A reluctant midseason report

I don't want to write one of those midseason reports.  I think that defeats the purpose of writing a daily blog.  If you've had the patience to read this for the last four months you have a pretty good idea as to how I feel about these Mariners and the ways my thinking has evolved.  But everyone else is taking the M's temperature halfway through the season, I feel I owe that to my faithful readers, too.

It helps that Encarnacion and Bruce are gone.  They were nice guys and surely entertaining.  I even think they may have mentored some of the younger, less experienced players.  But they were never part of the future and despite their prodigious displays of power, they could't score enough runs to overcome erratic starting pitching and dreadful work out of the bullpen.

The paints hardly dry on the prospects, but there are some good early signs.  Getting daily playing time is allowing Crawford and Vogelbach to show what they can do.  Both offensively and, Saints preserve us, defensively they are getting the job done.  Bishop and Shed Long in brief glimpses have played well enough to warrant patience as they develop.  Dipoto has packed the minors with promising position players who appear to be a year or two away from the majors... first reports on them are good.

Narvaez and Murphy are not rookies, but young enough that both should fit into the future.  Both are average catchers behind the plate, but quite impressive hitters.

Question marks surround the remaining vets.  Seager, injured for most of the season; playing well on his return, even hitting to the opposite field.  I guess he could be traded, but he solidifies the infield at third and provides a veteran presence.

Gordon.  He's still contributing and is a positive force of energy on the field, in the dugout and clubhouse.  His skill levels are still high enough to be good trade bait.  I'd like to see him stick around another year as this new team comes together.

Beckham. He's gone by the end of July, no big loss.

Healy?  He did a good, not great, job filling in for the injured Seager.  Still needs to prove he can hit consistently.  Could end up as part of a trade package.

Santana.  Great production, a ribbie machine.  Better in right than left, marginally.  Keep or trade?  If you play him in right, you've got to put Haniger in center.  Where does Mallex go?  I think he gets traded, but it so hard to give up that production.  Hard to see where he fits if prospects develop.

Haniger.  Forget the trade talk, set aside the worries that he's hitting below average and striking out a lot.  He's still the center of this team's offense.

Mallex?  Starting to hit like he did last year.  Defense is improving.  Keep him.  Play him in left.

The outfield situation may rest on how Bishop and other prospects materialize.

Pitching tomorrow.