Hello everyone! Jerry gave us a loud wake-up call from our transaction hibernation with a pair of swaps. In the first trade, the Mariners got Yovani Gallardo and some $$$, the Orioles got Seth Smith. In the second deal, the M’s acquired Jarrod Dyson for Nate Karns. Here’s what everyone had to say about it:
To start off, here’s Jerry’s statement on the moves.
#Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto on adding Yovani Gallardo to the starting rotation. pic.twitter.com/VzBqc85kjY
— Mariners (@Mariners) January 6, 2017
#Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto on the what Jarrod Dyson adds to the mix. pic.twitter.com/I38mAJsjxI
— Mariners (@Mariners) January 6, 2017
Dave Cameron had some hot takes on the trades.
The Mariners, after trading Taijuan Walker away in the Jean Segura deal, have been looking for a back-end starting pitcher. How desperate were they? Well, desperate enough to take a pitcher that the Baltimore Orioles — who have one of the worst rotations in baseball — didn’t want to keep around.
Camden Chat loved the Gallardo-Smith trade so much that they thought it had to be some kind of a joke.
Earlier today, I wrote that I didn’t want to see the Orioles acquire Smith because I’d rather them not trade one of their tradeable assets. But I’m excited about this trade because Gallardo wasn’t an asset - he was a liability. His presence created more problems than his absence will create.
It all seems too good to be real, as if this was all perpetrated by an impersonator Twitter account like Ken Rosenthai, or like the other shoe will drop later and it turns out the Orioles have included an actual player you like in the trade. Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming.
Royals Review discussed the Dyson-Karns swap from Kansas City’s end.
You hate to see such a valuable player like Jarrod Dyson get traded, but at least Dayton Moore got back a starting pitcher with several controllable years left. Karns is likely a back-of-the-rotation guy, but he can miss bats, and has already put up a 2 WAR season. Jarrod Dyson was a criminally underrated player in Kansas City, and we are sad to see him go, but on paper, this actually looks like a pretty decent deal.
Some people on Twitter were just happy to see a move by Dipoto again.
JERRY'S ALIVE https://t.co/cWJjXmtevr
— Nick Stellini (@StelliniTweets) January 6, 2017
For the Gallardo trade, there was a lot of negativity among fans and writers.
I think I might start Ariel Miranda over Yovani Gallardo? Either way, not a clear upgrade, and Mariners lose their only lefty OF right now.
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) January 6, 2017
Mariners pick up Gallardo from for Seth Smith. One of the M's big offseason needs was someone who could be a #3 starter...for Tacoma.
— Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) January 6, 2017
Yovanni Gallardo is a classic Dipoto pickup: established track record, poor 2016 stemming from (all at once now) too many dingers.
— Brendan Gawlowski (@GawlowskiB) January 6, 2017
Others were cautiously optimistic about the trade.
Gallardo was pretty miserable in 2016 but was between 2-3 wins for years prior to it. Decent return for Smith. Team still needs SP.
— Nathan Bishop (@NathanHBishop) January 6, 2017
Seth Smith was worth 0.5 WAR last year. He's 34. I like the guy, but...he is, theoretically, a lot easier to replace than a rotation hole.
— Scott Weber (@scottyweebs) January 6, 2017
You wanna call it Wade Miley 2.0 sure but 1) that's silly and 2) if he implodes the team turned Miley into a cheap piece in Miranda.
— Nathan Bishop (@NathanHBishop) January 6, 2017
/trades for Segura
— kyle rancourt (@KyleRancourt) January 6, 2017
"LAST YEAR WAS FLUKE! look at past 3 years!"
/trades for Gallardo
"HE WAS SO BAD LAST YEAR!"
When it came to the Dyson deal, people were pretty much in agreement: the trade was a great one for Seattle.
This definitely helps the team on the bases: Segura had 33 stolen bases last year, Dyson 30.
— José ⭐ (@whoisjoserivera) January 6, 2017
Karns still has some prestige as a power K arm after 2015, but he was not so good last year. Command plummeted, even out of 'pen.
— Zach Sanders (@zvsanders) January 6, 2017
Jerry Dipoto says he feels team has five legit center fielders to put at their three outfield spots now after Dyson acquisition.
— Curtis Crabtree (@Curtis_Crabtree) January 6, 2017
Jarrod Dyson's SO% over the last 4 years: 18.8 (2013), 17.9 ('14), 16.4 ('15), 11.6 ('16). I like the direction of that trend. #Mariners
— Brian Cobb (@BrianRCobb) January 6, 2017
And still others had thoughts on the two trades as a whole.
Out of Seth Smith, Nate Karns, Yo Gallardo, and Jarrod Dyson, the best player of the four is Dyson.
— Zach Sanders (@zvsanders) January 6, 2017
I think the Seattle defense just got a ton better, the pitching got marginally better, the lineup got worse.
— Christopher Crawford (@Crawford_MILB) January 6, 2017
Dyson, Martin, and Haniger might be the best OF defense in baseball. Which is good, because that pitching will need it.
— David Cameron (@DCameronFG) January 6, 2017
So there you have it. A lot of pieces changed places. A lot of takes were made. What do you think of the moves?