Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has exasperated many trade partners with his negotiating style, executives tell Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Those execs say the M’s frequently inquire on a number of players, only to shift direction when a deal appears within reach. That’s not unusual for teams to do, but rival officials say Jack Z has become one of the most difficult GMs in the sport with whom to do business. In a lengthy email to FOX Sports, the Mariners GM responded by saying that the in-and-out nature of his trade conversations are typical of those that occur throughout the industry. Meanwhile, other teams are confused by the club’s recent acquisition of Kendrys Morales given the way Zduriencik has intimated that the club has limited financial breathing room. Here’s more out of the AL and NL West..
- If the Angels do add a starting pitcher, a rental probably makes more sense for them, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. The Mike Trout extension counts towards their competitive balance tax payroll next season, so they won’t have much wiggle room. Meanwhile, one industry source sees the Angels as more of a player for a starter in August when they take take advantage of available money without dealing prospects (link). The Angels have $15MM in breathing room before they surpass the tax threshold, but they are hesitant to deal more prospects after dealing six to land Joe Thatcher and Huston Street (link).
- Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego looks at Padres GM candidates A.J. Preller and Billy Eppler. Preller, an assistant GM with the Rangers, isn’t afraid to go against the grain with one exec referring to him as “eccentric.” Preller also has a rep as a grinder though his aggressiveness in signing talent from Latin America has rankled some competitors.
- The Dodgers shouldn’t trade for David Price or Jon Lester, argues Dave Cameron of Fangraphs. The Dodgers already have a strong mathematical likelihood of making the postseason and it doesn’t appear that the cost to land either of the star pitchers would be worth it for them, in Cameron’s view.
- The Giants’ interest in Ben Zobrist of the Rays could be deepening, writes Chris Haft of MLB.com. The Giants’ pickup of Dan Uggla hasn’t moved the needle so far and Marco Scutaro is unable to play everyday due to his lingering back issues.
Dan Uggla wasn’t the answer for the Giants? Huh. I never saw that coming. – No one.
The Giants didn’t.
They will do what they always do keep throwing things at the wall until something sticks.
The Dodgers certainly don’t need Lester or Price, but to put one of them with Kershaw and Greinke in a playoff series? Wow. The Dodgers would seriously be favorites in every playoff game they played with a rotation of Kershaw, Price, Greinke, and Ryu.
Price has around a 5 ERA in the playoffs. Just saying.
I hope the Dodgers take those 30 innings into account as much as you.
It’s actually worse than that as a starter. As a reliever in 08 he gave up 1 ER in 5 2/3 innings.
Limited sample size, sure, but 17 ER in 26 1/3 playoff innings is pretty brutal. Nearly double his career ERA in the regular season.
I’d love Dodgers to trade for Lester and give up Joc but the thing is look at the 2011 Phillies with Lee, Oswalt, Hamels, and Halladay. That was supposed to be an unbeatable rotation and they lost to the Cards in the first round. Playoffs are complete luck of the draw sometimes.
What’s the point of inquiring of players Jack Z, When eveyone knows you don’t have the guts to make a big trade, Not expecting anything to happen
he pulled the trigger on that upton trade, that seemed pretty big to me.
Are you sure you’ve got the right GM?
Justin Upton rejected a trade to the Mariners shortly before he was traded to the Braves.
Ahhh yes – I forgot about that one…
Oh yeah, it was big. But it was really dumb. It would have outdone the Bedard for Jones/Tillman/Sherrill trade on dumbometer.
Not sure what Jack is thinking. The M’s are almost 100 games under .500 since he took over and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be around to see his beloved prospects succeed.
Colletti, please don’t trade for another starter. Keep our top prospects intact. Just find a way to trade Crawford or ethier and get bullpen help
I agree with you , but who would take on them. No one wants to pay them
Trade one of the out fielders for a pitcher for the pen or for a Catcher. AJ Has no offense at all and is an avg. on defense.
The Morales thing has confused me.. I am not a Mariners fan, so I would like to know how their fans feel about it…
The M’s certainly needed a proven RH bat, but another DH/1B type certainly made a ton of sense .. I’m not sure that Morales is that guy though. In 9 years he has only 3 full seasons
(1 was great, the other 2 good) missed a season and a half with
injuries, sat out a portion of this season and has yet to get on track.
He can barely play in the field and he runs like a slower version of
Ernie Lombardi.
I think we should get Ryan Howard so we can get another un-athletic 1B/DH.
I was actually thinking that earlier today, but he still has a little pop in his bat, so I’m sure Jack Z has no interest in him.
typical mariners move, I still don’t get it. I would love to get Lester from Boston since he’s from the area. Or go all in by trading for Tulowitziki.
I’d rather have Zobrist. The cost in prospects and contract commitment would be much lower. He could take a bunch of playing time from Miller and cover the corner OF spots as needed. Away from Coors Field, Tulowitzki puts up decent numbers, but not enough to justify that huge contract.
What if the Rays are asking Walker and Franklin? If the Rays were reasonable, a deal would have been done. Now they are winning and possibly out of the market.
If the Rays think they can make a run, good for them. Frankly, I don’t see it.
You’re right it all depends on what they want in return. Personally I consider Walker & Paxton untouchable unless it’s a monster return. Franklin packaged with Ramirez and another prospect (lower than top 20). With his age and contract status and the M’s tailing off, I’m not giving up the farm for an outside chance of reaching the postseason this year.
They made him offers when he was a free agent and he avoided them so they had to trade to get him back. Not sure he is done after a slow start when he missed spring training.
They made him offers when he was a free agent and he avoided them so they had to trade to get him back. Not sure he is done after a slow start when he missed spring training.
Dodgers have good pitching prospects in the minora urias, holmes ect some other ones that need to be more consistent.
As if anything else negative had to come out of Seattle :/
Z needs to put on his big boy pants and make a freaking deal. The offense is what is losing us games. I don’t care what the front office says, you know you have money. The Mariners NEED a real #4/5 hitter (Seager will bat the other spot) to compete. The pitching staff is one of the best in baseball and probably best overall with the bullpen added in.
Big boy pants? If other GM’s are asking for Walker for bats like Zobrist? You’re kidding right? Zduriencik needs bats, there aren’t any on the block. Should the M’s trade A prospects for B MLB talent? I don’t think so.
From the sounds of this article, the reason he’s getting bad offers (i.e. Walker for Zobrist) is because he is a bad GM.
Bats like Zobrist are huge for the Mariners offense. It won’t take Walker to get him, so don’t even try to say that.
Then he should have been had already. Denorfia? I don’t get it. Hope he was acquired for a Zobrist deal is all I have to say.
Denorfia by himself is a meh deal. Denorfia with one or two other deals is a good deal.
With Jackson and Morales? Zduriencik can walk into the deals, can’t he?
Morales is still a bleh deal. Jackson though will help. Wish we could have gotten one more bat to force Hart out, but I’ll take what we did today.
Hart could very well be gone when Saunders returns. Morales’ oppo double off the wall got things rolling tonight. That’s what the M’s need, a guy who hits a lot of doubles. Homers can be taken away by Safeco. Doubles are doubles.
Not sure why there is nothing linking the Giants (or anybody really) to Bonifacio. Seems like a good fit, and I’m sure he would come cheaper than Zobrist.
I think it is because they will need a left field for next year because Zobrist is controllable after this year. He can also play a left that is better defensively to Morse.
Thanks for a serious reply. Yeah, if the Giants are looking for somebody to control beyond this year obviously Bonifacio isn’t your guy. I’m just surprised at the utter lack of interest in him. Those kind of super utility guys with some speed seem like the kind of acquisition every team wants to make for a playoff push, but there’s been next to nothing about him in the rumor mill.
I’m sure he would be cheaper. He should be since he is no where near the player Zobrist is. Kind of like how Jake Peavy will be cheaper than a trade for Lester or Price.
I find it pretty humorous just how much Jack Z’s reputation has deteriorated over they years ever since his “flashy” offseason where he signed Chone Figgins, traded Carlos Silva for Milton Bradley, and traded for Cliff Lee. Between this and that article from Tony Blengino last year, he has to be on the hot seat.
Zduriencik isn’t on a hot seat. The ownership know exactly what they have allowed him to do and what they haven’t allowed him to do. They even know what they made him do, like signing Griffey.
Zduriencik has built a nice farm system and the guys upstairs are making a bucket of money even when the team loses. They have patience.
I think Zduriencik got about as much return per talent given at the trade deadline and filled some serious holes.
Yeah I actually like the moves he made this deadline. Austin Jackson, as painful as it is to say was probably the 2nd best bat moved for value this deadline, only to Cespedes and borderline Craig. The A’s would not have moved Cespedes intra division though and Craig could be better, but needs to rework his swing, which the ms couldn’t have patience for.
Other sources have said the M’s indeed have enough money to acquire more talent. It’s looking more a matter of whether the front office has the negotiating skills to effectlvely pull off deals, and if that is the reason why the Mariners haven’t addressed their hitting needs yet, then why don’t they fire Z and hire someone who is better at the art of deal-making? All the baseball knowledge in the world won’t help the GM if he’s a klutz at consummating deals.
Because the same people who hired Jack Z will be hiring the new GM and we know how that has turned out.
I’ve seen that cat somewhere before.
:D