With the World Baseball Classic come and gone, the Mariners have returned to their spring training camp for the last week and a half of Cactus League competition.

Currently, they are riding a five-game winning streak, six if you discount the 8-1 drubbing they suffered at the hands of The Netherlands’ WBC team.

Sams channeling former Mariner Halman in Classic — Kalian Sams, a 26-year-old outfielder from the Mariners Double-A Generals, has a lot on his plate this spring. As he competed with The Netherlands’ squad in the World Baseball Classic, he drew his inspiration from a fellow countryman and beloved, late member of the Mariners: Greg Halman.

Here Goes Nothing — For those who have been mourning Lookout Landing’s loss of Jeff Sullivan, there is a new Mariners expert at the helm of SBNation’s favorite Seattle Mariners blog.

Why I Don’t Care Too Much About The Opening Day Roster — Dave Cameron is here to tell you why you should read even less into the Opening Day roster than you already do.

How Jesus Montero Threw Out Mike Trout — Jeff Sullivan delves into a second-by-second replay of the one time Jesus Montero managed to nab Mike Trout at second base. (Watch out for the ending–you’ll never see it coming.)

Catching up on Mike Carp, Chone Figgins, and other ex-Mariners — You know you miss them. Now, thanks to Larry Stone, you can also know just where they stand in roster battles so far. Unfortunately, no matter how hard Figgins tries to make the Marlins 25-man roster, the chances of him reappearing in Safeco Field this season look pretty slim.

What have you read lately? Share it with us in the comments below!

Happy spring training, Mariners fans! From today’s first workout to the final spring training game on March 30, we begin our countdown to Opening Day. If you’re not one of the fortunate few headed to the balmy weather and stomping grounds of the Peoria Sports Complex, there’s plenty happening around Seattle—namely, a press conference for Felix Hernandez and his shiny, seven-year extension. Tune in at 2pm on Mariners.com for live video coverage.

Contract protection for potential injuries has much recent precedent in MLB — In light of the concerns Mariners’ higher-ups raised about Felix’s elbow, Larry Stone digs deeper into the history of handing contracts to players with injury risks.

Chone Figgins Gets It Perfect — Remember this guy? He’s a Miami Marlin. He’s a minor league Miami Marlin with a spring training invite. As Jeff puts it, he’s as far away from Seattle as he can get, and while we wish him the best with the remainder of his career, it’s nice to know he won’t be setting foot in Safeco Field anytime soon.

Griffey thrilled for Felix Hernandez and the Mariners — Earlier this week, Shannon Drayer asked Junior for his thoughts on King Felix. From one Seattle icon to the next:

“He’s the franchise,” Ken Griffey Jr. told me Tuesday afternoon. “Coming up I remember looking at him as a little chunky kid throwing hard. And to see him 9, 10 years later, what he has turned himself into physically, mentally, it is phenomenal.”

Jesus Montero meets media, repeats that he had nothing to do with Biogenesis clinic — Last week, a long list of major leaguers were linked to a PED-dispensing clinic in Florida. Montero has denied any connection to the clinic, and reaffirmed his position to the Seattle Times’ Geoff Baker. His brother, another Jesus Montero and catcher in the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization, is not believed to be associated with the clinic either.

Then we came to the end — Jon Shields, Mariners blogger and proprietor of Pro Ball NW, is closing up shop after five seasons. We wish him well in his future endeavors, and thank him (and the rest of his talented staff) for consistently putting out some excellent and insightful coverage and analysis.

What have you read this week? Share it with us on Twitter or in the comments below!

It’s almost here, Mariners fans: pitchers and catchers report in six days! Until we can bring you news of actual baseball events, here is some quality shoe-gazing as the Seattle blogosphere reflects on this offseason.

You want a good lights-out story? Super Bowl has nothing on the Mariners — In light of the power outage at this year’s Super Bowl, Larry Stone recounts a moment in Mariners history when a similar scenario caused a bit of havoc on the field.

Josh Hamilton and Not Wanting to Play in Seattle — Dave Cameron debunks the myth that hitters, for varied and unfair reasons, just don’t want to come to the Emerald City.

Let’s Talk Seattle Mariners Front Office — Last month, Cameron elaborated on the nature of a changing front office. Jeff Sullivan adds to that discussion here, explaining that as Jack Zduriencik and his team are an “old-school organization” (and helpfully pointing out that scouting-focused Brian Sabean has two World Series titles under his belt in the last three years), we should evaluate them as they have evolved—not as they used to be.

Mariners payroll stands at just under $79 million with spring training right around corner — If you’re looking for a breakdown of Mariners’ salaries and costs for 2013, the full list can be found here. Geoff Baker explains that the club has ample room to flesh out the starting rotation, even with deferred payments to Ichiro and the leftovers of Chone Figgins’ and Miguel Olivo’s contracts.

What have you read this week? Share it with us on Twitter or in the comments below!

In five days, the head honchos of MLB will convene in Nashville for the 2012 Winter Meetings. Among the madness of free agent signings (or, more likely, free agent talks shrouded in mystery), the 2012 GIBBY Awards will be revealed. If you haven’t voted for the Mariners yet, you can do so here.

The Dodgers’ New TV Deal, the Mariners, and Irrational Exuberance — Dave Cameron explains the burgeoning media market for MLB teams, the audience they are both losing and driving away, and what the Mariners might be eying in 2015.

On Chone Figgins and His Player Type — If you think you can write off this article by answering ‘bad,’ think again. Jeff Sullivan mercifully bypasses the details of Figgins’ downfall in Seattle, opting to look into the aging patterns of shorter players.

Don’t be surprised by Mariners’ pursuit of Mike Napoli — Although I feel squeamish thinking about the Mariners signing another Olivo-esque player, Geoff Baker remains certain that a veteran player is needed to keep the prospects and young’uns grounded throughout the season.

Time for Zduriencik to earn stripes — Prospect Insider’s Jason Churchill examines the ramifications another losing season will have on the front office, most notably, GM Jack Zduriencik. In a nutshell: if things don’t improve quickly and drastically, there may be trouble ahead.

Thanksgiving Leftovers — Tacoma broadcaster Mike Curto dives into the minor league news and emerging trade rumors of the offseason.

Munenori Kawasaki Personality Quiz — There was a time when the mention of Munenori Kawasaki’s name lifted the hearts of even the most disillusioned Mariners fans. Now, it has been reduced to this. (If I sound bitter, it’s only because Jeff pegged me as a #3, and I’m dealing with the difficult transition to a #2.)

What have you read this week? Share it with us on Twitter or in the comments below!

While the Mariners shop for free agents, you can shop at Mariners.com for Cyber Monday deals. They have ornaments. They have toasters. They even have temperature-sensing garden gnomes.

• The Mariners are in talks with Mike Napoli, according to this report from Jon Heyman. Napoli is slated to meet with the Rangers later this week, although the Yankees and Red Sox are also in the mix.
• Jeff Passan believes that the Royals are on the hunt for starting pitching in return for center fielder Wil Myers (via MLB Trade Rumors). Potential trade partners include the Diamondbacks, Rays, Athletics, and yes, the Mariners.
• Although the highlight of last week’s roster moves was the overdue ousting of Chone Figgins, a handful of MiLBers received promotions to the 40-man roster: pitchers Brandon Maurer, Anthony Fernandez, and Bobby LaFromboise, infielder Vinnie Catricala, and outfielder Julio Morban.
• There may not be a single soul left in Seattle who wishes for the return of Ichiro Suzuki. For the few clinging to the hope of a re-signing, however, let me put your mind at ease: Ichiro has announced his desire to don the pinstripes again in 2013. His agent, Tony Attanasio, reports that Ichiro’s first preference is New York, although offers from other teams will be weighed if a deal is not struck (via MLB Trade Rumors).
• Needle Ball took a tour of Safeco Field yesterday, and had the privilege of seeing the field in all its half-finished glory. Currently, the scoreboard area is still vacant, and tentative lines have been drawn on the warning track for the re-formatted fences. As for the hand-operated scoreboard, no adjustments seem to have been decided upon quite yet. The Mariners offer year-round tours of Safeco Field, running Tuesday – Sunday at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and tickets can be purchased online or at the team store.

Ex-Mariner!

It seems like baseball has been over for years. It’s hard to believe that, just last month, I was sitting in my favorite section of Safeco Field watching the Mariners take on the Angels. I have been starving for anything baseball related, and even though the on-field significance of yesterday’s moves is next to none, the fact that something was actually done was huge news.

Three Mariners bid adieu to Seattle yesterday, and the reactions to the three couldn’t have been more different. The day started with news of Trayvon Robinson’s departure via trade to the Baltimore Orioles. Although I should’ve been prepared for this, I wasn’t. Trayvon Robinson, to an outsider, may have been one of the most passionate players on the team. His countless diving catches in the outfield were only outdone by his amazing leaps into the stands to rob opposing hitters of foul balls. Robinson, a Mariner via the Erik Bedard trade of a couple years ago, had a high enough ceiling at the time of the trade – he was a player who showed a broad skillset – but as time went on and other players developed, Trayvon didn’t. He is sure to get a shot somewhere but probably won’t stick around as a major league starter.

That being said, it’s tough to see somebody go who puts it all on the line. From the little we knew about him, we knew that Trayvon was one of the good guys on the team. He signed autographs for hours at the Mariners Team Store last December and struck up a conversation with my mom and sister, who were there to get a ball signed for me for Christmas. He joked around with them for a while and then signed “To Steven: Best Wishes” before sending my family on their way with smiles on their faces.

Trayvon was also involved in one of the most magical (albeit irrelevant) moments of the 2012 season for me. In August, it seemed like he went for a week in which he had a spectacular catch in every single game. In one such game, he made a diving catch to end an inning and came up to bat in the next half inning. His regular walk-up song was cast aside and instead, “I Believe I Can Fly” blasted through Safeco’s speakers. I’m not sure it’s possible to convey with just words how perfect of a fit the song was and the awesome ten seconds it created. Trayvon, Seattle is going to miss you.

A few hours later came the news that one of the newest members to the Mariners family, Scott Cousins, had been designated for assignment. Cousins was a Mariner in the same way that Aaron Heilman was a Mariner – on paper only. Cousins, who is most known for being the man responsible for Buster Posey’s absence from the 2011 Giants, lasted a mere two weeks on the 40-man roster and looks to be headed to his third team in the same number of weeks. I couldn’t care less that Scott Cousins was DFA’d. The move means almost nothing, because Scott Cousins had a near zero chance of making the team anyway. Scott, Seattle is going to completely forget you ever existed as a part of this team.

Terrible news, followed by completely neutral news. What follows in this pattern? Why, great news, of course. Spectacular news. Phenomenal news. The best news possible.

This goodbye was long overdue. Chone Figgins, the biggest free agent signing of Jack Zduriencik’s tenure in Seattle, was finally designated for assignment. Figgins was a disaster in every possible way. He had a terrible relationship with his first manager, instigating a fight in the dugout in the middle of a game. He had a terrible relationship with the Seattle media, even telling a reporter that he had asked a dumb question at one time. He had a terrible relationship with the Seattle fans, who were expecting a player worth somewhat close to his $36 million, 4-year contract, but who instead had the pleasure of watching one of the most abrupt downward spirals Seattle has seen in years. Figgins went from being a good player with the Angels between 2002 and 2009 to being one of the worst players in the league. Between 2004 and 2009 Figgins ranked in the top 25 in MVP voting four times. Once 2010 came, however, Figgins tanked.

Figgins had an OPS+ of 40 in 2011 and 54 in 2012. He posted a WAR of -1.2 in both years. No matter how you look at the numbers, Figgins was awful. He was bad both on and off the field and was taking up a roster spot from some other potentially useful player. Literally anybody would have been better. Seattle would’ve probably been more patient or understanding with Figgins, however, had he shown any semblance of a good attitude at any time as a Mariner. He always seemed to miss the Angels and wouldn’t hesitate to take shots, literally and figuratively, at the Mariners’ organization. Goodbye Chone. I would say don’t let the door hit you, but the least you could provide Seattle with is a little laugh at your expense on your way out of town.

While the annual BBWAA awards briefly distract us from Shiny (Potential) Free Agent Signings, the Seattle blogosphere has created some awards for the Mariners themselves.

Jesus Montero For 2012 AL Rookie Of The Year — Mike Trout? Please. The real hero of the American League was none other than the Mariners’ backstop, DH, and someday-superstar Jesus Montero.

Collateral Damage — Corey Dawkins and Stephani Bee examine the impact of injuries on the 2012 AL West, ranking them by Total Adjusted WARP Lost.

M’s Payroll, Free Agent Predictions — Steering away from rumors for the moment, Prospect Insider’s Jason Churchill lays out the Mariners’ current commitments and payroll flexibility.

After hiring Bob Engle, Dodgers fill international staff with ex-Mariner scouts — The team of scouts that brought you Felix Hernandez and Michael Pineda has now relocated to Los Angeles. Bob Engle, newly-appointed VP of international scouting, committed to four former Seattle scouts: Pat Kelley, Patrick Guerrero, Jamey Storvick, and Eugene Grimaldi.

The Best Bunts of 2012 — The Mariners are on both ends of this one, with Erick Aybar’s bunt off of Brandon League falling under “Best Overall Bunt”, and Chone Figgins’ bunt off of Fernando Rodney meriting “Best Bunt Not Involving a Run Scored.”

What have you read this week? Share it with us on Twitter or in the comments below!

The Mariners are about to enter into a crucial off-season in which the front office has made clear that it will be active. There will be moves made to improve this team for 2013 and beyond, whether it be solely through free agency or with the acquisition of players via trade. One question, however, has been eating at me these past few days. If the 2012 Mariners were foods, which would they be?

John Jaso – Pumpkin. Pumpkin is probably one of my favorite flavors but, because the higher-ups in the world have decided that it doesn’t match up well with the other seasons, we are only allowed to enjoy it for a small portion of the year. I can’t think of a flavor that is more underutilized than pumpkin.

Brendan Ryan – Spinach. I used to hate spinach. Hate it. I think I mostly hated it, though, because I was told to hate it. Spinach has the unfortunate fate of being labeled as unappetizing by many. As I’ve grown older and wiser, however, I’ve learned to like spinach. A lot. Sure, I wouldn’t want to eat spinach for every meal, but it’s a solid side dish.

Dustin Ackley – Mixed Drink. Except the drink wasn’t mixed properly. In the first sip, we got all of the sugary mixer. It was delicious. We thought the whole drink was going to be amazing. Well, guess what we’re left with now? Straight vodka. I don’t know about you, but that wasn’t what I was expecting. And, frankly, this drink sucks now.

Chone Figgins – A Half Pint Of Milk. That expired three years ago. Why is this still in the fridge? Why hasn’t anybody thrown this away yet?

Justin Smoak – Homemade red wine. We invested a lot to make this red wine. We gave up a lot of time and resources making this wine. It’s wine, so it has to be good, right? Nope. It’s cool that we made it though, right? No, because it’s terrible. But it will get better with age, right? Probably not. Couldn’t get much worse though!

Jason Vargas – Bubble Gum. With bubble gum, you know what you’re going to get. Sure, some may be sweeter than others, but you can’t really be too surprised with gum. Sometimes, though when you try to blow a bubble, it will blow up and you’ll be left with a real mess. All over your face.

Hisashi Iwakuma – Ramune. If you don’t know what Ramune is, welcome to my life three years ago. They started selling it in my dorm though, and I bought it. It was some kind of Japanese soda and I really had no idea what to expect. After I finished my first, I realized that I actually really liked it. A lot. Over the next few months. I had a lot of ramune. I hope to have a lot more in the future too.

Blake Beavan – Triscuits. Has anybody ever been really excited because somebody had Triscuits at a party? Not that I know of. Does it get more bland? I don’t think so. Sometimes, though, you’re hungry. Starving. All you have are Triscuits. Will they get you full? Technically, yes. Will you enjoy it? Not a chance.

Franklin Gutierrez – A bunch of grapes. Oh look! This looks good! Nevermind, it’s squished. Here’s one! Ewww… rotten. How about this one? A bug ate half of it. Why do I even bother trying?

Jesus Montero – Strawberries. In May. These things are going to be so good soon. You can see it. If we eat them right now, though, we’ll be disappointed. Don’t expect much for a few more months. They’re going to be so sweet eventually.

Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor – Sprinkles. Everybody likes sprinkles. They’re sweet, but you only get a few at a time. They’re pointless if you don’t have a cake to put them on though.

Felix Hernandez – Pizza. Ask 50% of adults and 100% of kids what their favorite food is. Pizza. Pizza has a little bit of everything – vegetables, proteins, breads, even fruit sometimes. Pizza can do it all and it does a pretty damn good job. In one word, it’s perfect.

Miguel Olivo – Durian. Definitions of durian from across the internet: “evokes intense disgust.” “Described variously as rotten onions and gym socks.” “If the smell doesn’t kill you, the taste will.”

Munenori Kawasaki – Pop Rocks. What are Pop Rocks, anyway? What’s the point? Why do they do what they do? How do they do what they do? Nobody mistakes Pop Rocks for real food, but they sure are fun. And completely ridiculous.

With all the non-ironic (okay, mostly non-ironic) optimism pumping through the veins of the media, you might think that the Mariners have a shot at the postseason. I’m not here to dispel your hopes.

After a fantastic, improbable, season high eight-game winning streak, the Mariners kicked off their road trip with a pair of losses to the Chicago White Sox. This is neither surprising nor unpredictable—in 2012, the Sox have trampled the M’s in seven of eight games.

Whether it was bad luck, an inevitable collapse from an unsustainable win streak, or a combination of the two, the Mariners fell hard. Jason Vargas gave up six earned runs and three home runs in his second worst start of the season. Tom Wilhelmsen earned his first blown save on three hits and two runs, in true Brandon League style. Chone Figgins, veteran and professional bench warmer though he may be, failed to recognize a bunt sign and blew a crucial opportunity to advance the tying run in the 8th.

More painful than the mistakes, however, are the moments when the team was within reach of a win. On Friday night, the Mariners floundered under a five-run deficit for three innings, then pulled out a six-run rally in the 9th with four hits, three walks, and a home run. Tonight, Kyle Seager was responsible for all of Seattle’s runs, putting up a three-RBI homer in the 1st and a solo shot in the 9th before John Jaso killed the tying run with a pop-out.

It hurts to see a win slip through the Mariners’ gloves. It hurts even more to see that happen twice. Still, I believe this is a different team than the one who was perfect game’d by Philip Humber this April. This band of Mariners has a little more fight, a little more drive, and a little more want. So, while I’m not about to crown them the AL West champions just yet, this season is far from over.

Next game: @ White Sox | August 26 | 11:10am

Final score: Mariners 3, Rays 2

Tonight did not feel like a loss.

Don’t worry, I haven’t gone crazy. I was at the game. I know how it ended. The Mariners rallied, Justin Smoak delivered, and Eric Thames was shaving-cream-pied in the face (and mouth). It was a fantastic night.

To clarify, however, the six innings when Seattle trailed Tampa Bay did not feel like the aimless banging our heads against the wall we’ve been trained to expect. Kevin Millwood hit a season high with 8 strikeouts, holding the Rays scoreless through 6 of 7 IP. Stephen Pryor’s fastballs aimed for 100, and peaked around 99 for a double and 2 strikeouts in 1.2 IP.

Even Smoak had a productive night, going 1-for-2 with a leadoff double, walk, and a sac fly that was Safeco’d on the warning track. It would be an understatement to say that Justin responded positively to the pressure he now faces, given a poor showing in Tacoma and Mike Carp’s trip to the 15-day DL.

By the time the 9th rolled around, I was mildly concerned that Chone Figgins and Miguel Olivo were up to bat. Joe Maddon was concerned as well, albeit for different reasons. I turned my cap inside out. Maddon turned his outfield inside out.

Fortunately for him, and unfortunately for me, Olivo was not destined to be the hero of tonight’s game. Perhaps another day he will send a two-run jack into a two-man outfield. Tonight’s win belonged to Thames, who popped a walk-off single over the head of a somersaulting Sean Rodriguez.

To cap the Mariners’ finest win in recent memory, I’ll leave you with Eric’s parting words of the night, moments after John Jaso delivered the victory pie mask: “My mouth was OPEN!”

Next game: vs. Rays | August 15 | 12:40pm