Fields, Mariners Agree To Deal

Agreed.

This team needs a closer.. why?

I would have much rather had Z make his own pick at 21 this year than have a petulant, greedy RELIEVER like Fields.

I just hope they don't invite him to camp this year. The guy doesn't deserve a shot at the opening day roster.

I'm from GA i've seen Josh Fields and yeah, OVERHYPED!!! he chokes is the clutch and his fastball is as straigt as i don't know what. sorry man.

Enjoy, Mariners fans.

This guy has two great pitches. Greedy is lame though.

"He is to cocky and shakes off the catcher way way to much."

His cockiness is his weak trait, but he has the stuff to overcome that in a "closer's" role. He probably can't be stretched out to start though, ala Brandon Morrow. I wouldn't put him at the level of Francoeur/Delmon Young though.

This has got to be a suck up attempt to Boras.

"Look Scott, we will sign Fields if you convince Strasburg not to sign with Washington and have him fall to us!"

Probably not but I think a few others (including Green and Ackley) are Boras advised clients as well, iirc.

thr33niL-

I don't live in/near Seattle neither do I follow the Mariners much(although I do read LL and USSM quite a bit as a baseball fan simply b/c of how great the content is). I know the M's blogosphere was opposed to signing Fields, but how was the general atmosphere in Seattle? Do you think this move was PR motivated (since there is negative stigma associated with not signing your first round picks) in any way?

I just can't grasp why Z would do something like this. PR would be the only explanation IMO.

Posted by: melonis rex | February 13, 2009 at 08:27 PM
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I really don't know.

Zduriencik always talked about making progress with Fields but most everyone figured he was just paying lip service and wasn't even interested because obviously he wanted to make his own pick.

I think this really comes asa shock to the more knowledgeable Seattle fans because no one ever really thought Z was serious about it.

Like I said, I think a lot of the motivation behind this was to continue a good working relationship with Boras since the Mariners will undoubtedly sign one of his clients in the near future.

"Look Scott, we will sign Fields if you convince Strasburg not to sign with Washington and have him fall to us!"

I wish

"Either that, or Zduriencik and his scouts know something the rest of us don't."

I just don't see Z as the type to value closers this highly. And stretching Fields out to be a starter is stupid; use the pick to draft an actual starter.

It had to be either Boras or PR. Absolutely had to. Just an absolute head-scratcher, based on my perceptions of Z. Which are probably heavily skewed and incorrect.

All of you act like you know what you are talking about. Z doesnt know what he's doing Fields is Overhyped he is cocky and he folds under pressure the only funny thing is no one knows the guy or has seen him pitch or obviously looked at his stats sure he went 3-2 3.38 era not that great considering he was in a conference with Justin Smoak Pedro Alzarez just to name the ones I remember from last year so let me check something oh..... he converted 18 of 18 of his save opportunities oh damn so much for folding under pressure what was his era? 0.47 Holy Cow thats great! BTW in the 18 saves he pitched 19 innings and only gave up 3 hits only 1 run just 12 walks with 32 strikeouts and none of the 15 runners that he inherited scored so eat that all of you idiots no wonder the SONICS left they were tired of listening to morons!

above comment directed at Justin.

I agree with you to an extent melonis. A rebuilding team doesnt need a closer but at 23 just say it takes the Mariners 5 years to get back to 85 wins or so that puts Fields at 28 a seasoned solid vet at the closers role just ask the mets you cant do much without a closer or bullpen, thats just my point. And much as everyone says they can get more value at the 21st pick next year I dont totally agree with you never know what you are getting with the high School kids at least with fields giving health and progress they know what they are getting.

I understand the disappointment from some Mariner fans that Fields could potentially have been a high ceiling position player or starting pitcher but Fields is an immediate return on the investment (and you can't say that about many draft picks). Given the vacancy for the closer's role in Seattle, he could build up value quickly once he emerges and then the Mariners can flip him for a package of players to help. Fields will contribute in the short-term and could potentially become more long-term pieces for the team. It's a smart, lower-risk investment.

[For those knocking Fields' stuff, his curve is spectacular. When he struggled (2007) his issue was fastball command. That wasn't a problem for him in 2008 as he returned to his dominant form. If you want to knock anything about Joshua Fields, look to his Bronson Arroyo-like haircut.]

" If you want to knock anything about Joshua Fields, look to his Bronson Arroyo-like haircut."

I like the hair though. Not enough MLB players grow out their hair.

Although it will be entertaining from a hair perspective to see Fields pitch to Travis Buck or Aaron Cunningham, since they both have similar hair, IIRC.

I think making Morrow a closer at this point is a waste of his upside.

He's proven that he has a decent chance of being a starter long term, and with his stuff he could be an ace-quality pitcher with some time.

The potential of a Felix-Morrow 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation is very tantalizing.

Seattle is in a rebuild mode. I think this signing isn't for 2009 as much as it is for the seasons after.

Agreed, the team may not need a closer for 2009, but the decision to sign Fields now may represent a vision toward contending in 2010 or 2011, in which case they will need a closer. He may not be the closer this year, but he could have the job for 2010 or 2011 and beyond, if it works out.

The Mariners are looking toward rebuilding with youth. If Fields is really one of the better young prospects out there for closing games, what's the harm in signing him now and grooming him for the job?

^^Agreed, good post. Z seems to really know what he is doing right now.

I'm from Athens, and watched Josh pitch more than a lot. I think he could be really, really good. I'm not sure if he'll last 10+ years in the league, because he puts SO much effort into throwing 96-99mph (he literally grunts 75% of the time), but while he's there, I think he'll be pretty darn good.

Furthering that point, I've stood next to the guy numerous times on campus, after games, etc., and I'd put his max size at 5'11", 180, absolute MAX. I don't see Fields as the same freak of nature as Lincecum, but who knows how long he'll last either.

Josh is strictly a two-pitch pitcher, IMO - The 98mph gas, and a 78-82 twelve-to-six hammer of a curve. I see no way he'll be converted to a starter.

Josh has good makeup as a closer. Despite his size (or lack thereof), he's quite intimidating (his hair, grunts, and his closer/bulldog mentality that he IS going to get you out).

Overall, I really do like the pick for the Mariners. Although the Mariners aren't in dire need of a closer today, who knows when it will come in handy to have a guy like Josh, be it a future trade, or somehow the M's are in contention in the near future.

The kid has great, great stuff and in my mind, really has what it takes to be a ML closer. From his arsenal to the intimidation factor.

I've seen this kid pitch a lot and he is great player. I feel confident he can have a career infront of him. I don't see him being a lights out closer but he can for sure be one of the top set up men in the league.

"Is it possible that the M's try to convert Fields to a starter? The Jays drafted Maryland closer Brett Cecil in 2007, and have been using him as a starter. He has been putting up some nice numbers in that role too. Maybe Fields would be the same?
"

I really, really don't think so.

Cecil was much younger when drafted (he was 20 when drafted; Fields is 23). Gives them a less refined body of work to meld.

And, I really think Cecil's arsenal is better than Fields'.

There really is no reason to sign Fields just to stretch him out to be a starter. Much easier just to use the pick to sign a college SP.

The M's may have done this as a gesture to Scott Boras, considering he's employed by some of the best. It'll also give them more money to spend on each individual draft pick this next draft, with the way the economy is, and what not.