The many directions of M's past and present
The Mariners’ history and future passed each other last weekend.
Going in opposite directions, naturally.
First came 23-year-old Justus Sheffield, chosen to lead a squadron of young pitchers who will be tasked with hurling the M’s back into baseball relevance.
Sheffield may not be the most gifted of the group, but he happens to have arrived just months before the others, so…
Let the rebuilding begin.
However, there is almost an obligation to note the past while we’re watching this grand and hopefully exciting experiment.
One night after Sheffield’s first major league start, Felix Hernandez stepped to the mound at T-Mobile Park — the appearance of a Seattle legend whose last sighting occurred way back in May.
The 33-year-old Hernandez has been rehabbing almost forever, it seems, while earning $25 million in the final season of a seven-year contract.
The King and the Mariners will surely be parting ways in just over a month, as age and lack of effectiveness make this local icon expendable going forward.
But Felix deserves a fitting goodbye, and maybe his last few starts will provide it.
YES, YES, I know we’re flying toward the start of football season, and then suddenly it will be Gonzaga hoops, but…
We really should check periodically as the Mariners wobble toward the 2019 finish line, roughly 20 games under .500 but with lots and lots of talent bubbling in the minors.
If GM Jerry Dipoto is right — and evidence so far indicates he’s on track — the idea of “stepping back” to load up on prospects who can haul this team into contention could make the next few seasons well worth watching.
By 2021 or ’22, we might have to split our September viewing between football and a bona fide M’s pennant race.
Meanwhile, there was plenty of irony surrounding Sheffield’s first start in The Show.
Since it coincided with this new (and very strange) event called “Players’ Weekend,” Sheffield debuted in an all-black uniform with his nickname on the back…
“Top Sheff.”
Unfortunately, the left-hander couldn’t quite pull out his “Top Effort” to match the nickname, throwing an ungodly 37 pitches in the first inning and lasting just four overall — yet showing considerable stubbornness in holding the damage to three runs (and just one after that nightmare first).
While it was a typical rookie mess in the scorebook, you could see Sheffield’s gifts at various points and understand why he was a first-round draft choice.
It’s also pretty clear why Dipoto wanted him so badly in that headline the boss pulled off with the Yankees last winter.
On Friday night, Sheffield was trying too hard and thus his command made only temporary appearances, but his talent was clearly evident.
When he learns to settle down and take a few deep breaths, this young man will be a key part of Seattle’s future rotation.
SHEFFIELD will be in bright lights on the marquee again tonight.
He’d probably prefer an assignment against Detroit or Kansas City, maybe on the road in front of a tiny crowd.
He likely wouldn’t mind if the Seahawks had a big game at the same time, either, all the better to grip public attention.
But no…
This afternoon he faces those very same Yankees — the ones who have just broken the MLB record for home runs in a month — and on top of that, Sheff will oppose James Paxton, the star lefty for whom the Mariners acquired Sheffield in a multi-player deal.
“Oh, I knew who it would be,” Sheffield said last week. “I just need to calm down and pitch. Try to block out all the stuff surrounding who it is and who’s pitching and all of that.”
Fortunately for the much-hyped Sheffield, there will more routine assignments ahead — later this September and hopefully in seasons to come.
What nerves he feels now also should be settled a bit when several of the other young arms the M’s have been stockpiling join him at T-Mobile.
Baseball America’s minor league ratings tag six pitchers among Seattle’s top 12 prospects, including three above Sheffield — who is a respectable No. 8.
It’s an impressive group which we can examine later, but for now…
Let’s just get Sheffield into the swing of things without too much pressure.
The Yanks will provide enough of that.
Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns for The Press appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Steve also contributes the “Zags Tracker” package on Gonzaga basketball once monthly during the offseason.
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