Perguntas e Merda de Janeiro

 

Depiction of the Mariner 'Hot Stove', AKA "Crematorium of fans' dreams".

By Tommy Gunner, 15 January, 2026.

This year we're going to try to keep things simple and direct, not for easier understanding, but because of a lack of available time. Oh, and laziness. Most of the questions this month are from the locals, but some are from me. Trophies will be awarded to those with the best questions accompanied with a gift certificate for Angeloni in Santa Catarina. 

As usual, the questions have been translated and edited for clarity. With that out of the way, here are the selections...

Q: Do you think Colt Emerson will be on the team (opening day)? ~Marcelo

A: Nope. He played just 5 or 6 games for Tacoma. He had less than 200 PAs with Arkansas (180?). Seattle hasn't had any issue with rushing prospects, but I don't think they'll push their luck with him. He's just 20 and has very little experience at third and second. He's been groomed for a future role at short. If they deploy him elsewhere, he'll need even more time. I wouldn't expect to see him before June and I think a second half debut is more likely, but let's see how he looks in Tacoma after a couple of hundred PAs.

Q: Could Seattle start the season with Williamson and Young, and look for help at the deadline if they need it? ~Fábio

A: First, let me make it clear that I don't think Young is a lock to make the opening-day roster. He didn't get the chance to work on things the way Williamson did in August and September. He pretty much just sat and served as emergency depth.

That said, they may not be able to acquire a regular second baseman, but there's no excuse to not have insurance. Mastrobuoni and Bliss can't be the only fallback options if the regulars at third and second are filled internally. 

Q: Why isn't anybody talking about Bliss? He was the starting second baseman before getting injured. ~Vinicius

A: He missed nearly the entire year with more than one injury. He'll need time to get up to speed, get comfortable, and make adjustments. I don't consider him a real option for backup role, yet alone a regular role as the second baseman. Hopefully he'll get back on track quickly. For now, Rivas is probably the favorite internal option for second. 

Q: Which prospect do you like the best? ~Gabriel

A: There's a reason Colt Emerson is their number one prospect and a top-10 prospect in the game. There's a lot to like about him, but I personally like Kade Anderson. I'm usually high on dominant southpaw pitchers. I'd just like to see him bulk up a bit with healthy weight before he starts his professional career. 

Q: Does Seattle need a left-handed starting pitcher? ~Anderson

A: Way too much is made about L/R balance in a rotation. It doesn't matter as long as you have good left-handed relievers. Seattle needs right-handed relievers. 

Q: At what point do they need to just accept who they are and prepare for the regular season? ~Me

A: Normally I'd say the start of spring, but I don't think there's a deadline this year, because they lack a veteran infielder, and the right-handed MI relievers are so underwhelming. They may be looking for upgrades through the end of spring, hoping for something to pop up. 

Q: What's the biggest surprise for you up until now? ~Luis

A: I don't know if you're talking about the Mariners' offseason, or the offseason in general. Regarding the Mariners, probably the early signing of Naylor. In general, easily the Tucker contract. By the previous estimations of fWAR dollar value, that's an overpay of a good 24m AAV. I hope it bites LA in the ass. It seems likely this was more about keeping him out of Toronto, New York, or Philly, but it's beyond ridiculous and I hope these tactics we're seeing from LA are addressed in the next CBA. 

Q: What do you think of the bench? ~Marcelo

A: Good question. I think they have too many outfielders: Robles, Canzone, Refsnyder, and Raley. One will play the field while another likely serves as the DH, but the only alternative infielder would be Mastrobuoni. Refsnyder being labeled as a first base option is kind of a joke. 

I don't have a problem with Mastrobuoni, I have a problem with him being the only active roster insurance for multiple infield positions. I'd like to see them get a regular second baseman (yes, even Donovan) and a veteran who can hit and handle third off the bench. That would give them Rivas as the backup for second and short. 

Whatever we see, it's going to be a far cry from what we envisioned in our offseason plan (not that we expected something close), but hopefully we'll still see better defense and more impact, along with a better bullpen. It's still hard to believe we've only seen one clear addition to the bullpen. 

Q: What about Matt Shaw or Brett Baty instead of Marte or Hoerner? ~José

A: Ask yourself if it makes any sense for those teams to trade their best depth pieces when neither team has a respectable option for third or second for their bench beyond those names.

I know there are many bloggers/podcasters, even some journalists, suggesting those players might be available. Highly doubtful. 

Q:  If they don't do anything more on offense, could they do more for the pitching to offset the difference? ~Luis 

A: They have two glaring holes in the bullpen and it's mid January. They should fill those holes with dominant relievers, regardless, but it's getting late and it really appears that they're looking to address those needs with players they've already acquired that will undergo attempted fixes through their pitching lab. 

The funny thing is, I'm not high on Vargas, so I'd argue they need three relievers, but getting back to the question, I don't think two relievers would offset the difference. It would certainly help, though.