Q&A May Edition

 

Seattle Sports' Shannon Drayer gives a presentation to HVH staff about the ever-changing baseball vocabulary used by local media. 

By Tommy Gunner, 3 May, 2025

This month is going to be limited in quantity, but overwhelming in length. This is because there wasn't a lot of diversity. That's a good thing, though. The fewer questions the team has, the better they must be playing, right? We'll run with that. 

Any gripes or complaints should be directed at Stevil. 

*The questions have been edited and translated for clarity.

*Some statements and stats were not updated prior to posting. 

 

Q: Is this early success a result of good roster construction, or luck? Both?

A: I want to say neither. Losing Robles, Kirby, Gilbert (hopefully for no more than a month), Taylor (initially), Santos (went on the IL immediately after being optioned), Bliss, Solano's struggles, Julio's slow start and Polanco failing to handle third doesn't exactly scream "Luck!". The lineup certainly wasn't what was expected, nor intended. 

They have their first baseman playing right field; gave the bulk of PAs at first to a NRI on a minor-league deal, they're relying on a rookie with two weeks of AAA experience to handle third (and just 136 games in the minors!), their intended third baseman is DHing, Their DH/utility infielder is in a strict platoon facing LHPs (and struggling), and their third & fourth-string second basemen are getting significant starts--and that's just the position players. Talk about chaos. And with exception to first base, it's been working. Maybe that does suggest a little luck. 

But the point is, nothing has gone as planned, and I don't think that's due to great roster construction. Many of the players are playing to their strengths, rather than trying to do more than they're capable of, and I think this is largely due to Wilson's communicational skills and leadership. There's also an argument that many of these players are finally playing where they should be playing (Polanco as the DH, Raley in the outfield, Moore in a true utility role, Mastrobuoni and Rivas at second and Williamson at third). That's arguably luck, because they didn't really have a choice. The fans have been lucky that what appeared to be a mess may be sorting itself out. 

Though the sample sizes are small, Williamson and Rivas have been handling two of the biggest holes quite well. The younger and less-experienced players have looked focused. Polanco is on fire, and without the need for a defensive contribution, he's concentrating on his PAs. The challenges Seattle has already faced may have had negative results without Wilson--and Wilson has made a number of mistakes himself. At some point, they're going to bite him in the ass if he doesn't tighten up. But the good outweighs the bad. Hopefully he's picking Manny Acta's brain and we see fewer oddities. 

As of Sunday night, 27 April, Seattle has the number three offense in baseball. Worth noting, the top-four in BABIP are at the bottom in K%. That's not luck and it's encouraging. Getting Kirby, Gilbert, Robles, and Brash back would only strengthen the pitching, so it's reasonable to believe they'll most likely be buyers at the deadline if they can get healthy and stay healthy.

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Q: What can they do about the bullpen? They have to DFA Thornton, right? Are there any prospects that could help?

A: Thornton obviously hasn't been good. If Brash returns in the coming days, he might be DFA'd before this is posted. He should clear waivers and be outrighted to Tacoma. He isn't likely going to get claimed because he's earning 2 million, and he isn't likely going to reject an outright assignment for the same reason (if he even can). Keyword: likely. 

But they need depth. Having Thornton working on things in Tacoma could be a good thing. Hobbs might be in the conversation at some point, but he's still in AA. The organization isn't exactly overflowing with MLB-ready arms right now. 

Seattle's bullpen is the second-worst in strike outs with only the Marlins posting a lower K%. Muñoz and Speier have been great at missing bats, but most of the relievers have given up a lot of contact. That might be resolved internally with Taylor, the return of Brash, and eventually Kowar. This is something to watch, though. They may need real external help apart from waiver claims. . 

Q: Why aren't more players using torpedo bats?

A: I don't know if this was a generalized question, or directed towards the Mariners, but there is no cookie-cutter solution that works for every player. Just because it seems to work well for Cal, doesn't mean it would work well for Julio or Tellez. 

That said, I'm sure we will see other players experimenting with them eventually. 

Q: What is the biggest weaknesses in the lineup?

A: On the position side. first base is the biggest weakness. I know a lot of people got excited about Tellez after the series in Toronto, but he has struggled since then and struggled a lot before that series. He isn't cutting it and Solano has just as many questions offensively. 

Locklear has been pretty solid in Tacoma since 12 April. The Ks are way down. Oddly enough, he has a larger sample of successful PAs than Tellez has in total with Seattle. I have no idea how much rope Tellez has, but Solano likely has a little more. Those two are the weakest links right now. Some may argue that Tellez should stay because of his defense. Let's get something clear: he isn't a star defender and teams don't keep first basemen around for their defense, anyway. His bat (and Solano's) will have to be productive. Let's see how they do in May. 

It is kind of funny that the biggest areas of concern in the offseason were third, second, and DH, yet here we are with concerns at first. It's amazing how an injury can change everything so quickly. 

One more thing...

The bullpen really is, and has been, the biggest weakness of this team. I want to make that clear.

Q: Which prospects and players are most likely to be traded for help?

A: This is kind of hard to answer. I want to believe that Jerry wouldn't dare move a beloved teammate while they're in contention like he did in 2021. So, I don't think Castillo is likely a trade chip mid-season. He's really needed right now, anyway. The offseason is a different story.

Logan Evans is needed for immediate depth along with Hancock, and neither player likely has a ton of value. So, I don't think they're likely to get moved.  

Jurrangelo Cijntje or Ryan Sloan may be available. Sloan definitely has value. I still think Cole Young is expendable, but he is struggling significantly in Tacoma. 

Harry Ford is arguably expendable now that Raleigh has been extended. But his power has vaporized and so has his value as a result. 

Felnin Celesten is off to a solid start for Modesto. If they have real concerns about his health (and they probably should), perhaps selling high on him while he's healthy is a consideration.

Few prospects are likely off-limits. I think it's highly unlikely Emerson, Montes, or Farmelo get moved. Williamson won't be a prospect by July and he's obviously needed. Pretty much anyone else playing stateside is probably in the conversation. I'd add non-prospects like Santos if he gets healthy and throws a few solid innings, though he would likely be a throw-in to get a bigger deal done. 

But it really isn't clear if Seattle will need a lot of help on the position side. It's possible, if not likely, that Raley and/or Locklear will eventually be able to lock-up first base. Garver is doing enough as the backup catcher. If Moore, Robles, and Raley are healthy, maybe they'll look to strengthen the bench with another outfielder, but until we get a longer look at what Seattle has, it's really hard to speculate.

That said, if there's a big splash or two, it wouldn't surprise me if it's for relievers. There might even be a free agent out there that could make sense. 

Q: What has been the biggest surprise for you?

A: It's a toss-up. The infield defense and bottom-third of the order (same players) have been perhaps the biggest reason for Seattle's success. None of it was expected, but it has been vital. Those guys have been selective at the plate, almost as if they're taking their defense in the field to the plate with them. Usually we hear the opposite, right? They aren't dominating opponents pitching. They're simply not getting beat; making the pitchers work by making contact. JP's discipline has been exemplary. 

Relying on players with limited experience and rookies wasn't a wise plan. Seattle put themselves in a desperate position because they lacked depth from the beginning. So far, they're beating the odds. Hopefully it will continue as pitchers get updated reports and start to adjust, which will require the hitters to adjust, but one thing that's encouraging is that none of those guys are trying to do too much. I couldn't care less about the lack of power. They're getting that elsewhere.