THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: April 2, 2014
They're not going to go unbeaten.
They probably won't be talked about all that much in the first three months of the season.
But this could be the year that things turn around for the Seattle Mariners.
Could be.
JUST A few runs here and there left the Mariners with a 71-91 finish last year, with the manager Eric Wedge turning down a contract extension and leaving the team following the season.
Now running the show for the team is Lloyd McClendon, who has been the hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers the previous seven seasons.
If he can get a few of those M's stars such as Kyle Seager, Justin Smoak and Mike Zunino to swing the bats like some of those guys that he had in Detroit, maybe we'll be in business.
But guys like Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Torii Hunter aren't walking through those doors at Safeco anytime soon.
The addition of Robinson Cano can and will help things a little bit, whether it comes in clutch hits or just being in the lineup consistently.
Other newcomers like Corey Hart - who was injured all last year with Milwaukee - and Logan Morrison will need to have big numbers as well for the team to compete.
WHAT WILL really be the difference in this season will be the pitching staff, led by Felix Hernandez.
Fans know what they'll get out of Hernandez, no matter who he's facing.
But some of the other guys like Erasmo Ramirez, James Paxton and Roenis Elias will have key roles early in the season as they'll be without a couple of projected starters in the first two weeks of the season.
Chances are, Ramirez and Elias will bounce back and forth between the M's and Tacoma, but have a chance to leave an imprint early on with Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker on the 15-day disabled list to start the season.
see ELLIOTT, B2
NO JOKE, with the Mariners sitting in first place in the AL West on April 1 - April Fool's Day to those that love a good laugh - you can't help but wonder if they can stay there for a little bit.
It was only one game, but you can tell a lot of different things from Monday's 10-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels.
After falling behind 2-0 on a first inning home run by Los Angeles, they answered right back in the next inning.
Seattle took the lead in the eighth inning and instead of just settling, the Mariners piled on in the ninth inning, scoring six runs, all with two outs.
It's just one game, but it seems at least that the attitude has changed and they'll be able to win a few more close games.
And given me a reason to tune in another 160 times this year.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.