LAS VEGAS -- For Scott Servais, the goal doesn't change. As the Mariners manager, he's going to do his best to win every possible game this season.
But his team? Yeah, that part definitely will be different in 2019. No longer will he be rolling out a lineup anchored by Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano and Jean Segura. He won't be watching James Paxton starting games, or handing the ball to Edwin Diaz to close them out.
But Servais, who was the director of player development with the Rangers when they went through a similar overhaul in 2007, understands the rebuilding situation and, in fact, embraces it as a necessary step for a club whose veteran nucleus was becoming less productive and more expensive with each passing year.
Speaking publicly for the first time since general manager Jerry Dipoto pulled off six trades that sent away nine key members from last year's 89-73 club in return for a host of younger players and prospects, Servais faced the cameras on Tuesday evening during his media session at the Winter Meetings at Mandalay Bay Resort and said he was ready to begin putting the new pieces together.
"I guess one way to put it is Jerry has been out shopping for the groceries and I get to take the recipe and put the soup together," Servais said with a smile. "It's been a very active offseason. People who have followed us know what's going on. We made some decisions at the end of the year that we needed to go a different direction with where we were at and what we were doing.
"It wasn't allowing us to get over the hump and get to the playoffs. We've been aggressive. We've moved some really good players and we've got some real good young players back in those deals. It's a transition time for us, but it's a point where I thought we needed to make a move organizationally and we did."
The young nucleus Servais helped the Rangers begin building in 2007 was spurred by the trade of first baseman Mark Teixeira to the Braves in a deal that brought back Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. That group helped win 90-plus games for four straight years from 2010-13, including back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010-11.
"We were floundering, made a big trade and followed that up with Draft choices, bringing in Latin players, supplementing the system and creating desirable young players and allowing them to grow together," Servais said. "Seeing how that all came together and how fun it is to be a part of that excites me. It's not going to be easy, understand that. There's going to be some growing pains with younger players, less experienced guys. It's a challenge we're willing to take on."

Servais has just two remaining players -- Felix Hernandez and Kyle Seager -- from the team he took over in 2016. While his record of 253-233 is second to Lou Piniella for the best winning percentage by a Mariners manager in franchise history, the 51-year-old will have his work cut out this season.
But while understanding the goal now is aimed toward developing a younger core that should come together in 2020-21, Servais isn't ready to punt the coming year. He's talked with returning players like Seager, Dee Gordon, Marco Gonzales and others to make sure they understand the plan and the expectations going forward.
What are those expectations for next season?
"To be a very competitive team in 2019," Servais said. "I'm the manager of the team, I want to win every game we can. But where the organization is at, I want to do everything I can to move this thing in the right direction. It's to get in the playoffs and win the World Series. It's not to come in sixth or seventh or eighth place. Sometimes you have to take a step back.
"I'm fully on board and looking forward to the challenge."