Next game: @ Rockies | March 16 | 1:10pm

No home run hoarders here: To date, 21 different Mariners have rung up a home run in Cactus League play. Of those 21, 12 players have logged multiple homers, with Michael Morse (5), Franklin Gutierrez (3), Carlos Peguero (3), and Justin Smoak (3) leading the pack.

Guti back under scrutiny: Franklin Gutierrez has been sidelined for six days of Cactus League games with tightness in his legs. According to Greg Johns’ report, the center fielder appears unconcerned, and believes he will be back on the field soon.

Opening (Day) acts: When April 8th rolls around, here’s one Safeco Field debut you can count on—that of Pickwick, a Seattle-bred folk band. Their first self-released record, Can’t Talk Medicine, can be heard on iTunes or at the band’s official website.

If you need even more incentive to attend the Opening Day festivities, single-game tickets will be available for purchase through Mariners.com beginning at 10am tomorrow morning.

40-man roster gets trimmed again: Four more cuts were made from Seattle’s major league camp this afternoon. Here’s the current list of players who have been sent down or reassigned so far:

Reassigned to minor league camp:

• John Hicks
• Jhonny Nunez
• Ronny Paulino
• James Paxton
• Stefen Romero
• Taijuan Walker

Sent to Triple-A:

• Alex Liddi
• Danny Hultzen
• Hector Noesi

Currently, the roster stands at 47 players.

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: vs. Padres | February 24 | 12:05pm

Projected pitchers: Erasmo Ramirez receives the nod for starter today, with the following mix of pitchers—James Paxton, Tom Wilhelmsen, Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Carter Capps, Josh Kinney, and Lucas Luetge. [h/t Greg Johns]

And you get a home run! And you get a home run! Over two tumultuous match-ups with their Peoria Sports Complex rivals, the San Diego Padres, the Mariners have managed 15 hits, 11 runs and 4 homers. In order of appearance: Casper Wells, Jason Bay, Justin Smoak, and Mike Jacobs.

Catch ‘em all: Wondering when you can catch the next Mariners game on your radio and TV? Check out the official broadcast schedule here.

Best shape of their lives? Well, this isn’t good:

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!

Looking for something to do between now and February 12? Not only do the Mariners broadcast highlights from the 2012 season on ROOT Sports every Monday night, but the 710 ESPN Seattle crew hosts their Hot Stove League show throughout the offseason. Tune in from 7-9pm tonight to hear interviews with Shawn Kelley, Mike Zunino, Mike Brumley, Dave Hansen, and Larry LaRue.

• Kevin Millwood has announced his intention to retire from Major League Baseball. MLB.com’s Zack Meisel reported the following:

“Millwood reportedly told his agent, Scott Boras, that he only wanted to pitch if he could do so for the Braves or Rays, two teams closest to his home in Gainesville, Ga. Neither team expressed interest.

“I feel like I can still throw it well, and going out on a high note is a big deal,” Millwood told the newspaper. “I just felt it was time to be closer to home and be around the kids more often.”

Millwood finished his career with the Mariners, posting a 4.25 ERA and 4.42 xFIP in 28 starts and 161 IP. He made two especially memorable appearances during his time in Seattle, kickstarting a 6-man no-hitter in June and commanding a 2-hit complete game shutout in Colorado just a month prior.

• This week, ESPN’s Keith Law ranked the top 100 prospects in MLB, as well as the farm systems of each team. Here’s how things shook out for the Mariners:

Top prospects: Taijuan Walker (#4), Mike Zunino (#15), Danny Hultzen (#66), Nick Franklin (#69).

Organizational ranking: #8. With their promising band of starting pitchers, the Mariners fell just behind the Cardinals, Twins, Rays, Astros, Cubs, Padres, and Pirates.

Honorable top prospect mention was given to RHP Brandon Maurer.

• According to Corey Brock, the Mariners are making progress with their 40-man roster, having signed over half to contracts for the upcoming season. Last week, ten players signed deals: Blake Beavan, Lucas Luetge, Francisco Martinez, Julio Morban, Carlos Peguero, Chance Ruffin, Kyle Seager, Justin Smoak, Eric Thames, and Casper Wells.
• Interested in working with the Mariners? The club has opened up several job openings for the 2013 season. You can find descriptions and applications for their full-time and part-time positions by clicking on the links below:

Game Day Staff
Navigators Team Member
Team Store Sales Associate
Sales Account Manager
Finance Intern
Aramark Cleaning Crew

For now, Jesus Montero is the only guaranteed catcher on the Mariners’ roster.

I’ll give Jack Zduriencik this much: he certainly knows how to pull off a surprise.

Today, the Mariners announced a three-way trade with the Oakland Athletics and Washington Nationals. John Jaso went to Oakland, A.J. Cole, Blake Treinen, and a PTBNL went to Washington, and Mike Morse went to Seattle.

It’s a move that, according to Twitter, left many fans scratching their heads.

In 2012, Jaso held a backup catching role, splitting time behind the plate with Miguel Olivo and Jesus Montero, and coming in as a left-handed pinch-hitter during late innings and extra-inning games. Offensively, he was the hottest lefty on the team, batting .276/.394/.456 in 108 games and 361 PA, with a .372 wOBA, 15.5% walk rate and 3.3 bWAR.

Mike Morse is a familiar name to Seattle fans. The Mariners saw him through the first four years of his career, from his MLB debut in 2005 to an injury-riddled 2008. In just 107 games and 337 PA, he batted .300/.365/.397 for a -0.2 bWAR. His batting average and playing time increased considerably after his departure, peaking at .303 in 2011 and dipping to a comfortable .291/.321/.470 over 430 PA in 2012.

While Morse has experience at first base (123 career games) and left/right field (247 career games), he will be fighting for a position that is over-saturated with candidates: Kendrys Morales, Mike Carp, and Justin Smoak at first, and Casper Wells, Michael Saunders, Eric Thames, Franklin Gutierrez, Jason Bay, Raul Ibanez, and Carlos Peguero in the outfield.

Where does this leave the Mariners’ catching situation? Miguel Olivo is gone. Montero is on the 40-man, but will not be expected to catch 162 games next year. Mike Zunino is promising, but as of yet unproven—and the Mariners seem to be in no rush to hurry him through the next level of minor league development. From Greg Johns’ trade report:

“We’re going to be shopping,” Zduriencik said. “We have our list; we’ve already talked to people this afternoon. We like our catching in the organization. We’ve got some good young kids right on the horizon. But for immediate needs, we’ll definitely be shopping.”

In a nutshell, this trade sees a poor defensive catcher with decent offensive production swapped for a poor defensive outfielder with decent offensive production. It leans in Oakland’s favor (and, for that matter, Washington’s), but bear in mind that Jack isn’t quite finished with the Mariners’ 2013 roster yet.

As 2012 winds down, here’s a look at the Mariners’ recent holiday gifts to the Seattle fanbase—and a few presents you may have neglected to leave under the tree for your Mariner-loving family and friends.

Awful Gifts For Mariners Fans You Hate — The only thing worse than giving someone a bad present is giving them a bad present one day too late.

Radio comments by Josh Hamilton on whether Mariners made strong play for him: ‘No, not really’ — Continuing the spirit of bad taste in gift giving, here’s another one the Mariners missed out on giving the fans this year: Josh Hamilton. Geoff Baker breaks down Hamilton’s recent interview on The Dan Patrick Show, shedding more light on the talks between the Rangers and Mariners this offseason.

Anatomy of a transaction: Morales trade was 36 years in the making — The Seattle Times‘ Larry Stone weighs in on the Morales-Vargas trade with a round of Six Degrees of former Mariner infielder Bill Stein (actually, it’s 38 degrees, but who’s counting?).

The End of Mike Carp — As we celebrate the arrival of a promising power hitter in Safeco Field, the increasingly crowded roster means that someone will be booted out of the first base/catcher/designated hitter platoon. According to U.S.S. Mariner, it won’t be Justin Smoak, Jesus Montero, or John Jaso.

Prospects Will Break Your Heart: Seattle Mariners Top 10 Prospects —- Finally, a small ray of sunshine in the middle of a long, now Christmas-less winter: the Mariners top ten prospects, as ranked by Baseball Prospectus’s Jason Parks. Note: This article comes at the price of $4.95, and it will be money well spent to find out just how soon Taijuan Walker and Mike Zunino are scheduled to arrive in Seattle.

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

As the Hot Stove simmers over the holiday weekend, the Mariners focus on finding a few more pieces for the 2013 roster.

• Here’s something guaranteed to make you go “aww”… Felix Hernandez snuggling with a pair of adorable puppies ready to be adopted. You can find ways to support the Seattle Humane Society here at the “Felix Says Donate” donation page.
• With three new faces on the Mariners’ 2013 roster, there are a few jersey changes to be made. Per the team’s official Twitter account, Robert Andino will don #3, Oliver Perez will switch from #36 to #59, Jason Bay will take Trayvon Robinson’s #12, and Kendrys Morales will stick with #8. Carlos Triunfel, #8 in 2012, will receive another jersey number shortly.
• Although we glossed over this yesterday, Morales will slip into a joint 1B/DH role next season, splitting the positions with Jesus Montero, Justin Smoak, and, to a lesser extent, John Jaso and Mike Carp.
• According to Greg Johns, these are the remaining holes the Mariners need to fill over the rest of the offseason:

A back-end starter
A hot-hitting outfielder
A veteran backstop
A veteran hitter

• Speaking of future moves from Jack Zduriencik, here is an updated list of names the Mariners have been linked to this month. Free agents are identified with asterisks.

RHP Rick Porcello
LHP J.P. Howell*
OF Nick Swisher*
OF Michael Bourn*
OF Andre Ethier
OF Curtis Granderson
OF Carlos Gonzalez
OF Giancarlo Stanton
OF Mike Morse

• Several weeks ago, the Mariners announced their plans to restructure the left field seating area for a new open-air pub. The Southwest-flavored cantina is called Edgar’s, named for iconic Mariner and future Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez. As Kevin Martinez pointed out, the restaurant will not be open to fans during FanFest this January, but is expected to be up and running by Opening Day on April 8.

Opening Day may still be a distant 122 days away, but Christmas is just around the corner, giving you the perfect excuse to ditch the offseason blues for some Mariners-themed memorabilia. Here are a few of our favorites:

King of Perfection DVD, $10

Relive each out of King Felix’s perfect game with this commemorative DVD, available exclusively in Mariners Team Stores. In addition to game footage, the film features postgame interviews with Felix Hernandez, a special video montage, and the choice of radio or TV play-by-play.

» Continue reading “Mariners Holiday Shopping Guide”