Signs Point to a Big Mariners-Rays Trade Happening at Some Point This Offseason
00:00Somewhat surprisingly, the Mariners did not select anyone in the Rule 5 draft.So why did they clear those two spots on their 40-man roster last week?Plus, it's looking more and more likely that the Mariners and Rays are going to line up for a trade.Let's talk about it.Colby, hit it.You are Locked-on Mariners.Your daily Seattle Mariners podcast.Part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day.
00:28Ahoy, sailors.It is Wednesday, December 6th, 2023.This is timing is awesome.Colby Pennaud for the Locked-on Marys podcast.Thank you so much for making us your first.Listen, subscribe, like, and turn alerts.If you're watching on YouTube or subscribe and leave a five-star review on your preferred podcast platform,if you like what you hear.
00:44And if you're part of the crew and rock with us every single day, let us know in the comments below.We'd love to hear from you.And if you want to hear from us even more, please consider signing up for our Patreon.You can now get a free seven-day trial to check out the show.The link, as well as our social accounts, is in the description of this episode.The winter meetings are winding down.draft was today and the Mariners surprisingly did not take anyone in the major league portionof the draft despite having four open spots on their 40-man roster.
01:11We're going to talk about that as well as some info from Ken Rosenthal regarding trade talksbetween the Mariners and Rays and a player who made it into our off-season plan is apparentlyavailable.So we'll discuss that a little bit as well.But we're going to start with the Rule 5 draft here, Colby.Quite a surprise here that the Mariners did not take any.anyone in the Rule 5 draft.They usually do.
01:34It's pretty much always been a reliever.They have four open spots on the 40-man roster, like I mentioned.But they didn't take anyone.They passed when their pick came around.Let's address to this real quick.It is very, very typical for teams to pass on Rule 5 selections,even if they have 40-man spots open.This is not a money-saving thing.
01:58In this particular instance, this is not a money-saving thing,because the mayors are eventually going to have a full 40-man roster,just like every other team.And they're going to be paying league minimum salariesto guys like they would with their Rule 5 draft pick.And that's only if the Rule 5 draft pick even makes the roster.I think this is very simple or as simple as either someone that they likedthat they wanted to draft, got drafted ahead of them,
02:25or they just didn't like anyone.They didn't really feel it was worth taking the swing on anyone.this particular Rule 5 draft.So I think that's it.Do you agree, disagree?Are you disappointed that they didn't come away with someone from this draft?I think Stan just didn't want to spend $50,000.Right.
02:46Right.It's a little surprising, not because, you know, there was guys there who you're like,oh, that makes a ton of sense.Take that guy.It's just the Mariners always take somebody.And they didn't, I can't remember the last year they didn't take somebody.It's usually a pitcherAnd I think there was nine players
03:04selected in the major league portion this year.All nine were pitchers.Nassim Nunez.Yeah, seven pitchers, two position players.Yeah, typically they take a pitcher.They didn't this year.And it seemed kind of like a slam dunkbecause they had four open roster spots.
03:20And they have plenty of other avenuesto open up 40 man space if they need to.So, you know, I think this is pretty clearlyjust a case of there weren't any armsthat they liked there and there weren't any,they didn't see any reason to take a bat or anything like thatwho they thought had a shot to make their opening day roster.And stick doesn't mean necessarily that some of the guys that we thought maybe
03:44they might have interest in.Maybe they just go out and they trade for them because now they don't have to put them ontheir 40 man.We don't know.But yeah,there were a couple guys that I thought could have been the pick.And that's never really mattered before.Seattle typically goes way off the board with their selection.
04:00but this year they just obviously didn't see anybody that they thought was worth the 40-man spot.So any other year, we're probably not talking about this, but just because it's the Mariners and they always take somebody in the Rule 5.And obviously, based on the last couple days, it seemed like this was a slam dunk.Of course, they're going to take somebody.And they didn't.So it's just a bit of a surprise.But, you know, this had happened last year or if it happens next year, we're probably not even talking about it because the Rule 5 draft is such a minor thing.And the only reason we talk about it on this show is because it gives us a segment.
04:36Right.Yeah.During the slow time of the year.We were hoping that we were going to actually have someone to talk about.I think that's the most disappointing aspect of this from our standpoint as content creators is that we didn't have, we don't have a player to talk about, new player to talk about.So it does feel like, though, just in general, the Mariners fan base could really use an addition to the 40 man.and it almost doesn't matter who it is.Right, right.
05:01Just some acquisition that can't be,that can't be like talked about in a negative sense.Like it's just,even if it's like not,even if he's not going to make the roster,just someone that it's like,there is no negative angle to that move.But we don't,
05:21we didn't even get that today.So,uh,the mayor's lost,uh,right hand of reliever,Stephen Colac to the Padres.Um, older dude, you know, in triple A Tacoma.
05:32Um, kind of an interesting arm, but they had an opportunity to call them up this year.Didn't do that.So, and they obviously have a ton of arms and that kind of mold.So yeah.Not a huge deal there.Mid 90s, but really like flat fastball.So it actually plays down from the velocity and yeah, decent slider.But 35, 40 control and command.
05:54So 27 years old, something like that.I doubt he makes sense.Padres. He sticks with the Padres all next year, but you never know. Yeah, we'll see.So we know why they opened up two of the four open spots on their 40-man roster.I mean, dumping the contracts of Marco Gonzalez and Evan White. But they also DFAed Caleb Orte andCooper Hummel last week. And when we finally found out about those moves, because both of those guysreclaimedRyan Dibish
06:29had basically said that it wasto make room for a 40-man selection.Now, I assume that was justspeculation trying to put two and two together here.But it seemed like, yeah,the writing was on the wall for that.So why do you think they actuallyyou know,
06:46DFAed those guys last week?What was the practicality of that?What was the purpose of that?Money.We're going to Brian Winhorst it.Why would,Why would they do that?How would they do that, Coley?
07:00Save money.You know, they don't have to pay those guys.It's all about money, Ty.Every move Jerry DePoto makes is just shaving money off the topso he could put it in his back pocket.Right, right.Yeah, Jerry specifically, yeah.Yeah.
07:13Who else would it be?Right.Let's move on to something a little more interesting.Rays and the Mariners.More interesting than the Rule 5 draft?What?Is that possible?The Marys of the Rays
07:26There's some info out thereAbout some trade talks that they've hadAs of lateSeems like, I mean, on the surfaceWhen we've talked about the off-season planAnd all that seems like the Rays make a lot of senseAs a trade partner for the MarysAnd sometimes when there's an obvious fit like that
07:46It comes to fruitionAnd sometimes notBut it seems like the Mariners and the Rays do agreethat they line up pretty well for a trade.So we're going to be talking about that in just a moment.But first, a reminder, this episode of the Lockdown Merritts podcast is brought to you by Jace Medical.You know, we spend a lot of time talking together, you and I.We get fired up together on wins and losses, who starts and who sits.
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09:15Remember to use the promo code locked on,that's L-C-K-D-O-N, $20 off.your purchase. And you're listening to the Locked on Marys podcast. Thank you again for making usyour first. Listen and as a reminder, Locked on has launched the first ever national sports24-7 streaming channel on YouTube. Locked-on Sports Today is here for you 24-7 covering the topsports stories of the day with the local experts of the Locked-on Podcast Network plusour national shows covering every league. Get a locked-on sports today on YouTube and subscribe tothe first ever national sports 24-7 streaming channel, part of the Locked-on podcast network,
09:49your team every day.Folks, we are 19 subscribers away from 10,000 on YouTube.Subscribe.Subscribe now if you haven't already.Tell a friend, tell all your family members, tell anyone you know who's a Marys fan,or even if they're not a Marys fan.Come, subscribe, get us to 10K.And then, as promised, Colby, we'll hit some Fortnite dances on the show.
10:12That was never promised.Low gritty, little default dance, little orange justice.Yeah, ties are already.checking that he can't cash.Colby, just do this.Just do this and I'll count it as a gritty.Nope.Come on.
10:26Be a man of the people.Why not?Why have I ever been a man of the people?Well, there you go.So obviously team tie, you know, when we put out the shirts, you guys will be buying team tie shirts now, not teamColby shirts.That has been solidified.I guess if you're desperate for affirmation, you can get team tie shirts.
10:45Colby has just outright said that he doesn't care about you guys because he's not goingto hit the four night dances.when you get us to 10K.You're really not as good at this gas sliding thing as I am.And I'm not even 100% sure I know what that means.So think about that.Just wait until I learn what it actually means.Right, right.
11:01You'll get there one day.You'll figure it out.I'd have to care.And as evidence by our Rule 5 segment,you do not most certainly care.Not about the Rule 5.About most things, too.I mean, but a lot of things.
11:17The Rule 5 is definitely up there for things I could not care less about.All right, Colby, I'm calling an audible here.Top five things you care about.Oh, let's not do this.That sounds like a better question of the day.Right.All right.Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:37You guys answer that for us.Top five things Colby actually cares about.Let us know in the comments below.So Ken Rosenthal hopped on the foul territory podcast with AJ Presenskylast night for the winter meetings.and was asked about the Mariners,was asked outright, are they broke?And obviously he had some things to say about that situation.
12:02And that's what most Mariners fans focused onwith the clip that made the rounds on Twitter.But in between the shade that he threw at the Mariners organization,there's actually an interesting little nugget in thereabout the Mariners and the Reyes.Apparently, before the Jared Kellnick trade,the Mariners and Reyes were having pretty extensive trade talks.but the mayor is essentially told Tampa Bay,
12:25according to Rosenthal,that they needed to move some money aroundbefore they were able to go deeper into those discussions.So they have now.They traded Kellnick.They offloaded the contracts of Marco Gonzalezand Evan White.Rosenthal said that those talks could resume
12:46now that that's happened.That to me screams Randy a Roserana,who's projected to make $9 million in ourarbitration. There's also ManwellMargo, who's making $10 millionplus has a $2 million buyoutin 2025. AndJerry Depoto had an interesting comment
13:04yesterday about needing essentiallyone and a half outfieldersthis off season,which would say to methat Dom Kanzoneis viewed asone half of a platoon. AndMargot could make some sense. There's also
13:20Brandon Lau who's making close to $10million as well. So theresome guys in Tampa making some money.And I would think that's what Rosenthal is essentially alluding to here becauseEsauk Paredes is not making money.So yeah, just trying to put two and two together here.I mean, it could be a Paredes deal with just Margot involved to help soften the,the blow a little bit for Seattle or LOW.
13:48Maybe it's both Margo and Lough, along with Paredes.Who knows?But, Colby, what do you think?I think it's Tyler Glassnow.Could be.Could be.It's possible.I mean, we didn't know how much money they needed to clear to make Glass Now.
14:03Maybe they needed to clear that much because they're only at 160 in Glass Now and Rosarina.We're going to cost 35.And they're like, well, we don't want to be stuck with, you know, 15 million for the rest of our off season.So let's see what we can do.But no, it's probably not.I think Rosarana is probably the guy who makes the most sense.We've heard conflicting reports on whether or not the mayor.really like Randy a Rosarina or they don't like them.
14:27I've heard from somebody who said, yeah, they're not really all that into them from somebody who said, yeah, they actually went after him last summer.You know, and so it's a little bit, much like the Mariners payroll discussion, nobody knows as much as they seem to think they do.Except for us, because we know it all.Because we're smart.Mm-hmm.Not just a hat rack, my friend.Wicked smart.Mm-hmm.
14:52Wicked smot.All the smart gifts.So,Orozorne seems like the best fit for me.Just because you now have two open outfield spots.And obviously you've been looking for kind of the guy to hit behind Julio.So I just feel like a Rosarin makes the most sense.Paredes,
15:12like you mentioned,he's only making like three,four million bucks this year.So it doesn't feel like they'd have to clear,you know,$15 million of payroll space to afford Paredes,unless he's also coming in a deal with another more expensive player.So maybe that's Brandon Lau.
15:29But yeah,I still feel like a Rosarin is the best fit.But yeah,there are some guys on Tampa's roster who are making money.You know,Lau being one of them and Margot being another.I wouldn't love it.But if you're going to be committed to Dom Kahn zone
15:45in one of your outfield spots to start the year,you kind of need somebody who hits lefties really welland can also play some defense.And that's, you know, Manuel Margot.so.Yeah, I think it's probably about a Rosarena.And then I think Carol Ramirez still makes a ton of sense,and he's not making a ton of money either.
16:03So, yeah, I think if it's about clearing spaceso that they can do a deal with the raise,that would seem to me to be a Roserena.And then because they needed to clear so much spaceto even talk about this,that kind of signals to me somebody who's making more than a Roserena,or at least.Or that they're adding multiple.
16:22multiple fairly, you know, big salaries.Right.They want to do something else after they do this trade with Tampa if anything gets that.Or it's a Rosarena and Lau or a Rosarena and Margo or all three of them, something like that.Glass now.Or Glass now.Yeah.Yeah.
16:40Yeah.So maybe that's it.To me, though, when I look at like who's the best fit on this ball club, who would be the best fit on this ball club?uh rosorana's oneparades is probably two when you factor in fit and just skill level and age and all that stuffage club control all that yeah i think you have to put paratus too and then it's for me probablyramirez harold ramirez and thenlow something like that yeah if they're trying to cut down on strikeouts and improve walks and
17:15all that stuff harold ramirez is uh yeah he's the guy right there yeah rightI mean, maybe it's Yonty.We haven't talked about Yondi lately.It could be.I mean, it doesn't feel like it would be, but you don't know.You never know what the race.You don't know.And we also don't know if the Mariners might end up trading Thai France still.
17:33Yep, definitely possible.So, yeah.You know, maybe there's like a Thai France Max Kepler trade out there with the twins, something like that.It's definitely possible.So there are definitely ways that the Mariners, even with their new payroll restrictions,can address the holes on this roster.actually be better than they were last year,which is the whole point of the offseason, right?
17:54It's just to be better than you were the year before.And even though you've taken a really like,backwards way to start,you can still throw the car and drive and get to your destination,uh, in time if you start acting now.So, uh, yeah,my guess would be Randy though is kind of the prize that the mariners are,are eyeing right now,
18:10but that's total speculation.Cause like I said,I've,I've heard conflicting reports on whether or not they like Randy at all.So, right.Um,but I think a rose,is probably the guy they're after right now.
18:21So the one thing that I've been spitballing here is,is there a third team that you can potentially get involvedthat one would take a mostly or pure prospect package coming from Seattle?Two, has the MLB pitching that Tampa Bay wants.And three, most importantly,allows the Mariners to keep Bryce Miller or Brian Wuor whoever the rays are interested in here.because again, and maybe it's all fluff, maybe it's all GM speak, very possible,
18:54but for some reason Jerry felt that it was important to say that it was less likelythat the Marys would trade Miller or Wu or Gilbert or whoever that they would trade pitchingthan it was before the Kelnick deal.So are they really, like my thing is like, are they really trying hard to hold on to theirpitching to their young pitching.And the way that they could maybe circumvent that, again, is if they can find a thirdteam that would take Harry Ford, Col Emerson, Cole Young, whatever, in order for themto still get Randy or Paredes or both or, you know, whoever.
19:39And the raise would essentially get, like, let's say it's the White Sox, right?Because there aren't many teams that fit this description, but I think the White Sox areactually a solid fit here.Dylan Cease makes a lot of sense for the race, two years of club control, established major league pitcher a lot more established than Bryce Miller or Brian Wu are.Obviously less club control and obviously the raise do value club control quite a bit.But would the raise instead prefer getting someone like Cease instead of Miller or Wu?Yeah, I'm not sure they're going to trade Miller or Wu now because again, if they have less money to spend than they thought and they trade one of those guys, they have to go out and replace it.and replace one of those arms.
20:20And we've assumed that they would replace that arm through free agency.And, you know, if you have less money to spend than they thought, can they find a number five with upside like Miller or Wu for that fits within their budget?There's a couple guys out there who might build that role.But I don't know.Can you get them?I'm not sure.So, yeah, I don't know if there's a third team out there.Like you said, there's not a lot of teams that, you know, are not really thinking they can't.
20:48compete next year. So getting them to take prospect packages, unless it's a salary dump.And we know the marriage really can't afford a salary dump going in the opposite direction.Well, they can't afford it. They won't take it. So yeah, it's a very tight needle to thread.I just, I personally don't see how they get a Rosarena, uh, without giving up Miller or Wu, unless it's something like Harry Ford and Cole Young.And, you know, like Jonathan Clausay. But you never.know, the raise are kind of weird.Sometimes they take bulk for guys.A lot of the times they'll just take the best prospect.
21:23Like they'll do a one for one for a prospect.You're like, huh?Well, and how important is shedding payroll for Tampa Bay?Like how important is getting Margot's contract off the books or getting LOWs contractoff the books for them?I don't know because you know they're going to trade glass now.Like that's going to get done.Somebody will take Glass now and they'll take all 25 million of his contract.
21:42So how much space do they have to, you know, clear?Is it even about payroll?is it just about, hey, this guy's got a year left.We know we can't resign them. Let's trade them.Hey, we've got lots of bats coming up.Let's try and maximize what we can get for Randy Rosarina by trading them right now.Like the rays do things differently than everybody else.And if you think you can emulate them, you're a fool.
22:04So don't even try, John.And trading with them is a dangerous game.A lot of teams have made some bad deals with Tampa Bay.But, you know, not all the times.there's there's some there's some wins in there there's definitely some wins in there uh the thethe rays are not infallible in terms of trades but uh it has been a dangerous game to play inthe past uh for teams i wonder this is just me thinking out loud and i know we have to get to athird segment that is way late but i wonder if is there a universe where
22:39the rays and the mariners do a simple like one for one swap where it's a rosarina for likemap rash would you rather havehave four years of prash or six years of Miller.Yeah.Yeah.I mean, that is, yeah, that is what it comes down to pretty much.I'm just guessing.I'm just speculating.
22:59Well, and also, and also it's going to be easier and cheaper in theory to land a reliever,you know, a replacement reliever than a replacement starter.Sure.And I think there's a pretty good likelihood that the Mariners in one of these trades thatthey're inevitably going to make, they get a reliever back.or even a actual like a good established relieverlike a solid at least middle guy at the very leastlike someone that we know not some like shot that they're taking
23:28like somebody like in the Eric Swanson moldwhere it's just like okay solid yearnot a not not a high leverage guy right nowbut could be uh with a tweak but justrock solid like seventh inning type of guygot i think they probably get somebody like thatgotcha gotcha yeah so we'll see umSo maybe keep an eye out for like a three-team deal here.
23:53But, you know, these two teams, they definitely line up well with one another as is.So like they don't necessarily need a third team.But again, if the Marys don't want to trade Miller or Wu,and there's a decent chance that they don't,given all the things that we just talked about,I'd keep an eye on the White Sox.Just saying, just putting that out there.Maybe there's another team out there that makes them sense.
24:13You know, maybe there's a situation here wherethere's a third team that wants Tyler Glass nowand there's a deal there to be hadI don't really know how that would benefit the Marinersnecessarily but yeah never knowsoJake Cronworth Colbyhe was in our offseason plan
24:37and the Padres that appears they arevery very close to trading Juan Soto to the New York Yankeesthere's details about playerschanging hands and all this stuff alreadylike it seems like it's all but done at this point.And it seems like the next guy the Padrescould trade is Jake Cronoworth, who of coursewas in our off-season plan.
24:57So you guys know that we do like that idea.Obviously, Cronomworth, we talked about this during theoff-season plan.You know, he has the extension that you just signed.It's anywhere from, I'm still confused about the numbers.It's anywhere from $7 to $11 million a year on that contract.I'm not fully sure on how that's structuredand how the money is dived out.
25:17but it's seven million this year.Okay, so it's seven million this year.It is a backloaded contract.Yeah, it's a it's a seven year commitment though and he's making a decent amount of money.He's coming off of a down year and we know what the Mariners payroll issues are now.So with that context, because we didn't have that context when we put them in our offseason plan.So with that context, do you think, do you think the Mariners would still be interested in Kronow?I think they should be.
25:45it looks like.It's a, you know, a guy who's been a four-win player twice in his career and would have beena third time if not for the pandemic short and season, who's just coming off of one bad yearin which he was tragically misplayed.He is a good second baseman, a really good second baseman who was forced to play first base,which puts more pressure on the bat because obviously if you're playing first base, you haveto produce more than if you're at second base.This guy who walks, this guy who hits line drives, goes gap to gap, he's got some
26:15pull power. You could also play shortstop for third. Yeah, he's 30 years old. So that's a, that's a,you know, concern. And obviously the seven year deal starts now this year. So it's not an idealfit, but you're talking about maybe spending an extra three million bucks this year over what you'regoing to pay Josh Rojas to get a player who is a four win upside type of player who also, you know,covers holes across the entire infield, you know, helps your depth, helps the, the length in yourlineup is the lefty to go well with a couple righties that you want to acquire.I think it's only making seven million bucks this year.Yeah.
26:52Yeah.I think that the Mariners should be interested in him.I don't know what it would take because the package that the Padreys got this yearincludes a couple for Soto includes a couple major leaguers and a couple of guys armswho are close to the big league.So the Padres don't look like they want to go in full rebuild mode.So they probably would ask for Miller-Woo since it's, you know,seven years of Cronomworth.
27:17But I don't think it's going to take that much.I think depending on how much of the salary you have to eat and all that stuff,I think you could probably get in the conversation for Cronerworth for,you know, Emerson Hancock, Jonathan Clase,and maybe like a Dom Canzone or a Josh Rojas even.So, yeah, I think you should be interested.You don't have to, it's not a move you have to make.I'm not going to be mad if the mayor's look at that contract and be like,
27:40we think we can do a little bit better because they might be able to.But it's a 401 player.who's coming off of his first down year of his entire career,who's going to get to move back to his natural position.Yeah, I'm still interested in Kronowth.And I don't think it's going to cost top prospects.I don't think it's going to cost anybody on your,it'll cost some good prospects.
28:02Don't get me wrong,but I don't think it's going to cost like an elite prospector anybody in your top five.And I don't think it's going to cost too much off of your Major League Rossor maybe a Canzone type, maybe a Rojas or,Dylan Moore, like as kind of a second or third piece.But yeah, I'm still interested in Crown Worth.All right.
28:21Well, that's going to do it for our show.Thank you so much for joining us here on the Lockdown Marrars podcast for Colby Patnode.I'm Tyane Gonzalez.Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter at L0 underscore Mariners.You can follow me at Tadine Gonzalez.Colby at CPAT 11.That's C-P-A-T-1-1.You can also find all that stuff in the description of this episode.
28:38And thank you again for making us your first listen.Have yourself a beautiful baseball day.And we'll see you next time.Peace.Thank you.
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