Check Mate

As we near the July 31st trade deadline, Bill Bavasi is stuck between a rock an a hard place. Realistically, he has two options on what to do before the deadline; let it pass without making a move or make a move probably for a starting pitcher. As the next few days unfold, you will see that whatever he chooses to do, the calls for his job from Mariner fans will get louder.

If he chooses to not make a move: If Bavasi holds all of his cards, Mariner fans will talk about how much we needed to make a move at the deadline for the rest of the season, especially if we miss the playoffs by a small margin. We will hear the same things we've heard before in the offseason about how all the talk and hope to bring in difference-maker was all for nothing, and how Bavasi needed to be more aggressive in pursuing players. You may hear this type of thing from Geoff Baker, the M's beat writer. He is in favor of making a move to bring in a starting pitcher, even if it meant trading Adam Jones. Though not many M's fans will go that far, the majority think that something needs to be done and that it's Bavasi's fault if nothing happens. There are valid points there, but theres also another side the argument.

If he chooses to make a move: We all know that if we want a solid starting pitcher in Seattle before the deadline, we are going to have to trade some livestock. We're going to have to reach down into our farm system and ship a few guys elsewhere. Most people wouldn't have a problem with that if there were a few quality arms in the market. But there aren't. I've seen a lot of fans, including Dave from USS Mariner, lobby for nothing to be done if it involved trading guys like Jones, Balentien, and Clement. The reality is that if we trade for a starting pitcher, one or more of those guys will have to go. At this point, teams are very reluctant to give up proven arms unless they get some pieces to the future in return.

So either way you cut it, Bavasi is not in a good spot. He has backed himself into a corner by not making improvements to this team in the offseason, and will hear the criticisms no matter what he does. Nevertheless, it's going to be interesting to see which way he leans in the next couple days and what will come out of it. Personally, I side with those who think something needs to be done, even if we have to give up prospects. Anyway, good luck Bill Bavasi because it's gonna be a long rest of the season.