2011 Seattle Mariners: Stand Pat, Win or Lose.

The 2011 Seattle Mariners are a tricky group to figure out.

Just as they are putting together a six-game win streak, giving the fanbase hope, they turn around and lose seven in a row, once again settling back into mediocrity.

Then, they confuse fans further by turning on the pitching, winning seven of eight, putting themselves right back in the thick of the race for the division title. 

So the question has been raised repeatedly: "What should the Mariners do?" 

The answer, much like the Mariners, is a tricky one. The temptation is there to make a few trades, and try to win now. The temptation is also there to make a few trades, sign off on this season and continue building for the future. 

There are various problems with both scenarios, and those problems concern the alienation of the fanbase. If the Mariners trade away the future to try to make it into the playoffs this season, they alienate the fans that want to have a consistently good team for the future, built through intelligent drafting and player development, with just a smattering of veteran free agents here and there. 

On the other hand, if the Mariners commit 100 percent to the rebuilding process, trading players such as Erik Bedard, Chone Figgins, Jack Wilson and Jack Cust (the veterans not named Ichiro), there's a chance that the majority of the fanbase will view this as throwing in the towel. 

To know what the Mariners should do, you have to look a little deeper. Sure, it would be nice to trade a few lower-level prospects for some guys that can help improve the team, but deals like that rarely make a team World Series contenders.

The Mariners have a decent farm system, but outside of a few marquee players, the system is filled with a lot of question marks. They don't have that top-of-the-rotation starter waiting in the minor leagues. They don't have "complete" position players outside of Dustin Ackley and Nick Franklin.

So, who do they trade that could actually net them something for the playoff push now?

In my mind, Ackley and Franklin are untouchable. They will be able to contribute in the very near future, Ackley as soon as this year. Franklin may be a couple of years away, but he's the most complete shortstop prospect the M's have had since Alex Rodriguez. 

Like Rodriguez, Franklin is big for a shortstop, but he has displayed the range, the glove and the arm to continue playing the position. Like A-Rod, he has displayed an all-around offensive game as well, able to hit for a high average with power and run the bases well, at least before this year.

Am I saying that Nick Franklin is the second coming of Alex Rodriguez? Not even close.

Is he A-Rod Lite? Possibly, in the future, that comparison could be accurate. The point is, he's one of the best prospects in the minor leagues, ranked second among shortstops by MLB.com. 

Ackley's talents have been well documented and as long as he continues to make a smooth transition from outfielder/first baseman to second base, he will be invaluable to the Mariners. Under no circumstances should Ackley be traded. 

So what's left? A few high-power, high-strikeout outfielders and some promising third basemen. Nothing that will really net a decent enough return to make it worth it to win a few more games this year. 

On the major league squad, there are a few veterans that could be traded and replaced with virtual clones that are cheaper and younger from the minor leagues. Cust could be traded and then replaced with Mike Carp or Greg Halman, guys who, like Cust, strike out a lot, but have decent power.

But the return would probably only be a couple of mid-level prospects. Same goes for Jack Wilson.

The only viable trade chips the Mariners really have are members of the pitching staff. Erik Bedard, Doug Fister and Jason Vargas are all trade-able assets, but would trading any of them really be in the best interests of the big club's present or future?

The only one who would net any prospects of significance would be Erik Bedard, but it is too early in the season to consider trading him, as his peak value—barring an injury—will be just before the trading deadline when contenders are looking for starting pitchers. 

And what about if the Mariners do make a few trades, net a few upgrades for the big league club, win a few more games, but still fail to make the playoffs? Would it be worth sacrificing draft position to put a few more Ws on the board? I don't think it would.

I think draft position is especially important for a team such as the Mariners, with their lack of top-level talent in the minors. Drafting intelligently is the most crucial step to building a consistent winner. But draft position helps a lot as well. 

So, the question is: Stand pat, probably lose and get better prospects from better draft position? Or make a few trades, win as much as they can this year and see if they can make the playoffs?