Next game: @ Padres | March 22 | 7:05pm

The Decision: Jon Garland is waiting for an offer. If that offer is not a rotation spot on the Mariners’ 2013 squad, he can choose free agency, thanks to an opt-out clause in his minor league contract. Rumor has it, Seattle isn’t the only club that’s looking for a 33-year-old veteran starter.

Bay back in center: According to Shannon Drayer, Jason Bay will receive another look in center field after his debut last night. The reason? Eric Wedge says he didn’t get a play during his start against the Cubs.

And then there were 34: The Mariners trimmed their roster again yesterday, sending three more players packing. Here’s the updated list so far.

Players reassigned to minor league camp:
Logan Bawcom
Andrew Carraway
Nick Franklin
John Hicks
Jhonny Nunez
Ronny Paulino
James Paxton
Stefen Romero
Carson Smith
Taijuan Walker
Mike Zunino

Players sent to Triple-A:
Vinnie Catricala
Bobby LaFromboise
Alex Liddi
Danny Hultzen
Yoervis Medina
Hector Noesi
Carlos Peguero
Eric Thames
Carlos Triunfel

Players optioned to Double-A:
Francisco Martinez
Julio Morban

Celebrate in style: Kevin Martinez and the Mariners marketing department will ensure that Mariners fans have the best Opening Day celebration possible — even with the team far away in the O.co Coliseum. Not only will Safeco Field be open to the public, but there will be food and drink specials, the opportunity to tour Edgar’s, check out the new ballpark features, and best of all, enjoy the Mariners’ first 2013 game on the big screen. For more details, swing by Mariners.com.

Opening Day is a mere 11 days away, and Eric Wedge appears to have taken a page from Jack Zduriencik’s playbook. In other words, very little regarding definitive roster decisions has slipped from the skipper’s lips these days. Here’s the roster speculation floating around the blogosphere at the moment:

• The battle for rotation spots #3-5 is heating up, with Erasmo Ramirez, Blake Beavan, Brandon Maurer, Jeremy Bonderman, and Jon Garland in the mix. Although no names have been selected so far, Shannon Drayer believes Maurer is making a convincing case for his time in the sun. Following Tuesday’s win over the defending San Francisco Giants, she quoted Eric Wedge: “We feel strongly he is going to be able to get major league outs […] It’s just a matter as we prep everything out decisions we have to make and we have to take everything into consideration. The experience level, what the other guys have done and match that up to what he he done.”
• Seattle Times’ Geoff Baker seems to have other thoughts. In a nutshell, his opinions leave Maurer out in the cold: “If Garland makes it, Maurer has no chance. The team would give the final spot to either Blake Beavan or Erasmo Ramirez. In fact, even if Garland doesn’t make it, I think the team would give the final two remaining spots to Beavan and Ramirez. Not to Maurer.”
• On Tuesday, Dustin Ackley batted eighth. Is this a sign of things to come? According to Greg Johns and Eric Wedge, it very well might be. “Wedge said afterward that Ackley could well wind up down in that area during the regular season given the addition of the middle-of-the-order veterans and improvement of some of the young core players,” Johns writes. He added that Franklin Gutierrez is likely for the leadoff spot, while Kyle Seager could take his place if Guti fails to stay healthy.
• The Mariners roster has been pruned to 37 after another round of cuts.

Players reassigned to minor league camp:
Logan Bawcom
Andrew Carraway
John Hicks
Jhonny Nunez
Ronny Paulino
James Paxton
Stefen Romero
Taijuan Walker
Mike Zunino

Players sent to Triple-A:
Vinnie Catricala
Bobby LaFromboise
Alex Liddi
Danny Hultzen
Yoervis Medina
Hector Noesi
Eric Thames
Carlos Triunfel

Players optioned to Double-A:
Francisco Martinez
Julio Morban

The Mariners’ 2013 25-man roster is far from finalized, but the media is already starting to buzz with possible starters for the season. Here’s the latest:

• Yesterday, Larry Stone revealed the 16 players he believes are locked into starting positions come April. Those who fall into the “probable, but not guaranteed” category are denoted with asterisks.

Catchers: Jesus Montero, Kelly Shoppach*

First basemen: Justin Smoak, Kendrys Morales

Second baseman: Dustin Ackley

Shortstop: Brendan Ryan

Third baseman: Kyle Seager

Utility infielder: Robert Andino

Outfielders: Michael Morse, Michael Saunders, Franklin Gutierrez, Raul Ibanez

Starting rotation: Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Joe Saunders

Bullpen: Tom Wilhelmsen, Charlie Furbush, Oliver Perez*, Josh Kinney*

• As for the Big Four, they are still four question marks in the rotation. Stone thinks that Taijuan Walker is the furthest from claiming a spot, while Danny Hultzen has shown the most promise so far. Currently, Hultzen is sidelined with a minor hip strain, but is expected to bounce back within the week.
• Shannon Drayer reports that Michael Morse may see more time in right field than originally expected: “Despite saying that Morse would play mostly left this winter Wedge has had him in mostly right. He has been about what I think most of us expected out there.”
• Wedge has also been tinkering with the leadoff spot, slotting Franklin Gutierrez at the top of the lineup three times this week. “We have been messing around with him up top a bit and we will see how it plays out,” Wedge told Drayer on Saturday.

Next game: @ Rangers | March 1 | 12:05pm

Projected starters: James Paxton and Brandon Maurer.

The King is alive: Felix isn’t scheduled to appear in a spring training game until next week, but he’s keeping busy at camp in the meantime. So far, he’s tossed several 10-minute bullpens, and held his first session against live hitters yesterday afternoon. According to Greg Johns’ report, Jack Zduriencik and Eric Wedge like what they’ve been seeing.

Cactus League MVPs: Dustin Ackley and Brendan Ryan, who both sat out of the first few games recuperating from surgeries, have returned to the Mariners’ lineup this week. Ackley is 1-for-5 with a triple, while Brendan has a home run to his name, as well as a single in 4 PA. Gotta love spring training stats, right?

(Speaking of meaningless numbers, it may be worth pointing out that the Mariners are sporting a 6-1 record so far.)

Party like it’s Opening Day: Bud Selig and the baseball-powers-that-be favored Mariners fans this year, scheduling their opening game on a Monday evening. If you don’t already have plans to host your own party, sit on the couch and tweet, or catch the action at a local sports bar, the Mariners may have a suitable alternative in mind:

So far, Eric Wedge remains tight-lipped on the Mariners’ 25-man roster. Of course, he has no reason to be throwing names out there just yet: we’re barely three weeks into spring training, and much remains to be seen, tested, and proven before Opening Day. From the Mariners’ beat, a few guesstimations:

• After Thursday’s morning workout, Geoff Baker wrote the following:

“On the outfield side of things, it was interesting to see one group that consisted of Michael Morse and Jason Bay in left field, Franklin Gutierrez in center and Michael Saunders and Raul Ibanez in right. [...] It’s entirely possible those five guys could be your Opening Day outfield for this team, at those respective positions.”

• From Larry Stone, a promising comment on Vinnie Catricala and Stefen Romero’s progress:

“Manager Eric Wedge said earlier this week that he likes the versatility shown by both Catricala and Romero, because it will give them more avenues to the big leagues.”

• MLB.com’s Corey Brock spoke positively of Jason Bay’s showing in Saturday’s game:

“Jason Bay bolstered his hopes of making Seattle’s Opening Day roster with a two-run home run in the first inning on Saturday as the Mariners topped the Padres, 8-6, at the Peoria Sports Complex.”

Greg Johns added to the postgame story later:

“As for his chances of making the Mariners, he [Bay] appears to be in a battle with Ibanez and Casper Wells for the final outfield berths, but says he’s not concerned with that at the moment.”

As Opening Day draws near, here’s where the Mariners currently stand on their 25-man roster:

• Kendrys Morales is poised to fill the DH spot when the season kicks off. From Greg Johns:

“Right now the plan coming in is we see him getting the bulk of his at-bats at DH,” Wedge said, “but we want him to get reps at first base because that’s an option for him as well.”

• As mentioned on Wednesday, Justin Smoak has been appointed the starting first baseman in 2013. According to Geoff Baker, Wedge is more inclined to evaluate starters based on previous performances than spring training developments. The job is Smoak’s to lose.
• Larry Stone speculates that Kelly Shoppach is the frontrunner for the backup backstop position. Ronny Paulino, Shoppach’s competition, arrived late to camp this week after working out some kinks with his visa in the Dominican Republic.

Only two days remain before the Mariners take the field for their first spring training face-off with the Padres. Here are some of the latest developments from camp:

Taijuan Walker throws first live batting practice, unveils new curve — Larry Stone provides some insights on the 20-year-old prospect’s new pitch, something called a “spike curve.” While none of his BP pitches were tossed into the Peoria parking lot, Walker will be honing in on his command as the year wears on.

Shawn Kelley Traded to Yankees for OF Abe Almonte — U.S.S. Mariner delves into the Mariners’ latest acquisition, providing us a little backstory and analysis for Abe Almonte.

Mariners’ Kyle Seager ready for increased expectations — Seager explains the difficulties many Mariners players had with Safeco Field last year, as well as necessary adjustments he’s making to improve before Opening Day. Although he led the team in home runs last year, Shannon Drayer relayed the following quote: “Seager sees himself as more of a average/doubles type of player.”

A closer look at the off-season training done by Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak — On Monday, Eric Wedge told Geoff Baker that Justin Smoak would be the starting first baseman for the Mariners, barring “something drastic.” To prepare for the role—and keep the level of production he sustained in September 2012—Smoak is working closely with his agent, Hunter Bledsoe. While part of his training is devoted to making minute changes in his mechanics, a big part of the adjustments will be mental.

Risky Business – In light of Felix’s contract, Marc Normandin lists the pros and cons of signing the King to such a lengthy, expensive extension. Don’t be fooled by the title: there’s much to be excited about here.

Felix Hernandez’s Velocity — Fangraphs’ Bill Petti runs through the warning signs of injury and velocity loss in light of Felix’s new deal with the Mariners. Historically speaking, the chance of Hernandez handing Seattle 28 WAR over his seven-year contract does not seem likely.

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

I really hate pushing the news of an imminent(?) Felix extension down by one post, and feel more than welcome to completely skip this and scroll down a bit, but there was another little tidbit of information passed on by one Ken Rosenthal today via Twitter, who tweeted that the “Mariners are in agreement with [Joe] Saunders on one-year contract, pending a physical.”

Many Mariners fans were pleading for the club to add to the pitching rotation before Spring Training got under way, and though nothing is official yet, it looks as if Jack Z. will do just that by bringing in Joe Saunders. Before I proceed, remember that Saunders was the main piece the Anaheim Angels sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Dan Haren, so Saunders must be pretty awesome.

Just kidding. He’s not awesome, but I wouldn’t call him atrocious. Saunders should basically fill the void created in the rotation when Jason Vargas was traded for Kendrys Morales. Matthew over at Lookout Landing wrote a great piece about the similiarities between Jason Vargas and Joe Saunders. He’s a lefty who throws mostly fastballs and changeups and who will probably pitch 180+ not-horrible innings. I would imagine Eric Wedge will slot him into the #3 spot in the rotation behind Hisashi Iwakuma and the probably RECENTLY EXTENDED KING FELIX HERNANDEZ! YEAH!

Sorry.

But the best thing about the possibility of bringing in Joe Saunders: he’s not Hector Noesi. Noesi WAS atrocious last year, and it looked as if he was going to see some time in the rotation this season short of one of the three heads of Cerberus breaking camp with the big club. With Saunders in the fold, the rotation might look like this:

Felix, Iwakuma, Saunders, Ramirez, Beavan

That rotation is probably lacking a legitimate #2 starter that pushes one of Beavan or Ramirez out, but it would look a whole lot worse with Noesi anywhere near it. It lacks something, but also leaves room for growth, which could be another signing, a trade, or one of Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker, or James Paxton proving they’re ready.

No, Joe Saunders on a one-year deal certainly shouldn’t hurt.*

*Edit: Especially at the reported $6.5MM price tag. Apparently incentives can make it $7.5MM, but that’s still pretty darn cheap. I like this move.

Last weekend, the Mariners lit up Safeco Field for a two-day baseball carnival. From trivia competitions to running the bases, it was the perfect antidote to an offseason that has felt too long, cold and dark these past few months.

One of the big attractions this year was the addition of a 200-ft zip line stationed in right field. Despite crazy lines for nearly every activity, there’s no doubt that this one drew the most fans—the wait was never shorter than an hour, and this for a five-second ride!

Being the daring and adventurous person I am, I made the zip line my first priority during FanFest. While the ride was tame enough for five-year-olds (and quite a few were brave enough to try it), my heart pounded as I climbed up the stairs toward the launching spot. There were enough straps, ropes, and harnesses to keep fans firmly attached to the zip line, but nearly no support for the ten fans waiting on the stairs who were rattled every time a rider reached the end of the line, making the staircase sway back and forth.

Elsewhere in the ballpark, many FanFest staples were featured—Mariner Melee, Catch in the Outfield, Run the Bases—but it was the new events that made this weekend really special. To commemorate Felix’s perfect game, fans were given the opportunity to don a #34 jersey, step on a fake mound, and show off their best Felixing moves. As players rotated throughout the day, first signing autographs, then visiting Dugout Dialogue, many of them also stopped by the 710 Photo Zone to pose with fans. » Continue reading “The Magic of Mariners FanFest”

Baseball season is coming. If, like me, you’re anxiously counting down the days till the gates swing open on Opening Day, you can catch a glimpse of the Mariners’ 2013 season at Safeco Field this weekend. No, there won’t be any actual baseball played, but there will be autograph opportunities, clubhouse tours, and a sneak peek at the changes the Mariners have been working on all offseason.

Here are four tips to make sure you get the most out of your visit:

1. If you’re angling for an autograph, make that your first priority.
The line you’ll see outside Safeco Field isn’t just for the baseball-starved—it’s for those who want to grab an autograph voucher handed out at Home Plate Gate. A voucher is good for two autographs, and the names you get depend on the line you choose. Wait time varies, but it’s safe to say that you’ll be hanging out anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour and a half. A handy guide for autograph procurement can be found here. » Continue reading “Four Ways To Enjoy Mariners FanFest”