Spring Training

[TTown]

Pitchers and catchers? Check, check.

We've got about six hundred thousand relievers fighting for a couple available spots. Let's give it up for competition?

[TTown]

I don't think he comes out and "says" it, but reading in-between the lines of Geoff Baker's initial blog, early snap judgments (and by "early", I mean midway through the first practice):

1. Bedard is throwing bullpen sessions, and it sounds like Baker is cautiously optimistic that he'll be a part of the rotation.

2. Felix, Vargas, Fister are locks. This we knew.

3. Pineda could excel all Spring and still might not make the club initially, the organization is in no rush. This makes sense, as (I think) Pineda has all of 13 starts at Tacoma under his belt. Thus, likely #5 starter? Nate Robertson.

4. League, Ray, or Delcarmen would be the favorites to take over closing duties until DA gets back in late April.

I have no problem with keeping Pineda in Tacoma until they're 100% sure he's ready. Personally, I thought Safeco would be a good fit for a lefty like Robertson the moment he accepted our minor league deal.

[Sweezo]

Now that the games are finally getting started, my interest in the season is starting to take shape. So far, it looks like heap of bullpen candidates will need a little time to find its groove. Delcarmen's velocity is supposedly way down...I don't expect his career to turnaround with us.

Johermyn Chavez hit a home run today that was notable just for the sheer force he exhibited. It sounded like a cannon shot over the radio, and several M's personalities commented on how hard he hit it. With Chavez, Peguero, and Halman the M's have some truly powerful OF types...making contact appears to be a severe issue of all of them, but Chavez may have a chance.

[Bulltalk]

I heard a debate on the radio today on whether or not you employ Pineda as a starter on the roster come opening day? The argument against it is that you get another year of control over his rights if you don't bring him up till June 1st.

Of course, this all assumes he continues to do well this spring.

[TTown]

Since I'd be stoked with 70 wins this year, I guess I'd be in the keep-him-at-Tacoma camp... unless he just dominates the spring and everybody sucks it up to the point we can't field 5 Major League caliber starters. Get some more AAA starts in him, pray Bedard does well enough to deal him at the deadline, get some prospects, bring Pineda up to replace him.

[Sweezo]

Well...if you're keeping Ackley in Tacoma, you should keep Pineda down there too.

[TTown]

Well, as the spring is winding down, I'd say Pineda all but locking down the #5 job and Jack Wilson moving to 2nd/Ryan holding down the job at short have been the biggest stories. Eager for the season start, but that might change on any night Felix isn't throwing.

[Sweezo]

Well, as the spring is winding down, I'd say Pineda all but locking down the #5 job and Jack Wilson moving to 2nd/Ryan holding down the job at short have been the biggest stories. Eager for the season start, but that might change on any night Felix isn't throwing.

Another relatively interesting story today as Josh Wilson was let go in favor of Luis Rodriguez. Wilson was relatively underwhelming, but it's interesting to see the team cut the seemingly favored veteran in favor of an unproven commodity.

I think this rotation will be more interesting to watch [by far] than what we ended the season last year. Felix is Felix, Pineda is intriguing, and Bedard seems healthy.

My biggest concern is the bullpen; It's a list of names cobbled together that doesn't inspire a ton of confidence in me. Sounds like Wilhelmson may have made the final cut, which is neat since he has a decent amount of promise, but there's probably going to be a lot of ups and downs with him [and the rest of the group].

So far, I'm more optimistic about this team's fortunes than I thought I would be. I expect the infield this year will be markedly improved over last year's. Figgins didn't hit a thing in spring training last year and that carried over into the regular season. Maybe being back at 3rd is a better fit for him; he's been hitting the ball pretty well this spring.

I don't know what Bradley and Saunders will bring, but they're both hitting too. I don't know how much Saunders' mechanical adjustments really mean in the grand scheme of things but as he's become more comfortable with his swing this spring he's started to hit the ball alot.

There's enough new pieces on this team that I'm hopeful. It'll be fun. I hope.

[TTown]

A productive Figgins would be neat. Last spring, I was really looking forward to Ich and Figgs getting on base and running wild, hopefully masking some of our deficiencies in the middle of the line-up. Obviously, that never happened.

Last year we buried ourselves early, but looking at April's schedule... I'm hoping we can build some confidence. Opening road trip at Oak and Tex won't be pleasant, but then we play 13 of 17 at Safeco against the Tribe, Jays, A's, and Tigers (the 4 road games @ KC). It'd be nice to win some games early...