Darrin Beene is entering his seventh year at The News Tribune, having covered the Tacoma Rainiers in 2005 and Major League Baseball for two years before that. Beene, a former assistant sports editor at The News Tribune, also worked for the Los Angeles Daily News and Los Angeles Times. He lives in the South Sound with his wife and two children.
This blog is about baseball in general but specifically the Seattle Mariners and the Mariners’ Triple-A team, the Tacoma Rainiers. It will contain news, analysis, answers to your questions and audio reports.
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Spring training begins this week for the Mariners and most teams. As part of The News Tribune's preview, I wrote a column for Sunday's paper and capsules for all the teams. Here's the column – no sense waiting – and I'll post the capsules, too.
With the first baseball teams beginning spring training on Thursday fans can focus on pitchers and catchers instead of pitchers and money.
It was the kind of winter when Miguel Batista (lifetime record of 68-79 with a 4.46 ERA) was worth $24 million, Gil Meche (55-44, 4.65) $55 million and Barry Zito (102-63, 3.55) $126 million.
It was an offseason – for fiscal sanity. Owners threw cash at pitchers like it had Monopoly stamped on it.
In this bizarro market Adam Eaton received $24 million, Jeremy Bonderman got $38 million and Justin Speier – he’s a reliever by the way – signed with the Angels for $18 million. Get this – Speier’s not even a closer.
The owners spent money like they were oil company executives. In a way, they are. Baseball, as a business, is as healthy as Exxon.
In 2006, 24 of the 30 teams drew more than 2 million in attendance. Owners and players even came together in December and signed a new labor deal, which means you didn’t get bombarded with stories mentioning Donald Fehr all winter long.
But enough about those things. Let’s concentrate on some early story lines:
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (Last year's record, finish: 83-78, first)
Pitchers/all report: Thursday/Feb. 20.
Key additions: 2B Adam Kennedy, P Ryan Franklin, P Kip Wells, P Russ Springer.
Key losses: P Jeff Suppan, P Jeff Weaver, P Jason Marquis, 2B Ronnie Belliard.
Player to watch: P Jason Isringhausen. Hip surgery knocked him out of the playoffs last year and he’s trying to come back this spring. If he can’t close, the Cardinals will have to mix-and-match in the bullpen.
Reasons to hope: As long as they have Albert Pujols, they’ve got a solid lineup. … If they can win it all last year, why not this year?
Reasons to mope: Lost three starters and did not really replace them. … P Mark Mulder is out until June. … Lightning rarely strikes twice in the same spot.
NEW YORK METS (Last year's record, finish: 97-65, first)
Pitchers/all report: Saturday/Feb. 21
Key additions: OF Moises Alou, UTIL David Newhan, UTIL Damion Easley, P Ambiorix Burgos, P Scott Schoeneweis, P Jorge Sosa.
Key losses: LF Cliff Floyd, P Brian Bannister, P Chad Bradford, P Darren Oliver, P Roberto Hernandez, P Heath Bell.
Player to watch: P John Maine. The rookie looked good in the postseason (2.63 ERA) and must be ready to be a reliable No. 3 behind old pros Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez.
Reasons to hope: Everyday lineup is strong. … Bullpen was made over, but should still be a strength.
Reasons to mope: Rotation is old in spots, young in spots and untested at the backend. … NL East is stronger, and Mets won’t likely run away with title this season.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (Last year's record, finish: 88-74, first)
Pitchers/all report: Friday/Feb. 22
Key additions: Manager Bud Black, 2B Marcus Giles, P Greg Maddux, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, P Heath Bell, P Mike Adams.
Key losses: Manager Bruce Bochy, C Mike Piazza, 2B Josh Barfield, OF Dave Roberts, P Woody Williams, P Alan Embree, 1B-OF Ryan Klesko, INF Mark Bellhorn.
Player to watch: Kouzmanoff. The Padres seemingly use four 3B each season but hope Kouzmanoff, whom they got in a trade with the Indians for Barfield, nails down the job for years to come.
Reasons to hope: The rotation is deep and strong and closer Trevor Hoffman is still at the top of his game.
Reasons to mope: That rotation features 43-year-old David Wells and 40-year-old Maddux. … Counting too heavily on Kouzmanoff, OF Terrmel Sledge and C Josh Bard to replace the offense of Roberts, Barfield and Piazza.
MINNESOTA TWINS (Last year's record, finish: 96-66, first)
Pitchers/all report: Feb. 19/Feb. 24
Key additions: INF Jeff Cirillo, P Sidney Ponson, P Ramon Ortiz.
Key losses: P Brade Radke, P Willie Eyre.
Player to watch: P Matt Garza. He made it to the majors last season all the way from Single-A. With openings in the rotation, the hard-throwing 23-year-old could be there to stay.
Reasons to hope: Johan Santana remains the best pitcher in the game. … The Twins boast a solid core of young players in C Joe Mauer, 1B Justin Morneau and RF Michael Cuddyer.
Reason to mope: Besides losing Radke to retirement, the Twins are without rookie sensation Francisco Liriano for the season after he underwent elbow surgery in November. That’s a lot of pitching to have to make up.
NEW YORK YANKEES (Last year's record, finish: 97-65, first)
Pitchers/all report: Thursday/Feb. 20
Key additions: P Kei Igawa, P Andy Pettitte, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, P Luis Vizcaino.
Key losses: P Randy Johnson, OF-1B Gary Sheffield, P Cory Lidle, P Jaret Wright.
Player to watch: 3B Alex Rodriguez. A lot was made of A-Rod’s “down” year (.290, 35 HR, 121 RBI) and his 1-for-14 showing in the playoffs. How will fans treat him in 2007?
Reasons to hope: The rotation, badly needing to be reworked, added Pettitte from Houston and Igawa from Japan. … The Yankees still have more offense than anybody, and should threaten to score at least 900 runs.
Reasons to mope: If Pettitte continues to be plagued by elbow problems, Igawa struggles and Carl Pavano – remember him? – can’t get healthy the rotation might be worse off. … Rogers Clemens decides to sign with Boston instead of returning to New York or Houston.
SEATTLE MARINERS (Last year's record, finish: 78-84, fourth)
Pitchers/all report: Thursday/Feb. 20.
Key additions: P Jeff Weaver, P Miguel Batista, P Horacio Ramirez, P Chris Reitsma, RF Jose Guillen, 2B-DH Jose Vidro, P Arthur Rhodes.
Key losses: P Gil Meche, P Joel Pineiro, P Rafael Soriano, OF Chris Snelling.
Player to watch: P Felix Hernandez. He was supposed to be the second coming of Dwight Gooden but he was overweight in camp last year and got off to a slow start. He’s in better shape now and must improve on his 12-14, 4.52 ERA from 2006.
Reasons to hope: The rotation, with three new starters, has to be better than last year. … Lineup gets an upgrade with addition Vidro and Guillen.
Reasons to mope: Players coming off injuries – Guillen, Vidro, Reitsma and Ramirez – might spend more time in the training room than the field. … The rotation’s different, but is anyone that excited about the three new starters?
