Quote:
Originally Posted by torpidbeaver
Playing as the Mariners just 4 games shy of the All-Star Break, 3rd place and 7 games back of the Angels, 1st in Runs Against, Defensive Efficiency, Starter ERA, and Bullpen ERA, but last or almost last in every offensive category.
I've got a bit of a bottleneck at a couple of positions and I'm not sure whether to trade my only source of offense for a prospect or two and send up the white flag, or wait a while and see if Seattle can pitch its way into the playoffs.
C: Mike Zunino/Jesus Montero
1B: Justin Smoak/Kendrys Morales
Kendrys Morales is just mashing, posting a .317/.382/.578 line, 2nd in the league in WAR, and is in the top-10 in nearly every meaningful offensive category.
Smoak is underwhelming at .249/.318/.443 but has hit 12 HRs on a team with no muscle. He also has the added benefit of being a cheap contract and a switch-hitter.
Jesus Montero is, other than an inexplicably hot Franklin Gutierez, providing the only other offense on the team with a yeoman's .278/.305/.485.
Zunino was on a .301/.353/.489 clip in AAA with 11 HRs and 19 doubles when I pulled him up on July 8th.
Long term, Morales is 30, in a contract year, and wants to nearly double his salary in extension talks. Smoak's still in arbitration years. I'm worried that Morales is hitting his peak, and I should trade him while he's at his most valuable, but I also don't want to sit here watching my team lose 2-1 games for the next three months.
I'm not sure what move to make, if any.
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That's a tough one. I guess it'd depend on the overall age of your team and what you have coming up in the minors.
If your pitching is this stellar, it probably won't make it through a rebuilding period (2-3 years) and remain extremely solid like it is now.
I'd do a half rebuild and keep the pitching intact and trade the veteran bats for prospects that are close to ML ready. Morales and Smoak would be gone and could yield a nice prospect in his lower-20's.
But obviously, don't trade him just to trade him. If you can't get anything good in return. Might as well stay the course and hope the beats heat up.