Meet the M's

There is a big season preview for the Mariners at the Seattle Times website today.

Plenty of good stuff there. For example, they have a meet the M's section broken down by Pitchers, bench, and starting lineup.

Of note in that section:

Felix Hernandez (WI '03):
Mariners need ... Felix to prove he's the ace everyone has predicted he will be. And he needs to prove it this season. There's no doubt he has the stuff — serious heat on his four-seam fastball, a two-seamer with great movement and a nasty curveball.

How bad do the Mariners need Felix to be an ace? Well, the four other starters in the rotation were a combined 32-41 last season. Each could improve slightly, but there's no reason to think any of the four will be much better than a .500 pitcher.

Julio Mateo (WI '00):
Mariners need ... Mateo to stay healthy (a familiar story in the bullpen). Mateo spent time on the disabled list twice last season but was his usual, solid self otherwise. Mateo was in the right place at the right time often enough to win nine games last season, most of any American League reliever.

JJ Putz (WI '00):
Mariners need ... Putz to be healthy. If he is, there's not much doubt about his ability. He was one of the best closers in baseball last season. But, if the sore elbow that acted up this spring is a problem, the Mariners will have to turn to Rafael Soriano to close games. Oh wait, he was traded to Atlanta. Uh-oh.

Pronunciation guide: It's "puts" — like "J.J. puts up with people calling him putz, but he'd really prefer they wouldn't."

Raul Ibanez (Appleton Foxes '93-'94):
Mariners need ... another season like 2006, when Ibanez put up career bests in home runs, RBI, hits and runs.

Good company: Ibanez became the sixth Mariner to have at least 30 home runs, 100 RBI and 100 runs in the same season last year. He joined Ken Griffey Jr. (did it five seasons), Alex Rodriguez (four), Jay Buhner (two), Bret Boone (two) and Edgar Martinez.

Spring things: Maybe there's more of this to come, if his Cactus League play is any indication. Ibanez crushed the ball this spring, leading the Mariners in home runs (five) and RBI (15) before they left Arizona for the final spring games in San Francisco and Las Vegas.