MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – INSIDE PITCH
“Tinkering” would be the best word to describe the Seattle Mariners’ offseason, which has seen both the roster and home ballpark get a bit of a face-lift. Even though the big fish like Josh Hamilton and Justin Upton got away, the Mariners certainly did their share of renovating.
The biggest change is in the outfield, and not just because the Mariners brought in three veterans to shake up the position battle. The organization moved the fences in, hoping to generate some offense from a team that has really struggled to score runs.
Seattle continued to follow its offense-for-pitching tradeoff by dealing steady left-handed starter Jason Vargas to the Los Angeles Angels for 29-year-old designated hitter Kendrys Morales. While he adds yet another DH-type to a roster with more than a few, Morales gives the Mariners hope that they have found a No. 3 or No. 4 hitter for the present and future. Former Mariner Michael Morse, who thrived during four seasons with the Washington Nationals, returns to add another bat to the lineup.
The youth-infused Mariners also head into spring training suddenly in need of a fountain of youth. That’s because two of the team’s key offseason acquisitions, made to help add depth to an anemic offense, come with aging scalps.
Jason Bay, who will be 35 in September, and postseason hero Raul Ibanez, who will be 41 in June, are among the players brought in to give the Mariners’ bats a boost.
Add those players to an offense that hopes to see major improvements from catcher Jesus Montero and infielder Dustin Ackley — not to mention a reconfigured Safeco Field — and the Mariners have reason for offensive optimism for the first time in years.
“We said in the offseason that we wanted to improve the offense,” said general manager Jack Zduriencik, who missed out on top target Josh Hamilton during the winter, “and we went down some very specific roads to do that.”
The question now is whether the Mariners’ pitching staff will be able to keep runs off the board. Once the strength of the team, Seattle’s pitchers are shaping up to be Felix Hernandez and a bunch of question marks.
The trade of Vargas and the retirement of steady veteran Kevin Millwood leave at least one spot open in the rotation, and there are plenty of candidates with impressive credentials.
Fast-rising 2011 No. 2 overall draft pick Danny Hultzen should get first shot at a job, while fellow star prospects Tijuan Walker and James Paxton could also be in the mix. Some combination of Blake Beaven, Hector Noesi, Erasmo Ramirez, Hisashi Iwakuma could round out the rotation, and the Mariners are looking for improvement from all of them. Beaven and Iwakuma closed the 2012 season strong, which gives some signs of encouragement.
The Mariners also reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with lefty Joe Saunders on Feb. 7, and he would figure to provide a much-needed southpaw starter.
That would enable the Mariners to leave left-handed long reliever Charlie Furbush in the bullpen.
The bullpen returns most of its key cogs from last season, including overachieving closer Tom Wilhelmsen, steady veterans Furbush and Oliver Perez, and flame-throwing youngsters Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor.
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MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – NOTES, QUOTES
–RHP Felix Hernandez could be on the verge of becoming the highest-paid pitcher in baseball, in addition to remaining a Mariners cornerstone for the rest of the decade. USA Today reported Feb. 7 that Hernandez has agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract. The 26-year-old Hernandez already had been under contract through 2014, having signed a five-year, $78 million deal in 2010. Since then, he has won a Cy Young Award (in 2010) and finished fourth in the voting for another (in 2012).
–LHP Joe Saunders reportedly was close to signing a one-year deal Feb. 7. Saunders was 9-13 with a 4.07 ERA with Arizona and Baltimore last season. Saunders, who likely would step into a mostly right-handed rotation in Seattle, is 6-0 with a 2.13 ERA in nine starts at Safeco Field.
–C Jesus Montero found himself in the crosshairs of the Anthony Bosch investigation, although both the catcher and his representatives brushed off the talk of any association. The New York Daily News reported that Montero was among the players on record at Biogenesis, the PED clinic run by Bosch. The midweek news had Montero’s camp doing damage control, with agents Sam and Seth Levinson putting out a statement calling the allegations by the Daily News “ridiculous.” Montero told the Seattle Times on Feb. 6: “I feel like I’m caught in the middle of something, and I don’t know why.”
–RHP Shawn Kelley became the third Mariner in a matter of weeks to avoid arbitration, signing a one-year, $935,000 deal on Jan. 30. SS Brendan Ryan and newly acquired DH Kendrys Morales were signed to one-year deals earlier in the month.
–C Ronny Paulino looks like one of the more intriguing signings of the offseason. The eight-year veteran was signed as a non-roster invitee to spring training, adding much-needed experience to the position. After trading 2012 primary starter John Jaso to Oakland, the Mariners were relying on Jesus Montero, who has just 58 starts at catcher, and rising prospect Mike Zunino. Paulino could prove to be a valuable addition while the Mariners wait on Zunino to be major-league-ready. “The fact that we had Zunino right around the corner helped our thought process and helped us make that move,” general manager Jack Zduriencik said.
–1B Justin Smoak got a surprisingly strong vote of confidence late last month, when manager Eric Wedge said he has “every anticipation that he’s going to be our first baseman this year.” Smoak is coming off a nightmare of a 2012 season that saw him hit .189 before getting sent to Triple-A Tacoma in July. He returned a few weeks later and finished with a .217 batting average while hitting 19 home runs, tied for second on the team.
–OF Jason Bay had an obvious interest in the Mariners: He lives in Seattle. The Mariners are hoping the former Pittsburgh Pirates star and New York Mets bust can regain his form in familiar surroundings. “He said to me: ‘I’m excited to sleep in my own bed every night and play in my hometown,'” general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “So that’ll be an interesting comfort level for him.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 — Years since the Mariners have had a player hit more than 20 home runs in a season, a streak they hope to see someone like Kendrys Morales or Jesus Montero break in 2012.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We are not involved and do not have any knowledge as to what took place or who was allegedly involved.” — Seth and Sam Levinson, agents for Jesus Montero, in a statement denying the report that Montero had involvement with the Biogenesis clinic owned by Anthony Bosch.
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MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – ROSTER REPORT
PROJECTED ROTATION:
1. RHP Felix Hernandez
2. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
3. RHP Blake Beaven
4. RHP Erasmo Ramirez
5. LHP Danny Hultzen
The Mariners can take the field every five days knowing they have a chance to shut down any batting order. But after Felix Hernandez, there are plenty of reasons for concern.
With a new, smaller ballpark designed to help wake the Seattle bats, the Mariners have to find some consistent starters behind King Felix. The team has given up promising youngster Michael Pineda and consistent veteran Jason Vargas in back-to-back offseasons, leaving Seattle with plenty of opportunity for up-and-coming prospects like Danny Hultzen, Tijuan Walker and James Paxton. LHP Joe Saunders, who reportedly agreed to a one-year deal Feb. 7, could find a spot in the lefty-barren front five as well.
PROJECTED BULLPEN:
RHP Tom Wilhelmsen (closer)
LHP Charlie Furbush
LHP Oliver Perez
RHP Carter Capps
RHP Stephen Pryor
RHP Shawn Kelley
RHP Lucas Luetge
The Mariners have been incredibly adept at finding bullpen diamonds in the rough, whether it has been the recent history of scrap-heap closers, rejuvenating veterans or having farmhands thrive at the big-league level. Wilhelmsen, who had given up on his baseball career a few years back, thrived in the closing role last season. Perez restarted his career and gives the Mariners a veteran lefty in the ‘pen.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
1. 2B Dustin Ackley
2. 3B Kyle Seager
3. DH Kendrys Morales
4. LF Michael Morse
5. C Jesus Montero
6. 1B Justin Smoak
7. RF Michael Saunders
8. CF Franklin Gutierrez
9. SS Brendan Ryan
Despite some obvious lineup upgrades, the Mariners will still be relying largely on a familiar group of young players who need to take the next step as big-leaguers – particularly at the top of the lineup. Ackley looks like he’ll go back to the leadoff spot, where he struggled last season. Seager needs to duplicate his fast start from 2012 and show more consistency down the stretch. Montero, who will also handle catching duties this season after spending most of 2012 as a designated hitter, needs to prove himself as a true No. 3 hitter. And Smoak needs to prove that he is indeed a big-leaguer.
There are plenty of holes in the lineup, but not as many as in recent years. If Seattle’s patience pays off with players like Smoak, Ackley, Seager and Michael Sanders, this offense could be better than expected.
TOP ROOKIES: LHP Danny Hultzen looks destined to be the No. 2 starter the Mariners need to complement Felix Hernandez. The question is how soon that will happen. Hultzen, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 draft, was breezing through the minors until a stop at Triple-A Tacoma (1-4, 5.92 ERA) revealed signs of mortality.
C Mike Zunino was the third overall pick in last June’s draft, and he showed immediate promise by hitting .360 in 44 games at Class A and AA. The Mariners feel confident enough about Zunino that they traded veteran catcher John Jaso to AL West rival Oakland in the winter.
IF Carlos Triunfel has been on the M’s radar as a top prospect for a few years, but his minor-league career hit a plateau leading up to his major-league debut late last season. Now 23, Triunfel hit .227 in 22 games with the Mariners last season and hopes to bring a much-needed bat to the shortstop position at some point this season.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–LHP Anthony Vasquez (emergency brain surgery in November 2012) had a ruptured blood vessel repaired. Vasquez should be fine to resume a normal life in 2013, including his baseball career. He will come to camp with the club’s minor-leaguers.
–CF Franklin Gutierrez (pectoral muscle, concussion) was in and out of the lineup with ailments in 2012 after most of his previous two seasons were disrupted by intestinal disorders. He checks out as healthy and figures to be the starting center fielder.
–OF/1B Mike Carp (sore right shoulder) was injured on Opening Day in Japan last year and never healed; he was limited to only first-base duty in the final weeks. He is able to throw without pain and can again play in the outfield.
–SS Brendan Ryan (right elbow surgery in October 2012) had a bone spur removed. He is throwing 120 feet now and should be ready for spring training.
–2B Dustin Ackley (left ankle surgery in October 2012) had a bone spur removed. He has been cleared for full duty during spring training.
