Today, the Milwaukee Brewers designated 29 year old outfielder Kevin Mench for assignment in preparation to sign pitcher Salomon Torres. It is likely that the Brewers will non-tender Mench on Wednesday making him a free agent. How is this relevant to the Mariners, you ask? Well, call me crazy, but I don't think it would be such a bad idea to sign a guy like Kevin Mench after cutting ties with Jose Guillen. It doesn't seem like the Mariners will be making any big splashes this offseason, and if they do, it will more than likely involve sending Adam Jones and/or Wlad Balentien to Baltimore for Erik Bedard or to Minnesota for Johan Santana. Let's go through the possible scenarios to see how Kevin Mench could play an important role on this team.
1) Jones and Balentien are both traded: This would leave us with a severely depleted outfield consisting of Raul Ibanez in left (by all indications) and Ichiro in center. So who plays right? The answer is simple: Kevin Mench.
2) Jones is traded, Balentien retained: Again, this could possibly open up a spot for another outfielder. I'm not sure how management views the possibility of Balentien starting somewhere in the outfield in 2008, but for all intensive purposes let's say he would start in right-field or in center with Ichiro in right for this scenario. Mench would STILL be a huge asset to this club as he would be able to be platooned in left with Ibanez. Ibanez would get the starts vs. right-handed pitchers and Mench would be in vs. the southpaws. This would make for a pretty efficient platoon based on each of their career stats when the matchup favors them.
Ibanez vs. righties: .293 AVG .355 OBP .497 SLG .852 OPS
Mench vs. lefties: .305 AVG .361 OBP .563 SLG .924 OPS
3) Jones is retained and starts in right: Mench could still platoon with Ibanez in left not to mention some time at DH if Vidro gets hurt or his average slips.
Signing Mench would be a low-risk, high reward type of thing since it wouldn't cost us all that much to sign him. Last year, he made $3.4 million although he did not quite live up to expectations, hitting .267 in only 101 games for the Brew Crew. This is just my opinion; don't expect Bavasi to make this happen.
12/10/07
Kevin Mench DFA'ed
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14 comments:
I do not want this. My reasons are abundant, just don't do it Bavasi. Not every new-free agent should be signed by us, now now.
The Mariners have a good OF in Ibanez, Suzuki & Jones. If they lose one of those three I think it's totally viable that Mench be a productive starter there.
we talked about this earlier patrick.. i think if Ibanez is somehow moved to 1B or DH the Mariners should go after a more athletic outfielder. WE'd have the #1 run saving defense in the league.
Last season, I would have been against this as I was a huge Ibanez fan and didn't want to see him lose any playing time. This year, however, I have come to terms with the fact that he can't hit left-handers very well and will turn 36 next season. There is a chance that his numbers for 08 resemble his first half numbers for 07, in which case it may be a good idea to atleast platoon him. What are the chances that Ibanez AND Vidro post the numbers that we expect of them; can Vidro really do it again? Will he get hurt? My point is this: After losing Jose Guillen, I think it would be a good idea to bring in some extra pop so we would have all the bases covered in case of injury or poor play. We really don't have any significant right-handed hitters that can come off the bench if we need them for an extended period of time unless management feels that Balentien is ready.
Phil- We're talking D outfielders at the moment. In which case, Ichiro is the only true non-liability there.
Adam Jones misjudges things real bad sometimes, and Raul is, as we know, an empty left field equalization. Save for that one catch last year, there was pretty much risk whenever there was a fly ball, or a possible Sac Fly for the other team; hit to left field.
I texted Patrick after reading this, and I love the idea...
I agree with you Patrick...I think signing a guy like Mench would give us options next year in the OF...Of course if we fail to make any moves involving Jones and Balentien then this move could be unnecessary...
Dustin, seriously?? I have a feeling this will be a Pokey Reese or Miguel Olivo here.
I guess a comforting feeling would be that he's cheap, and expendable, so if he starts Richie Sexsoning, DFA DFA DFA.
Oed_Pwns: That's exactly why I think most of us want to make this move...It is very low risk with a potentially high reward...
When Guillen left, their incredible OF defense was compromised. I think for the team to continue to focus on this would be clutching at straws.
I guess you're right Brian, and Phil... elaborate?
I don't think Seattle needs to put too much stock into the defensive abilities of a new outfielder (if that ends up being the case) unless they exhibit glaring weaknesses in the field, which Mench doesn't. He's no speedy Gonzalez but he's no butterfingers either. If they end up having any holes in OF through trades then they shouldn't focus too much on trying to replicate the defense they had out there last season. They were in the middle of the pack in the AL for RS/game and I think there needs to be a focus on compensating for the offense lost when Guillen left.
Mench has been nothing offensively since he left Texas. Sure, he's good against lefties but a lot of guys are better against lefties.
Mench is no whiz with the wood for sure but for his probable salary he'd be a viable addition.
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