Seattle Mariners: World Series or Bust on the Line for Jerry Dipoto

With their numerous offseason moves, the Seattle Mariners are setting the precedent of their “win-now” mentality. The largest question looming over general manager Jerry Dipoto in 2017 is if his strategy will work.

When he took over the role Seattle Mariners general manager just over 16 months ago, Jerry Dipoto has jumped head first into crafting his team into postseason contenders. Since September 2015, Dipoto made 36 trades, seven free-agent signings and nine waiver claims. In fact, only nine of the ballplayers on his original 40-man roster are still active with the Mariners.

All of his decisions and moves are aimed towards erasing the Mariners’ major league-leading postseason drought and bringing Seattle its first World Series championship. After their historic 116-win season in 2001, the Mariners lost in the ALCS to the New York Yankees. What followed were 15 years of inability to reach October and Dipoto believes he has the pieces to change their fortunes.

“I’ll say it as plainly as I can,” Dipoto said (per thenewstribune.com). “When you have Robinson Cano…Nelson Cruz…Felix Hernandez…Kyle Seager…and you’ve committed at roughly $75 million annually for those players, you are in a `win-now’ mode.”

For all of the acquisitions Dipoto has made, his actions came at the cost of 26 minor league ballplayers. In effect, some believe his quest for a “win-now” championship dooms the Mariners to a tough and prospect-less future.

Parting ways with their top prospects in order to gain established talent significantly shortens their window of opportunity. While a World Series championship could overshadow a bleak future, there is no guarantee that Dipoto’s gamble will work.

“Dipoto’s strategy to go all-in right now, having inherited an above-average major-league team, makes a lot of sense,” ESPN’s Keith Law wrote (per thenewstribune.com). “But if it doesn’t work there’s going to be a long, cold winter in Seattle.”

There is Hope

Regardless, Dipoto defends his choices and believes there is much to be looked forward to in their farm system. In his opinion, he patched the holes in the Mariners’ roster without dangerously emptying their minor league system. According to MLBPipeline.com, the Mariners still brag three prospects in the Top 100, despite trading away many in their minor league system.

“We feel like we’ve added a lot of talent,” Dipoto said thenewstribune.com).”I’d also like to at least personally express that we’ve done it without stripping the minor leagues…Many of the deals that we’ve made in recent months have been more trading major league players for major league players or prospects for prospects.”

More from Call to the Pen

Furthermore, Dipoto believes in the ballplayers he acquired to support the Mariners as they rebuild their farm system. Through a pair of trades, Dipoto added Zac Curtis and Shae Simmons to the bullpen. He bolstered Seattle’s rotation with the addition of Yovani Gallardo and especially Drew Smyly behind Felix Hernandez.

“Smyly really fits us,” Dipoto said. “He’s a proven performer in the American League. He fills out our rotation nicely.”

He found his new leadoff batter in Jean Segura with an early offseason trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The established presence of Jarrod Dyson in the outfield with Mitch Haniger could help the youngster transition to the major leagues. Furthermore, Dipoto sees Danny Valencia as a strong hitter with room to roam in the Mariners’ flexible infield.

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Only time will tell if Dipoto’s aggressive and “win-now” attitude will pay off in the upcoming seasons. According to Fangraphs, the Mariners are excepted to win 84 games, two less than last season, and to finish third in the AL West behind the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros. Despite the odds and heightened risk, Dipoto and the Mariners are confident in the security of their future.

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