How Kevin Mather should guide the Mariners through their GM change, potential rebuild

M's president Kevin Mather said that while he'd prefer to not blow up the roster, he's potentially open to it. (AP)

I’ll be honest, this column is going to ramble all over the place. So in that respect, I guess it’ll be the written equivalent of what you hear from me on the radio, never quite sure what I’m going to say, where I’m headed and where I’ll end up.

I’m hoping the Mariners are a little more organized with their thoughts. Now that Jack Zduriencik has been relieved of his general manager duties, they need to find the right man to get this ship off the rocks.

Drayer: What’s next for Kevin Mather, Mariners in search for new GM

I do not know who that man is, though from what I’ve read, Chicago Cubs assistant GM Jason McLeod has a lot of qualities I’d be looking for, stressing scouting and player development and wanting everyone to work together.

It’s worked with the Cubs, where the farm system has become one of the best in baseball. Then again, you could have said the same thing about Zduriencik when he came here from Milwaukee after transforming the Brewers’ farm system.

Whoever is picked, like every other Mariner fan, I hope team president Kevin Mather makes the right choice. I also hope that Mather knows what he’s doing. I say that because he has a background in finance, not baseball, though he readily admits he “doesn’t pretend to be a baseball guy.” If you’re not a baseball guy, are you equipped to hire one?

On one hand, I’d say no, but on the other, Mather said he’d talk to baseball people to get feedback and advice. Mather initially said he wants an experienced GM, but has since hedged on that thought. Maybe a younger assistant GM type like McLeod could wow him enough to get the job.

Mather also doesn’t think the team needs to be blown up, but if he hears from enough candidates that it should be, he will take that into consideration and perhaps change his opinion.

You’ve got a small window of time with Nelson Cruz, who turns 36 next July, and Robinson Cano, who turns 33 in October. Felix Hernandez turns 30 in April but has a lot of miles on that right arm of his.

You could probably find all kinds of takers for Cruz, who has three years and $41 million left on his contract, particularly after the season he’s having.

What about Cano and the eight years and $192 million he has left on his deal? Good luck with that. Or that’s what I thought anyway. But over the weekend in an SI.com story, the writer suggested that the Yankees might want Cano back since high-salaried players such as CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran will be off their books soon.

And Felix? Before this season, I never wanted the Mariners to trade him, thinking that you need an ace to have success in the playoffs. But like Larry Stone of The Seattle Times, now I’m open to anything and everything, including a trade of Felix if he’d agree to one.

If a guy like McLeod comes in and feels like it’s the best course of action to trade their three best and most-expensive assets, sign me up for that. I’d argue that you could have somehow cobbled together a 61-71 record without Felix, Cano and Cruz.

I know, that sounds ridiculous, because you could argue that they’d be 51-81 without them. Even if you’re right, it’s ludicrous to think they’re 10 games under .500 with them.

Of the three, Cano’s the one I’d miss the least. His base-running mistakes were inexcusable. And I can’t believe he wasn’t paying attention in a game last week when Mark Trumbo overthrew second base and Cano was la-dee-dawing, not even watching, and failed to back up on the play.

And yes, I know he’s been hot since the first of July. But where was he when it mattered most, in the first three months of the season?

While the new GM’s at it, he should think about changing managers, too. I go back and forth on this one, telling myself that Lloyd McClendon managed the Mariners to an 87-75 record in 2014. Can he go from good manager to bad manager in one season? And you could argue that he did the best he could with the players he had, and that many of those players didn’t perform to expectations. Was that his fault?

I just got sick of the constant lineup changes and the feeling that McClendon had short ropes for some players and long ropes for others, and no apparent rhyme or reason for either one. I perceive a disconnect between the manager and players, though it’s just my take from watching the games and trying to make sense of what’s happened and could be the farthest thing from the truth.

Whether the new GM wants a new manager or not, I hope the Mariners go back to a philosophy of targeting players who are better fits in their ballpark. Emphasize pitching and defense, speed and gap hitters. Find your kind of players and properly develop them. If it takes a year or two or three, fine. Look at the Astros – they now have a team that will win the American League West and compete for championships for years to come.

I’m done with my stupid infatuation for power. Look where it’s gotten the Mariners – nowhere.

Thirty mostly meaningless games remain in the 2015 season. I say “mostly” meaningless because they can learn a few things about some of their players for next year, such as: Can Brad Miller be an every-day center fielder? (Who in his right mind thought anyone would ask that question when the team left spring training in April?)

It’s a combination of bad moves and bad luck, and in a crazy coincidence, the Mariners started the ads for 2016 season tickets on the same weekend that Zduriencik was fired.

There won’t be a long line for those now, but if they make the right hire, the new GM could re-energize the fan base after the most disappointing year in franchise history.