Countdown to Opening Day: #18 Seattle Mariners

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#18: Seattle Mariners: The King and his court

PROJECTED LINEUP
SS Brad Miller
3B Kyle Seager
2B Robinson Cano
RF Corey Hart
1B Justin Smoak
DH Logan Morrison
LF Michael Saunders
C Mike Zunino
CF Dustin Ackley

PROJECTED ROTATION
Felix Hernandez
Hisashi Iwakuma
Taijuan Walker
Scott Baker
James Paxton

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Fernando Rodney

Set-up: Danny Farquhar

Top Prospect: Taijuan Walker

I know the reason why the Mariners decided to shell out to sign Robinson Cano for 10 years 240 million.

Felix Hernandez

And it really has nothing to do with their four straight losing seasons. It has everything to do with
Felix Hernandez. The King sells tickets like no one since Ken Griffey Jr. and if they did not do something soon, one of the best pitchers in baseball was bound to be traded at the deadline, even though he is signed through 2019.
You have to give them credit for keeping their homegrown talent happy and they actually might have done enough to shake up the layout in the American League West. Cano can protect an underrated Kyle Seager and the addition of Corey Hart, if healthy, adds some length to the linep.
They might be a right handed hitter short but if Taijuan Walker, James Paxton, and Danny Hultzen can join Felix and Hisashi Iwakuma in the rotation, the Ms could make waves as early as this season.
As of writing this on March 5th, Iwakuma and Walker are already battling injuries and Cano is complaining. If they keep it close at the deadline they could make a move to put them over the top, but Seattle is not set to do what the Seahawks did this season and win a championship.

Robinson Cano

THEY CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - It turns out the Mariners finally made enough moves to contend.
Cano does not need Yankee Stadium to launch 25 balls into the seats of Safeco and the average is high enough to win a batting title and help him win MVP. He makes everyone around him better. Even Justin Smoak finally puts it all together. Felix is Felix and new closer Fernando Rodney reverts back to 2012, when he was nearly unhittable.

REAL TALK - The Mariners are certainly better than last year and I expect them to go through a month this season where they look like true contenders, but I am not sure this new group can keep together for a full season and reach the postseason. They headed are in the right direction, but with three young, but promising starting pitchers, they are probably a year or two away.

Breakout: Taijuan Walker (RHP)

Bust: Logan Morrison (OF/1B)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Corey Hart (OF/1B)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 71-91 (4th in AL West)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 80-82 (3rd in AL West)

**Check back tomorrow for the Pittsburgh Pirates*