THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Trust me — all these moves are making the M's better

Remember back in the day, when the Mariners were going steadily backwards? 

The front office was giving away the franchise’s key players for rejects from the Bad News Bears.

You could hear an echo booming across the Northwest: “Fire everybody!”

A once-promising young team was heading nowhere, and the fan base was sinking into depression.

And anger.

Do you recall having a cold one with your buddy, and slamming down the mug?

“It’ll be another 20 years before we make the playoffs again — if we EVER do,” you hollered to everyone in the place.

Even some players on the roster were complaining about getting no help from ownership.

I mean, who could blame them?

Suggesting that things looked bleak was an understatement.

Brother, that was a horrible time.

Just plain gloomy.

Um. 

Hey.

I was just thinking.

Since we’re talking about that grim stretch and the coming plunge to the bottom of the AL West — when was that, exactly?

Oh, right.

A couple of months ago.

SO, THEY didn’t fire Jerry Dipoto, after all.

Then, in a stretch before and after the Christmas holidays, the Mariners made more than 70 transactions.

Most of them were administrative moves, many involving players you’d only know if you’re a minor league season-ticket holder.

On the other hand, some of the trades, acquisitions and so forth DID send plenty of well-known Mariners in one direction or another.

Or both.

For instance, Seattle traded former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray to the Giants in a deal that brought Mitch Haniger back to T-Mobile Park, and added right-handed pitcher Anthony DiSclafani.

Dipoto suggested that DiSclafani would basically be a reliever — since Seattle has a deep young rotation — but that he’d stretch out at spring training in Arizona, just as insurance for injury among the starters.

In fact, DiSclafani MAY stretch out, but it will be in Florida, not Arizona.

DiSclafani had a heroic three-week career in Seattle — I hope he didn’t sign a long-term lease — before he was shipped to Minnesota as part of the trade that brought second baseman Jorge Polanco to the Mariners.

It’s been a crazy time.

Fans who screamed about the trade of Jarred Kelenic to Atlanta perhaps will settle down with the addition of a more proven outfielder.

Luke Raley, who has roughly the same experience as Kelenic, came from Tampa Bay in exchange (sigh) for popular infielder Jose Caballero.

Raley is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound package of athletic tools.

Having finally made a full-time breakthrough last year at age 28, the lefty-hitting Raley became a regular against right-handers and in just 349 at-bats, he hit a respectable .249 with 19 homers, 14 steals and a healthy OPS of .824.

Dipoto has been going non-stop, putting Haniger and Raley in the outfield (along with Dom Canzone and switch-hitting Sam Haggerty) to flank Julio Rodriguez.

THE KEY move, however, may have been the first — signing slugger Mitch Garver as a full-time DH (with the occasional day spelling Cal Raleigh behind the plate).

It was the first time in his tenure with the Mariners that Dipoto has signed a free agent non-pitcher to a multi-year contract (two years, $24 million).

The 33-year-old Garver is considered a team leader — in addition to his 19 HR and .870 OPS in just 298 ABs.

If you’re nervous about the relievers that Seattle had to include in some of these deals (Isaiah Campbell, Justin Topa), no problem.

Apparently, Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander were getting around to that.

They’re very high on Carlos Vargas, who came from Arizona in the Suarez trade, and are ready to handle high-leverage work to Gregory Santos, a second-year flamethrower they acquired from the White Sox.

Santos, who has been clocked at 103 mph and has a wipeout slider, will join Matt Brash and Anthony Munoz at the back of the M’s bullpen.

Dipoto has hinted that there are more moves to come, and frankly, the job isn’t done — although there should be $12-15 million still in the kitty.

Assuming no rookies become regulars (and I think a couple might), the Mariners still need a right-hand hitting left fielder to platoon with Raley or Canzone, and an everyday third baseman unless newcomer Luis Urias can win the job.

In any event, you can probably stop making fun of Dipoto and Hollander.

Right now, they have a more reliable lineup (injuries permitting) and overall, an improvement on last year’s strikeout artists, who racked up the second-most whiffs in MLB.

Maybe the whining from the bleachers can stop, temporarily.

At least until opening day.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”