Another day, another Mariners trade. Someone’s going to have some fun at the end of this offseason compiling a list of all the moves new GM Jerry Dipoto made in his first offseason at the helm of the Angels, and it’s going to be absolutely enormous.
The latest is the acquisition of first baseman Adam Lind from the Brewers in exchange for a trio of low-level prospects. Lind was one of the Brewers’ best hitters in 2015, and one of only two position players worth more than 1.6 WAR (the other being Ryan Braun).
Of Cubs-related relevance here is the increasing possibility that the Mariners will be good next year, and the feeling that the rest of the AL West will keep pushing to improve – all five teams could be solid. This is all very tenuously related, mind you, but I just get a little edgy about anything that’s going to push the Angels to spend, because we know they’re looking to add an outfielder.
More notable relevance to the Cubs is the continued tanking of the Brewers for 2016. Together with the Reds, the NL Central should be home to two of the worst teams in the National League, which theoretically could help buoy the Cubs, Cardinals, and Pirates in the Wild Card race, given the unbalanced schedule. That will be especially true if the Rockies and Padres stay minimally competitive out West, and if the Braves, Phillies, and Marlins aren’t total garbage.