Sailors plan to rebuild and exchange Zunino

You still do not believe that sailors are really considering destroying everything and starting from scratch?

And are you surprised that Jerry Dipoto is the subject of the general manager meetings that began Monday in Carlsbad, California?

Dipoto spoke of the unlikely potential for complete disassembly at his end-of-season press conference, but Jeff Passan of Yahoo! According to sports reports Tuesday morning, sailors told him that they were ready to move "almost anybody" and wait for some bad seasons to build a competitive team.

This part is not totally new.

It all depends on what the Mariners are willing to accept in return, especially in contracts including Mitch Haniger, Edwin Diaz, Marco Gonzales or James Paxton, because they are all young, affordable (for now) and under the control of the club. several years.

"We have to look at all the possibilities," said Dipoto about a month ago at Safeco Field.

"We have guys who are getting older, we have guys who are just starting to become their own, and I think it makes us like most other teams in the league. We simply need to determine our direction and much of our focus will be based on our key players. We have a group of young controllable players that we intend to continue to develop. It's just a question of where this happens, when it happens, and how it happens in the next six or eight months. "

Dipoto and his manager, Scott Servais, both specifically mentioned Haniger, Gonzales and Diaz as players on whom they intend to build.

"Not the pieces you are trying to send," said Dipoto.

Think of it as a speech, or that the plans of the sailors really do not provide for complete dismantling. Admittedly, Dipoto is not opposed to the attempt to make the team more competitive by trading on the edges.

But all of this leaves unanswered the Mariners' biggest post-season question: where do they go from there? How do they escape the average purgatory that allowed them to win 89 games, while finishing eight times in a playoff spot?

Some claim the same demolition model that has had more AHL clubs landing players in 2018 than they have added. Others would say that because all these teams have zigged, the Mariners should zag – but are they playing for a wild card of a match?

Although Dipoto and his company want to end a drought in the playoffs that has been going on since 2001, they have also said they want to create something sustainable – and how can a team be sustainable if the Astros, Red Sox, Yankees and Indians do not seem to be going anywhere south in their division rankings anytime soon.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic later reported that the Mariners, among many of their discussions, had discussed with the Rays an agreement that may involve receiver Mike Zunino.

But … when does not Dipoto talk to the Rays of a potential trade? It is the first commercial partner of Mariners since the arrival of Dipoto before the 2016 season.

Last month, we presented the marine alignment structure as we approach the off-season with the most market value and the least value.

"We have no reason to start from scratch," said Dipoto. "But we have to re-evaluate the location of this formation and not only look at 2019, but also how we are taking the teams in front of us because I do not think the Astros, Yankees, Red Sox or Indians are going to anywhere, and, frankly, the A of Tampa and Oakland showed us that they were real, and we need to consider that. "

All this does not mean that Haniger and Diaz are completely excluded. With the sailors' operating system so thin, it is unlikely that Dipoto will not be lost in the most promising deals, and these are the players most likely to satisfy him. Dipoto's propensity to trade indicates that his ears are never closed, period.

"I do not think a player is always banned," Dipoto said. "We are always listening, we are always thinking, we are always evaluating the best way to do the work we are trying to do, which is to develop a list of championships.

"You must be able to attack in the present moment or to be efficient and opportunistic at the moment it comes. And if you limit yourself to not talking about certain players, you will never succeed. "

Their movements seem to be centered around Paxton and Jean Segura. Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager will win about $ 71 million next season. They (very, very probably) are not going anywhere.

Paxton can become a free agent in two years. Segura signed a five-year contract extension last season, which includes a full non-exchange clause. But they both have talent, which is valuable.

So not a complete demolition, but maybe a part that includes Zunino too. And maybe they're thinking of integrating Seager's contract with one of these. Dipoto was questioned about the possibility of taking a step back to be competitive in a year or two rather than preparing him for a 3 to 5 year rebuild.

"Of course," said Dipoto. "That must be a consideration. Our goal is to win the World Series as quickly as possible. If we do not win in 2018, our goal is to determine what is our best schedule. "

Sources: Sailors are planning a full dismantling this winter. If the commercial market is strong, they told the teams that they were ready to relocate just about anyone. And if that happens, they said they were ready to wait a few years before they could rebuild a competitive team.

– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 6, 2018

Now, blowing up items in Seattle is subject to return. The non-exchange of Jean Segura should be corrected. Back for Mitch Hanover, James Paxton and Edwin Diaz would need to be massive. But the sailors are in this terrible no man's land where they are good but not good enough.

– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 6, 2018

Among #Mariniers& # 39; Many discussions, by source: Interviews with #Rays about receiver Mike Zunino. TB has only two Cs out of 40 men – Nick Ciuffo and Michael Perez, who have played 40 MLB combined games. David Freitas, who has played 42 MLB games, is the only other SEA receiver among the 40 men at M's.

– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 6, 2018

TJ Cotterill, 253-597-8677; Twitter: @TJCotterill