THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: After playoff run, where will Mariners wind up in 2023?

Time flies.

(As we know.)

In this case, time is going to barrel right on through March, and suddenly we’re going to have real, live Major League Baseball – the kind that counts in the standings.

Note: This WILL be a strange sort of March, I grant you (besides the time flying and all that).

We’ve got a whole new book of rules to understand, with a pitch clock and no more shifts.

Scrap the fun defense with six guys playing second base, and besides that …

A whole platoon of very good players will be gone for a chunk of the month, competing for their countries at the World Baseball Classic.

And yet, with all of that going on, we find the Mariners in the strangest position.

At least if you take the opinion of fans in the Northwest, the M’s are a playoff team (at the very least) and talented enough to face down anyone in October.

Why not?

It’s a damn good group.

NOW THEN …

What exactly has to happen for the Mariners to make a deep, deep, deep, deep run in the playoffs?

Even the very deepest?

It’s more obvious than you think.

In fact, eight factors must fall into place (or come close) for Seattle to play rousing baseball in October.

Ready for the list of eight?

Good.

ONE, TWO and THREE – Pitching.

The rotation must stay healthy and the bullpen needs to be as effective as it’s been over the past two years (when Seattle led the majors in one-run victories).

The harder part of that, though, will be keeping the starters fit and firing.

Very few teams, if any, have a top four like Luis Castillo,

Robbie Ray, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby – plus reliability at Nos. 5 and 6 with Marco Gonzales and Chris Flexen.

However …

That entire group made every scheduled start a year ago, and that sort of thing – when the best-known pitcher these days is Tommy John – seems almost unbelievable.

It’s tempting fate to think they can do it again, so we might see the gang go seven deep with sizzling prospect Bryce Miller called upon for some critical starts.

Let’s hope it isn’t necessary, because … The Mariners’ offense is better, but it ain’t going to be confused with the ’27 Yankees.

This team must ride its pitching.

FOUR — None of last year’s phenoms can suddenly back up under increased pressure.

We’re looking at you, Cal Raleigh.

(No bother worrying about Julio. If he’s not one of the best players in baseball, then they’ve changed TOO many rules.)

FIVE — J.P. Crawford and Kolten Wong must return to form after defensive slumps a year ago.

Now that the infield shift has been banned, teams (especially teams that live on pitching) need infielders who can move side to side – and make plays when they get to the ball.

Crawford and Wong both would have fit automatically into that category a couple of years ago, but for whatever reason, both struggled with the glove in 2022.

In Wong’s case, he still had outstanding range (which is now crucial), but fumbled some plays he’d been making in his Gold Glove years.

SIX — Those veterans who were acquired to hit, Teoscar Hernandez and AJ Pollock, have to …

Well …

Hit.

They both have solid track records, although Pollock is getting a little long in the tooth to carry a team. He’s going to be needed desperately, though, to hammer left-handed pitching – which he’ll be able to do even when he’s in a rest home.

Teoscar simply mashes, and figures to keep on doing it, although the question is whether his contact numbers are beginning to slip.

You might want to keep your fingers crossed on both these vets, especially Pollock, just in case there’s a crisis in left field.

For instance …

SEVEN — What happens if Jarred Kelenic tightens up again, and all the lovely progress he seems to have made in the off season goes down the drain?

Kelenic actually could be the difference between the Mariners having a pretty decent offense, and something more that’s looking doggone special.

If JK begins to chase bad pitches again (and Taylor Trammell struggles once he’s healthy), you’d better hope that rookie Cade Marlowe is something seriously terrific.

It’s hard to picture the 35-year-old Pollock carrying a huge load in left.

Actually, that brings up a guy who could turn into a key cog, especially with the new rules – Sam Haggerty.

Along with Dylan Moore, Haggerty may have to play a surprisingly large role, and they might steal a hundred bases between them.

EIGHT — And finally …

Geno Suarez hits 40-plus homers, and Ty France (now fit after playing months with an aching wrist) wins the American League batting championship.

Remember, Ty was storming in that direction at the All-Star break last year, then got hurt.

Oh, and …

Julio edges Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani as the league MVP.

Last item, ladies and gentlemen …

Please get out to the ballpark, because you’ll want to tell your children and grandchildren that you saw Julio Rodriguez up close.

That’s the single MUST for 2023.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”