What went right for Seattle in 2013: Hisashi Iwakuma - This could make the Mariners a threat this season is having two solid pitchers at the top of their rotation. Iwakuma was fantastic last season with a 2.66 ERA earning his first All-Star appearance. He had a WHIP at one along with his hits per nine and walks per nine went drastically down for Iwakuma.
What went wrong for Seattle in 2013: No prospects panned out.. yet - Mariners took a ton of heat last season for rushing some of their players up to the big leagues. None of them really had a breakout year. Mike Zunino disappointed in a major way with the continued struggles at second base with Nick Franklin and Dustin Ackley.
Key Additions: 2B Robinson Cano, 1B/OF Logan Morrison, 1B/OF Corey Hart, RP Fernando Rodney, SS Willie Bloomquist, SP Scott Baker, - Easily, they had one of the biggest offseasons adding some of the biggest stars on the market. It is still puzzling why Morrison and Hart both were signed by Seattle. Key Subtractions: LF Raul Ibanez, SP Joe Saunders, SP Oliver Perez - Ibanez had a comeback season at the age of 41 which is not weird at all. He moved down the coast to play for Los Angeles.
What to watch: Free Agents - I think all eyes on this team will be how Cano, Hart and Morrison do this season. For Cano, people's expectations will be through the roof as he is sort of seen as a savior for this once great baseball organization. For the other two, it is a matter of whether they can stay healthy this season.
Population: Breakout: 1B Justin Smoak - You know what... At some point, one of these former prospects Seattle has on their roster will have a monster year. Waiting on the Smoak monster to be great is like waiting on the actual Smoke Monster but I digress. They only project Smoak to hit .235 next season, but let's hope he can be a little bit better than that. He is projected with 20 home runs. Honestly, none of the players on this roster scream breakout so I went with one of the many former prospects.
Population: Regression: RP Fernando Rodney - Look at his career, it is a wasteland of inconsistency where he had a great year with Tampa Bay in 2012 and then he scuffled a bit in 2013. Closers are nearly a swear word at this point looking at players, but Rodney really strikes me as a player that could be a walking disaster for Seattle.
Prospect to Watch: SP Taijuan Walker & SP James Paxton - Both of these players are two of the top prospects right now in Seattle's system. Walker pitched well in a couple games last season and is battling shoulder inflammation right now. Paxton is a left-hander that can really do some damage. If anything, I think Paxton becoming a third starter is more important than Walker as he is only 21, there is time.
Outlook and Prediction: This is a team where everything has to work right for this team to find themselves in the playoffs. All of the free agents need to deliver, the prospect pitchers need to come into their one, King Felix needs to keep being King Felix and I just feel like all of that might be too much to ask for this team. I am predicting fourth in the AL West, but I see right around 81 wins.
Charlie.
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