About a month ago, I wrote about some bold predictions for this upcoming Mariners season. In it, I said that Ichiro will win a batting title.
It really isn’t an insanely bold prediction since this is something entirely possible in any given season with Ichiro. That doesn’t make it something that is a lock, though, either.
I’ll expand on that prediction a bit, and give five reasons that show he can still do it.
How do you fix a team that has lost 100 games twice in three seasons?
That’s the glaring question that general manager Jack Zduriencik and manager Eric Wedge are tasked with in 2011.
After a few nice trades and additions propelled the team a giant step forward in 2009, they took another giant step back in 2010. Though most assumed that ’09 team overachieved, the additions to the club last season led those same pundits to believe we’d at least see a similar outcome, perhaps even a better one.
With pitchers and catchers doing bullpen sessions and position players trickling in ahead of the mandatory report date this Friday, the team is getting a chance to have a hard, long look at their squad early.
It’s a good thing, too, because there are questions that must be answered post-haste.
Bobbleheads, t-shirts and refrigerator magnets.
Oh, my!
One of the pleasures a fan of a lousy team has to look forward to every season are the cool promotions that sucker you in to handing over a hundred bucks you may not have otherwise.
I’ve become an expert at this in recent years rooting on the Mariners, unfortunately. I have more dolls than any 31 year old man should, thanks to the annual Ichiro bobbles. Though, they’re sucking me in again this season.
This year’s edition includes a hit counter so we can follow him on his quest to 200 a season and 3000 overall.
I got to thinking, naturally, because that’s what this stuff does to me: what promotions would us fans who like a good old chuckle line up for, even though our favorite team would never do it?
This list is the byproduct of that thinking. I apologize in advance.
It was announced today that Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals will need Tommy John surgery.
Having been one of the most valuable pitchers in baseball over the last couple seasons, this is a huge blow to a Cardinals team that could be trying to make one last run with slugger Albert Pujols before he tests free agency.
Here’s a look at other pitchers who have had the surgery and what it cost their teams.
2011 is finally here, which means we can forget about the disaster that was 2010.
We know that the Mariners won’t be very good this season. We could focus on that, but I think our time could be better spent looking at where the team is headed.
Prospects Dustin Ackley and Michael Pineda should make their debuts this season. Justin Smoak will try to take a step forward in his age 24 season. Michael Saunders and Adam Moore hope to improve and remind us of why they were interesting prospects. King Felix will hold court and Ichiro will be Ichiro.
There are plenty of things to look forward to in this 2011 campaign, and payroll relief will arrive next season.
Below you’ll find a table of contents with links for your convenience.
Slide 02: Player Profiles
Slide 27: Prospects to Watch
Slide 30: Coaching Staff
Slide 38: Bold Predictions
Slide 43: Division Rivals
Slide 46: Team Projection
In 20 years, will we look back and ask “Who will be the next King Felix?”
We may. Or, we may think about how some injury stopped him from turning a promising youth into a hall of fame career that put him alongside the game’s greats.
It’s a fun exercise, comparing players of today and yesterday. Was Bonds better than Ruth? Was Pudge as good as Fisk?
We’ll be looking at extreme upsides in most cases. Remember, these guys are young. They could blossom or stall just as fast. Don’t take these too seriously. Just join me in dreaming about the stories we might be telling our grandkids about them.
In no particular order, other than alphabetical by city and grouped in divisions, here’s a look at players currently 25 years old or younger, and who they might compare with someday if all goes well.
Have you ever wondered what goes through your girlfriend’s mind when she stops dead in her tracks, her eyes glaze over and she goes into a trance while looking at that ring in the window?
That’s what this is for men. Players like this only become freely available once a generation, and we too have paused and slipped into an alternative universe where this shiny jewel could be ours.
Well, at the risk of being the bearer of bad news, the parallels don’t stop there. There are only so many guys who can drop five grand just to make their girl smile, and only so many teams who can throw $300 million at a player.
In case you’re just back from a sabbatical in the Himalayas, Albert Pujols has reportedly cut off negotiations with the St. Louis Cardinals and plans to dip his toe into the murky waters of free agency.
While his legs dangle off the dock and you have visions of the fortunes of your team turning around by way of the hottest free agent signing in baseball history, I’ll have to ask you to snap out of it.
For you, the fans of the forthcoming 10 teams, it’s just not in the cards.
Ken Griffey, Jr. has rejoined the Mariners as a special consultant. I don’t really know what a special consultant does, and there’s no telling if Shannon Drayer’s account tells the full story.
While Greg Johns of MLB.com reports that the role is “evolving,” you need not wait further. I just got the inside scoop.
First things first, and that’s player development. We’re talking about a first ballot Hall of Famer who is in the 600 home run club and also played solid defense. He has a ton of insight to offer.
However, the Mariners believe they have the talent on their young roster already. What they really want to do is build chemistry. As we know from ESPN experts, talent doesn’t matter in team sports. It’s all about how you get along with your teammates.
Junior is scheduled to be in Seattle six times in the upcoming season. While there, he’ll visit the clubhouse pregame, spin his hat around and tickle Ichiro. A good time will be had by all.
While the team trots out to the field with smiles on their faces, Junior will saw some logs in the clubhouse. Last one out, please hit the lights.
After a perfect game thrown by David Pauley against the Yankees, the team will rejoin “The Kid” for some postgame hijinks. Crank the hip-hop, bob your heads and let’s play pin the smile on Milton Bradley!
As Drayer notes, this isn’t all about player development.
Having his “Swingman” brand with Nike, along with numerous bobbleheads and t-shirts, Junior has experience in marketing. He’ll quickly get together with the Mariners marketing staff, that being people who actually hold degrees in the field, and put his personal spin on things.
On May 30, a day game matinee, we’ll have “Siesta at the Park Day.” Leave your Lunexor at home. Griffey won’t be on hand that day, so the non-chemistry-infused product on the field will be the only pill you need. First (only) 15,000 fans get a Junior Blankey.
Come July 1, Mariners fans will enjoy the first ever “Demand a Trade Night,” where you get to wander the ballpark and threaten ushers to upgrade you from your nose bleed seat to the Diamond Club, else you’ll move to San Diego next year and be a fan of the team we play that night, the hated rival Padres.
Last season, Griffey was featured with Ichiro in the first ever bobble head to feature two players. On a still-to-be-determined night this season, they’re going to top that with the first ever three person doll. Junior and Chone Figgins will be wielding bats at “Revenge on Don Wakamatsu Bobble Head Night,” with a ceramic version of the former manager between them.
That’s all I could dig up on Griffey promotions, but more are expected to be announced soon.
Then there’s the broadcasting that got mentioned in Drayer’s report. I couldn’t get hard proof on this, but I’m told Junior will spend some time in the booth with Dan Wilson and Jay Buhner. Other rumors include Junior swatting Rick Rizzs’ hairpiece off every time he starts a sentence with, “Say, fans…”
This is all secondhand information and speculation at this time, I’m afraid. It’s quite possible Junior will just have some ideas pop in his mind while playing golf and pass them on to actual decision makers. Perhaps give a few rah-rah speeches to minor leaguers who will be tweeting, “OMG Griffey just talked to us!”
Whatever the case, it’s good to have the franchise icon home again. Again.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
While the Mariners keep dumpster diving, we keep counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report.
Here’s a look at what happened with the team this week and in the blogosphere, such as the M’s signing OF Gabe Gross to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training and the effects Safeco Field has on certain types of players.
Read about how awesome Nick Franklin might be on and off the field.
Milton Bradley’s court hearing has been pushed back. Sorry folks, but we’re stuck with him and his contract.
Felix Hernandez‘s big brother has signed with the Mariners. Unfortunately, looking like Felix is all they have in common.
Speaking of King Felix, his Twitter account is finally verified. Trying to match the timing of his tweets to when he’d realistically be available to do so was getting frustrating. He tweets in Spanish often, which gives you a chance to use Google’s translator.
MLB.com beat writer Greg Johns digs up some answers on the progress of a Dave Niehaus statue. You’ll have to dig through the silly questions to hear about it, though.
Vladimir Guerrero’s nephew, Gabriel, signed (video included) as an international free agent. He’s 17 years old, and is described as having raw power with a strong arm and projects as a corner outfielder. He gets a $400,000 bonus.
RHP Manny Delcarmen was signed to a minor league deal, but he has a problem. Add him to the heap of players the Mariners now have extended invites to spring training to.
There will be a whopping 33 pitchers in camp. Let’s hope 12 of them don’t suck.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
The Seattle Mariners recently signed Moises Hernandez to a minor league contract. Not a huge deal, right? Well, he’s the brother of reigning AL Cy Young Felix Hernandez.
I’ll get into more specifics on that later in the next slide.
I started to think, though. How many other brother combinations have there been, and often did the shared genes translated to shared talent? The best duo was Lloyd and Paul Waner, who are both hall of famers.
After that, there were some combos who both played in the major leagues, but it became apparent that sharing the same parents is about all most of these guys had in common.
This list will be solely for brothers who had large disparities in baseball talent. For a related piece, check out Asher Chancey‘s top 50 list that looks at all sports and relatives.