2011 Mariners Spring Training
10 Players to Watch
1. Michael Pineda, SP
A huge imposing figure on the mound, his updated physical lists him at 6-7 260. He is no longer the tall lanky pitcher that first came into the Mariners system 5 years ago. Pineda is the best pitching prospect the M’s have had since Felix, and the #16 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. He is ready for the big leagues right now, and will probably be an above average pitcher as soon as he arrives. He almost assuredly would make the opening day squad, but the super-two rule (Extra year of control without arbitration) makes his call up unlikely until late May or June. While his fastball consistently hits mid to high 90’s, and throws a plus slider, along with strong command, he needs to show better consistency on the mound. If he can improve his split against lefty hitters possibly by further developing his cutter, he could become a legit #1 pitcher.
2. Dustin Ackley, 2B
The #2 overall pick of the 2009 draft, a converted second baseman, with the advanced bat, and a batting eye well beyond his years, is nearly ready for the big leagues. He was fast tracked last year starting in AA West Tennessee and then moving up to AAA Tacoma, where he didn’t exactly impress. However Ackley showed enough for a first year player to still be considered one of the top prospects in the league (#12 BA). The conversion of Ackley to second base is a interesting idea, he has the athleticism of a center-fielder, but played primarily first base in college while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Obviously the recent failure of Chone Figgins switch to second base makes Mariners fans wary, but Ackley’s youth along with a great work ethic and attitude will help smooth the transition. More importantly his bat will be more far more valuable at second base than it would be in left field. Similarly to Pineda, Dustin will likely be called up in late May or June due to the super two rule. Be sure to watch his how his defense at second base progresses, and for any flashes of power at the plate. We know he can hit for average and walk consistently, but will he be a 15 homerun player or a 25? Will he convert his athleticism into a plus defender at second base, or might he fail at second and be forced to move back to the outfield.
3. Milton Bradley, LF
Milton Bradley has become synonymous with dugout blowups, legal problems, and just plain weird behavior. Milton was swapped for Carlos Silva last off season, providing new environments for both players in similar situations: Poor attitudes and having huge contracts that weren’t being lived up to. He underperformed last year, missing time for both injury and counseling. This is possibly Milton’s last chance to prove he can still be a major league player. He had a history of run-ins with new manager Eric Wedge while they were in Cleveland in 2004 and while both Wedge and Bradley describe it as water under the bridge. It is definitely something to keep an eye on though. In order for the Mariners to have success this year, they’re going to need more quality batters, and Bradley is one of the few proven players on the team. If he can return to form, and manage to keep himself on the team it could be the difference for the offense.
4. Erik Bedard, SP
Ever since the controversial five for one trade from the Orioles prior to the 2008 season Erik Bedard has disappointed. While he hasn’t pitched poorly, he hasn’t seen the field the majority of his time with the Mariners. He played 15 games in 2008, 15 games in 2009, and had a single rehab start in 2010. After going through three shoulder surgeries since becoming a Mariner, he finally might actually be healthy. Every offseason discussion about the Mariners rotation since Bedard’s arrival has gone like this: if only we could have Bedard healthy we could have “Felix, Bedard, and Silva* (* Yes, I’m laughing too)”, “Felix, Lee, and Bedard”, or “Felix, Bedard, and Pineda”. The thought is all always that we could have 2-3 Aces in our rotation, and every single year that doesn’t happen. But hopefully this year is different, Bedard is claiming to be healthy and his pitch velocity so far matches that claim. If he can keep up his strength through spring training, perhaps he is finally back to where he was three years ago. The entire pitching staff will be helped if Bedard can return to form, the bullpen will be less worked, Jason Vargas won’t have to perform like a number two pitcher, and whoever would have had to fill the #5 rotation spot can be utilized in the bullpen.
5. Adam Moore, C
Adam Moore has failed to impress since coming up from the minors last season. He beat up minor league hitting, averaging over .300 for his career, but hit a paltry .196 this past season. He was going into camp competing for the backup job behind Miguel Olivio, with a outside shot to split time with Olivio. But with Olivio’s strained groin likely starting him on the DL for opening day, Moore has a great opportunity to try and secure the job, or at least prove he can handle for the future. On the other hand if Moore fails, and continues to struggle with the bat, he may play himself out of the future plans. Most beneficial for Moore is that he can continue to build a strong bond with the starting pitching staff, learning the pitchers strengths and weaknesses, and earning their trust in regular season games.
6. Josh Lueke, RP
The right handed reliever with a high octane fastball was a secondary piece of the Cliff Lee trade last summer, and is on his way to perhaps being the future closer for the Mariners. However he was embroiled in controversy, after the Mariners front office claimed to be unaware of Josh Lueke’s criminal history. Lueke was charged with rape, but ended up being jailed for 42 days as part of plea bargain. His name will always be tied to this, every step he moves forward will be accompanied by comments about his past. Despite this, he has too much talent to be pushed away from the spotlight, and he will likely play quite a bit during the second half of the season with the big league club. It will be interesting to see how he will be handled from a PR standpoint.
7. Jack Wilson, 2B/SS
The veteran gold glove shortstop, might soon be known as the veteran gold glove second baseman. With the addition of Brendan Ryan, also a slick fielding shortstop, Jack Wilson is trying to make the switch to second base. Jack is injury prone, and has lost a step, but is still a very skilled defender. Ryan is still relatively young and very talented defensively, and with no SS prospects close to the majors, it makes sense to let him entrench himself into the spot. Wilson and Ryan will make a great double play combo and will have a entertaining rivalry to see who can actually hit a home run, the two combined for 2 home runs last season. Jack will just be keeping the seat warm for Dustin Ackley at second. It also gives Ackley a veteran presence making the switch two second with him. It makes for an interesting story with the 22 year old super prospect and a 33 year old aging shortstop making the transition to second base together.
8. Justin Smoak, 1B
The center piece of the Cliff Lee deal, the slugging first baseman didn’t exactly set the world on fire last season. He came on strong in the last 10 games of the season, hitting .441 with 3 home runs and 7 walks. He still finished a disappointing .218 for the season, but there is no reason he shouldn't improve significantly this upcoming season. He is the first of the three super star prospects (Smoak, Pineda, Ackley) coming up for the Mariners, and hopefully this is the season he really arrives.
9. Greg Halman CF/ Alex Liddi 3B
Both these players all hold three things in common. They will be playing for Tacoma, they’re from Europe, and they hit hit the ball a very long ways. Halman is the closest to the big leagues, and has the most upside but has been whiffing at a rate near 40%. His 33 home runs at Tacoma last year though, are far too intriguing to ignore. Especially since he played center field the majority of the time. There have been few center fielders with that sort of power, but Halman still has a long ways to go. Liddi, from Italy, is a hard hitting third baseman. He was recently sent back to minor league camp, but before he left big league spring training he hit three homeruns in three games, including to grand slams. Granted it was against sub-par talent but it’s still great to see. Hopefully one of these two will manage to make a impact at the major league level, however both their stocks are down after disappointing 2010 seasons.
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10. Jose Flores, RP
Flores was the surprise rule 5 pick from the Cleveland Indians this year. He was only at high single A ball last year, and doesn’t have much other than pretty good command and a low 90’s fast ball. He has to make the 40 man roster however, and that at this point is pretty unlikely. If he shows he has a secondary pitch and has great control than he could make it. I feel that Z knew he probably wouldn’t make the team, but the upside of it was too much to pass up. If you hear his name at all this Spring Training he’s probably doing something right, but in all likelihood the only time you’ll only hear the name “Jose Flores”, it’s going to be paired with “is heading back to Cleveland”.