Jim McIsaac - Getty Images
Please still be happy
So about that four-player Mariners/Yankees trade - I decided to sit in on the Mariners media conference call without participating, which is way less awkward and uncomfortable on the phone than it is in person at an actual press conference. I'm not going to review all the bits and quotes because others will do that and they'll do it better, but there was one thing in particular early on that stood out to me.
The Mariners were looking all around the league for a young bat. Somebody they could bring in and keep for a while. They had a few options, but in the end they "settled on Jesus" (different from "settled for Jesus"). Jack Zduriencik asked Brian Cashman if there was any way to get Montero without trading Felix Hernandez, and that's where Michael Pineda came in. Pineda wasn't being shopped, but he was available at the right price, which is exactly what one would've figured.
From there, things developed, although they didn't necessarily develop that fast - the seed was first planted during the winter meetings, and then I guess it sprouted a few weeks ago. No, that doesn't sound right. It first came up during the winter meetings. Then it came up again a few weeks ago. Much better. Writing is easy!
As for Montero's future as a catcher, the quote you've probably seen all over the place is that he'll "get every opportunity to catch." The way Zduriencik tells it, they'll go to camp and let things play out as they will. So Montero could catch, and if you ask Brian Cashman he will catch, but his big selling point as far as the Mariners are concerned is most definitely his bat. They love the hell out of his bat.
Somebody always has to ask during these things what comes next, and Zduriencik always has to remind people that he won't talk about current negotiations. But for those of you who love to be teased, he did say that he has "other conversations going on." All that really says is that Jack Zduriencik isn't flat-out ignoring other executives and agents, but watch how little you care. What other conversations! How many of them involve Prince Fielder! I'm using exclamation points instead of question marks because the people who are still obsessed with the Mariners signing Prince Fielder probably don't understand punctuation.
Trade! It's done. Jesus Montero will be present at FanFest. He'll be bringing his big bat. It is a huge bat.
2 recs | 136 comments
Between this and ""Classic" MLB Baseball" tongiht is going to be a good night for me
beastwarking - January 23, 2012
Wheee, just watched the Casper Wells dinger.
wazzu93 - January 23, 2012
That line about people who are obsessed about signing Prince Fielder...
Had me literally laughing out loud. I then had to explain it to my girlfriend the whole joke which in turned made it no longer funny.
Clown baby - January 23, 2012
Ackley-Smoak-Montero!
Offensive potential!
EthanN - January 23, 2012 via mobile
Oh shoot!
I love potential!
gunsbound - January 23, 2012
I would love Montero forever if he brought a giant foam novelty bat to Fan Fest.
JAH - January 23, 2012
Per Drayer:
I wonder who the other three were…
WhyGodWhy - January 23, 2012
Z should be fired if...
…Mike Stanton wasn’t one of the other three.
rtang - January 23, 2012
I'm pretty sure he was.
I know I read somewhere that Z discussed Pineda with the Marlins, and LoMo probably wouldn’t be enough.
WhyGodWhy - January 23, 2012
Assuming they're all players who've played in MLB at least a bit
I’d guess Stanton, Lawrie and Trout.
Eyebrows - January 23, 2012
Also, maybe Heyward?
Eyebrows - January 23, 2012
Maybe.
But last year didn’t help his cause.
EequalsMc2 - January 23, 2012
Also, just 4 years of team control left I think
Punkhazard - January 23, 2012
McCutchen, maybe?
WhyGodWhy - January 23, 2012
Not sure he has enougth team controlled years left.
wetzelcoal - January 23, 2012
All three of those are more intriguing to me, but they probably would have cost more.
lailaihei - January 23, 2012
I think I would take all of these over Jesus.
Although I have ignored Trout to the absolute best of my ability, so all I know is that he exists, is an Angel, and is a hitter.
the other side - January 23, 2012
I sure as hell would've been against handing Pineda to a division rival
MT Olson - January 24, 2012
Mike Stanton certainly was one of those 4.
Mariner Melee - January 23, 2012
Chone Figgins?
Punkhazard - January 23, 2012
isn't young
Corco - January 23, 2012
Isn't a hitter.
Jackington - January 23, 2012
Simply isn't.
the tourist - January 23, 2012
Z should be fired if he was not on the list.
the other side - January 23, 2012
Let me fix that for you...
Z should be fired if he was
noton the list.There you go, bright and shiny like a brand new penny.
ToddK - January 23, 2012
Woosh.
EequalsMc2 - January 23, 2012
Must have been the lack of ellipsis.
the other side - January 23, 2012
Figgins was obviously on the list
The question was, what would the Mariner’s have to give up to get him? I’m thinking at least Pineda+Ackley
Punkhazard - January 23, 2012
is already a Mariner, so it would be pretty silly to trade for him
Corco - January 23, 2012
Or Genius
Trade Felix for Figgins straight up. Figgins value skyrockets…or Felix value plummets
mutpup - January 23, 2012
That's pretty much where I was when I apparently missed a joke.
ToddK - January 23, 2012
I'm guessing that it was a really funny joke though.
ToddK - January 23, 2012
Thought we were talking hypothetical situations, my bad
Punkhazard - January 23, 2012
Hey everyone let's name young baseball players who can hit
abender20 - January 23, 2012
Oh oh I know this one
Anthony Rendon!
JY - January 23, 2012
Why you little
abender20 - January 23, 2012
Jose Lopez!
the other side - January 23, 2012
He was an All-Star!
quacker27 - January 23, 2012
For at least half a season.
quacker27 - January 23, 2012
David Eckstein
MilesC - January 23, 2012
Adorable and cuddly, but not young.
KC Mariner - January 23, 2012
He has to be young.
Just look at him, he hasn’t finished growing yet.
Aussie Mariner - January 24, 2012
Lance Berkman!
Poochie - January 23, 2012
You're all wrong.
Correct answer is Perennial MVP Michael Young
abender20 - January 23, 2012
He was good last year and played four positions
Poochie - January 23, 2012
Proving my point
abender20 - January 23, 2012
Yeah
Poochie - January 23, 2012
Though to be fair at least two of those positions involved Evan Grant
abender20 - January 23, 2012
Grossssssss
Eyebrows - January 23, 2012
Ohhh snaaaaaaap
OlSalty - January 24, 2012
Bryce Harper
Fearless Frog - January 24, 2012 via mobile
Oh, Jesus~
From the HSL – “We will be the best. You’ll see.”
Chipanese - January 23, 2012
Unless I misheard Jesus on the HSL
I’m pretty sure he said something along the lines of “One of my favorite childhood memories was watching Edgar play and I’ve always wanted to play here in Seattle.”
Guys I think I’m in love.
Cascadian Man - January 23, 2012
I want to believe that this happened...
but I would think that someone would have repeated it by now in the local media. Maybe we’ll see when the articles come out later.
JY - January 23, 2012
I know for sure that he mentioned watching Edgar bat growing up.
I’m waiting for the podcast to go up to confirm the other bit though.
Cascadian Man - January 23, 2012
It's up.
Here
Part about the M’s and Edgar starts at 25 minutes in. It kind of sound like he dreamed about being a Mariner like Edgar, or at least that he told his dad he’d be on TV like Edgar.
Cascadian Man - January 23, 2012
It just kind of surprised me that he would be mentioned since Montero is Venezuelan and Edgar is Puerto Rican.
But Montero seemed to cite Edgar as an example of a right-handed hitter who could hit the ball out to right field and a model for that reason. I like that a lot.
JY - January 23, 2012
Edgar got name dropped again about 34 minutes in.
JY - January 23, 2012
That may be inaccurate, I think it started to loop for me.
JY - January 23, 2012
I'm listening to the podcast right now, it appears a chunk of it got doubled up.
Patrick Stites - January 24, 2012
Caribbean league?
msb - January 23, 2012
It's certainly possible.
I know at the very least Edgar was on the Senadores de San Juan in 1995 and they swept the whole six-game affair by a combined 49-15 score. That was a team that had Roberto Alomar, Bernie Williams, Juan Gonzalez, Carlos Baerga, Ruben Sierra, Carlos Delgado, and Rey Sanchez in addition to Edgar. A hell of a lineup, to be certain.
JY - January 23, 2012
That lineup today
would probably win more games than the Astros!
extavernmouse - January 23, 2012
Like this one!
Shannon Drayer’s recap
ThundaPC - January 24, 2012
Reading Shannon's whole article, it sure seems like he's genuinely excited to play for the Mariners. Neat.
wazzu93 - January 24, 2012
I predict Happy Fun Dinger Time
lemonverbena - January 24, 2012
Man, Shannon's articles make me excited about baseball season every time
seattlebruin - January 24, 2012
Good propganda does that
_Hutch_ - January 24, 2012
So does Shannon being awesome.
ThundaPC - January 24, 2012
"Propaganda?"
MattoB - January 24, 2012
Montero, I like you, but you're not going to wear #11.
Not that I had any feeling that he wanted to, but still.
Two Rs and Two Ls - January 24, 2012
No mention of food in this article.
Booooo
JAH - January 23, 2012
Food.
Happy?
tarheels24 - January 23, 2012
I want my refund.
JAH - January 23, 2012
No Iwakuma picture either.
Jeff’s losing his touch.
Mariner John - January 23, 2012
I thought he could have used it in the latest Millwood post
Especially since he mentioned that he was a right handed pitcher.
Zewerr - January 23, 2012
First they skimp on giving us lasagna, now they skimp on the Iwakuma picture. What's next?
Patrick Stites - January 24, 2012
I was making lunch during the conference call
It was pasta
Jeff Sullivan - January 23, 2012
With oil or aiolli?
extavernmouse - January 23, 2012
Oil
Of course
Jeff Sullivan - January 23, 2012
Pineda looks wrong in a Yankee uniform
picture
MilesC - January 23, 2012
uh
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=501381
MilesC - January 23, 2012
Why did you have to post this?
Now I’m crying!
Zewerr - January 23, 2012
There, there.
“The wind and the 3-1 pitch from Pineda… WELL HIT BALL! DEEP RIGHT FIELD! GOING AND GOING… GOODBYE BASEBALL! Get out the rye bread and the mustard, Grandma, and hand it to Dave! Ichiro scores! Guti scores! Ackley scores! Jesus Montero with a monster, grand slam homerun off the Hit It Here Cafe, to give the Mariners the lead and knock Michael Pineda out of the game!”
- Rick Rizzs, 4th inning, Safeco Field, Tuesday, July 24th, 2012.
Feel better?
Chris_FB - January 24, 2012
How about October 27th, knocking Pineda out of the game
And the Yankees out of the ALCS.
HititHere - January 24, 2012
I guess it'd probably be closer to the 20th, but whatever.
HititHere - January 24, 2012
He's lost his innocence
beastwarking - January 24, 2012
No but this is pretty sexy
http://mariners.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=524968
tarheels24 - January 23, 2012
Very.
Not to sure about this one though
MilesC - January 23, 2012
And I don't know what the hell this one is
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=444379
MilesC - January 23, 2012
This one is still my favourite.
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=493128
JY - January 23, 2012
He's so happy!
the tourist - January 23, 2012
You'd be happy too if you were best buddies with Ichiro.
WhyGodWhy - January 23, 2012
I wonder if they trade outfits.
JY - January 23, 2012
Eventually he'll trade skins with Ichiro.
Cascadian Man - January 23, 2012
"Goooodbye Horses"
Craptastic-J - January 24, 2012
That's the best
MilesC - January 23, 2012
He should be wearing this:
Zewerr - January 23, 2012
I will always see Pineda like this
http://pineda.ytmnd.com/
Bearskin Rugburn - January 24, 2012
Jack always has other conversations going on.
PackBob - January 23, 2012
Oh great, our GM is schizophrenic
Aaron Campeau - January 24, 2012
Can't wait to hear King's Court go batshit over his first Safeco homerun
I envision a cheer similar to part of the chorus to “Hey Jude”, but with his name instead. But then, I suck at envisioning. And one can’t force a good cheer.
Chris_FB - January 23, 2012 via mobile
That would actually be a pretty brilliant cheer. I support this.
sanford_and_son - January 24, 2012
Aw, thanks. If enough LLers were at King's Court with me, I'd try to start it
Or, if I got sloshed on enough $8 beer…
Chris_FB - January 24, 2012
Je-sus
Go get your bat
Take a sad team, and make it better
C Dubya - January 24, 2012
I agree. And the nah-nah nah nah part sounds like taunting without explicitly being taunting
Perfect for passive-aggressiveness Seattle.
J0SER - January 24, 2012
Better than forcing a nickname.
wazzu93 - January 24, 2012
Monty!
Corco - January 24, 2012
I for one can't wait for the endless line of lame savior puns
pdb - January 24, 2012
and by "can't wait" I mean I hope they never happen
pdb - January 24, 2012
So, no cracks about how well he'll fit in, because we've been muttering "...jesus!..." about this offense for years?
Chris_FB - January 24, 2012
I for one welcome our new Jesus overlords
beastwarking - January 24, 2012
Boo-urns!
Mariner John - January 24, 2012
J-Mo!
Chris_FB - January 24, 2012
JiJi
wazzu93 - January 24, 2012
Monty.
Frown.
HititHere - January 24, 2012
I hate all of them. I was just playing off of Felix's stupid alternate name.
wazzu93 - January 24, 2012
I will call him "Hey, Zeus."
sanford_and_son - January 24, 2012
I like it
lemonverbena - January 24, 2012
Something to throw out there
Danny Hultzen and Jesus Montero are birthday twins.
That is all.
Hoxsfan - January 23, 2012
A new Mariner holiday?
quacker27 - January 24, 2012
I don't love the trade, but I'm really, really fucking excited. So I guess I love the trade.
Teej - January 24, 2012
I don't either but it's going to be some sweet, sweet relief to have somebody who can really fuck a ball up
OlSalty - January 24, 2012
Yup.
And I really do have a lot of faith in his bat. I’m just a little bummed that we traded Pineda for a guy who is probably already a DH at 22. But by most accounts the bat is legit, and there’s nothing wrong with having a truly elite DH. I really hope he turns into that. Or a catcher.
Teej - January 24, 2012
Mariners' new Depth Chart is weird.
Most interesting thing is that Montero is slotted in as the first-string catcher. Other interesting things:
Mike Carp is first string at both LF and DH, that handsome devil.
Noesi, Beavan and Furbush are in the rotation, but Iwakuma is nowhere to be found.
See it here.
ThirteenOfTwo - January 24, 2012
That depth chart is probably put together by an intern
For entertainment purposes only- Z and Wedge don’t get on there and update the depth chart every time something happens
Corco - January 24, 2012
You can tell it is for entertainment purposes only because it has Saunders in it
Chris_FB - January 24, 2012
But Saunders isn't the least bit entertaining.
Zzufan - January 24, 2012
I want to be his best friend. =(
joof - January 24, 2012
Now Montero is the DH and Olivo is the C
Gross.
Mariner John - January 24, 2012
Not to be Debbie Downer, but is anyone else slightly concerned about his attitude/maturity?
Reading about how a lot of the Yankees’ front office was convinced that he was phoning it in at AAA because he was “bored” is a bit concerning.
_Hutch_ - January 24, 2012
Nope
Aaron Campeau - January 24, 2012
Have you ever been to Wilkes-Barre?
You’d be bored too.
pdb - January 24, 2012
Maybe.
But another way to look at that is that he’s a FIERCE COMPETITOR who wants to HELP THE TEAM WIN at the HIGHEST LEVEL.
Ahhh words. They can be spun like webs, tops, and me, right round.
The Typical Idiot Fan - January 24, 2012
They said that about Felix.
I think we know how that turned out.
Two Rs and Two Ls - January 24, 2012
I watched the last two or three starts Felix had in Tacoma before being called up
He was bored too. He’d lose focus, A guy would get on base, and then you’d see him kind of wake up and concentrate and blow away the rest of the side. He’d done everything he needed to do at that level and needed a more challenging situation. Maybe that’s immaturity but when you’re a kid in your early 20s that goes with the territory. When you balance that with the fact that they’ve had the drive and ability to get to the point where AAA offers them no challenge at such a young age, I don’t don’t see it as a major issue.
In Montero’s case, I’d say the problem was less with him than with the Yankees, since he was ready to come up and they didn’t have a place for him. (Now, if you want to talk about things that are concerning, then let’s talk about the fact that the Yankees didn’t have a place for him because they didn’t think he could catch on a daily basis in the majors. They weren’t desperate for his bat the way the Mariners are, obviously, but even so they were willing to roster Cervelli ahead of him,)
J0SER - January 24, 2012
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