The Mariners' acquisition of Jack Wilson and Ian Snell from the Pirates for five players, including former No. 3 overall pick Jeff Clement, puzzled many.
In appearance, the trade makes Seattle look like a buyer, when at 7.5 back in the AL West and 6.5 back in the wild card, it might seem more prudent to be a seller.
But Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times thinks that the Mariners might have something else up their sleeve:
Here's another reason why this move might have been made. We'll know by Friday if it was the reason. And that is the idea that perhaps the Mariners now have another deal in the works, a much bigger one involving Washburn, where they can land a top young shortstop prospect.
One problem with this idea is that the market for Washburn seems to be shrinking. The Brewers' recent fade may have convinced them to pull out of the market altogether. Same for the Rays. The Phillies, obviously, don't need him.
That leaves who? The Yankees, perhaps. The Rangers? Not so likely seeing as how the teams are in the same division. The Red Sox? Maybe, if they fail to land Roy Halladay.
Also a possibility, as Buster Olney reports, is that the Mariners will hold onto Washburn and try to sign him to a contract extension, maybe the most likely scenario of all.
Let the head-scratching continue.
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The Twins almost traded for Washburn last year, and I think the year before. And their starters are dropping like flies (Slowey for the year, Liriano scratched tonight). And their other targets (Freddi Sanchez) are also falling by the wayside.
So why not Minnesota?
If the M's think they even have a "remote" chance at making a playoff spot, than the new GM is just as silly as the old one.
I agree that Minnesota would be a good place for Washburn (since they've wanted him for years). The only thing is: I don't think Minnesota has a "top shortstop prospect". They have Alexi Casilla, but I'm not sure if he's still considered a prospect or filler at this point.
The main point is the Mariners continue to puzzle everyone with nearly every personal move they make. Nothing they do makes much sense. So watch them dump Washburn to a contender for a prospect they end up trading next year when they resign someone for way to much money to join 3 new free agents who only get overpaid in Seattle and blah blah blah. This teams best decision was signing Ichiro who everyone hates, cant realate to, and who destroys the clubhouse atmosphere. So ya, good luck with that...
A bigger deal involving Washburn and a young shortstop sounds like Alcides Escobar and Milwaukee to me. Why not the Twins? They won't add salary or subtract significant prospects.