Countdown to Opening Day 2012: #27 Seattle Mariners

By Andrew Marcus

Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

To help pass the time between now and the start of the 2012 Major League Baseball season I am going to be examining a different team every day. Starting with the Astros, working toward the Phillies. I will give you my projected starters, breakout and bust players, each team's X-Factor and top prospect.

PROJECTED LINEUP

3B Chone Figgins
2B Dustin Ackley
RF Ichiro
1B Justin Smoak
LF Mike Carp
DH Jesus Montero
CF Casper Wells
C Miguel Olivo
SS Brendan Ryan
**Franklin Gutierrez (out 4-6 weeks)

PROJECTED ROTATION
Felix Hernandez
Jason Vargas
Kevin Millwood
Hector Noesi
Hishahi Iwakuma

PROJECTED BULLPEN
Closer - Brandon League
Set-up - Hong-Chih Kuo

Top Prospect - Jesus Montero (C/DH)

Breakout

Danny Hultzen - While the Mariners were obligated to fill rotation spots with veteran arms like the well-traveled Kevin Millwood and the obligatory yearly Asian aquistion of Hishahi Iwamkuma, the real prized pitching is knocking on the door. With a good spring James Paxton, Taijuan Walker and/or Danny Hultzen could all break camp. These are the guys that made Michael Pineda expendable. Hultzen, the second overall pick in last June's draft, has the highest ceiling of those three power arms. By September the Mariners, led by 26 year-old Felix Hernandez (yes, only 26!), could see the future's potential. 

Bust

Jesus Montero - I hate to throw a 22-year old's career down the drain, but Seattle is place you go to drink Starbucks, listen to Nirvana and get caught dancing in the rain. Not a place to become the next feared hitter in the major leagues. I think Montero is in a tough position, having no position (catcher, first base, or DH), and in his rookie year being the savior of one of the worst offensives in the game's long history. We will know if he is special if he can overcome Safeco's spacious grounds, but my hopes are not high for the former Yankee farmhand. 

X-FACTOR
Chone Figgins - Let's just say he walked more times in 2009 (110) with the Angels than he has during his two years in Seattle (95). Figgins is making over 9 million dollars this year and the Mariners cannot afford to pay him to take up bench space. In hopes to re-energize his career they are moving the enigma to the top of the order, which means Ichiro drops to third. I have little doubt that Ichiro will be successful wherever he hits, but in order for it to work the M's need Figgins to find it. 

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 67-95

How will Ichiro adjust to hitting 3rd?

PROJECTED FINISH: 3rd in the American League West

***THANKS FOR READING MY TEAM BY TEAM OUTLOOKS TO HELP PASS THE TIME
 

Check back tomorrow for the Chicago Cubs