MLB Team Preview – Seattle Mariners
How do the Mariners’ MLB odds look for 2009?
Next question, please. Uh, hey, how about that Ken Griffey Jr.? Pretty cool to have him back home, huh?
Sorry for changing the subject, but it’s difficult to discuss the Mariners’ chances in MLB betting without a barf bag present.Even in the West, which is easily the American League’s weakest division, Seattle doesn’t have a hope in hell this year.
Funny how a team with a pitcher’s park didn’t invest any money in better hitting (sorry, Griffey doesn’t count) or even attempt to trade an arm for a bat. Safeco Field suppresses offense and the Mariners are already offensively challenged to begin with. Ichiro remains an elite leadoff man, but his game appears to be slipping. It sure would be nice to see what he could do atop a contender’s batting order. Instead, he’ll set the table for a borderline AAA-caliber lineup.
Adrian Beltre can still produce runs and Jose Lopez made big strides at second base last year but, aside from that, the M’s will look to Yuniesky Betancourt, Frankin Gutierrez and Russell friggin’ Branyan for production. Gross. Jeff Clement is thought to be the future at catcher but certainly didn’t look major-league ready last year, so time will tell if he can make a leap in ’09.
Seattle’s pitching staff is actually more than respectable but carries a “handle with care” tag. Erik Bedard is only a year removed from being one of the top three starters in the AL but he seems doomed to get hurt every year. Brandon Morrow had flashes of brilliance when moved into the rotation last year but was much more successful as a reliever. It’s hard to believe King Felix Hernandez is only 22, so he has plenty of time to develop into a superstar, but online betting fans have to worry about his heavy workload the last several years. I don’t see how pitching in the World Baseball Classic odds could possibly remedy that situation.
The Mariners’ pen should be “fine,” with no stars but a decent amount of depth. It won’t matter, anyway, as Seattle will be lucky to have any leads in MLB betting this year.
Seattle is my pick to have the American League’s worst record in the 2009 MLB odds, though the Blue Jays could push them for that dubious title.
