THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: With the Mariners, it's never too early to wait 'til next year

The Mariners are always looking for slogans.

You know, for bumper stickers, billboards, yada, yada.

I’ve got a suggestion.

How about this?

“Ready to thrive in ’25!”

Yes, yes, I realize that’s a year away — so the club’s marketing department might shy away from a slogan that prompts fans to say: “Why should I buy season tickets for THIS year?”

Look, if you love baseball and you’ve noticed that the Mariners have battled in the American League West right to the last weekend in each of the past three seasons … go for it.

Hey, the Red Sox will be at T-Mobile Park for all that Opening Day hoopla in just 16 days.

And even though I’m sharing an honest (and likely unpopular) opinion that the Mariners are still another year away from punching out the competition, this season can still be fun.

Shoot, Julio Rodriguez is worth the price of admission all by himself.

You want to tell your grandkids you saw the J-Rod Show, right there in person, right?

MLB experts love the Mariners young pitching staff, a group that — by the way — helped push my full-blown excitement level to the 2025 season.

Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo need full years to fill out that five-man rotation.

THE M’S front office did an admirable job this past offseason, piecing together a team that COULD be better than last year.

President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander — along with their scouts and personnel people — managed what they could despite a surprising cut in projected payroll.

They revamped a lineup which had the second-most strikeouts in MLB a year ago, a fault which led to the “innings of death.”

That’s a phrase coined by a baseball reporter years ago, and it refers to teams who always seem to have runners on base, but can’t turn all that traffic into runs.

Dipoto said immediately after last season that he intended to juggle the Mariner lineup, removing a lot of those two-on, two-out whiffs.

He wanted to add professional hitters who can put the ball in play.

You know what happened.

Popular third baseman Eugenio Suarez was traded, and so was Jarred Kelenic — the gifted kid who just couldn’t learn the strike zone.

Teoscar Hernandez and Mike Ford were cut loose, which was infielder Kolten Wong’s fate at midseason.

If you’re a skeptic with doubts about how the roster has been rolled over, I won’t argue the point.

The Mariners have three star-caliber anchors right up the spine of the diamond — catcher Cal Raleigh, shortstop J.P. Crawford and Julio in center field.

First baseman Ty France should be in that class, and very well might be after an offseason working on his swing.

That’s four spots in the lineup.

So, how about five more?

This is where I start thinking more about 2025 than the season that’s right on our doorstep.

Where exactly is this lineup, then?

OK, I’ll start by saying I’m bullish on the trade that sent star reliever Paul Sewald to Arizona, in return for outfielder Dom Canzone (likely to start in left field on opening day), valuable utility infielder Josh Rojas and prospect Ryan Bliss.

Bliss can play anywhere, and hit .304 with 20 homers and 55 steals in the minors last year.

He’s part of my argument for 2025.

GETTING Match Haniger back to town in a deal with the Giants earned applause, and Dipoto did his best by adding free agent DH Mitch Garver, and trading for veteran second baseman Jorge Polanco.

The M’s also scooped up outfielder/first baseman Luke Raley from Tampa — a terrific athlete who hit and ran like crazy for the first half of last season, then pretty much fell off a cliff.

Maybe he’ll find his mojo in the Northwest.

Ditto for third baseman Luis Urias, acquired from Boston after injuries and a couple of blah years with the bat.

So, what’s my problem with a pennant push in ’24?

Basically, you’re looking at a lineup stuck together with Scotch tape and safety pins.

Every one of those veteran lineup additions has had serious injury issues along the way.

It would be almost a miracle if this team (including the pitching staff) might stay healthy all season.

Meantime, we’ve been looking at the future at spring training.

Cole Young, Harry Ford, Jonatan Clase (my favorite prospect, a 5-foot-9 switch-hitting outfielder who hit 20 home runs and stole 79 bases while jumping to Double-A), and Tyler Locklear are sensational kids who are already surprisingly close to Seattle.

An even younger group highlighted by Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes, Felnin Celesten and Jonny Farmelo are a year or so behind that first group.

What’s neat about these prospects is that the top group are all hitters — a neat complement to that squad of pitchers that you’ve already seen in the big leagues.

All these prospects, and especially the ones closest to MLB, make me suspect the Mariners could be very special in … well, “thrive in ’25.”

Should I trademark that line?

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.”