Seattle Mariners Should Not Chase David Price
By Todd Pheifer
Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Mariners are certainly doing their share of wheeling and dealing these days as Robinson Cano, Corey Hart and Logan Morrison are now in the fold. More deals may be on the horizon. There are now rumors that the Mariners are interested in trading for Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price.
A starting rotation that includes Price, Felix Hernandez, and Hisashi Iwakuma is certainly exciting to imagine. However there is one small barrier. The Rays reportedly want Taijuan Walker in any package for Price.
Bad idea.
I suppose if the Mariners have truly shifted to a “win now” philosophy, the acquisition of Price would make a certain amount of sense. There are indications that Price is not a fan of the Pacific Northwest and would not be particularly open to signing a long-term deal with the M’s. Then again, the Mariners were able to lure Cano, so who knows? Maybe Price would come to love the pitcher-friendly confines of Safeco Field.
The worry is that this would turn into a deal that ends up on one of those “Top Ten Worst Trades” lists. Since Walker is regarded as an ace in the making, you would hate to see the team give up a future star that dominates for a decade in return for a guy that might stay two years.
Of course, prospects do fail to pan out sometimes. There are no guarantees with Walker.
If you trade someone like Walker, you are almost saying that you believe the franchise can win a World Series in the next 2-3 seasons. Even with the additions to this team, it is hard to imagine the Mariners as an instant contender.
Ultimately, this rumor does not seem like it is going to happen. But, the Mariners are being quite aggressive these days. Perhaps they will push the Rays and make them an offer that is hard to turn down.