August Post-Deadline Questions, August Post-Deadline Answers

 

Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander, top right, load up prospects from the farm and deliver them to Tampa Bay, Toronto, and Miami. 

By Tommy Gunner, 1 August, 2024

This year's deadline was a strange one. No top-100 prospects were traded (though several of them may end up on the list soon) and there were a number of players that were surprisingly not moved. 

But it is what it is, what's done is done, and now we get to see how this plays out. This round is going to be just me hitting up Stevil...

Q: What was the biggest surprise for you?

A: That's easy: The hesitation by Chicago and Oakland to move players that won't likely be around when their respective clubs are contending again. 

Q: Some fans feel that it was a failure because bigger names weren't acquired and top prospects weren't moved. What's your take?

A: The biggest names (Vlad Jr., Bo, Robert, Rooker) weren't available. We know Seattle made a effort to get Vlad Jr., but they were never going to sacrifice half of their farm and that's apparently what it would've taken--if Toronto wasn't 100% bent on keeping him. 

I would further argue that Robert and Bo were never realistic, nor as good as the players Seattle got, and no team added more impact hitting than Seattle despite having landed just two bats. They were bigger bats than some people may realize.

And...Seattle did give up a top-10 prospect: Brody Hopkins. There's an argument that Aidan Smith was as well. Seattle didn't go 'cheap'. If Pipeline is the source for a counter-argument, I'd recommend those fans find a new source.

Q: Did the Rays steal the show?

A: They got most of the attention, and understandably so. Paredes getting moved surprised me a little, but he was arguably at peak value and Caminero has been hot over the last week or so. They also have Mead. I thought they'd hang onto him for another year, but they probably loved the peripherals of Morel, apart from the whiff & squaring up issues, and saw an opportunity. That's the kind of player they've been able to fix/adjust/mold/whatever, so I get it. Moving Randy was a little surprising, too, simply because they don't have much experience in their outfield now and I thought he was crucial for a postseason run. They obviously aren't worried about that this year, but I thought they would be. That's good for Seattle, though! Really, if I had believed he was going to be available, he would have been on our list of targets. I know you wanted him!

Not to get too side-tracked, I think Toronto deserves equal attention as sellers. I especially liked the return they got for Kikuchi. But Seattle, kind of quietly, was one of the big winners among buyers, in my opinion.

Q: Turner wasn't plan A, was he?

A: Almost certainly not, but he was cheap to acquire and he's been one of the best cleanup hitters in baseball since early June. He had a horrific May, which dilutes his seasonal slash-line, but Seattle got a legitimate hitter even if the power isn't the same as years past. 

Q: Did the Mariners do enough?

A: They did what they could. They needed more, but I have little doubt that the deals simply weren't there. I do believe they addressed their biggest needs and it's worth noting that teams like Houston, Texas, New York, KC, Minnesota, and Boston might have more question marks right now than Seattle. Baltimore is the one AL team that probably addressed their needs better, but they had fewer needs and paid a steep price. 

Q: How do you think Polanco figured into what we saw?

A: Good question. As you and I both know, he came back from the IL far more aggressive. But the results were no better. He was striking out more and he wasn't getting anything more than singles when he did make contact. That continued until somewhere around the second week of July. I don't know what the adjustment was. I thought he was keeping his front foot further out and bringing his hands back behind him on swings before he hit the IL, but I haven't studied or compared PAs lately. Hopefully someone will analyze the differences.

Since 9 July, his numbers have been more inline with his career stats. He's had some hiccups, but I think his turnaround likely did convince them to prioritize first base rather than second. I'm admittedly not comfortable with Seattle not having an alternative, but it is what it is. 

I didn't want to see him designated for assignment until after the deadline, primarily because I wanted to see if he could somehow get moved. I wasn't optimistic about him turning things around, but this is exactly why you don't make a move like that until you absolutely have to. JP hitting the IL made it even easier to keep him around a little longer, and fortunately, that patience is paying off. Hopefully his recent success continues. 

Better late than never, right?

Q: What other changes could you see happening?

A: Well, when Julio and JP return, Marlowe and Vosler will likely be optioned. If Polanco is still hitting, they could use Moore at first base and Turner as the DH vs. RHPs. Facing LHPs, they could use Turner at first, Garver at DH, and Moore at third. I don't know if they'll do that, but I could see that happening. Rivas would stay in that hypothetical scenario and perhaps spell JP now and then against LHPs. 

Another move that might, and I stress, might, be a possibility: Designating Thornton and replacing him with Troy Taylor. Thornton didn't have a good July. He looks tired. Taylor's been outstanding for Arkansas and he's a potential late-innings option as he's been closing games. 

***

Generally speaking, we both consider this deadline a success. Be on the lookout for DFAs and promotions. This team appears to be prepared for a fight. Hopefully, with a little luck, they'll take that fight to a championship. 

That's it for now.