What are your statisical expectations for starters this year?

[gowazzu02]

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.

Hitters specifically dont want to play for us cause of safeco. you have to really overpay, ie cano and cruz to some extent. Players dont want to play in Seattle cause its by far and away the hardest in terms of travel, There are 31 other teams out there vieing for the services of the available talent that was on the market.......

 

[unlvmariners]

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

I agree with everything you said.

 

[unlvmariners]

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.

Completely disagree. It is absolutely realistic to have a competative payroll. It is realistic to make trades for players that improve your roster without breaking the bank. Why not???

Seriously how much more is on the books this year than last year? did they really increase payroll this year like they said they would?

 

[octagondd]

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.

I understand the frustration since we have all been dealing with it for decades, but what you wrote here is like saying you agree with what happened in 2001 but don't want to accept the outcome of it which was 2002 - 2014.

As someone said, this is the best lineup on paper that we have seen in a while, so I feel optimistic about it, but we have to see how it plays out. The key for me is they didn't risk the entire future of the franchise to get here. I think that is the most important. Many call that typical M's style of just trying to contend and not going for it all, but I think it is possible to do both. Maybe I am wrong and it could be a horrific season. Ackley, LoMo and Zunino could completely tank. Seager could have a down year. Cruz could get hurt and Cano fall off a cliff. All I know is this is the best projected offense in a while with a minor downgrade in pitching.

 

[cezero]

our farm isn't even in the top 10 in mlb anymore, so the whole "risking the future" thing makes little sense in that regard.

this is it. outside of a sparse group of kids that might develop into MLB players in the next 3-4 years, we've already called up everybody who's any good that z's drafted in his master rebuild plan.

those who don't want Z to trade any of them away, i understand. but you can't have it both ways. if we don't trade with the big boy table to get what we need, then the only other option to supplement what we've grown ourselves is to increase payroll.

if you think this winter's work was enough, then i can respect that to a degree. maybe it will be. i'm cautiously optimistic that it will work out.

if you think z is some trade master who's going to make all of the right moves in the middle of the season to address deficiencies that weren't already addressed on opening day, that's fine, too. i have no idea what precedent you build that off of, but whatever, it's fine.

my dream is that ackley, seager, and zunino all have their best years so far, and that cano and cruz do their thing as well. another bonus would be miller or taylor stepping up and playing like a real, everyday SS. 1B isn't so big of a deal to me. but that outfield....yeesh.

 

[wazzu31]

I understand the frustration since we have all been dealing with it for decades, but what you wrote here is like saying you agree with what happened in 2001 but don't want to accept the outcome of it which was 2002 - 2014.

As someone said, this is the best lineup on paper that we have seen in a while, so I feel optimistic about it, but we have to see how it plays out. The key for me is they didn't risk the entire future of the franchise to get here. I think that is the most important. Many call that typical M's style of just trying to contend and not going for it all, but I think it is possible to do both. Maybe I am wrong and it could be a horrific season. Ackley, LoMo and Zunino could completely tank. Seager could have a down year. Cruz could get hurt and Cano fall off a cliff. All I know is this is the best projected offense in a while with a minor downgrade in pitching.

They didn't remotely come close to going all in 2001 nor in Gillick's entire tenure, they had one of the higher rated minor league systems and Gillick didn't trade one of them to help the team at the time. Pat Gillick is responsible for the beginning of the demise of the franchise as he usually does because he loaded the team up on old guys on their last legs, then it went further into the tank because Bill Bavasi was inexperienced. Bavasi's moves did not work but I was much more satisfied with his trying and failing than Gillick or Jack Z.

 

[wazzu31]

Hitters specifically dont want to play for us cause of safeco. you have to really overpay, ie cano and cruz to some extent. Players dont want to play in Seattle cause its by far and away the hardest in terms of travel, There are 31 other teams out there vieing for the services of the available talent that was on the market.......

I understand what you are saying except in baseball there is no such thing as overpay, there isn't a salary cap, there is no such thing as a horrible contract that will destroy a franchise like in other sports. The overpaying thing is also in a crock IMO because that is always the excuse for why hitters don't come here according to Jack but if that is the case then why aren't pitching knocking down their doors to come pitch in this pitcher park for less than the band box of Wrigley or Boston? It is the organization not the ball park

 

[Logicallylethal]

Starting Lineup

CF - Austin Jackson - .274 BA, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 90 Runs 11 SB
LF - Dustin Ackley - .261 BA, 15 HR, 74 RBI, 81 Runs, 15 SB
2B - Robinson Cano - .331 BA, 25 HR, 103 RBI 89 Runs
3B - Kyle Seager - .272 BA, 24 HR, 98 RBI, 72 Runs
DH - Nelson Cruz - .249 BA, 29 HR, 89 RBI, 84 Runs
1B - Logan Morrison - .255 BA, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 54 Runs
RF - Seth Smith - .260 BA, 10 HR 54 RBI, 58 Runs
C - Mike Zunino - .234 BA, 28 HR, 72 RBI, 61 Runs
SS - Brad Miller .249 BA, 15 HR 51 RBI, 64 Runs, 7 SB


Starting Rotation

1. Felix Hernandez - 235 IP, 20-8 W/L, 2.44 ERA, 246 Ks
2. Hisashi Iwakuma - 192 IP, 14-9 W/L, 3.48 ERA, 167 Ks
3. James Paxton - 181 IP, 13-9 W/L, 3.78 ERA, 177 Ks
4. Taijuan Walker 179 IP, 15-4 W/L 2.96 ERA, 201 Ks
5. J.A Happ - 196 IP, 10-12 W/L, 4.54 ERA, 154 Ks



Seattle Mariners - 96-66 (1st AL West)

 

[unlvmariners]

I understand what you are saying except in baseball there is no such thing as overpay, there isn't a salary cap, there is no such thing as a horrible contract that will destroy a franchise like in other sports. The overpaying thing is also in a crock IMO because that is always the excuse for why hitters don't come here according to Jack but if that is the case then why aren't pitching knocking down their doors to come pitch in this pitcher park for less than the band box of Wrigley or Boston? It is the organization not the ball park

Good point...

I still wish we would have brought in a free agent pitcher doesn't have to be a big name. I think AZ mentioned Brandon Beachy, a guy who has MLB experience and put up good numbers and should come at a cheaper price. I am a firm believer in you can't have too much pitching. I honestly think the organization really really wants to play Walker this year no matter what. The pitching rotation is an area that makes me a little nervous because I can see Kuma having a bad year (just a guess) and at least someone having to deal with an injury. Our rotation is 6 1/2 guys deep we have the 4 for sure starters then we have Elias and Walker for #5 then Ramirez (the Half guy) as a little bit of depth.

 

[wazzu31]

Good point...

I still wish we would have brought in a free agent pitcher doesn't have to be a big name. I think AZ mentioned Brandon Beachy, a guy who has MLB experience and put up good numbers and should come at a cheaper price. I am a firm believer in you can't have too much pitching. I honestly think the organization really really wants to play Walker this year no matter what. The pitching rotation is an area that makes me a little nervous because I can see Kuma having a bad year (just a guess) and at least someone having to deal with an injury. Our rotation is 6 1/2 guys deep we have the 4 for sure starters then we have Elias and Walker for #5 then Ramirez (the Half guy) as a little bit of depth.

I completely agree with that but the whole handling of him being the biggest trade chip they have yet while they have spent one and a half seasons publicly bashing him. The rotation is also a scare for me because it is Felix, then Kuma (who I think is done as a top of the rotation pitcher) then guys who haven't pitched a full season then Haap. I love Paxton but he hasn't shown a full season in the bigs, same thing with Walker, Elias and Ramirez. My negative feeling is I think they could have a solid rotation up until the innings catch up with the guys.

 

[gowazzu02]

I completely agree with that but the whole handling of him being the biggest trade chip they have yet while they have spent one and a half seasons publicly bashing him. The rotation is also a scare for me because it is Felix, then Kuma (who I think is done as a top of the rotation pitcher) then guys who haven't pitched a full season then Haap. I love Paxton but he hasn't shown a full season in the bigs, same thing with Walker, Elias and Ramirez. My negative feeling is I think they could have a solid rotation up until the innings catch up with the guys.

Didnt elias spend most of last yr on thebig club?

 

[NWinAZ]

1- For all the points some fans make about how money doesn't buy championships, remember who owns the most trophies....the high paying Yankees. 27!!!!! #2? Cardinals with 11. So not sure of the point about money and championships.

2- I would be satisfied if we just spent as much as our division leaders. We are currently $37M under the Angels in 2015 payroll. Not the Yankees. Not the Dodgers. Not the Red Sox. The Angels.

3- No, spending just to spend doesn't improve you. But since when does a guy like Lester make for a bad investment? Not a Scherzer fan so could care less on that non-signing. Shields? LaRoche? Cabrera? None of those guys would be a payroll killer. M's just cheap and have no problem doing as little as possible to compete. They will be glad to win, but they won't lose sleep if they don't as long as they keep the fan base expectations low.

 

[Podunkparte]

I expect Nelson Cruz to hit one of the longest HRs I've ever seen in Safeco. The way he has hit here in the past plus the way he says he just loves the batter's eye makes me think he's just going to launch one at some point.

Recent memory, I think the most impressive HR I remember seeing was actually Jesus Montero the first Felix start after his perfect game. It wasn't a majestic moon shot, but fat boy connected and sent a laser beam off the left center facade of the upper deck. I was there that night and that sound was impressive.

 

[wazzu31]

I expect Nelson Cruz to hit one of the longest HRs I've ever seen in Safeco. The way he has hit here in the past plus the way he says he just loves the batter's eye makes me think he's just going to launch one at some point.

Recent memory, I think the most impressive HR I remember seeing was actually Jesus Montero the first Felix start after his perfect game. It wasn't a majestic moon shot, but fat boy connected and sent a laser beam off the left center facade of the upper deck. I was there that night and that sound was impressive.

Richie Sexson hit some serious moonshots too while he was a Mariner. There is something to the altitude but I think it is mostly the hitters that they have had that is the reason the offense has struggled so much.

 

[gowazzu02]

I expect Nelson Cruz to hit one of the longest HRs I've ever seen in Safeco. The way he has hit here in the past plus the way he says he just loves the batter's eye makes me think he's just going to launch one at some point.

Recent memory, I think the most impressive HR I remember seeing was actually Jesus Montero the first Felix start after his perfect game. It wasn't a majestic moon shot, but fat boy connected and sent a laser beam off the left center facade of the upper deck. I was there that night and that sound was impressive.

Cruz hit a bomb off the king last year. into edgars cantina, I dont think the ball got much higher then 15 feet off the ground, it was a lazer. left the building in like 1 second.....but Cruz's career #'s at the safe aren't all that great......

 

[PolarVortex]

I expect Nelson Cruz to hit one of the longest HRs I've ever seen in Safeco. The way he has hit here in the past plus the way he says he just loves the batter's eye makes me think he's just going to launch one at some point.

Recent memory, I think the most impressive HR I remember seeing was actually Jesus Montero the first Felix start after his perfect game. It wasn't a majestic moon shot, but fat boy connected and sent a laser beam off the left center facade of the upper deck. I was there that night and that sound was impressive.

There hasn't been a 500+ foot shot in the majors since Adam Dunn in 2008. If a Mariner is going to do it in the near future, it will probably be Mike Zunino. Mike's current best is 431, but he' still about three or four years away from being in his prime.

 

[PolarVortex]

My primary concern with the Mariners improving their win total this year: home field advantage. They need to find it. If they were just league-average team at home last year, they would have made the playoffs. A contending team, genrally speaking, should be better at home than on the road. There arre exceptions, most notably Kansas City last year. But, they should not count on road success to continue to bail them out. They need to figure out how to win in Safeco.

Last year their ratio of road wins to total wins was the highest in the American League.
Can we realistically expect them to duplicate their road success from next year? If not then the pressure is even greater to win more games at home.