:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67749700/1259081783.0.jpg)
Welcome to FanPost Friday! Pretty uneventful week, right? Ho-hum. Nothing to see here. Welp, might as well take a look at some LLer-submitted Mariners offseason plans! But first, let’s examine last week’s poll results.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22016158/Screenshot_2020_11_05_FanPost_Friday_Enter_the_Offseason.png)
Marcus Stroman is the clear favorite among LLers for top free agent acquisition for 2021, with Chris Archer and Trevor May at distant second and third. Pitching, Jerry! The people want pitching!
Okay, now let’s do a quick run down of some offseason plans.
Introducing, my #Mariners Off-Season Plan. Basically, spend money mothefuckers. Doesn't effect future core in the slightest. Team is a borderline contender with upside. Super reasonable 40 man payroll figures linked below.https://t.co/hdAhj57hvF pic.twitter.com/W3RaREwA62
— Darren Gossler (@Goose1701) November 1, 2020
Veteran LLer and devoted payroll tracker Goose checked in with his list of offseason demands, most of which I think many fans would find very agreeable save perhaps for trading Kyle Seager. But depending on the return from the Brewers, it could be a very savvy move as Seager’s production-related value is probably the highest it is going to be for the rest of his career. Maybe not though, who knows? I’m a big fan of signing Ha-Seong Kim, Taijuan Walker, Michael Brantley, and ol’ Oliver Perez. I think we’re all on Team Spend Money around here, so let’s hope we see some of these moves in the coming months.
LLer JoeyCora’sInexcorableTears (what a user name!) is a also on Team Spend Money. Some wise free agent choices are listed such as Kim, poll favorite Marcus Stroman, Corey Kluber and then building a bullpen of death with Alex Colomé, Trevor May, and Aaron Loup. The plan seems to hang on one mondo trade: Nabbing Francisco Lindor from Cleveland for J.P. Crawford, Jake Fraley, and assorted prospects. This feels a bit light to me, so I think the prospect haul would have to be more significant than most of us would be comfortable with. On the other hand, Crawford just won his first Gold Glove so he’s got that going for him. Fraley is borderline worthless, but don’t tell Cleveland that. Overall, lots of good stuff to mull over in this plan.
Corey Brock’s Top 5 Free Agents($)
I’ll throw in this post from The Athletic, as it’s perhaps the most modest of offseason plans out there, so it serves as a good balance/reality check to our Team Spend Money dreams. Look, no one is day dreaming about Robbie Grossman or Kirby Yates out there, but if things go in a more frugal direction, the team could do worse than these 5 signings. I hope they do better, obviously.
BONUS FANPOST: Evan White and Making it in the Majors
From what I can tell, LLer Backflash Kevin here signed up for an account just to drop this dense and well-researched post on us that examines Evan White’s struggles at the plate and tries to determine some of the root causes of his high strike out numbers. It’s really, really good stuff and I implore you to read it!
That’s all for this week. Still working on your offseason plan? Post ‘em up this week or share below in the comments. And be sure to listen to this week’s LL podcast for more ideas as Kate, Matthew, and Mikey chop up the best options for the offseason and seek to find the best path for the 2021 Mariners.