Since naming Jerry Dipoto their new general manager in September 2015, no team has made more trades than the Seattle Mariners. Dipoto completed 46 -- 46! -- trades from Oct. 1, 2015 through Nov. 1, 2017, far and away the most in baseball. Trader Jerry is always busy.
The Mariners missed the postseason again this year, extending baseball's longest postseason drought to 16 seasons. Seattle hasn't been to the postseason since Ichiro Suzuki's rookie year in 2001. Dipoto figures to be busy again this offseason in an effort to get the team back to the playoffs, right? Well, sure, but Dipoto downplayed expectations soon after the regular season ended. Here's what he told reporters, including Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, back in October:
"Well, there's holes to fill, but I don't think you're going to see frantic movement," he said.
Really? Are you sure about that?
"It's easy to smile and I'll take the darts," he said. "I deserve them from time to time for the level of activity we've had. But that's how we were able to churn out 200 plate appearances for younger players. That's how we were able to churn out almost a third of our innings being thrown by pitchers aged 26 and younger. We got younger and we didn't get younger at the A level. We got younger at the big-league level without a system that wasn't providing that two years ago. So I feel like we've made a significant move forward. You just don't really see it in the standings quite as much as we might see it in future planning."
The lack of "frantic movement" lasted maybe six weeks or so. Dipoto completed his third transaction in the span of four days on Saturday. Three trades in four days! Here's the breakdown:
- Weds., Nov. 15: Traded RHP Emilio Pagan and SS Alexander Campos to the Athletics for 1B Ryon Healy.
- Thurs., Nov. 16: Traded RHP Thyago Vieira to the White Sox for $500,000 in international bonus money.
- Sat., Nov. 17: Traded LHP J.P. Sears and RHP Juan Then to the Yankees for RHP Nick Rumbelow.
That's three trades involving seven players and half-a-million bucks in international bonus money in the span of 96 hours. Major trades? No. But these small roster shuffle trades are Dipoto's specialty. He's constantly tinkering with the margins of his roster.
So much for no "frantic movement," huh? Don't get me wrong, I love it. Trades are fun. I just think it's kinda funny that Dipoto said he didn't expect to be that busy this offseason, and has now made three trades in four days. Maybe that counts as a slow pace for Dipoto?
