This is the first of our previews of each MLB team. We begin with a team that was beat to hell last season, the Seattle Mariners.Seattle Mariners
Manager: Don Wakamatsu (1st season)
2008 Record – 61-101 (dead last in the AL West)
Mariner fans, say hello to: Ken Griffey, Jr. (OF), Mike Sweeney (1B/DH), Endy Chavez (OF), Franklin Guiterrez (OF).
And say so long to: Raul Ibanez (OF), J.J. Putz (P)
The Mariners are in total rebuilding mode. Ownership canned everyone from the G.M. to the manager, the coaching staff, most of its scouting department and I’m sure the janitor was pink slipped to. New G.M. Jack Zduriencik has no honeymoon period. Zduriencik task is the get the M’s at least competitive again.
What To Like About The Mariners:
Clean Slate: 2008 is over, 2009 may be painful for Mariner fans but management seems willing to make the effort to put a better product on the field.
Starting Pitching: If the starting rotation of Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva & Ryan Rowland-Smith get things going, they could keep Seattle in some ball games. That rotation was very disappointing last season but there is potential.
Ken Griffey, Jr.: Mariner fans, he’s not the same Junior from 10 years ago but he’s the best player in franchise history (yes, I’m including A-Rod) and he was the single reason why Safeco Field was built to save the franchise. Griffey’s
value on the field has declined but his value with the fans is still high. 16,000 tickets were sold the day he signed with Seattle. Griffey is older (almost 40), slower and is breaking down, but he can still turn on right handed pitching with some pop in his bat. Griffey will see time at left field and DH.
OSG Prediction: About the same as last year though they may avoid losing a hundred games. It will be a long year so Seattle should be more competitive in 2009 however, we just don’t see avoiding the cellar in the American League West.
Manager: Don Wakamatsu (1st season)
2008 Record – 61-101 (dead last in the AL West)
Mariner fans, say hello to: Ken Griffey, Jr. (OF), Mike Sweeney (1B/DH), Endy Chavez (OF), Franklin Guiterrez (OF).
And say so long to: Raul Ibanez (OF), J.J. Putz (P)
The Mariners are in total rebuilding mode. Ownership canned everyone from the G.M. to the manager, the coaching staff, most of its scouting department and I’m sure the janitor was pink slipped to. New G.M. Jack Zduriencik has no honeymoon period. Zduriencik task is the get the M’s at least competitive again.
What To Like About The Mariners:
Clean Slate: 2008 is over, 2009 may be painful for Mariner fans but management seems willing to make the effort to put a better product on the field.
Starting Pitching: If the starting rotation of Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva & Ryan Rowland-Smith get things going, they could keep Seattle in some ball games. That rotation was very disappointing last season but there is potential.
Ken Griffey, Jr.: Mariner fans, he’s not the same Junior from 10 years ago but he’s the best player in franchise history (yes, I’m including A-Rod) and he was the single reason why Safeco Field was built to save the franchise. Griffey’s
value on the field has declined but his value with the fans is still high. 16,000 tickets were sold the day he signed with Seattle. Griffey is older (almost 40), slower and is breaking down, but he can still turn on right handed pitching with some pop in his bat. Griffey will see time at left field and DH.OSG Prediction: About the same as last year though they may avoid losing a hundred games. It will be a long year so Seattle should be more competitive in 2009 however, we just don’t see avoiding the cellar in the American League West.
Photo Courtesy: KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
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