Jack be nimble, Mariners fixed quick
Masterful trade for Lee the capper on GM’s turnaround of Seattle
Marcus R. Donner / APIn a short time, general manager Jack Zduriencik has turned the Mariners around, with the crowning moment the trade for Cliff Lee, NBCSports.com contributor Tony DeMarco writes.
Q: In your opinion, is Cole Hamels an immature head case, as he demonstrated this past season?
— PhillyJohn, Newtown, Pa.
A: I think what you saw from Hamels in 2009 was a case of a young player who experienced great success early, and might have thought it was going to continue to come easy for him.
But as we know, that’s not how it turned out — and he didn’t respond all that well, especially the ill-advised statement during the World Series about wishing it all was over.
Hamels’ problems actually started last winter, when he laid off too long from throwing, believing he needed plenty of rest after going deep into the 2008 playoffs, when he was a dominating 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 35 innings.
He wasn’t quite ready when spring training rolled around, suffered a setback with an arm injury, and things snowballed for the worse from there.
But let’s remember that Hamels will pitch all of next season at only 26, is 48-34 with a 3.67 ERA in three-plus big-league seasons, and there is reason to think he can recapture the three-pitch repertoire necessary to rejoin the elite pitchers in the game.
My guess is Hamels will enjoy a very nice rebound season in 2010, when he’ll handle things much better mentally and be able to fit in behind new Phillies ace Roy Halladay.
Q: What can the “lovable losers” in Chicago do to improve their team?
— Ken
A: Much needs to be done, but so far, they’ve done nothing in the way of major additions. You have to wonder what GM Jim Hendry is waiting for, because if he thinks this team is going to win the NL Central with just a few tweaks, he’s mistaken.
In my opinion, this is a team that needs a couple of major changes and a clubhouse chemistry makeover, as well. The manager doesn’t really like his team all that much, and it appears to be a collection of individuals more than a group banding together in an effort to win a World Series.
Rich Harden, Kevin Gregg, Neal Cotts and Reed Johnson won’t be back, and Chad Fox and Aaron Miles were dealt away to Oakland for prospects. Getting rid of Milton Bradley is an addition-by-subtraction move that absolutely must be made, no matter what they get back in return.
They also should move one of the six huge salaries: Carlos Zambrano ($18.75 million in 2009), Alfonso Soriano ($17 million), Aramis Ramirez ($16.665 million), Derrek Lee ($13.25 million), Ted Lilly ($13 million) or Kosuke Fukudome ($12 million).
Because Soriano and Fukudome are most likely un-tradable and Lilly is coming off surgery (expected back in May), one of the other three needs to go for either a center fielder or another starting pitcher.
Matt Capps would be a nice addition to the bullpen, but there are other possibilities there as well. Marlon Byrd is a solid center field possibility.
But they missed a golden opportunity by not dealing for Curtis Granderson, a Chicago native and one of the game’s great clubhouse presences.
The Tigers, experiencing financial problems, practically handed Granderson on a silver platter to the Yankees, who only gave up a decent lefty reliever in Phil Coke and a good prospect in Austin Jackson. That’s a small price to pay for an All-Star who is in his peak years at 29, and with a very reasonable contract, too.
There still is plenty of time left for Hendry to make a couple of decisive deals, so we’ll see what he comes up with over the next two months before spring training starts.
Q: Why do people criticize the Yankees for spending money on their team? There are many other teams like the Pirates and Marlins owned by people who are concerned with putting the profits in their pockets instead of making their teams better.
— Derek, Kingston, N.Y.
A: You don’t see me criticizing the Yankees. They’re playing within the rules, and they think anything less than a World Series title is a failed season, so you have to admire the Steinbrenner family’s commitment to winning.
The problem is, their revenue base so dramatically exceeds that of every other team, and that gives them a sizable built-in advantage.
But it must be said that the Yankees pay far and away the most money into the revenue sharing pool, and other than a minor exception or two, have paid all of the money that has gone into the luxury-tax pool since it was instituted.
I’m OK with the Yankees, and everybody else needs to accept what’s going on, as there will be some alterations made in the collective bargaining agreement that currently is being negotiated, but don’t expect an NFL-style salary cap and revenue sharing anytime soon.
© 2012 NBC Sports.com Reprints ![]()
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