Drayer: Mariners might need a whole new outfield in 2014
Sep 4, 2013, 6:51 AM | Updated: 9:34 am
Seattle Mariners' Taijuan Walker delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 30, 2013, in Houston. Walker pitched five innings, giving up two hits and one run for his Major-League debut. Walker will be on the mound tonight for his second major league start. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
September means back-to-school and baseball pennant races, but – sadly – not for your Seattle Mariners. Instead, they’re focusing on what September will tell them about next season.
In the movie “Field of Dreams,” James Earl Jones talks about baseball and “the good that could be again.” For the Mariners, the good starts with pitching. Specifically, Taijuan Walker, the kid just called up last week to make his Major League debut.
Mariners insider Shannon Drayer, from 710 ESPN Seattle, says Walker, 21, should stick in 2014. And maybe another rookie pitcher, too.
“I think Taijuan Walker will be given every opportunity to win a spot out of spring training,” she said. “He’s one of the jewels of the farm system.” As for the rest of the rotation?
“I think they’re going to go out and look for a solid number three to put behind Felix and [Isashi] Iwakuma and then after that, you’re going to have two young guys. It might be Erasmo Ramirez, it might be [Taijuan] Walker, it could be Danny Hultzen and it could be James Paxton. I think there’s going to be a battle in the spring.”
September is often about the minor league call-ups. But not for the Mariners, who are focused on making decisions about a core of young players with major league experience.
“Those who have been here for the better part of the last two years, you’ve kind of got to make a call on,” said Drayer. “I think some questions have been answered about Justin Smoak, I think they like what they see from him, I think they feel good about Mike Zunino behind the plate, even though he’s been up for a short time and I think they feel good about Brad Miller, as well. Kyle Seager, that’s a no-brainer over at third base. I think you’ve still got question marks in Nick Franklin, I think you’ve still got question marks with Dustin Ackley, even though he’s put together a nice stretch since the All-Star break.”
Drayer says the Mariners have developed pitchers and infielders but they might have to go shopping for an entirely new outfield in the off season because of the lack of consistency from Saunders and the inability of Franklin Gutierrez to stay healthy. She says it doesn’t figure that the Mariners will settle for another losing year in 2014.
“They have to take a significant step and it’s not going to be a matter of just developing players next year, they have to take a significant step in the record next year,” said Drayer. “They cannot have a losing record next year, they’ve got to be challenging for the playoffs, you would think.”
Tuesday night, the Mariners lost again to the Kansas City Royals, 4-3. They’ve lost three in a row, seven of ten and sit firmly in fourth place, 14 games below .500. On the mound Wednesday night is Taijuan Walker (1-0), for his second major league start.
