Commentary: “Jerry Rigging" a roster under frugal mandates is an annual Mariners tradition

I was going to use the term "Bringing a knife to a gun fight" to describe the Mariners efforts in baseball free agency, but I feel like that’s way too generous. 

The only thing they brought was a white flag in the form of a humiliating surrender.

Then again, what would you expect when ownership sets a budget that gives the team a reported total of $15 million or so to spend this offseason to begin with, when there were pressing needs at first base, second base, and third base? It’s no wonder that most of the first basemen considered to be Mariners targets have signed elsewhere so far in a baseball offseason otherwise known in Seattle as "Wash, Rinse, Repeat."

Even worse, the Mariners have a starting pitching rotation that could compete for a World Series right now, but ownership refuses to green light any legitimate attempt to bolster the offense through free agency. Because it costs more money. 

I sent this out on social media already, but consider this: In 2017, the Mariners payroll was $160 million. With even modest inflation rates, they should be spending at least $200 million this season. And yet their projected payroll is 45 to 50 million dollars less.

Anyone checked ticket prices? Surely because team payroll is down over the last eight years, season ticket holders are getting a break too, right? Didn’t think so. 

The point is, the front office shouldn’t have to trade a top-end starting pitcher like Luis Castillo – something that hasn’t happened yet – just to clear budget space to financially compete in the free agent market. It’s a classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and it’s an embarrassment to see Jerry Dipoto and company having to work under such Scrooge-like conditions. There’s a reason he’s calling the trade of any top-end starter "Plan Z." 

I honestly think of top-tier free agents as a buyer walking into a convention hall, seeing extravagant booths touting the most innovative technologies, and then seeing a folding card table in the corner giving away homemade cookies. 

"Thanks for the baked goods, Mariners, but I’ll take my business somewhere else."

And whether you think I’m joking isn’t the point – it’s that the Mariners organization has acted like a joke year after year when it comes to the free agent market. And the fans, already tortured enough during the season, have to endure even more pain watching this front office "Jerry rig" (pun intended) a roster together, and then make us believe they’ve done everything in their power to produce a winning team. 

Because they haven’t. And they won’t until ownership prioritizes winning over its wallet. Until then, any potential championship will come in spite of the powers-that-be instead of because of them.