STATE OF THE MARINERS

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UPDATE 12/27/09 - 5:54 PM PST
The trade of former #1 pick Brandon Morrow indicates that either the team is comfortable enough with their internal options after Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee or it means that they are not done shopping for starting pitching. Currently, Ian Snell and Ryan Rowland-Smith are penciled into the next two spots with a slew of candidates for the last spot in the rotation. Left-handers Lucas French (4-5, 5.29 ERA in 12 starts between DET/SEA), Garrett Olson (3-5, 6.49 ERA in 11 starts), and Jason Vargas (2-6, 5.33 ERA in 14 starts) are all in the mix with Doug Fister (3-4, 4.20 ERA in 10 starts) and Yusmeiro Petit (3-9, 5.72 ERA in 17 starts w/ ARI) the top right-handed contenders. I currently have Olson, who was ranked Baltimore's #6 prospect by Baseball America just three seasons ago, projected to win the spot.

UPDATE 12/8/09 - 7:47 PM PST
The team has signed Chone Figgins to a 4-year, $36M deal with an option for a fifth season. No doubt that the 31 year-old switch-hitter will wreak havoc (.395 OBP, 42 SB in '09) at the top of the lineup with Ichiro. The question will be, who is going to knock them in? Franklin Gutierrez and Jose Lopez, both 26 years old, had productive seasons in 2009 but is either a legitimate #3 hitter or 4 hitter? Probably not. At least not yet. One more slugger in the middle of that lineup and the Mariners offense just might be pretty good.

UPDATE 11/13/09 - 2:03 PM PST
The M's plugged a huge hole at SS by re-signing Jack Wilson to a 2-year deal worth a reported $10M. The 31-year old had an $8.5M option for 2010 but that was obviously declined.

UPDATE 11/11/09 - 12:39 PM PST
The team has filled one of its many holes by re-signing Seattle icon Ken Griffey, Jr. (.214 BA, 19 HR, 57 RBI in '09) to a 1-yr deal worth $2M plus incentives. Presumably, Griffey would continue as the team's DH vs RHP's. In '09, he shared the DH duties with free agent Mike Sweeney. World Series hero Hideki Matsui was linked to Seattle in a few recent rumors but Griffey's signing likely puts that one to rest for the winter.

UPDATE 11/9/09 - 4:35 PM PST
LINEUP - Not too many team have as many question marks as the Mariners. We know Ichiro will be in RF, Franklin Gutierrez in CF, and Jose Lopez will be at 2B. There is no guarantee that any of the other six spots in the lineup would even be filled by players on the existing roster. Adam Moore and Rob Johnson should form a decent duo behind the plate but the team could also go after a veteran so Moore can get some more seasoning at AAA. Twenty-three year-old Mike Carp (.818 OPS in AAA) is close to being ready to take over 1B. Twenty-two year-old Michael Saunders finished the '09 season in LF but he hit just .221 without a HR in 122 AB's after being called up in late July. Jack Wilson has SS covered, but that's only if the team picks up his $8.4M club option for 2010. Expect a number of acquisitions and free agent signings to be made before the start of spring training.

ROTATION - Felix Hernandez has emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball. After that, nothing but question marks. Ian Snell was 2-8 with a 5.36 ERA on the season and was pitching in Triple-A Indianapolis when the M's acquired him from Pittsburgh. He appeared to right the ship, sort of, winning 5 of 7 decisions and posting a 4.20 ERA but his 39 BB's and 37 K's are a concern. I currently have Carlos Silva penciled into the rotation, mainly because the M's are hoping he can turn it around and give them some return on his $11.5M salary for 2010. Entering the 3rd year of a 4 year-$48M contract, he's 5-18 with a 6.81 ERA. Expect an open competition between Doug Fister, Lucas French, Brandon Morrow, Garrett Olson, Yusmeiro Petit, and Ryan Rowland-Smith to fill out however many spots are left in the rotation. Only Morrow offers much of an upside as a future top-of-the-rotation starter, but there are some good potential mid-rotation pitchers in the group.

BULLPEN - If not for the spectacular work of closer David Aardsma and the entire bullpen, the season could've been a disaster. The 27 year-old Aardsma had 38 saves and 80 K's in 71.1 IP. Shawn Kelley, Mark Lowe, and Sean White each did an outstanding job getting the ball to Aardsma. In limited action, lefties Olson (3.90 ERA in 20 relief appearances) and Jason Vargas (2.87 ERA in 9 relief appearances) each did well out of the 'pen. Not much help needed here. At least it's not a huge priority, given the holes in the lineup and rotation.