Mariners Moose Tracks, 12/14/21: Sam Carlson, J.P. Crawford, and Justin Verlander

In Mariners news...

• Nothing to see here, just Mariners prospect Sam Carlson hitting some light weights to start off the day.

• While there are multiple young shortstops available that the Mariners could pursue, it’s unlikely that any of them would take J.P. Crawford’s place, writes Ryan Divish in his latest Mariners mailbag.

Around the league...

• Justin Verlander’s two-year deal with the Houston Astros has now been formally approved by MLB.

• Rest in peace to Roland Hemond, one of MLB’s most influential executives who's 70-year baseball career included time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, and Baltimore Orioles in multiple different leadership roles.
• Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt is expected to take a job in the Commissioner’s Office in the On-Field Operations department.

Becca’s picks...

• In what many are calling a controversial decision by the Seattle Kraken, the team has announced their first-ever Kraken NFT. The environmental impacts of NFTs are known to be harmful, so many fans are calling out the Kraken due to their home arena being Climate Pledge Arena and their efforts to be environmentally conscious.