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Inbox: Will Mariners turn to Haniger in right field?
- Updated: January 4, 2017
What is the chance of Mitch Haniger being the everyday right fielder this season? Is his upside that good? — Carlos C., Tampa
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto is very high on Haniger, who he considered a key part of the Taijuan Walker – Jean Segura trade with the D-backs. At this point, the plan is for a right-field timeshare between the right-handed-hitting Haniger and lefty-swinging Seth Smith, but much will be determined by how well Haniger hits when given the chance to show exactly what he can do at the Major League level.
Dipoto loves the defensive ability and athleticism of Haniger, who has played primarily center field in the Minors and during his brief time with the D-backs last year. The 26-year-old has hit well against right-handers in the past, so it’s possible he could develop into an everyday option. Though he hit just .191 in his first 14 games with Arizona last year as a rookie, he put up a .258/.333/.500 line with five homers and 11 RBIs over his final 20 games. He was also a .321 hitter with 25 homers in 129 games at Double-A and Triple-A in 2016, so the potential is certainly there.
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Since the Mariners still need a starter, is there any chance they make a run at Jason Hammel? — Kelly B., Longview, Wash.
Dipoto hasn’t yet pulled off his preferred trade for a mid-rotation starter, so the more time that passes, the better chance it seems he could go the free-agent route to add another arm. Hammel hasn’t signed yet despite being regarded as the best of a limited free-agent crop of starters, presumably because his price has been higher than teams like for a 34-year-old who the Cubs didn’t include on their postseason roster before declining his $12 million option for 2017.
But Hammel went 15-10 with a 3.83 ERA in 30 starts for Chicago and he could be a natural fit for Seattle as a guy who went to high school at South Kitsap in Port Orchard, Wash., before attending Treasure Valley Community College in Oregon. If he’s open to a relatively short-term deal …
