Seattle Mariners fans lament team’s lack of winter spending amid slow start to 2023: "Supposed to be a team on the rise" "Hoping things get better"
Things are getting a little testy for the Seattle Mariners. Five games into the season, the team is sporting a 1-4 record as it contends with championship expectations.
Mariners fans are becoming weary at the perception that an organization that boasted a reported MLB-best profit of $83.8 million in 2022 is not investing enough to make the on-field product a winner.
Seattle did not wow anyone with its offseason acquisitions over the winter after qualifying for the American League playoffs for the first time since 2001 last season.
It’s not *just* about the Mariners starting 1-4.
It’s about Forbes anointing them the fastest growing franchise financially & then trotting Tommy La Stella out as the Opening Day DH in the same week.
IMO, it’s not as simple as “it’s early.”
Here’s why:
mynw.me/3Ubm7nV
While the team swung a trade for a solid hitting outfielder in Teoscar Hernandez, the Seattle Mariners' starting designated hitter is listed as utility infielder Tommy La Stella. La Stella was signed to a one-year contract by the Mariners in December after hitting just .245 in 136 games over two seasons with the San Francisco Giants.
La Stella's .125 batting average in four games as the DH, combined with just one win in five tries, has Mariners fans asking questions.
Yeah this is correct we are supposed to be a team on the rise for a WS. Not mid twitter.com/joe_fann/statu…
Sadly, this how I feel about it. I can logic my way off this ledge, but that doesn’t change the sentiment twitter.com/joe_fann/statu…
Excellent article by @Joe_Fann and he’s spot on here. Hoping things get better but he’s not wrong. CC: @The12thMan4LiFe twitter.com/joe_fann/statu…
According to Spotrac, the Seattle Mariners' 2023 payroll of $129.8 million falls far below the MLB average of $148.6 million. With the team reportedly gaining a windfall in excess of $83 million last season, the offseason moves for such lackluster hitters as La Stella, Cooper Hummel and A.J. Pollock have fans seeing red when it comes to their green-and-blue clad squad.
EXACTLY. an L in 4 out of 5 is fine at any point in the season. It’s about how 5 games in, this roster looks shallow af and even at its best, not going to compete with the best teams in baseball. the hype looks real fake when names like La Stella & Hummel are being counted on. twitter.com/joe_fann/statu…
The offseason additions to the M’s lineup are a combined 3-47. That is almost statistically impossible.
The worst part is that there isn’t necessarily reason to be optimistic moving forward, regarding the day to day lineup. Moore and Trammel aren’t needle movers, so this lineup is what it is for the foreseeable future. twitter.com/joe_fann/statu…
Other fans, taking the line of contrarian thought, defend the team for not overspending this offseason on bank-busting hitting talents such as Aaron Judge, Trea Turner, Carlos Correa or Xander Bogaerts.
Whether they believe in the team's philosophy of adding talent during the season or pinning their hopes on a Hail Mary push to sign expected free-agent superstar Shohei Ohtani next offseason, they aren't quick to lambaste the organization for failing to spend more this winter.
So people legit want the Mariners to make a push for Ohtani this offseason but they also wanted the Mariners to spend a ton of money this last offseason? You realistically can’t have both because the Dodgers did nothing so they can go after Ohtani too and they have a lot more $$$ twitter.com/joe_fann/statu…
The mariners started last year 2-4 including a four game losing streak that saw Abe Toro start at second base and Luis Torrens DH. The Mariners formula is develop the bottom end of the lineup and bullpen as the season goes on, and thus far that formula has worked twitter.com/Joe_Fann/statu…
@Joe_Fann Any chance the Mariners could possibly not be busting the check book now in hopes of having the pockets to make an attempt at Ohtani? They went for him initially, maybe eyeing a 2nd chance?
As for poor La Stella, he just hasn't been the same since 2020. An All-Star in his first season with the Los Angeles Angels after leaving the Chicago Cubs in 2019, his offensive stats and his playing time have both been on a steep decline since 2020. He's still well-loved at Wrigley Field.
@Joe_Fann Coming from a Giants fan....anytime Tommy La Stella is your Opening Day ANYTHING your franchise deserves criticism lol
Seattle Mariners have had a tough time since 1977 MLB debut
The Seattle Mariners have traditionally been one of MLB's most woebegone franchises since joining the American League in 1977. In 47 seasons, the team has posted a .474 winning percentage and made just five playoff appearances in all – four of those coming in a seven-year span in which they lost the AL Championship Series three times.