What are your statisical expectations for starters this year?

[gowazzu02]

Very cool that the team is getting some props... Very annoying that this team could have been 10X better.

What would you have done more??? Turn trade override on and traded Miller for Mike Trout?

 

[Mariners_44]

Very cool that the team is getting some props... Very annoying that this team could have been 10X better.

I think the Seahawks success has clouded a majority of the people on this board. I'm all for busting chops and criticizing a step back move, but we were one win away from the playoffs last year. We've added in free agency to bolster our weakness, along with addition by subtraction. We have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball, and now a legitimate contender for the first time in well over a decade. Enjoy it

 

[gowazzu02]

I think the Seahawks success has clouded a majority of the people on this board. I'm all for busting chops and criticizing a step back move, but we were one win away from the playoffs last year. We've added in free agency to bolster our weakness, along with addition by subtraction. We have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball, and now a legitimate contender for the first time in well over a decade. Enjoy it

Im right there with you.... I can be as negative as anyone, and theres still time for that should things turn to crap. But for now. Im pretty damn excited for the year to start.

 

[Mariners_44]

Im right there with you.... I can be as negative as anyone, and theres still time for that should things turn to crap. But for now. Im pretty damn excited for the year to start.

You and me both, I have a great feeling about this year. I think we have a good one in front of us.....

 

[dude82]

I'm not known for being very rational

Listen, I don't despise him as a human being, of course not. But, I've had it with him on the Mariners.

You could have conveyed that message without using the word "despise" to begin with. It just came across as blaming Guti for not being able to play as much as everyone would have liked over the last few years. That may not have been your intent, but that's just how it came across to me. Maybe it's the overall tone of this board that has me reacting to things that are said in the same way that a lot of people on this board react to things the Mariners do these days. For example, the M's just made a move, the Rickie Weeks signing, that would be a footnote pretty much anywhere else because of his likely role and the relatively low amount of money that he signed for. Here, it's being portrayed as a typical Zduriencik move that was both unnecessary and likely to fail epically. Zduriencik may have rightfully lost the benefit of the doubt a while back, but everything he does now is doomed to fail and on the off-chance that it actually works, there's a sense of "Don't worry... this move may not have blown up in our faces, but the next one will" around here that is utterly depressing. I get the impression that more people hate-watch this team and everything it does now than watch with any sense of optimism.

 

[cezero]

adding depth with Weeks is fine. cheap for a utility outfielder.

it would indeed be a footnote for any team that already has more than 1 quality full-time outfielder who can hit worth a damn.

it's not hateful to wonder the following:
1) whether or not jack has acquired the pieces to run successful platoons for 2/3 of the outfield
2) whether or not lloyd is capable of managing those platoon situation

i think this board is great for the mix of outlooks. i don't begrudge anybody for being optimistic, and ask that they don't call others "haters" for having a different point of view.

 

[cezero]

You and me both, I have a great feeling about this year. I think we have a good one in front of us.....

I'm betting we end up with as many or more wins this year as we did last year. I think Anaheim will be better, though, and Texas is healthy again. Super tough division yet again. Whether Z did all he could to truly address the wretched outfield, I just don't know. I still wish we had the details of what he actually offered Cabrera, but oh well.

 

[cezero]

please be kind regarding my ignorance about weeks....i thought he was an OF because i am so fixated on it.

zero reason to trash Z for this kind of move, even if bloomquist is okay.

 

[unlvmariners]

I think the Seahawks success has clouded a majority of the people on this board. I'm all for busting chops and criticizing a step back move, but we were one win away from the playoffs last year. We've added in free agency to bolster our weakness, along with addition by subtraction. We have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball, and now a legitimate contender for the first time in well over a decade. Enjoy it

First of all, is it a crime to want your team to be better than it is?

I am excited for Mariners baseball too. We should have a competitive this year and i am excited about that. I also believe this team could have been better. I think there were opportunities to improve this team even more that didn't happen.

I also don't look at last season and think we were one game away from the playoffs and think that is a good thing. This is a new season against different teams the number of wins we will need will likely be different.

 

[NWinAZ]

I am with UNLV 100%. We went from being 11 games back in our division, screw the 1 game away from a 1 game series to make the playoffs B.S., and we added Cruz who tailed off big in the second half, added Happ who is Young 2.0 (better stuff but Young won so that is what counts), added a platoon which is always a gamble while subtracting Saunders and Young. Has does that equate to World Series predictions? I mean t is possible, but that can be said for 80% of the teams. Kuma is a HUGE if factor and 2 to 3 rookies in the rotation is scary as hell.

I am all for being excited, but to say we made all the moves and to pounce on anyone who questions that we didn't do more is blind faith and after 37 years of near total failure I am shocked at so many fans giddiness. To each their own and all that.

And in case anyone wants to argue my points, I will just defend myself now with 1- Morrison as only 1B, 2- Ackely as only LF option. 3- Jackson as only CF option. 4- 3 rookies looking to make rotation with only 2 backup options in case they fail or get injured. Does that sound like the makeup of a W.S. lock? Honestly? Wishing for the best, expecting more of the same.

 

[gowazzu02]

First of all, is it a crime to want your team to be better than it is?

I am excited for Mariners baseball too. We should have a competitive this year and i am excited about that. I also believe this team could have been better. I think there were opportunities to improve this team even more that didn't happen.

I also don't look at last season and think we were one game away from the playoffs and think that is a good thing. This is a new season against different teams the number of wins we will need will likely be different.

Again what more would you do? They signed the home run leader to take over dh...im not a stat head but id imagine our dh last yr had the lowest war in baseball. Do you expect them to be the yankees and sign lester shields and hanram???

 

[NWinAZ]

Again what more would you do? They signed the home run leader to take over dh...im not a stat head but id imagine our dh last yr had the lowest war in baseball. Do you expect them to be the yankees and sign lester shields and hanram???

I am not here to answer for UNLV, but my answer would be 'Yes'. If you want to play with the big boys, then act like a big boy. They play on the fringes just enough to make money and not contend. Contending for them is a byproduct. But M's fans are so easily swayed these days because of decades of futility they grasp at even the smallest possible improvement. That is ones right, but that still won't get the team to change. Heck, even the freaking Marlins had a better offseason or least tried.

Cruz second half: 12 homers, 34 RBI's, .249/.306/.463. Not exactly savior numbers.

 

[gowazzu02]

I am not here to answer for UNLV, but my answer would be 'Yes'. If you want to play with the big boys, then act like a big boy. They play on the fringes just enough to make money and not contend. Contending for them is a byproduct. But M's fans are so easily swayed these days because of decades of futility they grasp at even the smallest possible improvement. That is ones right, but that still won't get the team to change. Heck, even the freaking Marlins had a better offseason or least tried.

Cruz second half: 12 homers, 34 RBI's, .249/.306/.463. Not exactly savior numbers.

Our DH the second half, 7hr, 24 rbis, .212/.285/.343

Listen, I get it, Ive been right there with you as a battered fan. I want to puke every time they shove a 1995 bobble head down our throats. But if you're waiting for them to spend like yankees, Sawx, cubs, or LA teams to be happy, you'll flat out never be happy.

And PS: We were better then all of those teams not in LA last year..........In today's non roided up era the big fat contracts can kill a team. Cruz contract in 3 years will be a huge hindrance for us. Look at how sad the yankees squad is right now and they're making like double what our team is.

Z proved last year he could make some moves mid season, Cruz and the platoon is a good start, now lets just see how it goes. IF theres ever a time to be optomistic its right now. We have all summer to stew if it calls apart.

 

[unlvmariners]

Again what more would you do? They signed the home run leader to take over dh...im not a stat head but id imagine our dh last yr had the lowest war in baseball. Do you expect them to be the yankees and sign lester shields and hanram???

It sounds like you think this team is the best it could possibly be?

Felix, Iwakuma, Paxton, Happ and Elias/Walker/ Ramirez- Best possible pitching rotation?
Logan Morrison at first base is the best we can do?
Platoon in RF is best we can do?
Ackley is the best we can do?
The SS will be whomever does better in spring training is the best we can do?

And why not sign those guys? Melky, HanRam etc... Why not trade for players? Why not go for it this year? It feels like the Mariners have 1 foot in and 1 foot out. The way Jack Z has constructed this team the window is small and I fear it will pass us by.

 

[unlvmariners]

Our DH the second half, 7hr, 24 rbis, .212/.285/.343

Listen, I get it, Ive been right there with you as a battered fan. I want to puke every time they shove a 1995 bobble head down our throats. But if you're waiting for them to spend like yankees, Sawx, cubs, or LA teams to be happy, you'll flat out never be happy.

And PS: We were better then all of those teams not in LA last year..........In today's non roided up era the big fat contracts can kill a team. Cruz contract in 3 years will be a huge hindrance for us. Look at how sad the yankees squad is right now and they're making like double what our team is.

Z proved last year he could make some moves mid season, Cruz and the platoon is a good start, now lets just see how it goes. IF theres ever a time to be optomistic its right now. We have all summer to stew if it calls apart.

Like I said before... I am excited about this team too but this team missed opportunities to be a better team for now and the future. If you think this is the best possible team they can field then good for you that is your opinion. My opinion is that they could do better. Doesn't mean I am not optimistic about the team it means I am realistic and know that they missed potential improvements.

 

[cezero]

...We went from being 11 games back in our division, screw the 1 game away from a 1 game series to make the playoffs B.S., .

Agreed.

As a lot of us on here have said many times, the "but we were just 1 game away from making a 1-game playoff to possibly nab the 2nd wildcard spot and make it to the postseason" attitude is for losers.

You have to expect your front office to want more than that, and show it during the offseason. I'm ambivalent as to whether or not they've done that this winter, and I certainly don't trust Z and the rest of the front office to make key moves/trade decisions in the middle of the season to compensate for starting day deficiencies. How could anybody trust him for that if you call yourself a baseball fan? lol

 

[gowazzu02]

Like I said before... I am excited about this team too but this team missed opportunities to be a better team for now and the future. If you think this is the best possible team they can field then good for you that is your opinion. My opinion is that they could do better. Doesn't mean I am not optimistic about the team it means I am realistic and know that they missed potential improvements.

I guess were just different, In no way do I think Melky Cabrera is worth the 14 million he got from chicago.

Hanram, a 3b who is trying to convert to the outfield. I don't think that helps this team that much,

Scherzer/Lester were never an option.

You say your being realistic, well your expectations aren't realistic. Were not the yankees or red sox. never will be.

In todays baseball you dont win by throwing a boat load of cash in FA anyway. Look at where the yankees are at today cause of that strategy.

 

[cezero]

There is no way that with a $2 billion media deal, the M's shouldn't be able to get into the top 10 with MLB payrolls, where most perennial contenders are...especially since the M's can't develop anything outside of pitching on their own through the draft, and aren't exactly deft at making strategic trades.

There's a lot of room between where the M's are right now with payroll and where the Yanks are, so give that a rest.

If Z offered Cabrera more than the White Sox did, and Cabrera simply didn't want to come to Safeco, then that's okay. It's the only way it's okay, IMO. We'll never really know, though, most likely.

 

[SeattleCoug]

I can see points on both sides here.

Positively this the most complete team "on paper" in a while. I do feel there is reason to be optimistic because a) I love baseball and b) there is no reason that this team shouldn't make a playoff spot.

Negatively the competition last year was as easy as you will see it across the American league. 87 wins typically doesn't have you playing for a playoff spot in the final weekend. We did benefit on other teams great deficiencies. Also did they address everything they needed? I would have liked them to add at least an starting caliber OF and a middle of the rotation starter.

Im excited but not satisfied yet

 

[wazzu31]

My frustrated stems from this entire off season seems like Jack half assed his job. All the normal excuses are out the window, they have the money, they have trade chips, they finally have fan support. There isn't any excuse why Cruz is the only addition they really made. I'm always excited for the season but this front office has to be the worst in sports, I'd rather they go all in and every move implode that just ramming a bunch of square pegs in a round hole and praying that it eventually fits.