The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT, March 31, 2010

There is reason for optimism around Safeco Field this season as the Seattle Mariners prepare to take the field for their first game of the regular season in less than a week.

Considering getting tickets for the home opener in two weeks against Oakland took a half hour, it seems as though I'm not the only one that thinks that.

WHETHER IT was just bad timing or a large group of fans flooding Ticketmaster to get their tickets also, it took about a half hour before I could even search for tickets, whereas in previous seasons, I'd been on the site for about 10 minutes.

Last year, it was understandable with Ken Griffey, Jr. making his return to the team for the first time since leaving via trade to Cincinnati in 2000. Even in mid-May, Griffey was receiving a hero's welcome, much like in the team's home opener when they defeated the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field.

What resulted was an improved team, with the Mariners in the playoff race for most of the summer. Once the season concluded, it seemed like the M's were ready to keep playing, even though they were circling the field for the final time after beating Texas in early October.

Could the return of Randy Johnson to throw out the first pitch at this season's home opener be a sign of things to come - we'll see in October.

SOME KEY pieces from last year's team are gone with Adrian Beltre in Boston, Kenji Johjima returning to Japan and the platoon of Michael Saunders, Ronny Cedeno (while Ichiro was hurt), Endy Chavez and Bill Hall has since been replaced by the much-older combo of Milton Bradley and Eric Byrnes, depending on who is healthy or not suspended.

Seattle landed a couple of free agents in Chone Figgins and Cliff Lee, who are expected to bring the glory back to the Mariners.

However, Figgins is playing out of position and Lee is injured at the moment, and this might not be as quick of a fix as some think. Lee will have to serve a five-game suspension (which isn't as big a deal for a pitcher), before he can take the mound in a Seattle uniform. Casey Kotchman replaces Russell Branyan at first base, but considering that Kotchman played in the division before, it shouldn't take long getting to know the pitching again.

EXPERTS HAVE picked the Mariners to win the AL West, most likely on account of their offseason moves, but the odds of that happening will likely depend on just how good of moves that the M's general manager made.

Gone now are some of those talented players that were supposed to be the future like Jeff Clement, Yuniesky Betancourt and Brian Lahair. Trading pitchers such as Freddy Garcia and Joel Pineiro probably didn't help the holes that developed in their rotation in recent years.

Probably a good chance none of these players were going to make an impact for the team, but in looking at what they turned down to keep them here, who knows.

With the addition of some mid-range free agents a couple of years ago, maybe this team contends a few years ago, instead of holding down the bottom of the division.

In a 162-game season, it's anyone's guess just how things will conclude in October.

But it will be an interesting summer.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by phone at 664-0239 or via e-mail at [email protected].