Mariners baseball is almost here.

Let that sink in for a moment. The hydro races, the piping hot garlic fries (or communal drumstick of the King’s Court, if that’s more to your taste), the crack of the bat and the frigid, could-be-December-but-no-it’s-April weather is all scheduled to return in just five days.

Reviewing The 2013 Seattle Mariners Commercials — As only he can, Jeff Sullivan psychoanalyzes the Mariners’ new batch of team commercials, from Brendan Ryan’s odd relationship with a buffalo to Kyle Seager’s stealth ability to hide silk pajamas from his teammates.

March Madness: Baseball Stats Edition — In case you need a last-minute distraction while NCAA basketball takes over the sports world (and before baseball reclaims its rightful position), have a crack at Matt Hunter’s baseball-themed bracket. It pits popular favorites—RBI, ERA, FP—against more involved stats like VORP, RE24, and (K-BB)/PA.

Coming to terms with Jason Bay: Seattle Mariner — Jason Bay is a nice guy, probably. Will he be a nice Mariner? Lookout Landing’s Kyle Davis is here to answer that question.

Breakout seasons often foreshadowed in spring training — Spring training stats can be fun to look at in hindsight. Take Buster Posey, for example. In his rookie year, he batted .305/.357/.505, heralded by a spring slash line of .315/.351/.444. Now, does this give us any insight into the Cactus League performances of the 2013 Mariners? We’ll have to wait until 2014 to find out.

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

On Wednesday, the new TV spots for the 2013 Mariners were officially released. From Felix and his High Heat Hot Sauce to Brendan Ryan’s magical buffalo cookies (not the kind you’re thinking of), the PR team did a great job with this year’s batch of commercials.

Click the photos below to watch each video—and don’t forget to vote for your favorite!

Hottest Thing in Town
Starring: Felix Hernandez

Focused and Relaxed
Starring: Michael Morse, Michael Saunders, and Kyle Seager

Fan Mail
Starring: Dustin Ackley

One Wish
Starring: Random Mariners fan

The Lineup
Starring: Random Mariners fan and Random Mariners fan’s kids

The Wise Ol’ Buffalo
Starring: Brendan Ryan, Tom Wilhelmsen, Jesus Montero… and a buffalo

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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.

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

As baseball drags its feet this winter, trade rumors continue to pile up. Andre Ethier, Justin Upton, and Giancarlo Stanton have been linked to the Mariners in the past week, but as usual, Jack Zduriencik is keeping any future plans under wraps.

• The Mariners Caravan is taking off this Wednesday, beginning in Lacey and ending in Tukwila. Scheduled stops will be made in Longview, Yakima, Spokane, Walla Walla, and the Tri-Cities as well.
• Earlier this week, the Mariners signed Arizona first baseman Mike Jacobs to a minor league contract and spring training invite. Jacob earned a .849 OPS in 387 PA with the Triple-A Reno Aces, putting up 93 hits, 18 home runs, and 60 RBI in 101 games. He made his MLB appearances at the tail end of the Diamondbacks’ season, batting .211 with 4 hits, a double, and 2 RBI in 23 PA.
• According to Greg Johns, right-handed reliever D.J. Mitchell has been sent to Tacoma to clear a roster spot for Raul Ibanez.
• Eric Wedge and Jack Zduriencik will be making appearances at this year’s Mariners FanFest. They will be joined by the following lineup of players:
  • Blake Beavan
  • Jay Buhner
  • Nick Franklin
  • Jesus Montero
  • James Paxton
  • Stefen Romero
  • Brendan Ryan
  • Michael Saunders
  • Kyle Seager
  • Casper Wells
  • Tom Wilhelmsen
  • Dan Wilson
  • Mike Zunino

You can find more event information and ticket prices here.

Back in February and March, it had not yet been determined who would be the starting third baseman for the 2012 Seattle Mariners. I don’t just mean Eric Wedge hadn’t made an announcement – there was actual debate among Mariners’ writers and fans alike. Would Chone Figgins finally earn his $36 million contract? Could Alex Liddi rebound from a disappointing off-season stint in Venezuela and make his homeland of Italy proud? Or would youngster Kyle Seager take the next step and solidify himself as a capable starter?

Even as Opening Day came, there wasn’t a clear-cut answer. Chone Figgins started the first game of the season. The answer wasn’t clear until a couple weeks into the season, when Kyle Seager showed that he belongs in Seattle.

Over the course of the year, Seager proved he had power, leading the team with 20 home runs. He showed decent speed, notching 13 stolen bases and even a triple. He led the team by far in RBIs with 86. He wasn’t even running a high BABIP – he finished the year at .286, showing that it’s not just that he was getting lucky with hits falling in.

It’s funny to look back and see that, going into the season, third base was even a question mark. While he didn’t start out as the third baseman, he definitely proved that he was where he belongs, playing in the final 105 games of the season. Seager started out strong, holding a .283 batting average on June 1st and while that dipped down to .238 by July 27th, he hit .289 over the remainder of the season for a final average of .258.

Kyle Seager was probably the best overall position player for the 2012 Mariners. He was also just 24 over the course of the year, having been a third-round draft pick three short years ago.

Jack Zduriencik and the Mariners’ front office deserve a lot of credit for going with Seager in the third round. They had a chance to see a lot of his play as he was on the same college team as that year’s first-round pick, Dustin Ackley, and they liked what they saw enough to bring him to Seattle. Even better, however, is the job Kyle Seager has done in transitioning to the big leagues and making his mark. Whether it be at third base or at another position, Seager looks like he’s going to be around for a while and Mariners fans should be thankful.

Final score: Mariners 6, Angels 1

Unlike the stone-faced foes of the Doctor, these Angels are not liable to kill more than the Mariners’ chances of winning a baseball game. Tonight, however, they were powerless—not, as one might expect, against King Felix, but against Hisashi Iwakuma.

For his third consecutive win, and ninth on the season, Iwakuma allowed six hits and a walk. He struck out seven batters, retiring Mike Trout on four pitches and sending Albert Pujols down swinging three times. In sixteen starts, this marked Iwakuma’s fifth outing with at least six strikeouts. Prior to tonight, his most recent attempt was another 7-strikeout effort against the Angels on September 2.

On the heels of the Mariners’ announcement to restructure the fences, every ball hit in the direction of an outfield wall was imagined in its 2013 resting place. Kyle Seager cleared the fences with a moon shot to right field, while Casper Wells and Michael Saunders smacked several pitches to the warning track.

In a pre-2013 Safeco Field, Saunders, John Jaso, and Jesus Montero followed Seager’s home run with a no-doubt double and a pair of base hits. Not to be excluded, Mark Trumbo ensured at least two RBIs with a handful of throwing errors. Overly grateful, the Mariners returned the favor in the 9th, botching a shutout on a ground ball that tripped Tom Wilhelmsen and popped off Saunders’ glove.

Tomorrow, the Mariners return to Safeco Field for the series finale and their last game of the season. Fighting to skew the series split in their favor will be Blake Beavan and RHP Jered Weaver.

Last game: vs. Angels | October 3 | 3:40pm

Final score: Angels 5, Mariners 4

Narrative 1: Justin Smoak is good. No, really. Since September 13, he’s gone 24-for-38 with 7 XBH, 7 RBI, 4 HR, and just 6 SO. Half of those home runs were hit tonight, putting up the Mariners’ four runs and still falling one run shy of the Angels.

Sure, this level of production is unsustainable. Come Spring Training, or perhaps Opening Day 2013, he might regress to a sub-Mendoza line batting average. But it’s September, the Mariners have eight games left to play, and if this is the silver lining handed to us by the baseball gods, so be it.

Narrative 2: Zack Greinke is good. No, really. Okay, so you knew he was good already, what with the 3.05 FIP and 8.65 K/9 this year. Tonight, however, he set a few records for himself, the Angels, and the Mariners.

Over 5 IP, Greinke induced two groundouts and picked off Kyle Seager to end the 3rd inning. Each of the other 13 outs were strikeouts. If that math seems incorrect, it’s because Greinke managed to strike out four batters in the 4th, his third strikeout botched on a wild pitch. Trayvon Robinson and Brendan Ryan, batting eighth and ninth, struck out three times each. At the top of the lineup, Dustin Ackley struck out four times.

By the end of the game, the Mariners had struck out seven more times, tying their all-time strikeout record in a 9-inning game at 20. This last happened in April 1986, when Roger Clemens recorded all 20 strikeouts in a complete game win for the Boston Red Sox. According to ESPN Stats, the Angels became the first team to generate 20 strikeouts in MLB history, the three other 20-strikeout performances courtesy of one-man efforts from Clemens and Kerry Wood.

Although the lows significantly outweighed the highs of this game, the Mariners still have two more chances to spoil the Angels’ bid for a wild card berth. Tomorrow, Felix Hernandez faces C.J. Wilson, while Hisashi Iwakuma takes the mound against Dan Haren for the series finale on Thursday.

Next game: @ Angels | September 26 | 7:05pm

Good morning, Mariners fans. The sun is shining (a cold 54 degrees, goodbye summer) and your 2012 Mariners have officially won one more game than your 2011 Mariners. As if that wasn’t reason enough to rejoice, the team is also riding a one-game winning streak this week.

Here to help you celebrate is the latest in analysis, speculation, and good old-fashioned storytelling from the M’s blogosphere:

A New Kyle Seager — Forget the old Kyle Seager, whoever that guy was. We have the new and improved Seager, the two-out rally Seager, simply Seager. From SoDo Mojo, Bryant Barlett analyzes Kyle’s improvement over 2012 and what that may mean for an extended role in the future.

Let’s Talk About Mike Zunino — Right now, he’s the most exciting name in Mariners baseball. Dave Cameron is here, as always, to temper our expectations while simultaneously giving them a boost. Zunino could be the real deal.

Rebuilding plans collide beginning tonight as Mariners visit the Blue Jays — Geoff Baker has a plan for the 2013 Mariners. In his words, he’s “trying to spare Seattle fans from a decade-long nightmare of perpetual rebuilding.” Measured against the rebuilding strategies of the A’s, Blue Jays, and Rays, Baker takes a look at the steps Seattle needs to take this offseason.

Free agency and arbitration — On the other side of the fence, or perhaps the same side in slightly different form, Prospect Insider examines the Mariners’ upcoming free agents and their likely futures with the team.

Things About Justin Smoak — I heard that groan you just made. Perhaps you think there’s nothing good to be said about Smoak. Perhaps you’re wrong. Either way, you will just have to click on the link to find out whether or not Jeff Sullivan agrees with you.

30th anniversary: Gaylord Perry finally busted — Finally, we take a break from looking forward to look back at a memorable Mariner and his even more memorable habit of doctoring baseballs. From Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times, the story of Gaylord Perry and the day he and his spitball were caught redhanded.

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