Ken Griffey Jr, Alex Rodriguez, Joey Cora, Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner, Dan Wilson, Paul Sorrento, Russ Davis, Randy Johnson, Jamie Moyer, Mike Timlin, Jeff Fassero--this is the team I think of when I think of the real Mariners. But after taking a look at their off season moves, I might have to think of them in light of the new decade.
Ken Griffey Jr, Milton Bradley, Chone Figgins, Ichiro Suzuki, Jose Lopez, Franklin Gutierrez, Casey Kotchman, Feliz Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Ian Snell, Ryan Rowland-Smith and David Aardsma--are the new Mariners. But wait; there still is a chance for them to re-sign Russell Branyan, Erik Bedard, Miguel Batista, and Mike Sweeney (all file for free agency).
Obviously, the Mariners have taken a new approach to building their franchise. Suddenly, it seems like they actually want to compete. Now when Ichiro has a .352 batting average, he might actually come home more than only 88 times. All of a sudden, now King Felix might get some more run support and finally win twenty games in a season (he was 19-5 last season).
Imagine this line-up:
1. Ichiro Suzuki of
2. Chone Figgins 3b
3. Russell Branyan 1b
4. Ken Griffey Jr. (out of respect--I still think he can have another 30 homerun season) dh
5. Milton Bradley of
6. Jose Lopez 2b
7. Franklin Gutierrez of
8. Jack Wilson ss
9. Rob Johnson c
And they'd have Corey Patterson in the bench while Josh Wilson tries to become the starting shortstop over Jack Wilson.
The starting line-up doesn't sound half bad but the pitching rotation has the scare it needs:
1. Felix Hernandez
2. Cliff Lee
3. Ryan Rowland-Smith
4. Ian Snell
5. Doug Fister.
So the top two and certainly you can make a case for the top three to be one of the best--if not the best three-man trio in the league. Cliff Lee went 14-13 last year but was a complete lights out pitcher towards the end of the season (and of course the year before he went 22-3). Then you have King Felix who went 19-5 last year with a 2.49 ERA. And this guy Rowland-Smith went 5-4 last year but tends to pitch deep into games.
The Mariners were an 85-77 team last year and were 12 games behind the Angels in the AL West. After this year, I say look for a competitive AL West! The Angels, Rangers and Mariners are going to have to battle out for the one available playoff spot because lets face it--the wild card is going to the AL East.
For the smallest division in baseball, it certainly was innately difficult to hold a playoff spot--but with the new Mariners, I see a potential problem for the Angels.
Mariners caught some big fish in the free agent sea, now lets see if they can cook up a playoff run.
2 comments:
Certainly turns a one team (angels) race into a three team. No doubt the angels got worse this offseason and the rangers are getting better every year. Either way i dont see any of those teams making it out of the first round.
and btw best front three, bosox no doubt. Beckett, Lackey, Lester. cant really argue much with that.
Definitely nice to see the Mariners competitive again. Man, seeing those names, like Buhner, Edgar, and Joey Cora bring back so many memories! But yeah, i gotta agree with Wetmore on the top three for the pitching staff. As great as Lee and King Felix are (and they are GREAT!), Rowland-Smith doesn't come close to touching Lester or Lackey, whichever you consider the Sox number 3 starter. Though look out for Webb, Haren, and Edwin Jackson in Arizona.
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