so, the season starts soon

TTown · Post #1 » by **TTown** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:42 am

not a bad april schedule. six games with the astros, seven with a texas team in transition mode. eight games against oakland, chi-town, and the o's, good teams all but teams we're going to have to get into the mindset that we can beat regularly if we're going to have ourselves a respectable season. four with the angels, three with detroit.

my general thoughts on spring training (that's code for quickly looking up some statistics to have an excuse to start a thread):

morse and morales are ripping the cover off the ball. this isn't my first rodeo, i'm not expecting either of them to match this production in the regular season... but they sure do look like actual middle-of-the-order hitters. but i could be wrong, i haven't seen one in awhile.

is this the real justin smoak? my god, he's swinging a mean stick. if i'm wedge i put him in the 5 or 6-hole and tell him he's not the guy, and to just look for the right pitches. i always thought part of the problem was that he was expected to be a historically bad offense's savior... and that can add up to a lot of additional (unwanted) weight on a young hitter. we're paying some vets to be those guys now, i hope smoak can come in and just do his thing.

guti looks like he's shown up ready to play. from left to right i would imagine we're looking at saunders/guti/morse, and of course morales is occupying space at DH... but both bay and ibanez are having good springs. i kept expecting Z to make a move and jettison one of our OF (not that he still can't), but right now it looks pretty crowded. i like ibanez in a late inning pinch-hitting role, and bay as a 4th outfielder. i realize trusting guti to stay healthy over an extended period of time is silly.

i know i'm talking a lot about the bats, against some sketchy pitching no less, but it's been so long since i've seen such consistent production (spring or not) it's just eye-catching. really, the only regular who doesn't look like he's having an outstanding spring is seager.

is mauer going to make the rotation?

Post #2 » by **Sweezo** » Sat Mar 23, 2013 1:59 am

TTown wrote:morse and morales are ripping the cover off the ball. this isn't my first rodeo, i'm not expecting either of them to match this production in the regular season... but they sure do look like actual middle-of-the-order hitters. but i could be wrong, i haven't seen one in awhile.

I'm still leery of Morse as an overall player, but I am excited about Morales. I think he's got the talent to be a huge difference maker so long as his leg is 100%.

TTown wrote:is this the real justin smoak? my god, he's swinging a mean stick. if i'm wedge i put him in the 5 or 6-hole and tell him he's not the guy, and to just look for the right pitches. i always thought part of the problem was that he was expected to be a historically bad offense's savior... and that can add up to a lot of additional (unwanted) weight on a young hitter. we're paying some vets to be those guys now, i hope smoak can come in and just do his thing.

A good but brief article on Lookout Landing yesterday compared Smoak's patience/power from the left side to Saunders'. I'm hopeful, but skeptical. And I'm pleased that the team's hopes don't rest on Smoak's shoulders. If he flops, the team can move Morse to 1B and probably survive in the OF.

TTown wrote:guti looks like he's shown up ready to play. from left to right i would imagine we're looking at saunders/guti/morse, and of course morales is occupying space at DH... but both bay and ibanez are having good springs. i kept expecting Z to make a move and jettison one of our OF (not that he still can't), but right now it looks pretty crowded. i like ibanez in a late inning pinch-hitting role, and bay as a 4th outfielder. i realize trusting guti to stay healthy over an extended period of time is silly.

Guti's missed most of the past two weeks with leg issues. I hope the team's just being cautious but I've concerned. If the team commits to Saunders as the everyday CF I'll understand.

TTown wrote:is mauer going to make the rotation?

As of right now, I'd lean towards "yes." Garland seemed secure but he was shown the door a couple hours ago. Bonderman seems like someone they'd like to keep in AAA for awhile. So Maurer/Beavan/Ramirez are competing for two spots? Ramirez hasn't done himself any favors the last couple outings as he's been hit pretty soundly. I can live with Beavan/Maurer as my fear was Garland/Bonderman. I like bringing vets like Garland in but if they're being outperformed by a guy FROM your system, you need to promote from within in most cases.

EDIT: Now that I'm watching Beavan and seeing him give up two HR and rocking a 5.00 ERA in ST I'm not buying the whole "he's made some adjustments" angle. He's still a flyable pitcher who gets hit hard and often. He's had his chances. Let him work on things in AAA and let Maurer/Ramirez sink or swim in the big leagues.

Post #3 » by **Sweezo** » Mon Mar 25, 2013 10:04 pm

Jesus Montero just hit a grand slam, which is noteworthy as that sets the team record with 52 home runs in a spring training. As much as spring training doesn't mean a ton, that's pretty awesome.

wiff · Post #4 » by **wiff** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:51 am

I want to get excited but I just can't. I feel like the Mariners are the boy who cried wolf. Come watch us play we won't be horrible.....hahaha fooled you, we are yet again historically bad in some shape or fashion.

BayAreaMadSkill · Post #5 » by **BayAreaMadSkill** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:25 pm

wiff wrote:I want to get excited but I just can't. I feel like the Mariners are the boy who cried wolf. Come watch us play we won't be horrible.....hahaha fooled you, we are yet again historically bad in some shape or fashion.

I totally agree with all of this.

I couldn't care less about anything that happens in Spring Training. Start producing when it counts. I'm tired of our historically bad offense.

TTown · Post #6 » by **TTown** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 2:24 am

// shrug

i would disagree insomuch that the organization sat on a terrible line up the past few years, and we all knew they'd be terrible going in. i mean, it's not like we looked bad, brought it jack cust, and thought "he's the answer! we'll be okay!!"

this is the first time this organization has done anything worthwhile since the cliff lee trade, and the first time it's done something worthwhile to the offense in... well, in quite some time. i don't think anyone is expecting the mid-90s kingdome mariners, but we brought in some actual major league bats and i don't think it's too far fetched to expect some major league production. i would stunned if we matched 2010 and 2011's numbers.

BayAreaMadSkill · Post #7 » by **BayAreaMadSkill** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 3:49 pm

I agree to a degree. I'm probably the biggest fan of Mike Morse, haha. I loved him when he was first here and I really think he will produce. Same with Morales; QUALITY bat that should produce better than most over the past few years.

But guys like Justin Smoak? Please. Smoak, you're garbage. I dont care what you do in Spring Training. Hit 1.000 and I still wouldn't get excited. If he isnt hitting above .250 with a load of homers by the break; Cut him.

But hey; Come Opening Day, I'm going to be excited to watch the Mariners. That hasn't changed. Just for the entire season, I'm not expecting a lot until they show me something when it counts.

Post #8 » by **Sweezo** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 9:39 pm

BayAreaMadSkill wrote:But guys like Justin Smoak? Please. Smoak, you're garbage. I dont care what you do in Spring Training. Hit 1.000 and I still wouldn't get excited. If he isnt hitting above .250 with a load of homers by the break; Cut him.

Everything in my heart agrees, but my brain's making a convincing argument about why my heart is wrong. Smoak's doing the same things Saunders was doing last season: Shorter swing, more power to the opposite field form the left side of the plate, etc.

BayAreaMadSkill · Post #9 » by **BayAreaMadSkill** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 10:06 pm

I certainly hope we see a different Smoak, Sweezo. I loved the trade at the time and thought Smoak would be a monster.

OH MAN WE HAVE FOUND OUT OUR OPENING DAY ROTATION: (In no order)

Felix, Iwakuma, Saunders, Beavan, Maurer

----

Maurer? I'm excited.

Never been a fan of Beavan though. Yuck. Here comes mr flyball back to our rotation.