The fences are coming in?

[clarknova]

From Jason Churchill on Twitter:


Plus, the M's are moving the fences in a bit over the winter.

When questioned as to whether or not that was his speculation or if he knew that to be a fact:


It's my understanding that they have already made such a decision.

His guess on how much:


Total guess: 10-12 feet. That would bring in LCF and RCF to around league averages. It won't fix biggest issue, but it's a start.

I had assumed they would based on some defensive answers given by Jack Z when asked about the subject.

[JosephC]

So then that begs the question.... What to do with the extra space???

I have a great idea. Let's use that extra 10 feet for a dunk tank. We place all the players that are being a headcase (*Figgins, Dumb question incident for example*) into the dunk tank, and sell throws to fans.
I think Safeco could sell it for $50 a throw, and might as well include a free radar reading.

Who wouldn't want to have thrown at Milton in the dunk tank?!

http://marinersforum.com/graphs/miltondn.jpg

That money can then be used to sign Josh Hamilton. See, it just takes a little logic to become a contender afterall.

[HGKnights]

So then that begs the question.... What to do with the extra space???

I have a great idea. Let's use that extra 10 feet for a dunk tank. We place all the players that are being a headcase (*Figgins, Dumb question incident for example*) into the dunk tank, and sell throws to fans.
I think Safeco could sell it for $50 a throw, and might as well include a free radar reading.

Who wouldn't want to have thrown at Milton in the dunk tank?!

http://marinersforum.com/graphs/miltondn.jpg

That money can then be used to sign Josh Hamilton. See, it just takes a little logic to become a contender afterall.

They ought to invite Bill Bavasi or Eric Bedard in every time we play the O's. They'd make a killing!

[evergreenmachine]

I'd be very surprised if this is true.

[JosephC]

Is there a reason they need to be so secretive about everything? It kinda pisses me off. The Mariners are one of the most "closed" teams you can follow.

[TellItToTheDA]

Is there a reason they need to be so secretive about everything? It kinda pisses me off. The Mariners are one of the most "closed" teams you can follow.

Well it wouldn't exactly be beneficial for them to come out now and say, "Hey guys! You all get a mulligan for your piss poor offensive performance this year, we're moving the fences in 10 feet!"

[JosephC]

The Padres basically came out and said they want to, no backlashes there. This team is just so hush hush about everything. For a fan who wants to have an idea of what's going on inside those round heads, it's to the point of annoyance

[bigsexyy81]

So we won't win any more games because of this, but the games will likely be higher scoring affairs. Might help attract bigger sticks in FA.

Yeah I suppose I'm okay with it after all...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

[clarknova]

I was against it up until about a month ago. The 2012 Mariners hitting at home finally did it. I am fully aware that the opposition will have the same advantage and my point up until now was that it wasn't the right time because we have what, 8 legit 30-40 home run hitters in our division and NONE of them play on our team. However, I go to 10+ games a year and I'm just done. Two years ago, the first 3 games I went to they scored 1 run... TOTAL, on a sac fly. It wasn't until the 4th game that they scored a run on a base hit. I know that the offense needs to be better and that's the biggest problem, but this should make the games funner, win or lose, and I'm in favor of that.

And again, it's probably mostly mental. I think I shared the story about little clarknova and the rope swing. Why not see if it helps?

Regarding free agents, I'm with you. Maybe it's true that they'll follow the dollar where ever it goes and that there isn't any proof that a free agent wouldn't sign here because of the park, but another way to look at it would be this- there probably isn't any proof of it because what major league player would come out and say, "I don't want to sign with Seattle because I can't hit far enough home runs and I'm not good enough to compensate for the park". Also, it can't hurt.

[clarknova]

Another insight into why the team might be moving the fences this offseason: I've read a lot of back and forth on whether or not Safeco affects free agency. Most people either think players will take the biggest contract, regardless, or they are so afraid of their numbers falling off and that affecting their next contract that they'll sign elsewhere even for less money.

On KJR This morning Jack Z said that he believes that other GMs are using "negative recruiting tactics" with free agents, namely Safeco Field. Which makes sense, I mean I would too, but it seems like the team feels that the park is indeed keeping free agents away and that other teams are getting in their ears about Safeco to get them to sign with them in a bidding war.

Just thought that was interesting.

[evergreenmachine]

Another insight into why the team might be moving the fences this offseason: I've read a lot of back and forth on whether or not Safeco affects free agency. Most people either think players will take the biggest contract, regardless, or they are so afraid of their numbers falling off and that affecting their next contract that they'll sign elsewhere even for less money.

On KJR This morning Jack Z said that he believes that other GMs are using "negative recruiting tactics" with free agents, namely Safeco Field. Which makes sense, I mean I would too, but it seems like the team feels that the park is indeed keeping free agents away and that other teams are getting in their ears about Safeco to get them to sign with them in a bidding war.

Just thought that was interesting.

Good points but if that logic follows to staring pitching we would have a starting five of Felix, lee, Sabathia, Grienke, Wilson

[clarknova]

Good points but if that logic follows to staring pitching we would have a starting five of Felix, lee, Sabathia, Grienke, Wilson

Not really as we would have to have made an attempt to sign those players for the logic to follow. It seems that at some point or points, the Mariners have tried to sign a free agent hitter and it got back to them that other GMs were using Safeco to deter them from playing here. How effective would it be for them to use Safeco to deter a free agent pitcher? Safeco helps mediocre fly ball pitchers look better than average, and our defense makes ground ball pitchers look better. Why would we try to spend 15 to 20 million a year on another ace when we have one, were spending $18 million on Ichiro, and have a glaring offensive need?
If we have Felix and are not a top tier payroll team, and not in a position to win the division, why enter into a bidding war with Philly, Texas, and the Yankees for Cliff Lee? Or C.C. Sabathia?

I would suggest however, that there is a rippling effect. All players want to win. Money is important, and stats/performance are important (because they earn contracts), but if we can't get free agent hitters to consider playing here or have to vastly overpay for them, good pitchers will be less likely to sign here as well. This may or may not be an issue due to the depth at that position in the system.

I'm in no way implying that Safeco and the insinuation (or data to support the fact) that it burns hitters is the only reason a free agent wouldn't consider signing here, but if we aren't a winning team currently and need a piece to help to get us there and that piece is a right handed hitter that is receiving offers from other teams that are where we are as a team or better... It's not helping, and we need all the help we can get to attract hitters.

[evergreenmachine]

Very good points clarknova but at the end of the day I might question the assertion that the thing we are missing is a right handed bat. Or any bat for that matter.

At the end of the day I may be too old school but I like close low scoring games that require precision, thinking and team play (probably comes from hockey days). Everyone likes to gripe about the hitting but our pitching has been worse this year. If I am spending that $ I want a big pitcher, leave the offense as is with milk or upgrades at 1b - Rf, leave the fences as is, and call
Bullshit on MLB if they try to give us another first half travel schedule like they did this year.

I guess what I'm saying is I want us to find a way to get Tim lincecum in the starting five lol

[clarknova]

I hear you, I'd love a "buy low" on Lincecum myself.

I wasn't trying to assert that the "thing we are missing" is a right handed bat, more that we run into trouble if we have a situation where there is a free agent right handed power bat that would make our team better, or a left hander for that matter. Perception is reality in a lot of cases. I was just bringing up Jack's quote from this morning because I thought it was interesting that he would state in an interview that other GMs are telling free agent hitters not to come here because of Safeco. Besides, we traded for Montero to be a right handed power bat of the future.

The thing we are missing is consistent hitting, and more so- power. We're going to have to trade for, or sign as free agents some better hitters if we want to compete for the division or even a wild card. That's been our number 1 problem for years. The last two years we've been the worst offensive team in baseball in almost every single category. Without better consistent hitting, we are not going to improve. No matter how good our pitching is. Remember "Believe Big"? We had Felix Hernendez and Cliff Lee. That didn't turn out so well.

The fences are not the only problem. Talent in the lineup has been the biggest issue, by far. I'm just saying, it's hard enough to get good hitting free agents to come play on a losing team in one of, if not THE toughest divisions in baseball, with the worst travel schedule, in the upper-most corner of the country without also having a very difficult park to hit in. We don't really have the resources to overpay everyone.

Our pitching has been worse than usual, but not bad by any means*, and improving. Considering the talent we have in the minors, I'm not concerned. It'd be nice to get another front line starter to pair with felix, and then we could trade one of those prospects for a hitter. I'm with you on that one and for that reason.


*Our starters have the 3rd lowest WHIP in baseball. Behind only the Nationals and Giants. If you factor in the bullpen, our pitching is #2 in baseball in WHIP. #1 in the American League in both categories.

Our starters ERA is 5th in the American League.

Those are helped immensely by the park. However, the Mariners are tied for 1st place in runs scored on the road, and dead last in runs scored in their own park. The home/road splits are almost always bad, but this year is almost nauseating to me to look at those numbers.

We have one Great pitcher, one good one, and the rest have been iffy at BEST. We need more than another good pitcher, and if we're going to upgrade 1st and RF (both of which I agree need upgrades), I want to see legit hitters there. Not plug and play role players. Stars.

I might agree more that we need to leave the fences alone (as I did up until this season) if it wasn't getting in the way of us winning so much.

Besides, it's kind of a moot point as it seems they're moving them anyway. For better or worse.

[SeaTownJosh]

I would like to think i had somthing to do with this lol

[clarknova]

It was all you dude. :)