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Dylan Moore saw an ideal opportunity when he signed with the Seattle Mariners as a minor-league free agent in November 2018. Following a solid season split between Double-A and Triple-A in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, Moore had been discussing best scenarios with both his wife and his agent when Jerry Dipoto called. The Seattle GM told him, “Hey, we’ve got a spot you could win out of camp. What do you say?” Moore responded, “Let’s do it.”
Seattle’s Swiss Army Knife made a shrewd decision — as did Dipoto. In seven seasons with the Mariners, Moore has not only played every position besides catcher, he’s been slightly above-average with the bat. In just under 1,700 career plate appearances, the 32-year-old has swatted 54 home runs and logged a 104 wRC+. Moreover, he’s swiped 105 bases, including a team-high 32 last season.
Defensive versatility is arguably his greatest asset. Moore has already seen action at three infield positions this year, and his 2024 ledger includes 15 or more starts at four different positions. More than anything, it’s his ability to play all over the diamond that makes him the longest-tenured current Mariner. Moore understands that as well as anyone.
“I’ve gotten exponentially better since signing with Seattle,” the 2024 utility-position Gold Glove winner told me. “I’ve been really fortunate to have really good coaches, like Bone [renowned infield coach Perry Hill], who are making sure that I’m ready to go at any position. I work hard on my defense. I have a lot of pride in what I do, especially defensively. Versatility is what keeps my value up.”
Moore’s assessment of his offensive contributions stood out in our late-March conversation.
“I’ve grown a lot as a hitter,” said Moore, whose career .208/.318/.389 slash line belies his impact at the dish. “The minor leagues and big leagues are so different, especially with the way you guys — FanGraphs — value hitting. I’ve learned since my rookie year how to be valuable with fewer plate appearances. That’s what I’ve been getting my whole career — fewer plate appearances than an everyday guy — so I try to maximize the ones I get with what I’m good at. That’s drawing walks and hitting for some power.
“I’m a realist in the way the game is going,” continued Moore. “Batting average is kind of taking a back seat — I think it could be coming back at some point, in which case you have to make an adjustment — but with the pitchers throwing so hard, and being so good, getting more bang for your buck when you do hit the ball is key. Guys like me need to have more of the FanGraphs-type stats in order to maximize our value.”
How much longer that skillset will be adding value in the Pacific Northwest is currently a question mark. The Mariners were a perfect fit when he signed with them six-and-a-half years ago, but what about now? Is Seattle still ideal?
“That’s an interesting question,” said Moore, who is 6-for-15 with two home runs on the season. “Is it the perfect place for me? Man, I’m truly grateful to this organization for giving me my chance, and for keeping me this long. That shows how much they value me, but this being my last year [under contract], anything can happen. I’m looking to play for as long as I can, but right now I just need to go out there and do my best.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Stan Musial went 99 for 310 against Warren Spahn.
Enos Slaughter went 35 for 71 against Johnny Sain.
Red Schoendienst went 27 for 71 against Don Drysdale.
Ozzie Smith went 27 for 84 against Dwight Gooden.
Rogers Hornsby went 68 for 181 against Grover Alexander.
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Steve Phillips was a front office executive before becoming a broadcast analyst and, more recently, a host on MLB Network Radio. Prior to those endeavors he was a minor-league infielder. Drafted out of a Detroit-area high school, Phillips played in the Mets system from 1981-1987, topping out in Double-A.
The best hitter he played alongside over those seven seasons?
“By far, Gregg Jeffries,” opined Phillips. “Switch-hitter, and his swing was the same from both sides of the plate. He would swing a bat under water, in the pool. And he had those SSK bats — he was one of first to have those — and he would sleep with his bat. Nobody could touch it. He would always carry it wrapped up.
“I played with him in the Texas League, in 1987,” continued Phillips. “They’d throw it. and he’d hit it off the wall. It didn’t matter if they threw a fastball or a breaking ball, he’d whack it. I think he had something like 50 doubles that season. He was unbelievable. It was the best offensive performance I’ve ever seen.”
Jeffries slashed .367/.423/.598 with 48 doubles and 20 home runs for Double-A Jackson, then was called up for a cup of coffee in September. He was a month past his 20th birthday when he debuted, popping out as a pinch-hitter in a 16-inning, 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets’ starter that day was David Cone.
A few years later, Phillips shared an opinion on Jeffries, who by then had established himself as a big-league hitter.
“When I got into the front office, the Mets were talking to the Royals about a trade,” recalled Phillips. “It was either the David Cone trade or the Kevin McReynolds trade. I was administrative assistant for minor leagues and scouting at the time, and they went around the room talking about ‘Should we make the trade?’ I raised my hand. They said, ‘Steve, you don’t have to raise your hand; you’re not in class.’ I said I wouldn’t do it. I said he was the best hitter I’d ever seen, and that he was going to win a batting title.
“They make the trade anyway [Jeffries, McReynolds, and Keith Miller in exchange for Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota in December 1991]. It never really came back to haunt them. He had some good seasons along the way, but never really fulfilled the potential I thought he had.”
Twice an All-Star, Jeffries ultimately logged 1,593 hits while slashing .289/.344/.421 with a 107 wRC+ over 14 big-league seasons. He never won a batting title, although he did finish in the top 10 three times. His high-water mark was .342 with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1993.
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A quiz:
Which pitcher holds the St. Louis Cardinals modern-day (since 1901) record for most wins in a single season? (A hint: a Hall of Famer, he was the winning pitcher in World Series Game 7 the same year.
The answer can be found below.
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NEWS NOTES
SABR will hold a webinar on torpedo bats this coming Wednesday, April 9 at 8pm EST. The panel will comprise former MLB infielder Jed Lowrie, baseball physicist Alan Nathan, and LongBall Labs CEO Keenan Long. More information can be found here.
Carl Warwick, an outfielder who played for five teams across the 1961-1966 seasons, has died at age 88 (per Baseball Player Passings). A Dallas native who logged 363 big-league hits, Warwick went 3-for-4 with a walk for the Cardinals in the 1964 World Series.
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The answer to the quiz is Dizzy Dean, who went 30-7 for the Cardinals in 1934. Dean culminated his career-best campaign by shutting out the Detroit Tigers in the winner-take-all finale of that year’s Fall Classic.
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Walker Buehler was credited with the win as Boston outlasted St. Louis 13-9 in Friday’s home opener at Fenway Park. Making his second Red Sox start — the righty was inked a free agent deal back in December — he allowed five runs over the same number of innings. A week earlier, the former Dodger had been tagged with the loss after allowing four runs over four-and-a-third innings against the Texas Rangers.
Buehler called his first two starts “flat,” then went on to tell reporters that he expects far more from himself.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been as dominant as I want to be, or the guy that I want to be,” said Buehler, who had an up-and-down 2024 season after returning from Tommy John surgery. “I’ve had it for two or three starts at a time in the past year and a half — especially in the playoffs — but you don’t make many playoff rosters with a seven or eight or nine ERA. I’m not going to keep hanging my hat on the fact that I’ve kind of showed up in October. I want to show up in April, May, and [beyond].”
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Luke Keaschall’s carrying tool is his bat. The 22-year-old Minnesota Twins prospect is proficient at both second base and the outfield, but as Eric Longenhagen wrote while ranking him no. 56 on our Top 100, “Keaschall’s best position is hitter.” He can definitely swing the bat. In 625 professional plate appearances — including 21 this season with Triple-A St. Paul — he boasts a 156 wRC+.
Earlier this spring, I asked the 2023 second round pick out of Arizona State University for his thoughts on a pair of quotes in this year’s Baseball America Prospect Handbook. To the first — “Keaschall is a pure hitter” — he said he was cool with that label. The second — “An advanced understanding of how pitchers are trying to attack him” — elicited a more expansive response.
“Totally,” replied Keaschall. “I understand what my strengths and weaknesses are, and how the pitcher is game-planning for me. I’m not saying that I know exactly what he’s going to do, but I can make my own plan, and from there figure out what I need to do to be successful.
“I like all the information I can get,” Keaschall said when asked if he could elaborate. “I try to be as prepared as possible for each game, but you also have to trust in your own abilities. I have good bat-to-ball [skills], so I can usually foul off whatever I need to until I get my pitch. If I can wait to get my pitch — I’m not afraid to hit with two strikes — I can do what I need to do. It comes down to knowing how you match up against each pitcher, and which pitch you’re going to do damage on.”
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FARM NOTES
Nick Kurtz is 13-for-30 with three home runs and a 252 wRC+ through seven games with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. The 22-year-old first baseman/outfielder was drafted fourth overall last year by the Oakland Athletics out of Wake Forest University.
Charlie Condon, whom the Colorado Rockies drafted third overall last year out of the University of Georgia, suffered a wrist fracture during spring training and will start the season on the injured list.
Chase Burns made his professional debut with the Dayton Dragons on Friday and allowed one hit over four scoreless innings with six strikeouts. The 22-year-old right-hander was drafted second overall last year by the Cincinnati Reds out of Wake Forest.
Travis Bazzana made his Double-A debut with the Akron RubberDucks and is 6-for-8 with a home run and a pair of stolen bases in two games. The 22-year-old Australian-born second baseman was drafted first overall last year by the Cleveland Guardians out of Oregon State University.
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What does A.J. Hinch look for from young up-and-coming players during spring training? The Detroit Tigers manager was asked that question prior to a Grapefruit League contest last month.
“I think everybody races to the box score for what would impress me, or my staff or the organization,” Hinch told a small group of scribes. “The reality is that there are so many things within the game, instinctually. Habits, your pre-pitch, your understanding of your responsibilities when the ball isn’t hit to you, interactions with the dugout. Maturity is what we’re looking for. The box score is part of it, obviously — guys who put up gaudy numbers get a lot of attention, and rightfully so — but that’s just a fraction of what I look at.”
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Members of Boston’s 1975 World Series team were on hand when the Red Sox played their Fenway Park opener on Friday afternoon. Among them was 73-year-old Fred Lynn, who was asked what it’s like to reunite with many of his former teammates, including 85-year-old Carl Yastrzemski, all these years later.
“When we see each other, it’s like a time machine,” said Lynn, who captured both Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in 1975. “We see this veneer, but that’s not what counts. We start going to conversations we had 50 years ago. We just carry it on. Somebody will say something to stimulate a memory, and you go, ‘Whoa, I remember that.’ That’s kind of what’s fun. You see guys like Yaz, and he has more memories than all of us put together.”
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Seiya Watanabe is off to an 11-for-23 start in his rookie season with NPB’s Seibu Lions. The 22-year-old outfielder has both a double and a triple on his stat line.
Jon Duplantier made his NPB debut earlier this week and allowed one run over six innings in a 5-2 Hanshin Tigers win over the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. Anthony Kay went seven scoreless for the losing side.
Kyle Muller also made his NPB debut this week. The southpaw surrendered one run, fanned nine batters over five innings, and got a no-decision in a 3-2 Chunichi Dragons win over the Yomiuri Giants.
The KBO’s LG Twins have won nine of their first 10 games. Myung Geun Park, a right-hander who turned 21 on March 27, has retired nine of 11 batters and has both a win and a save.
Patrick Wisdom has a .286/.447/.743 slash line and a 210 wRC+ over 47 plate appearances with the KBO’s Kia Tigers. The erstwhile Chicago Cub has left the yard five times and drawn a circuit-most 11 free passes.
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A random obscure former player snapshot:
Lip Pike was one of professional baseball’s most prominent names in the nineteenth century. Primarily an outfielder, the New York native played from 1871-1878 (and briefly in 1881 and 1887), logging a .321 batting average and a 136 wRC+. He led the National Association in home runs three times — his circuit-best totals were four, seven, and four — and the National League once (four). All told, Pike suited up for the Troy Haymakers, Baltimore Canaries, Hartford Dark Blues, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Cincinnati Reds, Providence Grays, Worcester Ruby Legs, and New York Metropolitans. His younger brother, Israel Pike, played for the Hartfords of Brooklyn in 1877.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher James Naile — the KBO’s reigning ERA champion — is trying to stay ahead of the cat-and-mouse game. Jee-ho Yoo talked to him about it for Yonhap News Agency.
Baseball is reaching its breaking point with elbow injuries. Lindsey Adler wrote about it for The New Yorker.
At The Conversation, Callie Maddox wrote about how women are reclaiming their place in baseball.
At Our Game, MLB official historian John Thorn shared a story from the HudsonRiver League, which existed from 1903-1907.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Byron Buxton has 22 home runs and a .605 slugging percentage in 338 career plate appearances versus the Chicago White Sox.
Dave Parker had a 120 wRC+ and 41.1 WAR.Roy White had a 123 wRC+ and 41.0 WAR.
Hall of Fame outfielder Elmer Flick reached double figures in triples in each of his first 10 seasons (1898-1907). He had 160 three-baggers over that span, as well as a .317 BA and a 148 wRC+ playing for Philadelphia and Cleveland.
Albert Pujols hit the first of his 703 career home runs on today’s date in 2001 to help lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 12-9 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Armando Reynoso gave up the gopher.
On today’s date in 1971, Marty Pattin went the distance for the win on his 28th birthday as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 on Opening Day. Andy Kosco supported Pattin’s complete-game effort with a home run and four RBIs.
Players born on today’s date include Phil “The Vulture” Regan, a right-hander who recorded 92 wins and 96 saves while pitching for four teams across the 1960-1972 seasons. The Western Michigan University product’s most-notable year was 1966 when he went 14-1 with 21 saves and a 1.62 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Also born on today’s date was Benny Frey, a right-hander who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds (and briefly the St. Louis Cardinals) from 1929-1936. The Dexter, Michigan native threw 57-and-a-third consecutive innings without recording a strikeout while working as a reliever across the 1933-1934 seasons. Yes, that is a big-league record.
Teams in the 1941 Pennsylvania State Association included the Oil City Oilers, Beaver Falls Bees, and Johnstown Johnnies, Oil City’s top hitter was Al Gionfriddo, who went on to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates and later the Brooklyn Dodgers. Gionfriddo famously robbed Joe DiMaggio of what would have been a game-winning home run in the 1947 World Series.
