Seattle Mariners Moving On From Michael Saunders
I wish this was one of those articles where the headline is something ridiculous just to get you to click on it. Unfortunately, the Seattle Mariners are in fact looking to get rid of one of their best players at a position of need.
The #mariners are expected to shop OF Michael Saunders hard at GM meetings. Both sides appear ready to move on.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) November 7, 2014
I have been Michael Saunders’ biggest supporter here at ECS. I think he’s one year away from being a Kyle Seager-caliber player. In fact, the numbers show he had every bit as good a season as the All-Star, Gold Glove-winning third basemen.
Kyle Seager: .268/.454/.758
Michael Saunders: .273/.450/.791
Saunders also had a fielding % of 1.000 and the third-highest WAR on the roster despite being injured for more than half the season.
And it’s not like the Mariners would be fine without the Colonel. Their other options at right field include James Jones…. and that’s it, unless they bring back Endy Chavez or Chris Denorfia, and neither of them are very attractive options in terms of being five-day-a-week players.
For whatever reason, Jack Zduriencik has taken issue with Michael Saunders. He took shots at his work ethic, among other things, at a press conference shortly after the 2014 season ended.
Yeah, the Mariners are turning it around, and some of Jack’s guys are finally panning out. But let’s not forget, Jack Z is a dick. It seems to me that a Saunders trade, if it comes to fruition, is more about Zduriencik’s emotions and ego than it is about making the team better.