THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Would Chapman be an upgrade over Suarez?

Matt Chapman.

Hmmm.

Matt Chapman?

There is flurry of speculation, all of a sudden, that the Mariners actually have noticed that they have no third baseman — and that they’re considering tossing out a bid for the free agent Gold Glover.

It would mean, among other things, that Jerry Dipoto must negotiate with Scott Boras, who lowers the price for any of his clients once each millennium.

I’d like to hang around for that one, especially when Jerry takes a swing at the mega-agent.

Look, seriously.

There are two parts to the issue of whether the Mariners should be willing to talk about signing Chapman.

The first is money.

Chapman won’t get his desired target — especially now that spring training has started — but Boras originally wanted something like a five-year deal worth $100 million for the 31-year-old infielder.

That’s $20 million per year heading into Chapman’s twilight years, after he’s already started heading backwards in every phase of the game.

OK, let’s say Chapman tells Boras that, doggone it, he wants to play somewhere, and he’ll take three years at $12 million per season.

Think about that: Seattle traded Eugenio Suarez to unload his one-year, $11 million salary — and Suarez is better than Chapman.

BESIDES the “Good vibes only” and his popularity with the fan base, Suarez actually gives you some pop for his well-documented strikeouts.

Yep, Geno whiffed 214 times last season while playing all 162 games.

He also made critical contact, though — 22 home runs and 96 RBI.

“In a game situation, there’s nobody I’d rather have up at the plate,” manager Scott Servais said of Suarez. “He’ll take his big swings when the score is 7-0 and he’s got a good count.

“When we’re tied, though, he’ll fight down to a full count and drive in a couple runs with a single to right.”

Chapman, meanwhile, won a Gold Glove last year — his first in four seasons — and Suarez’ teammates were angry because they thought he should have won it.

For the sake of it, anyhow, let’s say Chapman and Suarez were close on defense (because they were).

Offense?

You’ve seen Geno.

Chapman, on the other hand, slid from 27 homers two years ago to 17 last year as a member of the Blue Jays.

And somehow, he managed just 54 RBI.

That brings up the second item for discussion here.

While this free agent wrangle has been going on, it seems that hardly anyone in Toronto wants the Jays to re-sign Chapman, even though they have no full-time third baseman, either.

The argument north of the border seems to be that after a hot start last season, Chapman cooled off in May and struck out whenever he had a chance to drive in some crucial runs.

Anyone knocking Suarez for his strikeouts should know that Chapman has averaged 179 Ks over the past three seasons.

I’m not jumping up and down because the Mariners traded Suarez.

Besides the money, they believed he was losing bat speed and the numbers kind of bear that out.

No, my point is that Chapman is headed in the same direction, and even held at gunpoint, Boras would insist on more money than Suarez is going to make.

I’M NOT exactly buying the Mariners’ pitch that they now have a complete lineup, and it’s better than last year.

It’s fair to say that a few of their additions — if they can stay healthy — represent upgrades.

But the Luis Urias-Josh Rojas platoon at third, and that still-unknown platoon in left field (Luke Raley or Dom Canzone and a mystery right-hander) don’t make you think instantly of a World Series.

Toss in some locked-in money for Dylan Moore ($8.8 million for the next two years) and you get some REAL sock for your cash.

Moore hit .207 last year, struck out 56 times in 145 Abs, and contributed a WAR of 0.5.

The one argument for negotiating with Matt Chapman is that the Mariners, right now, have a team full of utility infielders.

If they’re going to try various platoons in the outfield, then it might be wise to tie down third base with an everyday major leaguer.

Urias has had a season (not recently) in that category, but Rojas is just getting there.

If the Mariners are going to gamble at third, they might as well try Ryan Bliss.

The 5-foot-6 infielder, who arrived in the Paul Sewald trade, tore up Double-A, Triple-A and the Arizona Fall League a year ago (.304 average, 23 homers, 55 steals).

Look, I see the argument for Chapman.

For that to make sense in Seattle, however, the price would have to come way, way down — and the Mariners MUST believe his bat isn’t drifting away.

Not even a little bit.

After all, that was part of the reasoning for trading Suarez.

Hey, Jerry, I agree that the lineup is better.

Finished?

No.

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.”