Fixing the M's woes as they come

When the Seattle Mariners failed — yet again — to make the playoffs, fans had to know something was going to change before the team’s home opener against the World Series champion Boston Red Sox in late March.

And depending on which media outlet you listen to, it could really go either way.

ON THURSDAY, the Mariners traded catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia to the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Mallex Smith and some prospects.

If Smith’s name seems familiar, he was with the club for a little over an hour before being shipped to Tampa Bay for pitcher Drew Smyly in 2017. Smyly got injured in the World Baseball Classic and never pitched for the Mariners.

Zunino was the third pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, making his debut for the Mariners in 2013. His career average isn’t great — he’s at .207 right now — but he had a fair share of clutch hits in his time with the team.

But as a third pick, the team needed more from him, never got it, and it should be fun to watch him play some of his best baseball elsewhere in the near future.

Heredia never really could find starting time in the outfield mix along with Ben Gamel, Dee Gordon and Mitch Haniger starting most of the time. Cameron Maybin, who’s now also a free agent, was also brought in at the trade deadline last year to add a little bit of depth.

All those moves to add to the team, which was just a few games back of a playoff spot in late August, didn’t work out as the Mariners found themselves looking back at Oakland at the end of the season.

MAYBE THE biggest decision to be made is whether or not the team decides to bring back designated hitter Nelson Cruz.

Do it, and the Mariners will be among the names brought up as a team to contend for the playoffs again.

If they don’t, they won’t.

Seattle played its best baseball of the season when Gordon was at second base. Leaving him there this year will leave Robinson Cano without a spot in the lineup.

If the Mariners choose to, Cano might work out best as a designated hitter, leaving the heavy lifting in the field to the younger guys.

That could also leave Cruz, who has been the best power hitting option on the team since signing with them, seeking another team.

And it might not stop with Cruz not returning. Rumors are starting to circulate that the Mariners might be willing to deal other players in order to start rebuilding once again.

It seems crazy to think that they weren’t that far away just a few months ago.

ONCE THE playoffs started, it was pretty clear that the Mariners didn’t belong with the best of the best this year.

How they try to fix that remains to be seen.

But at least they’re still trying.

It just has to be better eventually.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.