New 2014 Seattle Mariners Projections

The Seattle Mariners have made headlines this off season, by signing Robinson Cano to a 10 year $240 million dollar contract. They have also added Corey Hart and Logan Morrison (@CupOfLoMo) via trade. So the question is "Just how good will the Mariners become after these signings?". With the Angels trading away Mark Trumbo to the Arizona Diamondbacks the Angels are now down to three big names; Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, and Albert Pujols. But out of those three players one produced MVP type numbers and the Angels finished in 3rd place last with a 78-84 record (their first losing season since 2003).

Now, the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers are the only competition the Mariners really have in the American League West. The Houston Astros had some success against the Mariners last year but finished with the worst record in baseball (51-111). So, really what chances do the Mariners have this year of being a playoff bound team? The answer is......I think they have a fair shot at becoming a Wild Card team if not the winners of the AL West.

Last year the Mariners finished second in baseball in home runs with 188! Cant remember the last time the Mariners were ever in the top 5 in home runs. Now the Mariners have had a couple players that will not be returning this year including Kendrys Morales, Carter Capps (traded to Miami for Morrison), Raul Ibanez, and Franklin Gutierrez.

With the current players that are on the active roster this is my projected starting lineup and starting rotation.

SS Brad Miller
CF Dustin Ackley/Nick Franklin
2B Robinson Cano
DH Corey Hart
3B Kyle Seager
1B Justin Smoak
C Mike Zunino
RF Michael Saunders
LF Abraham Almonte

Bench
Logan Morrison
Willie Bloomquist
Carlos Triunfel
Jesus Sucre

Starting Rotation
Felix Hernandez
Hisashi Iwakuma
Taijuan Walker
James Paxton
Erasmo Ramirez

Bullpen
Charlie Furbush
Blake Beaven
Lucas Luetge
Yoervis Medina
Tom Wilhelmsen (hate to say it)
Stephen Pryor
Danny Farquhar

Now, Nick Franklin im not sure if he or Dustin Ackley will be on the Opening Day roster spring training is going to see both Franklin and Ackley battle for the final roster spot. Franklin might even be traded before then, but I do believe that the M's will try the Ackley experiment on him and give him a shot out in the outfield. Seeing Wilhelmsen on the roster is not something Mariners fans want to see but who else is there?

The Mariners did make a great pickup in Willie Bloomquist, with his utility ability and veteran experience in the clubhouse the front office signed him to a 2 year $5.8 million dollar contract and again I believe the front office made a smart choice in signing Willie and not resigning Raul Ibanez. Ibanez had a great season last year but during the second half of the season went down hill.

The Mariners pitching staff though is hoping for a full and healthy season from Stephen Pryor, with his 100mph fastball he and Danny Farquhar will be battling who will be the full time closer. As you remember Farquhar had a great rookie season after The Bartender was fired from his closing duties. Farquhar saved 16 games out of the 20 attempts while appearing in 46 games. So its going to be exciting to see which one of these young men get the closing job, whoever does is going to have a great season this year.

Now let me go ahead and give my thought on the lineup I gave. First off its a no brainier that Robinson Cano is going to be batting 3rd. I mean Miller is going give a possible first run for the M's in the lead off spot, so again Cano is the logical choice as the #3 hitter. With Brad Miller and Dustin Ackley (or Nick Franklin) will give Cano the speed to drive in one or two runs even three if he hits a home run so again Cano in the 3rd spot is a no doubter.

Now Seager batting the 5-hole is the best thing Mariners manager Llyod McClenndon can do. Seager batted .356 last year while hitting in the 5-hole and had a ratio of 1 out of every 9 plate appearance where he struck out! Career wise Seager is a better hitter when he bats #5; he has a career batting average of .324 and has only struck out 42 times in 319 plate appearances.

Basically my lineup speaks for itself. Smoak and Zunino after Seager fits perfectly as they can get hit for extra bases and drive in runs and following those two are Michael Saunders and Abraham Almonte who when on base pose a threat to steal bases and get into scoring position. Seriously can this lineup I gave be anymore dangerous and can this starting rotation be anymore threatening? The answer is yes.

My prediction for this team is going to impressive at the least. 2014 will see the Seattle Mariners post 90+ wins for the first time since 2003 and will be a great threat for the both the Wild Card and the American League West title. Cano will lead the way for hitters and Felix will do his part in leading the way pitching wise. No one has yet to say just how threatening this Mariners team can and will be this upcoming season and that's great because what better way to show the baseball world how deadly this team is then by proving to the experts and the doubters.

This season will also see 3 maybe even 5 members of the team going to the All Star game including Cano being the first Mariner since Brett Boone in 03 to compete in the Homerun Derby.

Be prepared Mariners fans for a great season.

The tragedy of fan violence

Last night in Denver fan violence took another turn for the worse as three people were stabbed in the parking lot after the Broncos 27-20 loss to the San Diego Chargers. This altercation isn't the first this year, just a couple weeks ago a 28 year old woman was charged with murder in a shooting that followed the loss Alabama suffered in the Iron Bowl against Auburn. The victim's sister says the suspect shot her because she was mad at her for joking about the loss and didn't seem to be enough a Crimson Tide fan. Earlier this month and man died in an altercation in the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot during Kansas City's game against Denver.

Fan violence has been around for as long as anyone can remember, but for some reason in the past 4 years it has gotten worse to where police officer's are putting on opposing team jersey's and going undercover. Just this last Sunday a 49ers fan was arrested after trying to start a fight with an undercover cop in a Seahawks jersey. Look I understand the rivalry between teams but when people are getting into fights and dying OVER A GAME its just ridiculous.

Other nations have the same problem as American sports, especially in soccer. Soccer fans usually start fights that escalate into riots which then results in either numerous deaths/injuries.

I first experienced fan violence in 1997 when I took a trip to Oakland to see the Seahawks play the Oakland Raiders. Before Niner fans became the arrogant douche bags they are now Raider fans were the worst, just imagine that your 7 years old getting told "fuck you you little Seahawk bitch" and then after the game getting beer poured on you! The same thing happened to my cousin when my uncle took her to Philadelphia to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Flyers.

Fan violence seems to getting worse in both football and college football, its getting so bad that both associations will beef up security indefinitely. I know that I have repeated what I have said in this post but its hard to just describe the way fans act and present themselves when it comes to sports. I understand being a die-hard fan and that you don't like losing but that's no reason to take it out on the other teams fans and to cause serious injury and even death!

The violent events that sports has seen in the last 4 years is making the MLB, NFL, NBA, and MLS look bad. Seattle has its rivalries. The Seahawks have the 49ers, the Mariners have the A's, Yankees, and Angels, and the Sounders have the Timbers; all these rivalries (except for the Mariners) has nearly seen fan violence escalate to fan brawls. I blame the dramatic intake of alcohol at the sporting events for the violence that fans show. With fans drinking so much at games their thought process of knowing right and wrong begins to fly out the window.

I know I'm going to get bashed for this but for the fans safety every sport association should have security keep an extra eye on the intake that some fans have at games and also have fans of NFL teams take a breathalyzer test before the game and if that fan is over the legal limit then inform security, concession stands, and vendors to not sell that fan anymore alcohol.

Its because fans drink too much and act crazy that these violent events happen. Its tragic to see fans not having fun anymore and instead of being friendly after a tough loss or a great win they have to get into fights that in some cases like last night results in fans getting seriously hurt. To all fans who have experienced fan violence spread the word around to just have fun at the games. There's no need to get into fights with other fans, fighting just shows everyone that you have no class and that you are not a die hard fan you're just an asshole.

My prayers are going out to the victim's of last night's stabbing in Denver and I pray that fans learn to just have fun again and to be friends with other team fans.

Sea-Talk Intentional Podcast Week 15 Match up Edition

Me and Steve discuss our Week 15 match up and give our predictions for the games
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-129537/TS-811584.mp3

Sea-Talk Intentional Podcast Episode 18

Seahawks post game show, talking UW Huskies and WSU Cougs Bowl games, and finally Mariners

Sea-Talk Intentional Podcast Episode 17

Today i interview Seahawks legend Walter Jones and i talk Mariners and the off season
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-129537/TS-810367.mp3