Seattle Mariners News: The Mystery of the Financial Picture
By Todd Pheifer
Sep 1, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Kendrys Morales (8) bats during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Are the Seattle Mariners out of spending money? Did they commit almost all of their cash to Robinson Cano and his $240 million contract?
The mystery continues. A clear answer may never be known.
Meanwhile, the Mariners continue to be mentioned in discussions concerning the few remaining free agents that are still on the market. Specifically, it has been suggested that the Mariners should consider signing Ervin Santana or Kendrys Morales.
Or both.
This brings us back to the question of the 2014 budget. Unfortunately, this is not information that Jack Zduriencik is likely to share in great detail. He could be arguing with Nintendo for more money behind closed doors, but it is unlikely that we would be privy to such conversations.
It is not clear if Nintendo is “all in” on winning or if the Mariners are just another business division.
Meanwhile, Robinson Cano has indicated that he would like to see the Mariners acquire another bat. One has to assume that the Mariners assured Cano that they would surround him with adequate hitters. It is unlikely that Zduriencik lured Cano by telling him that he would play the role of expensive marketing tool.
There is the possibility that the Mariners still have budget to spend and are just waiting for the players in question to lower their asking price. Since Morales and Santana are still on the market, it seems reasonable to assume that they are holding out for semi-lucrative multi-year deals. This may be why the Mariners and other teams are willing to be patient and wait out the agents.
If a team is going to pick up either of these two players, it will probably be in the next week or two. Teams could be waiting to see if they need an injury replacement, but they won’t want to wait too long. Position battles are being fought and soon the lineups have to be solidified.
The Mariners could be broke. Right now, they aren’t telling.