As far as 2008 first rounders go, Pedro Alvarez and Eric Hosmer have been getting most of the attention for their conflicts with the Pirates and Royals, but Seattle has problems as well as their first rounder remains unsigned with the organization and agent Scott Boras butting heads over the dollar figure, according to the Seattle P-I’s John Hickey. 

Boras reportedly set Fields’ price at $2M before the draft, but Seattle doesn’t want to go over $1.5M for someone that was passed up by 19 other teams.  Hickey mentions that Boras “is perfectly willing to have Fields pitch with an independent league team next summer and have him re-enter the draft in 2009.”

Such a development would be great for the future of this franchise.  If Fields re-enters the draft next season Seattle would basically get to call a mulligan on that pick, getting a “do over” with the 21st pick in next year’s draft to go along with their normal pick at 1, 2 or 3.  Assuming that Raul Ibanez signs with another team, which may be too much to assume, Seattle would get a pick in the first supplemental round as well as another first round or second round pick depending on where he signs as compensation for losing a Type-A free agent.  Seattle could have four of the top 50 picks of next year’s draft.

Losing Fields wouldn’t be much of a loss, in my opinion.  Picking a reliever in the first round, even one as polished as Fields, is usually a move reserved for teams that are already in contention.  If Seattle had a major hole in the bullpen and not a lot else wrong with the club, it’s a good pick, but Seattle has so many other question marks that the pick probably should have been used for someone that impacts more than one inning of some games.

There is only one player in Seattle’s bullpen that makes as much as what Fields is asking for and that is JJ Putz.  Seattle has been very successful pulling very good relievers out of the bargain bin, and there are a few powerful bullpen arms in the minors that will be making their case for the big club next spring.  Why spend $2M on bullpen help at all, let alone on a guy that hasn’t pitched an inning of big league ball? 

I would love for this team to get that pick back, but I won’t exactly be heartbroken if Fields does sign.  Seattle should be looking to move Putz once his value goes back up, as he’s owed $9M next season.  The reason the Mariners drafted Fields in the first place was to be Putz’s successor so that Brandon Morrow, another first round pick, didn’t have to be. 

Fields could be a very good closer for a long time, which is great, but my question is this:  Why does Seattle, a team that probably won’t be giving their closers very many save opportunities in the next couple of seasons, have to find a closer in the first round?  Why can’t they use a middle-to-late round failed starter like most clubs?  Putz was a 6th round pick and Eddie Guardado, Seattle’s closer before Putz, was a 21st round pick, for example.

There seem to be Mariner fans on both sides of the fence when it comes to Fields, so I would love to hear your opinions on the issue!

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