Wiretap: Mariners, others interested in Jeff Francis

[TTown]

Rockies LHP who went 4-6 with a 5.00 ERA in 19 starts last year, after missing all of 2009.

I was going to just make a general offseason thread, but honestly this forum could use the traffic.

[Sweezo]

If the price is reasonable, I think it's a decent addition. They might want to kick the tires on Shawn Hill as well.

Personally, I am hoping the team finds itself a SS in the offseason. Jack Wilson as an overpaid utlity player is better than Jack Wilson the oft-injured starter.

[TTown]

http://blog.seattlepi.com/baseball/archives/228701.asp

PI says it would likely be an incentive laden deal much like Bedard's, to which I would be fine with. I know we're not going to break the bank this offseason, but what money we do spend should (obviously statement of the year) go to improving the offense. But, picking up a potential 5th starter on the cheap would be smart.

[Sweezo]

Only question is whether he would be cheap. It sounds like several teams have already expressed interest in Francis, and in a weak market for starting pitching...to me, it would be hard to see Francis settling for a short-term incentive laden deal. Granted, the "several teams are interested already" angle could just be agent posturing...

If he does decide to go that route, SafeCo Field would probably be the greatest place for him to go [much like Beltre's choice to do the same this past season in Fenway] if he wants to have some pretty numbers before hitting the market next year.

[Bulltalk]

If the price is reasonable, I think it's a decent addition. They might want to kick the tires on Shawn Hill as well.

Personally, I am hoping the team finds itself a SS in the offseason. Jack Wilson as an overpaid utlity player is better than Jack Wilson the oft-injured starter.

I think they really like that kid they drafted two years ago, but he won't get his shot for a few more years if he continues to develop.

I understand your sentiment, but I am too myopically focused upon getting hitters/RBIers at 3rd, 1st, LF, or DH. I'm a bit nauseated by the thought of us heading into spring training without making a real effort to add potential runs to this offense. Egads! That can't happen again near the way it happened last year. It was just WAY too frustrating and eventually boring to watch as a fan.

[Zyme]

For god's sake Guys. Stop building the pitching staff. IT was great last year. Maybe add to the pen but otherwise we need hitters. We had no offense last year.

[Sweezo]

I think they really like that kid they drafted two years ago, but he won't get his shot for a few more years if he continues to develop.

Franklin? Yep...I am hopeful that he is the team's future at SS, but the idea of suffering through another year of a SS who gets hurt alot, has decling range, and can't hit his weight depresses me.

I understand your sentiment, but I am too myopically focused upon getting hitters/RBIers at 3rd, 1st, LF, or DH. I'm a bit nauseated by the thought of us heading into spring training without making a real effort to add potential runs to this offense. Egads! That can't happen again near the way it happened last year. It was just WAY too frustrating and eventually boring to watch as a fan.

I agree that the offense needs some life, but we do need one starter. Right now, I assume our rotation would line up like this:

SP: Felix
SP: Pineda
SP: Vargas
SP: French
SP: Fister

That's...not that good. Felix is the best pitcher in baseball. But the rest? Pineda would be a rookie who's never pitched more than 140 inning in his career. We relied alot on Vargas/French/Fister last year. I don't want to rely on them that much this year. Vargas had a decent year...French and Fister were more or less league average to me.