Tell Me About the Mariners

[SeaHawksHuddle]

So I admit 100% that I'm a bandwagon fan. I only care about them if they are doing well (so I haven't care for quite some time).

But who on the team is considered a building block and should be good and who is a stop gap solution until a long term solution is identified? Basically, who is going to be around in a few years when the team is supposedly good?

 

[bobflipaburger]

Current stars:
Ichiro
Felix Hernandez

Building blocks:
1B Justin Smoak
CF Franklin Gutierrez
SP Michael Pineda
2B Dustin Ackley (will be called up sometime this season)

Stop gaps:
DH Jack Cust
OF Milton Bradley
2B Jack Wilson
SS Brendan Ryan (Nick Franklin is a stud SS in double A)
C Miguel Olivo

Other interesting young players:
OF Michael Saunders
SP Doug Fister (his maximum potential is probably as a very solid back of the rotation guy)
SP Jason Vargas (same as Fister)
C Adam Moore, he's hurt he's kind of an older prospect now. Next we'll probably see if he'll amount to anything.

 

[SeaHawksHuddle]

So what about the other guys? Like Figgins, Kennedy, Langerhans?

 

[bobflipaburger]

Figgins was an All-Star in Anaheim, we signed him and it hasn't panned out as far as hits go. He's done an alright job of getting on bases and a good job of stealing bases (that's his game) but we brought him in expecting he would do all that and hit around .280.

Kennedy we just signed this year, we brought him in to be a utility guy. He's more of a role player.

Langerhans is a guy we picked up in a trade for Mike Morse. He was a high level prospect for the Braves, but never really panned out because he dodn't show enough home run power. He's another role player. Once Franklin Gutierrez comes back you'll se less of him and Saunders... although I wish it was Bradley seeing less playing time.

 

[SeaHawksHuddle]

Well they seem to have figured out how to be a little competitive. Maybe I will hit up a game...

 

[bobflipaburger]

Yeah, they're starting to hit. Thebpitching was never a question, except Erik Bedard who is starting to do a lot better too.

 

[kdawg2980]

Plus we are getting the #2 pick in the draft who will most likely be Anthony Rendon who plays third base. With him our infield should be set for the next 10 years with Smoak at 1st, Ackley at 2nd, Franklin at SS(although I'm hearing he'll move to another position) and Rendon at 3B.

The pitching future looks really bright with Felix at 25 years old and Pineda at 22 years old.

There is another pitching star on the horizon as well in Taijuan Walker. Read more about him here http://www.ussmariner.com/2011/05/03/taijuan-walker-promoted-to-clinton/

 

[kdawg2980]

http://www.ussmariner.com/2011/05/03/al-west-prospects-april-update/#more-13079

This gives you a good rundown on our rookies plus the others in our own division.