From 63 to 25
On the eve of the Seattle Mariners first televised spring training game, I figured I’d put my two cents in on the subject of the Mariners roster.
As it stands right now, the Mariners have 63 players in big league camp right now. 40 guys on the actual roster and 23 invitees, who would be need to be added to the 40-man roster to make the club. The current 40-man roster and invitee list are available on the Mariners website.
We will start with the pitching staff.
Two guys that I see making the club are invitees Chris Ray and Manny Declarmen. With David Aardsma starting on the shelf after off-season surgery, both of these guys have veteran bullpen and closing experience. To make room for these two I would take pitchers Tom Wilhelmsen and Yoervis Medina off of the 40-man roster and sending them to the minors. If you have heard of either of those young pitchers then I commend you for you fervor. The rest of my pitching staff are all under contract.
The starting rotation has been much talked about this spring. Three spots are essentially guaranteed; Felix, Doug Fister, and Jason Vargas. The other two spots are assumed to be filled by Erik Bedard and someone else. Bedard has played about a season’s worth of baseball in the last three years, so it is hard to put money on him giving the mariners anywhere near 200 innings or 30 starts. The fifth spot is the most debated out of any of the rotation and many are calling for young hurler Michael Pineda to fill it, but I disagree. For now at least. I think until Pineda is major league ready, a platooning of sorts with Luke French and David Pauley will suffice.
So my rotation is as follows:
1) Felix Hernandez RHP
2) Jason Vargas LHP
3) Doug Fister RHP
4) Erik Bedard LHP
5) Luke French LHP/David Pauley RHP
Now I don’t know how manager Erik Wedge will supply his pitching staff, but I am a fan of a 12 man staff. So with the additions of Declarmen and Ray, my bullpen is the following:
6) Aaron Laffey LHP
7) French or Pauley (whichever isn’t in the rotation)
8 ) Manny Declarmen RHP
9) Dan Cortes RHP
10) Chris Ray RHP
11) Brandon League RHP
12) David Aardsma RHP
If Aardsma is put on the DL to start the season then I say it’s a toss up between Garret Olson LHP, Josh Lueke RHP, or Jose Flores RHP. Flores is a Rule-5 pick from Cleveland, meaning that he either stays on the 25-man roster all year or we give him back. I am leaning towards the ladder.
Moving on to the position players.
One of the biggest stories this spring is that of Dustin Ackley. Many questions and stories are based off of his potential to make the big league club and be the second baseman. I am going with starting him off in Tacoma, but the possibility of him being called up starting as early as May, but realistically June or July is a fair guess on his arrival. With Ackley starting in Tacoma, that leave a question of who plays second? Recent news in Arizona and the last few weeks have shown that Jack Wilson is probably going to play second before Brendan Ryan will. Of course, Chone Figgins is moving back over to third base for anyone wondering.
So the starting lineup will look something like this.
1) Ichiro RF
2)Chone Figgins 3B
3) Franklin Gutierrez CF
4) Justin Smoak 1B
5) Jack Cust DH
6) Miguel Olivo C
7) Michael Saunders LF
8 ) Jack Wilson 2B
9) Brendan Ryan SS
The backup infield spot I think will go to the more versatile Adam Kennedy. He will beat out Matt Tuiasosopo and Josh Wilson for that utility infield position on the 25-man roster. Kennedy is a spring training invitee so to make room either Tui or Josh Wilson will be taken off the 40-man. Milton Bradley will be the backup DH and outfielder. Adam Moore will spell Olivo behind the plate. Tuiasosopo still has a shot to make the club as he has some outfield experience with his utility infield abilities, but I feel the club should go with a faster final bench spot which could go to Greg Halman. The thing that hurts Halman is that his plate discipline needs a bit of work, but he has the potential to hit a lot of home runs and run the bases which, for now, is good enough for me to play once or twice a week and run the bases late in the game.
The Bench.
10) Adam Kennedy IF
11) Milton Bradley OF/DH
12) Adam Moore C
13) Greg Halman OF
Now with the recent injury to Olivo, we could possibly see him spend time on the DL to begin the year. If that happens then I’d say it’s safe to assume Josh Bard will return to the big league club to fill in.
That’s it. It’s not a perfect club, but it is what we are dealt. The thing that has hurt the Mariners year after year is transitioning from a good team on paper to a good team during the season. That’ll be their battle again this year. Be ready to see Pineda, Ackley, Lueke, and maybe even fellow young pitcher Mauricio Robles called up to the big leagues and make names for themselves at the top level.
