The Mariners and Jerry Dipoto have a principal-agent problem right now

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesMariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto recently did what Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto does and made a trade, breaking the seal for the 2022 trade deadline season. It was a relatively inconsequential trade for Seattle, acquiring Carlos Santana for a couple minor league relievers whose results so far have been pretty mid. But bigger decisions loom.

The Mariners will have to decide whether to buy, sell, hold, or buy-and-sell, and whether to do hard or soft versions of whatever course they choose. Then they need to execute that plan with specific transactions (or refusals to transact). I certainly have an opinion about…