The Greatest Baseball Preview in America: Seattle Mariners

Quick Mets thoughts: Ultimately, the Mets turned out just like the Yankees. Maybe it's what they've always wanted. They outspent their division and league, and now have the top lineup in the NL with either old or underdeveloped pitchers with only two solid innings available each night from the bullpen. So what will this get them? A couple division titles with the best record in their league. After that, it's a crapshoot. The Yankees are in a six year rut with that strategy. Let's see how it works for the Metropolitans, who somehow remain infinitely more likeable.

THE SEATTLE MARINERS

Pitching: Seattle has a potential ace (Felix Hernandez) who has yet to realize his potential (read: Not been an ace yet) and a gaggle of #4 starters (Washburn, Batista, Weaver, Ramirez) to back up said unrealized ace. Translation: This starting pitching has 6 innings, 4-5 runs written all over them. Luckily, their bullpen can come in and save day.

Yeah...about that. Their bullpen has Chris Reitsma as their #2 go to guy after fireballer J.J. Putz. You could build a better bridge out of pencils and scotch tape.

Hitting: Through one ninth of their order, they might have the best lineup in baseball. Then it rapidly falls apart. Adrian Beltre has weaned himself off human growth horomone, and now swings a bat more like Adrian Balboa. Johjima, Ibanez, and Sexson are respectable players, but I have to wonder if their numbers are a result from one of the best power ballparks in the majors. This lineup does not impress me.

Miscellaneous: This is Ichiro's contract year, which is yet another reason why the Sox were crazy to give so much money to JD Drew this offseason. You don't think Ichiro and Matsuzaka would want to be teammates? All the money spent on Drew could have been spent on Ichiro next season. Now, the Sox will have to break the bank. I wouldn't rule out a July trade involving CoCo Crisp and a young pitcher for Suzuki, with the Sox immediately locking him up to an extension. What does this have to do with the Mariners? Well, they wouldn't trade Ichiro if they were contending, would they.

Mariners-related proposition bet: Odds on Queen Felix earning the right to have me call him King Felix like others used to: Practically zero.


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