The page includes just a few fleeting rumors about Dipoto’s discussions at the Winter Meetings.

Forget about the lack of action from Dipoto. An utter absence of rumors is mysterious on its own. Is it possible that Dipoto is done making moves? We’ve all been waiting with baited breath to see what starting pitcher Dipoto will reign in to complete the major league roster, but what if such a deal isn’t coming?

Given the shape of the roster, that’s highly unlikely. If I was a betting man, I’d say the M’s still have another move in their future. But it’s looking more and more like Dipoto is content to wait on the chips to fall and see who is left over after the shuffle. It probably isn’t the best move for a team that desperately needs starting pitching depth. Look out for more noise about the Mariners in the coming weeks.

Now let’s check out the latest on the offseason market and much more.

In Mariners news...

• King Felix’s winter league season was short-lived as the pitcher is done after starting in just two games.

Around the league...

• Grant Brisbee laid out his favorite articles from 2016.
• What is there left to look forward too in baseball before pitchers and catchers report? Beyond the Box Score has the answer.
• Although Luis Torres at Beyond the Box Score sees Vlad Guerrero as a Hall of Famer, he doesn’t believe Guerrero should be inducted this year.
• Despite an extremely shallow starting pitching market, Hammel isn’t having much luck finding a suitor. Reports indicate that no team wants to give him multiple guaranteed years in a contract.

Anders’ picks...

• Apparently someone vandalized the “Hollywood” sign in Los Angeles to make it say “Hollyweed.” That’s pretty funny.
• You’ve probably heard about this already, but maybe you haven’t. Mariah Carey badly messed up her performance in New York City.

• Isaiah Thomas continues to impress in the NBA. The Tacoma native and current Boston Celtic scored 52 points the other night, including a team-record 29 points in the fourth quarter.
• The 49ers have decided to let go of head coach Chip Kelly after he completed a 2-14 campaign with the team.