Kuzul

After a dominant 10-0 victory on Saturday, for the first time this season, the Los Angeles Angels bats and pitching came together for their most complete win of the season, bringing them to 6-10. 

Not that their bats haven’t been hitting well (with the exception of a horrifically slow start for newly acquired Josh Hamilton), but it’s been the Angels pitching that has faltered in this early part of the season.  

Saturday, however, they looked great as a team.  And two players, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, hit the ball like the players everyone expects them to be.

So who will have the better season of the two this year?  

Reigning National League Rookie of the Year Mike Trout went 2-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored.  Though he got off to a relatively slow start this season, he now has a slash line of .304/.347/.522 with two home runs, a triple, seven doubles, 11 RBI, 11 runs scored and a stolen base.  Starting to look pretty good, isn’t he?

Pujols, on the other hand, went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored.  Though he’s been notorious for getting off to slow starts in his career, he currently has a slash line of .322/.431/.508 with two home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI and seven runs scored.

Both players are dominant forces in any lineup and are arguably already considered candidates for the American League’s Most Valuable Player award.  And while he may not put up the power numbers that Pujols will, Trout will surely see plenty more triples and is always a huge threat on the basepaths.

I’ve always thought that after Pujols’ first year in Los Angeles, he would settle down and regain his power stroke after hitting only .285 last season with 30 home runs.  Weird thinking that those numbers would be underachieving for most players, but let’s be honest now, this is Prince Albert we’re talking about here.  

Trout, on the other hand, had a season for the history books last year, but unfortunately, I don’t think there’s anyway he can replicate the numbers that he put up in 2012, especially after missing almost the first whole month of the season.  

Sure, there’s always the argument that many players suffer from the “sophomore slump,” but I don’t think that will be the case for Trout in his second full season with the Angels.   

Whatever happens, both players should put up monster numbers in 2013.  Especially with this lineup surrounding them and with Josh Hamilton’s bat inevitably coming back to life in the near future.  

So who will it be: Pujols or Trout?

My guess is Pujols will have the more impressive numbers this season, especially hitting behind Trout and in front of Hamilton and Mark Trumbo.  He’s just too good of a player and will not have a third season in a row hitting under .300.  

Will he have 40 or 50 home runs this season?  My guess is he’ll be somewhere in the high 30s, but his batting average should be around his lifetime average of .324, if not higher.

Now I’m not saying that Trout will have an off-year by any means, but I just don’t think he’ll achieve the same numbers he put up last season, though he should certainly have a tremendous season as well.

What do you think?  Am I wrong?  Who’s going to have the better season of the two: Pujols or Trout?

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The Texas Rangers are about three weeks into the new season. They were just dealt a big blow with the news that lefty Matt Harrison will need back surgery.

Despite the bad news, there is reason for optimism—after all, it’s only April.

Ron Washington and his players can still set their sights on the division crown. Here are a few reasons why.

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The Rangers announced bad news regarding pitcher Matt Harrison on Friday afternoon:

Rangers GM Jon Daniels says Matt Harrison has a herniated disk. Will have back surgery Tuesday.

— Anthony Andro (@aandro) April 19, 2013

The back surgery will likely be a microdiscectomy, given the relatively short return time. The surgery will be performed in Dallas by Dr. Drew Dossett, one of the country’s top back surgeons and a protege of Dr. Robert Watkins. 

A microdiscectomy is a surgery in which the spinal surgeon or neurologist goes into the spine through a tiny incision and removes a small part of the damaged spinal disc using special tools. These spinal discs act as cushions between the vertebrae, so removing only the damaged or impinging part leaves much of the cushioning effect in place and results in less trauma. 

In the case of Harrison, Anthony Andro also gave the location the doctors will repair:

L5-S1 is the disk that’s bothering Harrison for those of you who know what that means. To me, it’s lower back.

— Anthony Andro (@aandro) April 19, 2013

This area is very low on the spine, as shown in the picture to the right. It is a common region for this type of herniation to occur. Given the stress on the lower back due to pitching motion, it is not an uncommon injury among pitchers.

It also very clearly explains why Harrison lost some velocity, as this damaged disc would have prevented a full bend and changed his release and follow-through.

Harrison will miss around two months, putting his return to the Rangers’ rotation around the All-Star break. Pitchers that miss this much time and are unable to continue throwing will need an extended rehab period. The Rangers do most of their rehabilitation at nearby Double-A Frisco, allowing the major-league staff to monitor the players. Frisco athletic trainer Carlos Olivas also has an excellent reputation and a track record of positive results with major-league rehabs.

In the meantime, the Rangers will continue to use young pitchers Nick Tepesch and Justin Grimm. Two injury cases that could be back in the near future are Colby Lewis, coming off elbow surgery and expected to start a rehab assignment at the start of May, and Martin Perez, who looked to break camp with the Rangers until a come-backer fractured his wrist. Perez is in the midst of a throwing program and could begin rehab starts—again, likely in Frisco—within the next 10 days. 

Harrison should have no trouble returning once he completes the rehabilitation program following surgery and regains the stamina in his arm. Pitchers such as Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown and Eric Gagne and players like Rafael Furcal have had similar procedures and returned on schedule. 

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The Texas Rangers‘ quest to catch the surging Oakland Athletics in the AL West just got a whole lot more difficult.

According to the Rangers’ official Twitter feed, starting pitcher Matt Harrison will undergo back surgery for a herniated disc and be out until after the All-Star break:

The 27-year-old left-hander had been suffering through back soreness throughout April and was placed on the disabled list earlier this month.

Initially thought to be merely an inflamed nerve in his back, Friday’s diagnosis will put the Rangers’ rotation in a dire situation.

Ascending in Texas’ rotation in each of the past two seasons, Harrison had developed into one of manager Ron Washington’s top workhorses. Harrison compiled an 18-11 record with a 3.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP last season, tossing four complete games en route to his first All-Star appearance. 

Expected to dominate atop the Rangers’ rotation again in 2013, it was clear from Harrison’s first start that something wasn’t right. The southpaw started two games, losing both while posting an 8.44 ERA and 1.97 WHIP. Harrison’s control was especially erratic, as he walked seven batters in just 10.2 innings pitched. 

Despite those struggles, this is an injury Texas could ill afford.

The Rangers had already been through an offseason full of turmoil, having lost star outfielder Josh Hamilton to the rival Angels. Harrison and ace Yu Darvish were supposed to be the anchors to help mitigate that loss, but the former’s injury could put the Rangers in a hole out West. 

Right-hander Justin Grimm replaced Harrison in the rotation and will likely continue to do so for the time being. Grimm started one game in Harrison’s place this season, spraying five hits and giving up two runs in four innings pitched. 

The 24-year-old Grimm could develop into a solid back-end starter later in his career, but it seems likely that Texas will look to make a move to replace Harrison sooner rather than later. 

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In the previous decade, a culture of winning was established in Anaheim. The Angels qualified for the postseason six times in the last 11 years (which included a memorable World Series title run in 2002).

But after missing the playoffs in 2010 and 2011, the direction of the team began to come under question. Angels owner Arte Moreno took action and parted ways with the team’s longtime general manager Tony Reagins. In his place, Moreno hired ex-Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Jerry Dipoto on October 28, 2011.

Dipoto’s first and most important responsibility as new general manager was to bring the Angels franchise back to relevance.

And the new GM wasted little time doing so. His 2011 offseason signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson (on the same day) shocked the baseball world and immediately thrust the Angels into the limelight. Within months of being hired, Dipoto appeared to pull off the unthinkable by managing to land (what most considered to be) the best two free agents of the year.

However, results did not follow.

The Angels scuffled early in the 2012 season and missed the playoffs after finishing in third place in the highly competitive A.L. West.

Coming off a season that was classified by many as a complete failure, Dipoto put his thinking cap on and went back to work. In the offseason, he declined expensive options for Ervin Santana, Dan Haren and Torii Hunter.

As a result, the Angels’ coffers were full enough to make another big splash in free agency.

In December of 2012, the team signed perennial MVP-candidate Josh Hamilton to a five-year, $125 million contract.

With a formidable batting lineup that featured Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, the team appeared to join a short list of World Series contenders.

However, the team’s start to the 2013 season has been less than stellar.

The Angels currently have a 4-9 record and find themselves tied for last place in the A.L. West with the lowly Houston Astros (who have a 2013 payroll that is $106 million lower than the Angels’). They are already 5.5 games behind the division-leading Oakland Athletics.

Missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season could possibly lead to the end of the Scioscia/Dipoto era in Anaheim.

The following slideshow reveals three moves that Angel’s general manager Jerry Dipoto should consider in an effort to right the sinking ship.

*All statistics are courtesy of baseball-reference.com

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Entering the second week of the Major League Baseball season, the Oakland Athletics find themselves in a comfortable spot.

Sitting atop the American League West, the A’s continue their road trip against the formidable Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This marks another early-season test for the Athletics: how will they fare against a team who many believe to be the prohibitive division favorites.

Particularly after an offseason spending spree that saw the Angels land the heaviest of free agent bats for the second year in a row.

But Oakland will look to prove for the umpteenth time that its frugal version of team building brings better results than their free-spending foes. After the A’s snatched the 2012 AL West title, bypassing both the vaunted Angels and Texas Rangers squads, the question this season resurfaces: Can the A’s do it again?

The odds suggest that lightning cannot strike twice in the same spot so quickly.

And the Angels aim to show that last season’s disappointing underachievement was merely a product of unfamiliarity with one another.

This season, however, the Angels have 2012 Rookie of the Year Mike Trout, acclimated Albert Pujols and the talented slugger Josh Hamilton. Hopefully, the Angels will be able to put their pieces together and reach expectations.

Which is not simply the playoffs.

The Angels have assembled the offensive equivalent to the Miami Heat‘s Big Three not to just win the division but to take home the World Series trophy.

And they have a lot to prove, too.

That said, this week’s series versus the Athletics will be an equal test for Los Angeles as it will be for Oakland. And with the recent battles and bad blood between these two ball clubs, it makes for some early April fireworks.

Here are five things to look for in this week’s Athletics-Angels series in Anaheim that starts Tuesday night. 

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The Los Angeles Angels fit one of my favorite, classic plot lines in the MLB. With 162 games, stretching over six months, even the greatest, talent-rich teams will hit a bump in the road now and again.

There are the foreseen and the unpredictable, the sore arms, backaches…and all the other ailments so eloquently listed by coach Lou Brown in “Major League“.

And while the Angels certainly are not having any issues with owner Arte Moreno turning on the water heater for the jacuzzi or forcing the team to travel via a rundown prop plane on road trips—like Rachel Phelps did to those lovable, fake Charlie Sheen-led Cleveland Indians—they have seen their share of obstacles thus far.

This early?

Sure, foreshadowing possible roadblocks over 162 games with only a six-game sample size, to any certainty (and with a straight face), is like claiming you can reconstruct the Great Barrier Reef with a few sand dollars, some seashells and the leftover sand still stuck in the bottom of your swimsuit pockets.

I agree. But that doesn’t mean what happens today has little effect on tomorrow or, better yet, October.

In the MLB, every game counts, and the Los Angeles Angels are not a special case.

As the team prepares for its first home stretch, there are two obvious barriers standing in its way of divisional supremacy.

Whether the issues are addressed, solved or unsolved, chances are both circumstances will carry just as much weight today as they do around the time when the divisional title can be clinched.

Sand, please.

Health

Possibly the biggest issue of any team—and always an unknown—is the players’ health, or lack thereof. The Angels fall into the latter of that equation.  

Albert Pujols is coming off of his knee injury, and is now dealing with plantar fasciitis. Jered Weaver, possibly still working through his issues toward the end of the 2012 season, fractured his non-throwing arm when he fell (tripped?) on the mound against the Texas Rangers (h/t LA Times’ Mike DiGiovanna).

And Ryan Madson is proving that coming back from Tommy John surgery is not an exact science—he is still not close to 100 percent.

Problems? You bet.

In my mind, any concerns over the pitching staff were always an afterthought because of Jered Weaver. As Weaver goes, so goes the success or failure of the starting rotation.

That’s what an ace/20-game winner is supposed to provide—eating innings, defeating the opposing team’s No. 1 starter and shielding some of the pressure off of the arms behind him.

Now, even if Weaver is in the rotation, things may not go as smoothly. (Look to Weaver’s possible weak glove-side if and when he returns.)

Without a strong front-side (the chest-to-glove that builds up power for a pitcher) the next mph reading on Weaver’s fastball will be substantially lower than the 84-87 mph that has people freaked.

Regardless, the scenario leaves another cliché nagging at the rotation: The domino effect.

The pitchers, behind Weaver, will have the added pressure of picking up the slack, possibly substituting portions of the 20 wins most of the fans would have expected him to earn.

And the bullpen, most notably the long relief, will have added pressure of going deeper into games—keeping the run-fest to a minimum.

It’s a difficult task, made even more cumbersome by the absence of Madson.

Then there is Albert Pujols and his foot.

No question, his injury issues have not been a major problem. The American League allows a team to hide injuries via the DH very well; Pujols is proof of that.

But what about those games when they play on the road against the NL?

Is a slow-footed Pujols at first base worth his bat in the lineup?

After all, his range looked meager in Cincinnati, allowing Joey Votto’s hit to escape his reach in the ninth inning—a play I have seen him make before.

And, with a streaky Josh Hamilton, he can be pitched around with little worry of him doing damage on the bases.

But would a healthy Mark Trumbo be a better substitute, maybe a healthy Bill Hall?

It may not seem like a big deal, however, there are seven remaining games this season on the road against the NL.

How many bats will manager Mike Scioscia be willing to lose?  Remember: Every game counts.

More sand, please.

Fame

 I never thought it possible, but the heavy media coverage and love of “the Trio” may just be a curse in disguise for the Angels.

Mike Trout, Pujols and Hamilton have caused an interesting phenomena, unseen in the MLB/Los Angeles landscape before—at least in the nine-plus years I have lived out here.

The Los Angeles Angels are a “marked team,” nationally as well as locally.

And does that lead to “more money, more problems?”

I’m not 100 percent certain, but fame, and the pressure that comes with it, can do crazy things to people (see Lindsay Lohan). And a sports franchise is no different.

Not only is every little detail going to be dissected from every angle—like it already has—but other teams will be gunning for them, too.

Consistently.

It leads to a common scenario of expecting “easy wins” against a team like the Houston Astros, who the Angels play seven times the next two months, while the team may be focusing on more important series against the Oakland A’s, Texas Rangers or the Detroit Tigers,

That’s when the little guy beats the big guy, a straight upset.

And it doesn’t have to end with the Astros. The Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals could do just as much damage, stealing a win or two here and there.

That’s the downfall of being a new trend. The team’s focus has to be sharp every game, every swing and every pitch. And I wouldn’t put too much stock in this Angels team handling that task.

History is not on their side, post-media hype.  

Remember: It was six games into the season, one year ago, when the Los Angeles Angels, loaded with a new roster of media-attracting talent, stumbled to a record of 2-4 on the way to an 8-15 April.

This year, loaded with even more media-attracting talent, the Angels have stumbled to a record of 2-4 on their way to the unknown.

Could be greatness, could be a flop. Regardless, it seems like déjà vu.

I know…didn’t someone already say that?

(Note: All stats provided were courtesy of baseball-reference.com unless otherwise specified.) 

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It was all about the Los Angeles Angels‘ bats heading into the 2013 season. Thanks to Tuesday’s news, it’s going to be even more about their bats going forward.

The latest word is injury-related, and it unfortunately involves the Angels’ most prized arm. According to the team’s official Twitter feed, right-handed starter Jered Weaver has been placed on the disabled list with a broken left elbow:

You’ll recall that Weaver hurt his elbow on Sunday night in his start against the Texas Rangers. He was forced to evade a line drive up the middle off the bat of Mitch Moreland, and he landed awkwardly on his left arm. He was in pain, trainers came out and he left the game a few moments later.

So how long will Weaver be out? Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com has the prognosis:

There goes the Angels’ ace for maybe as long as six weeks. Say what you will about Weaver’s 4.91 ERA and declining velocity—which has Dave Cameron of FanGraphs worried—but the guy’s track record as a No. 1 speaks for itself. 

The good news is that the Angels are going to play 12 of their next 15 games at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, a park that is far friendlier to pitchers than Great American Ballpark and Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. That’s where the Angels played their first six games, so it’s no real surprise that their starters boast a 4.54 ERA and 15.1 HR/FB rate, according to FanGraphs.

The bad news is that the Angels have nobody to fill Weaver’s shoes. C.J. Wilson’s good, but not an ace. The same certainly goes for Joe Blanton, Jason Vargas and Tommy Hanson, as well as the two primary candidates to replace Weaver in the rotation: Garrett Richards and Jerome Williams.

This discussion could go further…But it doesn’t really need to. I don’t need mountains of statistical evidence to prove that the Angels don’t have a legit No. 1 outside of Weaver. None of you are going to argue that point, right?

No? Didn’t think so.

So despite the fact that the upcoming stretch of home games is going to make things easier on Angels pitchers, the reality is that their rotation is pretty weak without Weaver. The reality beyond that one is that Weaver’s absence could last a lot longer than just the next couple weeks. The Angels’ starting rotation is going to be a question mark until he comes back (and even then…).

That means the time is now for the bats to step up. And that means you, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton.

Given these guys’ reputations, asking them to step it up shouldn’t feel like a tall order. But it does.

Trout, last season’s Rookie of the Year and accomplisher of many awesome things, hasn’t gotten going at the plate yet. He bears a mediocre .250/.300/.357 batting line over 30 plate appearances, is striking out close to 27 percent of the time (see FanGraphs) and hasn’t been taking his walks.

The strikeouts are a real concern. Trout caught the strikeout bug in August and September last year, punching out in 24.9 percent of his plate appearances. The result, naturally, was fewer balls in play, and that’s not what you’re looking for from a guy with Trout’s insane speed and hitting skills. When he puts the ball in play, very good things tend to happen.

The strikeout trend is particularly concerning because of how much Trout is getting fooled in the early goings. He’s got a 10.2 swinging-strike percentage on the young season, up from 7.1 percent last year.

You’ve noticed that Hamilton’s in that same boat. He’s swinging at everything that comes near him so far this season, and he’s not making a ton of contact. His swinging-strike percentage is 21.8, which is even higher than his league-leading (by a long shot) 20.0 swinging-strike percentage last year.

Through 29 plate appearances, Hamilton’s line sits at .160/.276/.200. It’s a good sign that he collected three hits on Sunday night against the Rangers, but less of a good sign that he saw only 11 (11!) pitches in five (Five!) at-bats. His results were better, but his approach still stunk.

As for Pujols, well, he’s doing alright so far. His average is a mere .211, but his OBP is .429 and his slugging percentage is .579. He’s taking his walks and hitting for power.

Granted, the Rangers did inflate Pujols’ walk total by giving him four wide ones on Saturday, but the five unintentional walks he’s drawn this season are one more than he drew all of last April.

That means one of two things.

One: Pujols is patient again. Rejoice!

Or two: Nobody’s going to give Pujols anything to hit as long as Hamilton is swinging at everything within a light year of home plate. Given how much Pujols’ Zone% (the percent of pitches he’s seeing inside the strike zone) has decreased from where it was last season, that would appear to be the case.

Given the dynamics at play, the Trout-Pujols-Hamilton trio is essentially defective in the early goings. Trout’s not getting on base to provide Pujols and Hamilton with RBI opportunities, and Pujols isn’t getting anything to hit because Hamilton isn’t hitting. Not exactly how the Angels drew it up.

The trio’s slow start is particularly discouraging because of how it got to start the season off at two tremendous hitters’ parks. But at the same time, the benefit of the doubt may be in order because Trout, Pujols and Hamilton had to start against two strong pitching staffs. As things stand right now, both the Cincinnati Reds and the Rangers rank in the top 10 in the league in ERA (see FanGraphs).

Here’s where the Angels’ upcoming opponents stand in terms of ERA, as well as where they rank:

• 3 vs. OAK: 2.85 (7)
• 3 vs. HOU: 4.79 (24)
• 3 at MIN: 3.69 (13)
• 3 vs. DET: 4.64 (23)
• 3 vs. TEX: 3.34 (10)
• 4 at SEA: 3.84 (15)
• 3 at OAK: 2.85 (7)
• 4 vs. BAL: 4.57 (22)
• 3 at HOU: 4.79 (24)
• 3 at CHW: 2.41 (3)
• 3 vs. KCR: 3.56 (11)
• 4 vs. CHW: 2.41 (3)

Bit of a mixed bag, but the pitching the Angels are set to face over the next several weeks (through May 19, to be exact, which is about six weeks away) is generally good. Some of these clubs are very likely pitching beyond their capabilities, but the Detroit Tigers stand out as a team that’s clearly pitching well below its capabilities.

As such, I wouldn’t describe the Angels’ upcoming slate as an open invitation for Trout, Pujols and Hamilton to go to town. The chance to feast on inferior pitching isn’t really there. If they’re going to carry this team, they’re simply going to have to live up to their talent and come together like they just haven’t done yet so far this season.

Mike Scioscia and the Angels brass are surely thinking that the Trout-Pujols-Hamilton trio isn’t going to stay down forever, and rightfully so. These are three very good hitters we’re talking about, and even a finger-wagger like myself feels comfortable in saying that they’re going to explode sooner or later.

There’s just no denying the Angels need that to happen sooner. They’re going to need as much offense as they can get as long as Weaver is out, and they know from what happened last year that they must not let their slow start get too out of hand.

The Angels’ 6-14 record through 20 games in 2012 cost them a playoff spot. Given the depth of the AL West and the rest of the American League in general, the same thing could very well happen again this season if they can’t start strong.

So Trout, Pujols and Hamilton had better get to it. The trio has problems that need fixing, and the clock is ticking.

Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

If you want to talk baseball, hit me up on Twitter. 

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Jered Weaver‘s injury was an odd one.

The Los Angeles Angels ace was quick enough to get out of the way of a shot right back at him, but fell on his non-pitching arm in doing so. It was an awkward fall, as you’d expect with a quick twisting move on a sloping surface, which resulted in what looked like a hyperextended elbow.

The team removed Weaver from the game, but he was near his pitch limit anyway, so we really weren’t sure whether he could have continued. The Angels initially only worried about whether he’d make his next start, but images on Tuesday morning showed a fracture near the elbow (via Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal), putting him out of action for an extended period of time. 

Though an injury to his pitching arm would obviously have been worse, the non-throwing arm (or glove-side arm) is important for balance and consistency, so changes there could cause some problems, especially for a pitcher with such a long delivery.

The Angels’ time frame for his recovery is at least four weeks, although CBSSports’ Scott Miller is reporting it will be closer to four to six weeks.

Awful news for #Angels: Jered Weaver out 4-6 weeks with broken left (non-pitching) elbow. Big blow.

— Scott Miller (@ScottMCBS) April 9, 2013

That is a reasonable timetable given the actual injury, though there are no similar injuries in my database to compare this with. A fracture should heal normally, and while we do not know the exact location, there’s no reason to think that there should be any complications. 

Since it is the non-pitching arm, the more aggressive timeline is possible without risking damage. While this doesn’t look to be a long-term issue, the Angels will have to handle Weaver carefully until the elbow is back to normal. My guess is they will be as conservative as their record allows them to be.

While Weaver will be able to do some work to keep his pitching arm in condition, he won’t be able to do normal deliveries or exercises such as long toss. He’ll need at least some time in the minors once he’s able to make sure his stamina and his mechanics are in line.

Swingman Garrett Richards is the likely fill-in, though the Angels have used him as a key reliever through the first week of the season with success. Starter-turned-reliever Jerome Williams is another possibility.

Adding any uncertainty to Weaver’s delivery isn’t something that a pitching coach on the hot seat like Mike Butcher wants on his watch. Weaver is an ace on a big-money, long-term contract, and is key to the Angels getting back to the playoffs.

Balancing a full recovery with their need for him at the front end of their rotation will be a very tough task for the team’s medical staff.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Welcome to the big leagues Brandon Maurer.

Thursday afternoon, fans of the Seattle Mariners had hoped to see the rookie hurler make the leap from Double-A to the majors unscathed following his impressive showing at spring training.  

Unfortunately, the Oakland A’s had other plans (Yahoo!Sports).

Over the course of six innings, Oakland scored six runs on eight hits, two of which were home runs, against Maurer. Yet, what may have seemed like a step backward for the young Maurer, was actually an important step toward the future for the Seattle Mariners.

After all, one bad outing does not make a season, and Maurer will likely have his fair share of ups and downs while in Seattle. More importantly, though Maurer’s appearance should be the beginning of a new era for the Mariners, as they hope to move past a decade of mediocrity.

Ever since general manager Jack Zduriencik took over the ballclub back in late 2008, the team has been stockpiling prospects (MLB.com) that fans have been eagerly awaiting to see in action for the M’s. After years of seeing a slow trickle of talent make it to Seattle, this year, quite a few potential stars appear to be knocking at the door.   

Yet after Maurer, who turned out to be the biggest surprise this spring, who will the Mariners be tempted to promote this season?

While I can’t imagine the M’s being in any major rush, here are the first five players I can see the team promoting to the big leagues in 2013.   

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