» Mariners

Okay, settle down people. Yes, the Mariners are 4-0 in Spring play and, to the immense gratification of fans who sat through too many innings without Mariners reaching base in 2008, are scoring an average of 8.17 runs a game, including the 3-4 loss to the Padres in exhibition play last Wednesday. Yes, the Mariners do have the best Spring record in baseball—Pittsburgh and the Angels are the next best. Yes, Rob Johnson, whom I wrote should be in the mix for a catcher’s spot on the roster, went 2-for-3 in today’s win over the White Sox. Yes, Jarrod Washburn has a 0.00 ERA through four innings pitched so far. Yes, Ronny Cedeno is an improvement on Willie Bloomquist.

But this is not the team, nor are these the games, we’ll be seeing during the regular season.

So, calm down.

Seriously, in 2004, when the Mariners went 18-11-1 (.638) to win the Cactus League by a half game over Milwaukee and the Angels then of Anaheim, the team went on to a cellar-dominating 63-99 regular season. With so many starting roster players—on every team—out for the World Baseball Classic, this Spring’s games should be treated as a AA-lens on the real composition of the coming season’s line-ups.

There is a lot to be feeling good about. Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times notes that Matt Tuiasosopo is batting 6-for-11 on the young Spring. Jarrod Washburn’s looking solid in his two outings, and we can hope that his walk year will yield a strong performance for the team as he auditions for his next contract, hopefully so Seattle can trade for prospects during the season.

And some things to worry about, too. For instance, Dave over at U.S.S. Mariner points  out that Seattle doesn’t really have a legitimate closer. Ryan Rowland-Smith gave up four hits, including a home run, and three earned runs in two innings pitched today.

The small-ball play of the Mariners over the past week has been bracing. Larry LaRue reminds that the M’s haven’t rolled out their big bats, with Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Sweeney and Russell Branyan still to make their Spring, and Mariners, debuts. Add 1.5 to three runs with two of these guys—or Adrian Beltre, when he’s back in solid form—in the lineup to move the average of 14.4 runners left on base during the first five games from scoring position to home.

Nevertheless, while it’s fun to see the Mariners winning, it’s way too early to count any of this as projectable into the regular season.

With a few Spring games under their belts, the crowd of catchers in Mariners camp must be wondering how much management will miss starting receiver Kenji Johjima by the time he finishes playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Johjima’s three-year contract, awarded last April to keep him from entering the free-agent market, is a barrier to several promising young catchers.

Spring number for catchers through Feb. 27 (Padres exhibition game not counted):

G  AB  R   H   2B  3B  HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP   SLG     AVG
J Clement     SEA    DH    2    5    1    0    0    0    0      0    0      1    0    0    0     .167    .000    .000
R Johnson    SEA    C       2    4    1    2     0    0    0      0    2      0    0    0    0    .500    .500    .500
A Moore        SEA    C       2    4    0    1     0    0    0      1    1       0    2    0    0    .250    .250    .250
J Burke          SEA    C       1    2    0    0    0    0    0      0    0      0    0    0    0    .000    .000    .000

Of course, Jeff Clement joined the team last summer, with disappointing results. He is expected to improve in his second season, and to split time between catching and designated hitter. The 25-year-old hit well in Tacoma before coming up to the major leagues in 2008. He was expected to be the catcher of the future, but several knee surgeries suggest he may be better suited to DH, a role  that will probably be dominated by Ken Griffey Jr.  Once Jr. has retired the job looks to be Clement’s.

It’s Rob Johnson, another 25-year-old receiver, who has shown the most promise in camp this spring.  This kid hit .305 at Tacoma in 2008, though his bat faltered in 32 plate appearances with the M’s  last fall.  Johnson hit a solo home run in the exhibition game against San Diego on Wednesday  and is three-for-four  with one run scored in his plate appearances during official spring games.

Then there’s Adam Moore, yet another 25-year-old catching prospect who brings real power to the plate. Having never played above AA,  more is rated by Baseball America as the Mariners’  sixth-best prospect, ahead of Johnson. He’s an excellent defensive catcher and calls a good game, something that Johjima  has been widely criticized as lacking. But he appears, at least when listening on the radio, to be little overmatched facing major-league pitchers. He has struck out and walk into plate appearances this spring.

Jamie Burke, the ancient mariner among these catchers, is a 37-year-old who’s already proven his worth to the major league club by making a combined 229 plate appearances over the past two years as a backup catcher. Burke stands a chance of being the third backstop for the team again this year, because both Moore  and Johnson need to continue to get regular opportunities to bat, which would only come in the minors.

That leaves the question of Johjima,  whom the team’s Japanese owner reportedly demanded be re-signed last year. Baseball Prospectus says of him, “he’ll either be a welcome veteran presence in the event of a Clement malfunction or one of the league’s best (and most expensive) backup catchers.” Johjima’s  performance at the plate has declined each year he’s played in the United States, and he’s hit only 39 home runs in three seasons. Having batted only .227 last year, it’s hard to justify retaining him is starting catcher.

While there are a number of other catchers  in camp to handle the overwhelming number of pitchers on hand, Johjima, Clement, and Burke appear to be shoe-ins to make the team.

New manager Don Wakamatsu worked with Johjima  on his game calling during a visit to Seattle earlier in the winter. Hopefully the presence of a veteran catcher in the person of Wakamatsu will improve Johjima’s  relationship with the pitching staff. If not, and ownership does not relent and allow the Mariners to trade away Johjima,  it may be at least another year before Johnson or Moore get to the majors.

The team, frankly, cannot afford to wait for the power.  To my eyes, it looks like Johnson is ready for his shot. That probably means Burke, not Johjima, will be bumped from the roster.

In other Mariners news: With two wins and a tie in Spring games, Don Wakamatsu has shown a keen ability  to generate runs, whether leading in a blowout or coming back to win a close game as he did today against the San Francisco Giants. This has got to give Mariners fans hope after the team’s bottom dwelling 4.14 runs per game score in 2008.

Also noted, Ken Griffey Jr. has already taken centerfield prospect Greg Halman out to dinner. Halman, in an interview during today’s KIRO broadcast gushed about the experience. As I noted the other day, Jr.’s presence, even before he begins to swing the bat, is going to boost this team.

The outcome of the first exhibition game of the Spring ended like many Mariners’ games in 2008, though with more than a little good news in the box score as the team wracked up 12 hits and demonstrated good plate discipline with only three strikeouts during the game. San Diego won the game 4—3 in 10 innings.

Catching prospect Rob Johnson belted the lone home run of the game for Seattle. Ryan Rowland-Smith, the Aussie left-hander who started the game, pitched a strong two innings, giving up only one walk. He stands an outside chance of grabbing a starting role after winning five of the 12 games he started in 2008.

But the Mariners left 28 men on base, reprising the lack of power and clutch hitting that lost 101 games last season. Without Beltre or Griffey, the team’s two big bats, in the lineup, it would have been auspicious to see someone else step up to drive runners home. 

Garrett Olson, the former Orioles left-hander who came to Seattle via the Cubs in exchange for temporary Mariner Aaron Hielman, gave up three runs on three hits, including a home run hit by Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff. 

What does one game, an exhibition contest at that, tell us about the team? They stayed in the game for 10 innings, something they didn’t do often last year, and still need some power. Manager Don Wakamatsu demonstrated an aptitude for small ball, moving men around the bases, just not often enough.

Noted during the broadcast, new GM Jack Zduriencik said he was only mildly excited to see his team in action. “Baseball is baseball,” he said. Sounds practical, grounded. Wasn’t as bracing as I’d like, given the job in front of him. To each his own.

Other Mariners news: Third baseman Adrian Beltre is considering going against the Mariners’ wishes and playing in the World Baseball Classic despite his post-season surgery in 2008.

Sometimes, players can work magic. Following the accounts of excitement among Mariners, it is clear Ken Griffey Jr.’s return stills last year’s stormy weather in the clubhouse. Days after we heard from J.J. Putz, who was traded to the Mets over the winter, that Ichiro Suzuki wasn’t a team player, the signing of Griffey has the Mariners Spring Training camp snapping with a new energy. The Kid won’t arrive in camp until Saturday.

Ichiro & Griffey, Mark Harrison, The Seattle Times

As Jerry Brewer of The Seattle Times wrote in 2007, Junior brings out the best in people, particularly Ichiro, and The News Tribune’s Larry LaRue makes the point that Ichiro will enjoy having the attention focus on someone else. Watching Ichiro, it has always been clear that he plays best when competing to be the best. During 2008, the competition among Mariners was only off-field, to see who could be in the worst mood.

The entire team is reportedly “ecstatic,” according to LaRue, and John Hickey at the Seattle P-I says the team is “buzzing” with excitement, leading me to make the bold claim that the Mariners will add 10 wins over the season because Junior is in the dugout and on the field. The Baseball Prospectus has projected a 67-95 record for the Mariners in 2009. I’ll be surprised if the team doesn’t win 77 games, which would place them firmly in third place in the AL West, just because the team is coalescing around Junior’s presence, as well as Ichiro’s opportunity to battle for the limelight and the general influence of confidence on the rest of the team.

In other news, Erik Bedard appears to be poised to have one of his good seasons, at least he’s smiling. Of course, when he’s throwing baseballs, he can be very good. In 2007, before the Mariners made a blockbuster five-player deal to get the left-hander from Baltimore, he was arguably as good as Johan Santana. Bedard got 1.41 strikes per inning pitched to Santana’s 1.07 SO/IP, albeit Santana is always more durable than Bedard. We shall see if, should he encounter any setbacks, whether he’ll disprove the criticism of other players who say he doesn’t pitch through pain. 

With Bedard on his walk year, and a Scott Boras Mark Pieper client, the M’s have to hope he comes out of the gate strong so he can be moved for some young talent. Perhaps the Atlanta Braves, despite losing the Griffey sweepstakes, will be in the hunt in the NL East and willing to trade Tommy Hanson and Jordan Schafer for a healthy Bedard.

Reports that Ken Griffey Jr. has decided to return to Seattle 21 years after he made his debut there in 1989 will cheer faithful fans and give the team another bat that can serve as DH or in the crowded, still largely powerless, outfield. It gives the club a direct link to its best years, a veteran presence in the clubhouse that is leaderless, and offers fans a good show while the rebuilding begins. Expect Griffey to platoon in left field, but it would be best if he focuses on his bat at DH. 

“This is the one player, at the end of the day, that we thought we needed to bring home,” GM Jack Zduriencik told MLB.com.

For a reported $2 million in base salary, plus bonuses that could add $2.5 million, Griffey’s 18 to 22 home runs in 500 at-bats is a relative bargain for the team. His knee, though surgically repaired in the off-season, remains a question mark. In order to maximize his at-bats, hopefully Junior will be satisfied at DH, settling into a mentoring role that could extend into a post-retirement role with the Mariners.

After Griffey recovered his health in 2005, he rebounded with 35 home runs, a .301 batting average and slugged .576. Girrffey certainly could add on the field for another year, or more, based on reports that he’s lost weight and is more fit than last year, when he batted .249, with 18 home runs and a slugging percentage of .424.

But ultimately, this is about returning the class to an organization. Griffey, one of the greatest players of his generation—if not the greatest, based on the help his closest peers had from drugs—will be welcomed by fans and immediately be able to assert some leadership in the clubhouse. Whether this is his last year on the field or he plays longer, as a Mariner he will feted throughout his farewell tour of the league and at home, selling tickets and representing Seattle fans when he is voted in Cooperstown.