An open letter to new M’s GM Jerry Dipoto

An open letter to new Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto:

Dear Jerry,

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I know you’re plenty busy in your new job, given the amount of work required to fix an organization that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2001, has had only one winning record in the past six seasons, and has regularly underperformed to preseason expectations.

But as someone who has observed one of your minor-league teams the past 12 years, I have one request:

Please, please, put some additional resources toward player development.

It’s become apparent that in today’s baseball landscape, in order to be successful a team needs to receive contributions from younger players who are cost controlled, meaning their contributions are greater than the amount they’re being paid. A quick glance over the rosters of this year’s playoff teams shows a long list of names like Michael Wacha (St. Louis), Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh), Mike Moustakas (Kansas City), Kris Bryant (Chicago Cubs)*, Jacob deGrom (New York Mets), Joc Pederson (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Dellin Betances (New York Yankees).

All of those players were All-Stars this year, and what else do they have in common? They were all developed by their own organization and have less than six years of major-league service, meaning they’ve yet to become eligible for free agency. So they’re not making the big bucks just yet, and their teams are getting a bargain.

Seattle’s problem is that it’s been unable to produce these kind of players, especially when it comes to bats. There’s been many high-profile failures where can’t-miss prospects like Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley, Jesus Montero and Mike Zunino have, well, missed.

But that’s not what I’m talking about. What I’m talking about runs far deeper.

Before I began my current position at The Herald, I covered your short-season Single-A affiliate, the Northwest League’s Everett AquaSox, for 12 seasons. In those 12 seasons, there wasn’t a single player who suited up for Everett who went on to become an impact bat in Seattle.

That’s right, not one.

According to Baseball-Reference.com, the position player who played for Everett from 2004-2015 who produced the most wins above replacement (WAR) for the Mariners was Michael Saunders, who played in Everett in 2005. In six seasons with Seattle, Saunders generated 5.3 WAR. That’s less than one a season, making him barely above replacement level.

During that time there was one Everett position-player alum who went on to have a legitimate major-league career, that being shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who has accumulated 22.0 WAR over nine seasons. However, Cabrera was traded to Cleveland while still in the minors, so how much of his development is actually due to the Mariners’ system? And 2004, when Cabrera played for the AquaSox, was a long time ago.

OK, I understand that the Northwest League is the low minors and the success rate from that level is miniscule. But let’s see how Everett stacks up against the other teams in the league during that period.

Take a look at the Chicago Cubs, who were in Boise from 2004-14. Among the hitters who came through Boise during that timeframe include MVP candidate Josh Donaldson and former All-Star Josh Harrison. Heck, Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber were both rookies this season, yet their combined WAR (7.5) this season is greater than the total Seattle has received from former AquaSox hitters from that entire 12-year span.

How about the Texas Rangers in Spokane, who have produced a major-league home-run king in Chris Davis, as well as the likes of Mitch Moreland, Roughned Odor and, if he ever gets healthy, Jurickson Profar?

What about the San Diego Padres in Eugene, who came up with former World Series MVP David Freese along with with Chase Headley, Nick Hundley and Will Venable?

Or the San Francisco Giants in Salem-Keizer, with two-time All-Star Pablo Sandoval, as well as future/current infield cornerstones Joe Panik and Matt Duffy?

For heaven’s sake, the Arizona Diamondbacks had Carlos Gonzalez and Mark Reynolds, who have combined for more than 400 major-league homers, on the same team in Yakima in 2004.

I have no idea what the solution is. I’ve heard it suggested it may be valuable to have someone on the minor-league coaching staffs dedicated specifically to helping the higher-level prospects when they encounter struggles. I don’t know if that will help.

But what I do know from my years following the AquaSox is the Mariners organization needs to find a better way of helping its youngsters get beyond the prospect label and become actual major-league caliber players.

So please, Jerry, devote every possible resource in the direction of player development. The organization — and you — are going to need it.

Sincerely, Nick Patterson

Check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/seattlesidelines, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.

*—The wrong player was named in the original story.