Seattle Mariners: Adam Jones, the One That Got Away?

It's funny how sometimes two different stories from two different parts of the country can be linked together. 

In the midst of another watch, wait and worry baseball season in Seattle, Seattle Times writer Steve Kelley has come to the defense of embattled Mariners manager Eric Wedge, by stating what has become a painful truth this season:

"Imagine what it's like for Mariners' manager Eric Wedge, when he sits behind his desk and begins filling out his lineup card. Think about the impossibility of his job.

For Wedge, there are no guarantees. He doesn't have a David Wright he can depend on in the No. 3 hole. He doesn't have a leadoff hitter with the wisdom and patience of Derek Jeter or the speed of Michael Bourn.

He doesn't have the veteran big bopper in the middle of the lineup like Paul Konerko, Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp or Ryan Braun.

As he looks at the numbers and the possibilities night after night, he can't find one player at one spot who makes him feel comfortable. No Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Beltran or Adrian Beltre. No security blanket.

This is Wedge's impossible mission."

Funny thing is it didn't necessarily have to be this way. 

A player the Mariners once touted as a serious prospect, then traded away after spending only portions of two seasons with the big club, just inked a long term deal that should keep him in Baltimore for the prime years of his career.

Long before Wedge became skipper in Seattle, and even before Jack Zduriencik took control of the front office, Adam Jones was a Mariner. 

Today it's painful to watch, as Jones has blossomed into the guaranteed sure thing the Mariners sorely lack in their current lineup. 

That's not to say things would have worked out for Jones had he remained a Mariner.  Fact is, his stats early on were not indicative of what we are seeing now.  

At the same time, we need to remember that Jones was extremely young when the Mariners promoted him to the big leagues, only to give him limited time to perform with only 70+ appearances across two seasons. 

Does any of this sound familiar? 

Today, the Mariners have a handful of young talent that is looking for playing time in a club going nowhere fast, with little veteran help to protect them.  Unfortunately, as Kelley argues, each of Eric Wedge's options are rather painful to contemplate. Imagine having to stake your job on them. 

As for Wedge, his recent outburst was merely a cry for help from a man with no enviable choices at his disposal.  

I'm not suggesting we all send Wedge a sympathy card, but ask yourself, what would you do?

For now, Wedge is stuck running a team with an imbalanced roster, where the mistakes of yesterday continue to haunt both the present and future.  A future he probably won't have the chance to fix.   

In terms of next steps, though, the Mariners need to make theirs a bold one.  

If they want to do something meaningful, they shouldn't sign a veteran hitter as some have suggested.  Instead, the team needs to go in the exact opposite direction and think young...really, really young.      

Next week, the Mariners hold the No. 3 pick in the MLB Draft.  With that pick, they need to draft somebody so good that he will allow everyone in the Pacific Northwest to finally forget about Adam Jones, the kid with raw boom or bust potential. 

Byron Buxton may not be available by the time the Mariners are on the clock, but let's hope he is, as another college pitcher or position player probably won't be what this franchise needs to finally move beyond the mistakes of the past decade.  

They may have let Adam Jones get away, but if Buxton is there to be drafted, one can only hope the Mariners don't let another five-tool stud slip through their fingers.