In MLB, putting together a team that can win the World Series is extremely hard.
There is a reason why there is just one World Series winner and 29 losers: it’s not easy at all.
When discussing his team-building philosophy, Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto had some interesting thoughts.
Notoriously, he asked fans to be patient.
That usually doesn’t end well, but he at least has a point.
Among other things, he stated that the Mariners have been focusing on winning 54 percent of the games because he feels that’s a number that, more often than not, will lead to making the postseason, and teams that do that often find themselves in the Fall Classic.
The Mariners did reach that goal in 2023, actually: by going 88-74, their winning percentage was .543.
However, there were lots of competitive teams in the American League and this year wasn’t meant to be.
Dipoto then said that if he had gone all-in on trades and transactions to desperately win it all, it could have been detrimental to the long-term health of the franchise.
“Jerry Dipoto says focusing on winning the World Series could have left the Mariners ‘stuck in the mud.’ ‘We’re actually doing the fan base a favor in asking for their patience to win the World Series,’” Talkin’ Baseball tweeted, with some of his quotes.
Jerry Dipoto says focusing on winning the World Series could have left the Mariners “stuck in the mud”
“We’re actually doing the fan base a favor in asking for their patience to win the World Series.” pic.twitter.com/VtvUDrwe2t
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 4, 2023
The perfect example of what Dipoto is saying is probably the New York Yankees.
Year after year, they were buyers at the deadline, and they haven’t played in the Fall Classic since 2009.
Sometimes, it’s better to keep the prospects you developed over the years and guide them to a successful big-league careers with your team.
It’s actually the best way to build a sustainable team coupled with top-notch scouting and player development.
The post Mariners Executive Has Bizarre Request For Fans appeared first on The Cold Wire.