The boys in teal are back with a new look!

April 4, 2016 is one week away! The Mariners come into the 2016 with a new look, a new GM, and plenty of new faces that hope to make an impact to push this team into their first postseason birth since their dramatic 116 win season back in 2001. So wait that means its been 1,2,3.....15 YEARS?! DAMMIT! Yup 15 years since the Northwest saw postseason baseball and because the stinkin Blue Jays made the postseason last year for the first time since 1993 we now have the longest postseason drought in baseball!

Yeah, that's not something I'm not going to brag about. Every year I'm always "that Mariners fan" who believes that this is the year we "finally do it", the year we finally win it all. To tell you the truth....its a possibility. With Jerry Dipoto the new GM he's done more than that bald idiot Jack Zduriencik did in his short brief time with the team.

Dipoto kicked off his Mariner GM career by making a huge splash to the season by trading Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, and Danny Farqhuar to the Tampa Bay Rays for Boog Powell, Nathan Karns, and C.J. Riefenhauser (who was traded a month later). JeDi, as I call him, then decided to go mad! He went mad! MAD I TELL YOU! Mad enough to make to sign Nori Aoki, trade for Adam Lind, trade for Leonys Martin, sign Chris Iannetta, resigned Hisashi Iwakuma, resigned Franklin Gutierrez, traded for Wade Miley, signed closer Steve Cishek, traded for Joaquin Benoit, signed Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee, and signed Cuban slugger Guillermo Heredia.

As you can see JeDi has made some incredible moves that has given the 2016 Seattle Mariners more depth pitching and hitting wise that the Mariners have a great chance to not just make the postseason but possibly be a contender for both the American League West title and the AL pennant. If you look at the Mariners right now and told me that "this team isn't going to make a splash all season long" I would say you're dead wrong!

Lets take a look at the pitching shall we? The rotation is still undecided with the number 5 starter but currently we're going to see Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Wade Miley, Taijuan Walker, and either James Paxton or Nathan Karns. So looking at the rotation to me.....I'm seeing 4 possible win right off the bat, that is if the hitting backs up the pitching. Felix is going to be Felix this year, that's for certain, he is coming off another stellar season but his strikeout rate took a dip and his ERA was the highest its been since 2011.

Felix is coming into Spring Training about to turn 30 and he has blonde hair and goatee. Felix is perhaps the player that will begin the season with one thought in his mind. and that thought is "this season is our year". Yes, I know all players have to be thinking that but Felix is coming into his 12th season without even 1 playoff game appearance. Felix has noted that as well, he's frustrated at the fact that he's about to be 30 and he's been in the league for over 10 years and never pitched in a postseason game.

Felix is not only holding himself to pitch like his career is on the line this year but he's holding himself to personally get this team to the postseason. My expectation for the King this year is this, watch him get 20 wins! Felix is pushing himself this year to perhaps pitch even better than his 2014 season, and with determination like that who can argue that he wont win 20 games this year?

Let's now talk about the Prince, the Fresh Prince of Seattle that is. Taijuan Walker is coming off his first full season in the majors and it looked like Walker was going to bomb it when he started. Walker went 1-5 with a 7.33 ERA in his first 9 starts, but after that he was a totally different pitcher. Walker went 10-3 for the rest of the season while keeping his ERA below 3 during that stretch. Walker is on my "breakout player" watch for this season. Walker will open the season at home in the Mariners home opener against the Oakland Athletics. This season I'm saying Walker is going to knockout 18 wins along with being an All Star and don't be surprised if you see a Fresh Prince no-no this year.

Kuma and Miley are even when I look at both of them. Kuma is coming off a 9-5 season where he tossed the Mariners fifth no hitter in franchise history against the Baltimore Orioles. Miley on the other hand is coming off a .500 record season with the Boston Red Sox, where he went 11-11 with a 4.46 ERA......not that impressive huh? Wrong, Miley may have lost 11 games but he was consistent, he went 6+ innings 22 times out of his 32 starts. Look you may not think that's still impressive but lets face it, last year the Mariners bullpen usually had to work 5 innings! We may have given up Carson Smith and Roenis Elias but hey if Miley can give us 6+ in 20+ starts I wont complain.

Kuma and Miley are on my radar to win around 14-15 games this year, maybe 16 with Kuma but I think 13-14 is more around Miley's reach. Now with the #5 starter you have both Paxton and Karns. Both are going to battle it out to the very end in Spring Training, that's when new manager Scott Servias will make his decision and name one of them the #5 starter. The way I look at it, whoever doesn't get the starting job is getting placed in the bullpen to be a long inning reliever in case our starter cant seem to do anything.

Paxton however is coming off another injury plagued season where a strained tendon in his left middle finger benched him in May and wouldn't see him pitch until September and he only made 3 starts in that month. Paxton finished the year with a 3-4 record with a 3.90 ERA. Paxton though is now still healthy in Spring Training and he lost 30 pounds during the off season, but Spring Training hasn't been nice to Paxton or any M's pitcher, but if Paxton gets the #5 starting role watch him win around 11-15 games, that is if he stays healthy.

Karns on the other hand hasn't had a good Spring Training either, but again like I said which Mariners pitcher has? Karns is coming off a 7-5 season with the Rays with a 3.67 ERA in 26 games started. Karns was part of the Miller/LoMo trade and currently I'm thinking Karns maybe put in the bullpen over Paxton. But Karns' strength is all there. Either way if Karns is starting or in the bullpen he has the ability to help you win a ball game. Karns struck out 145 batters in the 147 innings he pitched last season. Its going to be interesting to see who gets the job, whoever does I've got Paxton at 11-15 wins and Karns at 12-13.

Lets talk bullpen now. Charlie Furbush wont be in the bullpen to help out to start the season and don't expect him to for perhaps the first 2-3 weeks in the season. But in the bullpen we have a group of both young and experienced players pitching that will both help keep the Mariners in the ball game and help close out wins. First you have Tony Zych who's coming off his rookie year appearing in 18 games and starting 1, he had a 2.45 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 18.1 of work. While Charlie is out look for Tony to be your possible 6-8th inning man in close games.

Steve Cishek is your closer. While with the Miami Marlins he saved 88 games in 3 years and this past season he was used more as a set up guy. Lets face it, now with Carson Smith gone and that arrow shooting dip wad Rodney gone Cishek is your guy in the 9th. Before Cishek we will see Benoit to come into the 7th and 8th possibly to help keep the game within save rage for Cishek. Benoit is now coming into his 15th season and even though he's 38 he can still pitch. With age comes wisdom and Benoit has shown that, since 2010 his ERA hasn't been above 3 but one time.

The bullpen also has guys like Evan Scribner, who has one unbelievable walk to strikeout rate! Scribner in his 5 year career has 134 strikeouts and 27 walks in 147.2 innings pitched.......yeah he's that damn good! There's also Mike Montgomery who's coming off a good rookie year but struggled through the last half of the season. Montgomery will at least provide the bullpen with one of two left handed pitchers, the second is Vidal Nuno.

This year will be a whole new story for the bullpen, it'll definitely be better than last year that's for damn sure! This year watch the bullpen's ERA to hover around the 2.90-3.20 area. There doesn't seem to be any weakness in the bullpen for the Mariners, only thing that could be better is having Furbush to start the season but again I think the Mariners will be ok bullpen wise till his return.

Now, we come to the offense and this amazing group JeDi has put together. Lets first start off with our awesome second baseman Robinson Cano who is coming off an injury plagued season but did very well. Cano struggled during the first half of the season but caught fire in the second half, he finished the season with a .287 average, 21 home runs, and 79 runs batted in. Cano did strikeout a career high 107 times, it was the first time he ever struck out more than 100 times in his career. Cano though has been showing us he's fully ready for the real season to begin!

Just yesterday Cano crushed 3 home runs and drove in 7 runs. Watch out Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson cause you have some competition for the AL MVP. Yes, the AL MVP! Cano is ready to show that the Mariners aren't getting an age declining player. Be on the watch for Cano to smack 50+ doubles this season, while not only hitting 25+ home runs and driving in around 90-100 RBI's. Cano isn't just the only perennial All Star that Scott Servias's lineup has to offer. Let's not forget the "BOOMSTICK" Nelson Cruz, who is coming off his best season hitting wise in his career.

Nelson Cruz showed that even Safeco Field can be a hitter friendly ballpark. Cruz smacked a career high 44 home runs, drove in 93, and batted .302. Kyle Seager is another member of the Mariners Big 3 who is coming off a season that saw him clobber a career high 26 home runs. Cano, Cruz, and Seager are going to be the key players that really will provide the power, the hitting, and driving in runs ability for the team, not only that but now the Mariners have another power bat in Adam Lind.

Lind was acquired via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit 20 home runs and drove in 87. Lind is not just providing another necessary power bat in the lineup but he's providing his glove to the mix as well. Lind is coming off a stellar defensive season with the Brewers and is going to be the everyday first basemen for the team. Backing Lind up though is the Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee. This signing by Dipoto was highly crucial. With Jesus Montero's future with the team seeming bleak, Dipoto decided to go out and sign a guy who seems to get better the older he gets.

DHL came into the spring though weighing in at 282 pounds but has since then lost 32 pounds. Not bad huh? Lee slugged 31 home runs last year and drove in 98 for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. Lee is not just providing a player that can hit the long ball but again he's got something that Montero obviously doesn't have. A great glove. Just watching Lee in Spring Training he's made some great plays that Montero wouldn't have been able to make.

And while writing this I just found out that Paxton got optioned to Triple-A Tacoma......huh. How bout that writing and saw the news on Twitter. So looks like Nathan Karns is your #5 starter!

Getting back to both Lind and Lee look for both players to provide support in the lineup that will help provide driving in and creating runs for the team. I have Lind having another 20 homer season while with Lee could show us between 10-15 home runs.

Looking at the Mariners outfield all I can say is, what an upgrade! With Martin and Aoki getting signed and traded to the team we now have two great gloves in the outfield that the M's were lacking last season. Also Guti is still with us. Last year saw perhaps one of the greatest comeback seasons I've ever seen. With Guti possibly sharing a role with Seth Smith look to see Guti being in the lineup 3-4 times a week.

The Mariners also got faster this year. Aoki, Ketel Marte, Guti, and Shawn O'Malley (if he makes the opening day roster) will provide something that Lloyd McClendon didn't have, guys who can steal bases. That'll be something that the Mariners will need to do this season and that's steal more bases. As you saw with the Kansas City Royals stealing bases can win you games and a World Series. Also when you have speed in your lineup and on your bench......USE IT!!!

Behind the plate is Chris Iannetta, who some people didn't seem to like the signing. Come on people lets face it Iannetta is going to do something that Mike Zunino will be learning how to do in Triple-A Tacoma.......how to actually hit the ball. Yes Iannetta is coming off a season where he hit .188, so basically a Mike Z type of season, but he's still a career .231 hitter. Iannetta will also be providing a great arm behind the plate as well. Iannetta isn't Yadi Molina but hey he's definitely and upgrade to Mike Zunino.

So, I think I'm done talking about everyone who we will see this season to start the season against the Texas Rangers. Everything comes down to this final week of preparation for the Mariners, everything is counting on everyone staying healthy and injury free. In just seven days, and I can honestly say that I'm highly confident, the Mariners will begin their journey into baseball immortality. This is by far the season that I know that this team, who has struggled through out most of its franchise history, is ready to take that step to get back into the spotlight they had 15 years ago. The Mariners on paper are the team to beat! Even the Royals, who are the defending champs, have some competition with the Mariners. The M's have the pitching, defense, and offensive depth to pull off a playoff/pennant run this season.

A lot of skepticism is on this team, time for the Mariners to prove every doubter wrong and go out and PLAY BALL!!!!

Go Mariners!!!!!

Lloyd is drinking stupid juice

Mariners were on the losing end of yet another heart breaker last night, as the Angels capped off comeback win after Carlos Perez hit his first major league homerun off Dominic Leone to walk the M's off. So, we all know that the Mariners pitching hasn't been the best and there are a couple players who we would like to see get the call up and players who we would like to get sent down, but there's another problem the Mariners have. . . their manager. Last night manger Lloyd McClendon said in a post game interview that he is "managing their innings", referring to both young pitchers Taijuan Walker and James Paxton.

Yeah OK Lloyd here's the thing when you have a pitcher that is clicking and isn't even over 100 pitches. . . why take him out of the game? "Managing their innings" was perhaps the most idiotic thing I've heard McClendon say during his tenure in Seattle. What is there to manage? Your pitchers are having a great game why take them out?! I mean be serious people if you were in Lloyd's shoes what would you have done? I'll tell you what I would have done, I would have kept Paxton in since he was rolling through the Angel hitters and only at 91 pitches! Also when Danny Farqhuar put two one and nobody out I would have made a change even though I'm not a fan of Charlie Furbush.

Lloyd's managing techniques are starting to get to me. By that I mean his ridiculous match up lineups and pitching changes. WHY LLOYD?! Last year Lloyd actually made great decisions but this year its like all he does is sit in the dugout with his thumb up his. . . well you get the point. Things are just going down hill for the Mariners, yes I know were only 5 games under .500 but were lucky that were not the Milwaukee Brewers for crying out loud!

Another thing, why is Seth Smith leading off? I know Austin Jackson is on the DL but come on Smith hasn't done diddly poo since Opening Day! I mean look I know I have been skeptical of Rickie Weeks but I think it will do him some good to start and maybe lead off. Thankfully though Brad Miller maybe starting in the outfield then we wont see Ackley get reps. . . which isn't a bad thing. Ackley has also been a big problem, after starting off hot he hasn't just cooled off he's frozen solid! I think its time Ackley goes down and Franklin Gutierrez gets the call up. Guti's been tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A Tacoma and I think he's ready to come back and shine like the old Guti we remember.

Another option the M's should make is send both Farq and Leone down to Tacoma and give Justin Germano a call up along with Logan Bawcom. Both are relievers and have been pitching well in Tacoma, though Germano is starting he began as a reliever and could come back as one. Another thing is that when the 8th inning comes up. . . put in Carson Smith! I mean the kid is going to be the Mariners closer after Fernando Rodney's contract is up after this year (that's just my guess).

Look all these suggestions that I have made wont hit Lloyd's ears or eyes but these are a couple things that need to be taken care of otherwise the Mariners season and playoff expectations are going to go straight down the pooper! Also, if things don't pick up after this month I think Lloyd's tenure as manager will need to come to an end. That's what I give Lloyd is til the end of the month to try and get this Mariners team back to its playoff expectations. Now, for that to happen the team needs to do its part as well, the pitching needs to get better, the bullpen needs to get their heads out of their butts, the hitting with runners in scoring position need to improve, and most important of all. . .smart decisions in key situations need to be made.

What are the Mariners deal really?

So far this season for the Mariners have had only one problem. Wait a minute, they have way more then one problem. The Mariners could be at or around .500 if it wasn't for that 7 game losing streak. Now, another problem for the Mariners has been Michael Saunders. Saunders started the season off great. In the second game where the Mariners played the Yankees Saunders went 2-4, since then he has gone 7-59 (.118) lowering his batting average by 68 points, he has also struck out 28 times. Right now Saunders to me needs some work in Tacoma to work on his swing, why not send him down and call up Eric Thames? 

Now, last night I heard that Franklin Gutierrez will need more time to recuperate from his hamstring injury. ROOT Sports analyst reported that Guti couldn't go more then 3 days without needing a break. Now, Guti's contract is up at the end of this year so why not release him now? Guti hasn't played a full season since 2010, he's nothing but an injury risk and not worth the money anymore.

Now, who could we get to replace Guti? Well, we have Jason Bay who the Mariners might likely resign after this year, Endy Chavez can also be a great replacement for Guti in center, Julio Morbon is another target for a good replacement he's shown us that he can hit the ball and play the outfield at the same time, the last candidate is the guy who we got in exchange for Shawn Kelley, Abraham Almonte. Almonte has been tearing things up in Triple A so far going 22-46 (.478). All of these players are terrific candidates to replace Gutierrez in centerfield along with Michael Saunders (if he can get his bat going again). Now, another problem that has popped up is Tom Wilhelmsen's ability to be consistent and locate his pitches. He was able to locate his pitches last night but before that he has blown 3 saves out of 4 attempts. Before 

Tommy boy blew his first our of 3 in Cleveland he was 11 out of 11 in save opportunities with a 0.50 ERA, since then he has gone 1 out of 4 in save opportunities and his ERA has rose to 2.13. Now if Tommy boy loses his position as the closer I would think that either Carter Capps or Oliver Perez would be the two likely candidates for taking the closer position. Carter Capps has been able to come in for the Mariners and get them out of tight situations along with having one of the nastiest breaking ball and slider I've ever seen. Perez has also been just as reliable, in his last 10 games he has pitched 7.2 innings while striking out 16 batters. Capps in his last 10 games has pitch 9 innings allowing only 1 run and striking out 11 batters. Both these relievers are perfect candidates for replacing Tom if necessary.

Now by the end of this season there has to be one more change made to this team, either Eric Wedge or Jack Zduriencik has to go. Zduriencik has made some impressive signings and has drafted excellent talent but the thing is, is that Zduriencik has said "this team is currently rebuilding" now when he came to the team in 2008 he said the same thing. Mariners fans are tired of him saying that and we should have been rebuilding the team this long, the fans want to see this team in the playoffs and were not going to get there when Zduriencik keeps rebuilding. Now, Eric Wedge is one of the biggest pushover managers in baseball in my opinion. Wedge consistently makes excuses for poor performances and in games where he needs to make a pitching change he just stands there with his thumb in his ass watching the team fail. In the saves that Wilhelmsen has blown a normal manager would have gotten someone warmed up in the bullpen and ready to go after watching him walk two straight batters. Wedge never shows his emotions on the field just in the clubhouse........yeah that does not make a good manager.

 Lou Pinella and Ozzie Guillen are great examples of when a manager shows his emotions on and off the field and in the clubhouse they get great results. Pinella's tough managerial skills saw the Mariners have their first winning season in his first season as manager and in his third year saw the team winning their first AL West title. Pinella's skills as a red hot manager saw the Mariners go to the playoffs 3 more times including the 116 win season and after that saw the Mariners win 93 games in two of his last 3 years of managing the team. Guillen saw his White Sox win the World Series in his second year of managing the team, in Ozzie's 8 years of managing the White Sox, his team win 83, 99, 90, 72, 88, 79, 88, and 79 games making the playoffs 5 times and winning one World Series.

Changes must be made on the Mariners roster and in their front office if this team would like to see the playoffs.