(…also know as: “Wow, I can’t believe how stupid I was”)

Hindsight is 20/20, we know that, but it doesn’t stop people from saying, “What if.”  I know some people get really annoyed when these type of conversations get started, but others, like myself, enjoy at least bringing certain things back from the dead just to kill some time.

Before the additions of Carlos Silva and Erik Bedard, the Seattle Mariners were exploring other starting pitching options via trade. 

[December 3, 2008: Raul Ibanez Rumors ]

For a brief bit of time over the offseason Seattle was shopping LF Raul Ibanez.  The Cleveland Indians, among others, were looking for an offensive upgrade at the position and Ibanez’s name came up.  Who would the Mariners get in return?  The common name thrown around was Cliff Lee, who wasn’t exactly desirable at the time.  Who would have expected the monster numbers this year from a guy that was jettisoned back to AAA at age 28 last season? 

At the time of this rumor I didn’t dive into the possibilities all that much, hoping that Seattle wouldn’t be dumb enough to pursue such a trade.  Wow!

March 26, 2008: Wednesday’s Ommisions (so far)
January 6, 2008: Wake Up Call: Ian Snell, Edwin Jackson
December 3, 2008: Edwin Jackson for Broussard, Johnson?
among others…

One pitcher that the organization has been seemingly enamored with in recent years is Edwin Jackson of the Tampa Bay Rays.  Jackson, as most of you know, was one of those guys with all the talent in the world but was having a tough time putting things together.  There were various rumors/speculation of who we might be able get him for: Ben Broussard+, George Sherrill, Jeremy Reed. 

I was all for trading Ben Broussard and change or Jeremy Reed for Jackson, but when it came the prospect of dealing George Sherrill for him I issued this gem: “Sounds almost like the Soriano/Ramirez deal of a year ago.”  Wow!  That’s what it looks like when you become sentimental while trying to discuss trade rumors.  Trading a good reliever for a high-upside pitcher shouldn’t usually be a bad thing and I shouldn’t have been opposed to such a trade, but I suppose Jackson’s previous ERAs of 5.76, 5.45, 6.28 and 7.30 disuaded me.  Another funny bit: “Shouldn’t the signing of Carlos Silva negate the need for Edwin Jackson?” Ha!

So, if Seattle didn’t go out and get Silva and Bedard and instead got certified bargain bin-ers Jackson and Lee instead, the Mariners could have potentially had three-fifths of their rotation looking like this:

Felix Hernandez: 6-5, 108 IP, 2.83 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 93 K
Cliff Lee: 11-2, 118.3 IP, 2.43 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 99 K
Edwin Jackson: 5-6, 110 IP, 3.93 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 63 K

Lee and Jackson’s 2008 campaigns haven’t been so much better than Bedard and Silva’s that Seattle would be in contention right now, but Seattle would still have trade chips and/or money to play with; so who knows?

Of course, no one could have anticipated that both of these guys would suddenly live up to potential simultaneously, and maybe things wouldn’t have come together for them had they changed teams, but it’s still fun (and painful) to take a second to think, “Oh, what could have been!”