Sellers for tomorrow or buyers for today?

All I know is I'm glad Jack Z is at the helm of the Good Ship Mariner instead of those who steer the blog-o-sphere. It will be extremely interesting to watch what unfolds in the next few weeks. Here's my totally non-sabermetric take....

Don't deal your strength - build upon it.

Seems to me that is one way to achieve BOTH improving the team for the HERE and NOW as well as building toward the FUTURE. Even this pollyanna knows it is highly unlikely the M's pitching will continue to be as strong as it was in the first half. There's BOUND to be some drop off (as we started to see it down the ASB stretch). At the same time (as Lou would say) the hitting can't possibly get much worse (and, in fact, down the ASB stretch, it started to get better).

So, instead of dealing pitchers like Jarrod and Erik (who many speculate won't be signed back in FA) why not keep them and continue to add to the stockpile of arms and gloves (is my pitching and defense obsession showing through yet?) Balance is nice ~ I prefer DOMINANCE. You go, arms, legs and leather! Then again, maybe I'll just say - you go Jack Z! He hasn't steered us wrong so far so it's fair to say, "In Jack we trust."

Some other thoughts on the topic

Will surprising Mariners buy or sell at the deadline? | Greg Bell - Seattle PI

Back to work for the Mariners: Is the best yet to come? | Larry LaRue - News Tribune

Cut to the front office, and general manager Jack Zduriencik – the man who brought you David Aardsma, Russell Branyan and Franklin Gutierrez. What’s the one question he has heard more often than all others as the team heads into baseball’s second half?

“Are we buyers or sellers?” he said. “That’s fun for fans to talk about, but for a GM? I’ve said it from Day One here: If I see a way to improve the talent on this club, I’ll do it.

“Some of our improvement in the second half may come from within. We’ve got a healthy Erik Bedard back. Ryan Rowland-Smith is on a roll and might help us. Adrian Beltre is coming back next month.”

:::

“I think we have accomplished more than anyone thought we could and built a lot of confidence in ourselves,” Washburn said. “When you come to the park every day and feel you have a chance to win that game, that’s huge.

“I have been on teams when you show up that guys just feel you are going to get beat that day.”

Like, say, the Mariners of a year ago?

“The difference between this year and last is more than night and day,” Washburn said.

To stay close in the West, the Mariners can’t just wait for Zduriencik to make a move. Branyan has to continue his remarkable breakout season at age 33. Gutierrez must continue to emerge as a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder capable of hitting .295.

With so many pieces of the team being counted upon, virtually everyone carries the responsibility to win – both a burden and an opportunity.

“That’s what has made this team special, so many guys, me included, getting a chance to do something they haven’t done in the past and running with it,” Aardsma said. “Every guy in the lineup has won a game for us at some point or another, so many pitchers have worked in different roles and done well.

“A lot of that is the coaching staff that believes in us, as a team and individually. I don’t know how many times this year I’ve sat down and talked with (bullpen coach) John Wetteland about closing, about baseball.