Hot Stove League Review: Mariners

This was the offseason that Trader Jerry finally figured out he was spinning his wheels with all those trades and decided to go with a full blown youth movement.  His main goal in the offseason was clearing out the dead wood including franchise icon, Felix Hernandez.  Key Moves:

Free Agents Lost:  Keon Broxton(1B), Ryon Healy(1B), Wade LeBlanc(LHP), Arodys Vizcaino(RHP), Felix Hernandez(RHP), Tommy Malone(RHP), Domingo Santana(OF), Tim Beckham(IF).

Free Agents Signed:  Kendall Graveman(RHP), Patrick Wisdom(3B), Yoshihisa Hirano(RHP), Taijuan Walker(RHP).

Trades:  Acquired Nestor Cortes(LHP) from the Yankees for International Bonus Money.

Rule 5 Draft:  Yohan Ramirez(RHP).

Waiver Claims:  Sam Haggerty(2B), Nick Margevicius(LHP).

Minor League Free Agents:  Wei-Yin Chen(LHP), Manny Banuelos(LHP), Carlos Gonazalez(OF), Collin Cowgill(OF), Cody Anderson(RHP- released), Rymer Liriano(OF).

Major League Contract:  Evan White 1B.

Summary:  While I suspect the Mariners have no expectations of competing this season, they do have good young players who they need to give opportunities to.  The best course was to not block them with a bunch of FA signings or to break them up with a flurry of trades.  It must have taken an extreme amount of self-discipline for Trader Jerry to carry out that plan but he did.  If there is a pattern here, it's several small bets on players bouncing back from injuries.  Not much of an offseason but prudent in the longterm.

Grade C.