What the Seahawks should do at the QB Position

The Seahawks are coming to a crossroads regarding their starting quarterback, Geno Smith.  He's about to enter the final year of his contract, and the team is going to have to make a tough decision regarding his future.  They have to, first and foremost, look out for the team's best interests.  I'm going to go over the possible scenarios and rank them from 1 to 5, with 1 being the best and 5 being the worst.

1. The Seahawks don't extend Geno, but find a different option to learn under him and possibly take over for him.  
This is what I hope the Hawks will do.  First off, as the team's starting quarterback and leader, he shouldn't hold out if they decide not to extend him.  Even if he decides to hold out, the Hawks should try to find someone out there who can take over, worst-case scenario.  They have Sam Howell, but they need to bring someone else in to compete with Howell, at least for the backup spot.  It could be through the draft, or it could be a QB in free agency like Justin Fields or Daniel Jones.  Clearly, it would depend on who they hire to be the new offensive coordinator, and who that OC likes.

2. The Hawks pull a Pittsburgh Steelers and bring in two new QB's
Last offseason, the Steelers jettisoned both Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph and got Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.  Imagine if the Hawks did something like that.  Who knows who the two QBs would be, but it would certainly inspire hope that the Hawks are trying to find the next franchise QB. 

3. The Seahawks trade Geno Smith and have a QB competition with Howell and another QB brought in.
We have likely seen Geno's ceiling.  He's not getting any younger, and his TD/INT ratio took a huge hit in 2024.  Perhaps Macdonald and the new OC will want to start with someone new and build them up.  Sure, there's Sam Howell, but he would need some competition for the starting job after trading Geno.  It could be another trade like the Hawks did with Russell Wilson, where they got Drew Lock in return, among other players and picks.  Possible teams the Hawks could look to trade Geno to: Raiders, Browns, Titans, or Giants.

4. The Seahawks stay with the same two QB's, possibly extending Geno
This wouldn't inspire much confidence in wanting to improve at the QB position.  Could Geno win with a Super Bowl roster like the Hawks had in 2013-2014?  Sure.  But so could a lot of QBs.  Also, extending him ties up our cap space a lot to our QB position.  When you do that, unless you have a worldly talent like Mahomes, Allen, or Jackson, you're not winning too much.  I mostly want some kind of change.  But not any kind of change, as you'll see below.

5. The Hawks draft a QB at #18, regardless of who is currently on the roster
After Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, there's a bit of a drop-off, so I'd be surprised if the #18 pick was a QB, especially if Geno is still here.  The next best options are Quinn Ewers and Jalen Milroe.  The Seahawks haven't taken a QB in the first round since 1993 with Rick Mirer.  I don't think that will change after the 2025 draft.  

It'll be interesting to see what they do this off-season.  I'll try to update here once it seems settled.  My dad, for one, is tired of Geno Smith as the Seahawks quarterback.  I can't say I blame him too much.  Sure, Geno can help the Hawks to winning seasons, but it does not appear he will be able to lead them to a Super Bowl.  It's time to start rebuilding at the position so the Hawks can hopefully, someday, have another star QB.

Wow, color me surprised.  They went with option #2 (bolded, above).  I definitely am on board with the decisions made.  Sam Darnold had a much better 2024 than Geno and is younger.  We also brought back Drew Lock, who not only is familiar with the Hawks, but he's familiar with Sam Darnold.  Who knew?  And not only that, but we drafted an electric fast-moving QB in Jalen Milroe.  I'm excited to see him in the pre-season, for sure.  I am not upset at all about moving on from Geno--we saw his ceiling.  Teams had started to adjust to him, and I guarantee he will not have as good of a season with the Raiders as he did in 2022 with us.  He's a bridge QB for the Raiders at best, just like he was with us.

What's Wrong with the Seahawks?

The Seahawks are 4-5, which isn't too bad, but when you consider they started 3-0 and have lost 5 of 6, and four straight at home, you realize there are some problems with the team.  Clearly, they were buoyed by their easy start, which involved facing: A rookie QB in his first game, a rebuilding Patriots team they barely beat, and a Dolphins team on their 3rd string QB.  Most competent teams would go 3-0 in that stretch, just as the Seahawks did.  But when they finally started facing teams built to win now, they started losing.  They even lost to a Giants team at home that still only has one other win, over the struggling Browns.

So, what's the issue?  On offense, it's pretty clear the offensive line is one of the worst in the NFL.  Geno Smith has one of the highest pressure rates and total number of pressures in the NFL, and it's not because he's always holding onto the ball too long, although I will admit he does that on occasion.  But I think the bigger issue is not being able to establish a running game.  To establish a running game, you need four things: A good running back, an offensive line that can create holes, a run-blocking scheme and coaching that will allow this to happen, and an offensive coordinator who will not abandon the run too quickly.  The Seahawks have the first one.  But they are largely missing the other three.  The offensive line has been unable to open holes in the A or B gaps.  Most of Kenneth Walker's big runs have been outside the tackles, where he has used his speed to get around the edge.  The run-blocking scheme also seems to be largely not there.  The Seahawks recently faced a 4th and 1 in Overtime against the Rams and could not get one yard.  And lastly, I'm not sure Ryan Grubb is the right fit for an offense that needs to be balanced in today's NFL.  He does seem to abandon the run after it doesn't work in game.

But that's just the offense.  The defense is actually not performing too poorly.  They've certainly shown to be dominant at times.  But they are inconsistent and lacking a bit of discipline.  I think, with time, they can develop into a dominant unit more consistently.  Perhaps not "Legion of Boom" dominant, but maybe close to it.  The pass rush could be improved, but the run defense seems better.  The pass defense is inconsistent, seemingly dependent on the aerial attack they face.  The defense has some above-average players in Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love, and Ernest Jones, but that's about it.  They could use a bit more talent.

I must also talk about starting quarterback Geno Smith.  Geno has a lot of people calling him to be benched.  I can see where they're coming from, but our other option is Sam Howell, who led the league in interceptions last season.  Sure, a change at quarterback can spark an offense, but it can also cause division.  Geno has a lot of close friends on the team, namely receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, and his benching would certainly upset them, especially if it's somewhat unwarranted.  We'd also be asking a second-year quarterback to be successful when the Seahawks, as I stated above, have one of the worst pressure rates allowed in the NFL.  It's very likely the people who are calling for Geno to be benched would then be calling for him to come back.  I do not believe Geno will be our quarterback for too much longer, as his age will likely lead to us looking for a younger option soon.  Just not this season.

Safe to say, coach Mike Macdonald has his work cut out for him.  I hate that I'm hearing people calling him to be fired already.  Like, come on, people.  This was not a team ready to make a Super Bowl run when he took over.  Pete was let go because there were struggles with the team that, unfortunately, still exist today.  Therefore, I think the issues with this team are largely due to the construction of the roster by General Manager John Schneider.  I could do an entirely separate post about him, but the point I want to make here is that he's likely been overvalued as a GM and should, therefore, be held accountable for the team's struggles.   He's not been a good GM with trades, he's only had two or three good drafts out of 14, and he overvalues some positions (wide receiver) while undervaluing others (interior OL).  

If the Seahawks really want to make a run at a Super Bowl in a few years, two things need to happen.  One, they need to find the next franchise quarterback.  Geno is a good holdover quarterback, but he will likely start declining soon (if he hasn't already), and the Hawks will need to find a younger option.  The second thing the Hawks will need to do is either replace John Schneider, or he has to change his philosophy on roster construction.  I don't see the latter happening, as people that high on teams don't tend to be malleable and are set in their ways.  Yes, he put together a team that won us a Super Bowl in 2014.  However, the NFL has changed in the last ten years, and I think he's failed to realize this.  I still like Schneider as a team-builder more than Jerry Dipoto on the Mariners, but it's starting to get close.  Like Dipoto, I feel a championship might not be possible under his reign.  

The thing Seahawks fans most have to understand is this is a team in transition.  We aren't going to make a Super Bowl run this year or even next.  Some legitimate holes on this team still need to be filled, and Macdonald still has to install his system and way of doing things.  This team still feels like it has remnants of Carroll's philosophy, so that needs to change.  Nothing against Carroll, but he's not the coach anymore.  This is Macdonald's team now, whether fans like it or not.  Let's all be patient.

Condensed 2024 NFL Predictions!

 I will, at the very least, keep up my tradition of predicting the NFL season, even though I'm always wrong about many things.  But hey, it's fun.  I'm going to get straight to it, the predicted records, the playoff predictions, and then, a short bit about the Seahawks, my favorite team.  A heads up, I'm going to try to predict a few surprises, so some of these records may surprise you.  After all, we always see several surprisingly good and bad teams each season.

* = Wild Card

AFC EAST
1. Miami Dolphins 11-6
2. Buffalo Bills 10-7*
3. New England Patriots 8-9
4. New York Jets 6-11
Comment: The Dolphins win a mediocre at best division as the Bills have a few setbacks.  The Patriots and Drake Maye surprise some people.  Aaron Rodgers either struggles or gets hurt and the Jets are, well, the Jets.

AFC NORTH
1. Cincinnati Bengals 12-5
2. Baltimore Ravens 11-6*
3. Cleveland Browns 8-9
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-10
Comment: The Bengals are back on top and Burrow plays all season.  The Ravens regress slightly, most notably on defense after losing Mike Macdonald.  The Browns are okay, but Watson proves to not stay healthy or consistent.  The Steelers regress without a solid QB as both Wilson and Fields struggle against the tough defenses of the AFC North.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts 11-6
2. Houston Texans 10-7*
3. Tennessee Titans 9-8
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-11
Comment: Yep, you heard it here.  The Colts surge with a healthy Anthony Richardson.  The Texans are still decent, but slightly lose their grasp on the division.  The Titans surprise people with their underrated D and Will Levis competing his butt off.  The Jaguars again struggle to find consistency.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 10-7
2. Los Angeles Chargers 9-8
3. Denver Broncos 7-10
4. Las Vegas Raiders 4-13
Comment: The Chiefs win the worst division in the AFC despite a bit of a Super Bowl hangover.  The Chargers show flashes under new coach Jim Harbaugh, but look like they'll take a year to make a big stride.  The Broncos are competitive, and Bo Nix establishes himself as the starter.  The Raiders struggle mightily, even under Minshew.

NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys 10-7
2. Philadelphia Eagles 8-9
3. Washington Commanders 8-9
4. New York Giants 7-10
Comment: In a very mediocre division, Dallas remains on top.  The Eagles struggle and continue their slide from last season.  The Commanders show some flashes but it's not enough.  The Giants aren't terrible, but are missing a star QB.

NFC NORTH
1. Detroit Lions 12-5
2. Chicago Bears 9-8*
3. Green Bay Packers 7-10
4. Minnesota Vikings 5-12
Comment: The Lions win the division two years in a row thanks to the best roster in the division.  The Bears surprise people and Caleb Williams looks like the real deal.  Jordan Love shows a bit that last year was a bit of an abberration.  The Vikings struggle without JJ McCarthy and having to go with Darnold.

NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 10-7
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-10
3. New Orleans Saints 6-11
4. Carolina Panthers 6-11
Comment: The Falcons win a very winnable division thanks to the addition of Cousins.  The Bucs struggle in year 2 under Mayfield.  The Saints and Panthers have different stories: The Saints suffer massive disappointment while the Panthers remain optimistic under new head coach Dave Canales.

NFC WEST
1. San Francisco 49ers 13-4
2. Seattle Seahawks 10-7*
3. Los Angeles Rams 10-7*
4. Arizona Cardinals 6-11
Comment: The 49ers remain very tough and win a formidable division.  My Seahawks surprise people and win 10 games, largely thanks to an improved defense.  The Rams also win ten games, but more on the back of their offense.  The Cardinals aren't awful, but struggle to beat any somewhat decent teams.

Before I get to the playoffs, here are the coaches in this scenario I'd expect to get fired:
Robert Saleh, Jets
Doug Pederson, Jaguars
Antonio Pierce, Raiders
Nick Sirianni, Eagles
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
Dennis Allen, Saints

With Mike Tomlin as an outside possibility (possibly steps down instead of getting fired).  

Now onto the NFL Playoffs!  Who is my prediction for Super Bowl LIX?

AFC WILD CARD
(7) Texans at (2) Dolphins: Dolphins win
(6) Bills at (3) Colts: Bills win
(5) Ravens at (4) Chiefs: Chiefs win

NFC WILD CARD
(7) Bears at (2) Lions: Lions win
(6) Rams at (3) Cowboys: Rams win
(5) Seahawks at (4) Falcons: Seahawks win

AFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Bills at (1) Bengals: Bengals win
(4) Chiefs at (2) Dolphins: Chiefs win

NFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Rams at (1) 49ers: 49ers win
(5) Seahawks at (2) Lions: Lions win

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFC: Chiefs at Bengals: Bengals
NFC: Lions at 49ers: 49ers

SUPER BOWL LIX
Bengals vs 49ers: 49ers win, 23-17

Yup, I hate to admit it, but the 49ers finally win another Super Bowl.  Turns out, third time is the charm for Kyle Shanahan, at least as a head coach.  

And now, my Seahawks.  I don't want to predict each game, because I'll be wrong about some wins and I'll be wrong about some losses.  I'll just go over three aspects of the team:

Offense: Slow start, but shows more explosiveness than last season.  There's not a ton of consistency with the offense.  Some games they may score 30+, others less than 20.  Geno has a bit of a bounce back season.  The lack of quality tight end depth hurts.  The run game could still be improved and show more consistency, as K9 breaks a few home run type runs but struggles to gain consistent yardage.

Defense: The defense is improved without the secondary of Diggs and Adams dragging them down.  The loss of Wagner's leadership is felt, but a few young players emerge, such as Derick Hall and of course, Byron Murphy.  The D-Line proves to be a Top 10 D-Line in the NFL.  The linebackers have their ups and downs, while the secondary is mostly decent.  

Coaching: I expect the growing pains that usually come with a rookie head coach/new coaching staff, but I do expect a new energy in this team.  I think they'll be in the middle of the league in terms of penalties (perhaps still bottom half) but I expect the Time of Possession to improve, largely due to the defense getting off the field, rather than the offense sustaining drives.  All in all, I expect a solid first season with a bright future in front of us.

Well, that does it for my 2024 NFL Predictions.  I'll take the Hawks having a good first year under Mike Macdonald, even if it means a 49ers Super Bowl... I guess.  But it should be a fun season.  Go Hawks!

Current Seattle Mariners Issues, Part 2

Last year, I did a blog on issues and questions surrounding the team (see it at http://briguy17-briguy17.blogspot.com/2012/06/current-seattle-mariner-issues.html).  While it may be a bit premature to do one this year, I still feel there are already a ton of questions and issues surrounding this year's team.  Here they are:

Should Wedge be fired?
If the Mariners regress and have fewer wins than last year, then yes.  This team has more talent and experience than last year's team, and if they aren't able to improve, it comes down to coaching.  The only way these guys will get going is if Wedge is able to light a fire under them and keep them motivated and confident.  Wedge seems like a good coach for a team that's already good, but not a good coach for a team trying to improve.  

What if guys like Ackley, Smoak, and Montero don't perform this year?  What should we do with them?
Each of those three players was highly regarded when we acquired them and we gave up a lot to get each.  In Ackley, we used our 2nd overall pick to get him.  The last time the Mariners drafted that high they got Alex Rodriguez.  In Smoak we traded Cliff Lee, and in Montero we traded Michael Pineda who made the All-Star team in his first year as a starter. 

If Ackley struggles (bad enough), I expect him to be sent down to work on his mechanics.  The team won't give up on their 2nd overall pick so easily.  If he can't improve anywhere by the end of the season, I would expect a trade of some sort in the offseason. 

If Smoak struggles, he could be traded before the trade deadline this season.  He could also be benched and only given spot duty for the rest of the season (put Morales at first and Montero at DH).  If he can't improve, he won't be given a shot next season.  He's had his chances.

If Montero struggles, I look for them to move him back to DH so he can focus solely on hitting.  Which means if Montero struggles it could mean the end for Smoak.  If Montero still struggles at DH the team could demote him or trade him in the offseason. 

It would be such a shame to have to do any of those things.  It's also such a shame that none of them have panned out yet.  Hopefully at least one will. 

When should the Mariners call up Mike Zunino?
When he's ready.  He has to understand the game of baseball, get some experience.  It also depends on how Montero and Smoak do in the bigs.  If they struggle and Zunino does really well at Tacoma, we'll have no choice but to promote him.  If come May, those things are true, then promote him.  Don't wait until August. 

Which of the "Big Three" if any, will appear in the majors this year?
Maybe not any.  While they were having success for a while, the pitching trio of Paxton, Walker, and Hultzen have sort of struggled recently.  There's still plenty of time to improve, but I could see Hultzen making his big-league debut with the September call-ups.  Paxton and Walker might take more time.

Is this Jack Zduriencik's last chance?
It just might well be.  Of course, if the team shows improvement, he will remain as GM.  But if the Mariners regress and possibly (heaven forbid) finish behind the Astros, he's probably gone.  If the M's do poorly enough, both he and Wedgie will be shown the door, and the team will start over... AGAIN.

Anyone going to be trade bait this season?
Smoak could be packaged in a deal if he struggles.  If the team struggles and decides to sell, then Brendan Ryan could go to a contender looking for a shortstop.   Gutierrez could be gone if the team decides they can't put up with his injuries anymore.  But the most likely to be traded is Brendan. 

Mariners All-Star(s)?
Obviously Felix, if he pitches like his usual self.   Morse could be a selection if he continues raking like he has.  Stephen Pryor has had a great start and could make it if he is able to continue his dominance into June.  Other than that, anyone else would be a bit of a surprise.

Ok, so how will they do this season?
Too soon to tell.  As I write this, they are 6-8.  Not horrible, because one more win and the team is at .500.  The team has suffered early injuries to Guti, Morse, Saunders AND Pryor, so if they can get healthy and stay healthy, we should be in good shape.  A tough month of May looms, but if they can stay near .500 throughout May, they have a shot... at improvement.  Go Mariners.

2013 Seattle Mariners Predictions

Edited to include players more likely to make roster, name's are in RED.

With my 2013 MLB Predictions already out, it is time to stick to my favorite team, the Seattle Mariners, and talk about how they will do this year.  I have already predicted a record of 79-83, which would be an improvement of 4 games.  We'd like to see more improvement than that, but I just don't see it happening until either the Rangers or Angels become mediocre/bad again.  I just think 79-83 is a good benchmark for this season.  If they do worse than that, then I would not consider it a successful season.  If they do better, then I would consider it a successful season.  Like I've done previous years, I will go over each potential player for the 25 man roster and at the end I'll pick who will lead the team in certain categories.  First, the hitters:

Catchers:
Jesus Montero - .260 avg, 29 home runs, 91 RBI
I expect Montero to have a better season than last.  He should start almost every game, most at catcher.  He may even see time at 1st base.  I'd like to see him at the #5 spot in the order.  I feel that's a spot in the order without too much pressure on it.

Kelly Shoppach - .250 avg, 5 home runs, 20 RBI
Shoppach will only see spot duty as the backup catcher this year, and with the youngster Mike Zunino waiting in the wings (and probably promoted this season), Shoppach could be on his way out before the end of the season.  I highly doubt he'll be this year's John Jaso.

Infielders:
Dustin Ackley - .300 avg, 15 home runs, 51 RBI
I expect this to be a breakout season for Dustin.  He doesn't have to hit too many home runs.  He worked on his batting mechanics a lot this offseason, and he is willing to do anything to improve on his dreadful previous season.  I may be too optimistic with my .300 batting average prediction, but if anyone on this team is going to hit .300 or better, it's him.  He's a guy who could someday earn a batting title--if he gets his act together.

Robert Andino - .240 avg, 2 HR, 12 RBI
I don't expect much from Andino this season.  He's virtually the replacement for Munenori Kawasaki and he will put up similar numbers.  He'll primarily be used to give guys like Ackley, Seager, and Ryan days off.

Kendrys Morales - .270 avg, 21 HR, 95 RBI
Morales is a much-welcomed addition to this hitting-deprived team.  He will be a middle of the order mainstay this season, so I expect 20+ HR and 80+ RBI this season from him.  Hopefully he will make the Vargas-Morales trade look like a good move by Jack Zduriencik. 

Brendan Ryan - .230 avg, 10 HR, 45 RBI
I don't know why we continue to go with Ryan other than his defense.  He is a below average hitter and always is found at the bottom of the lineup card.  However, he is a defensive wizard who actually makes guys around him (Seager, Ackley) play better defense too.  I definitely feel I am being generous with my offensive prediction for him, but he might surprise us. 

Kyle Seager - .260 avg, 18 HR, 60 RBI
I think Kyle has a limited ceiling.  What I mean by that is I think he played his best baseball last season.  Let's hope not.  I want to believe he can hit even better.  Maybe with talent around him in the lineup he can get even better.  Let's hope he doesn't have to carry the team offensively again.

Justin Smoak - .250 avg, 24 HR, 72 RBI
It's time for the big southern guy to step up.  We traded Cliff Lee to get this guy.  I would love to be surprised and see him hit .270 with 30+ HR and 100+ RBI, but I feel that is being too optimistic.  I think this year is his final time to prove to everyone in the organization he can be an everyday starting 1st baseman. 

Outfielders:
Jason Bay - .210 avg, 2 HR, 12 RBI
I don't expect Jason to play much, if at all this season.  I may be wrong.  But if he does make the opening day roster, he may not last too long.  You can't keep washed-up players for too long wasting a roster spot, which is something the Mariners have been notorious for the past decade. 

Franklin Gutierrez - .280 avg, 15 HR, 65 RBI
This guy simply cannot catch a break.  It's not that he's injury prone (technically he is).  It's that he is unlucky.  Getting beaned in the head while going back to first on a pickoff attempt.  Having stomach problems.  He needs to just get a healthy season in.  And this year, I believe he will and he will put up some decent numbers. 

Raul Ibanez - .260 avg, 12 HR, 32 RBI
Raul is something of a wild card with this team.  He could not even make the team.  He could make the team and only be used as a bat off the bench.  Or he could start at least half of the team's games.  No one really knows at this point.  I'll go with the middle option, having him as a bat off the bench (and occasional DH). 

Michael Morse - .275 avg, 20 HR, 65 RBI
I think Morse's numbers will go down now that he is back in the unfriendly hitters confines of Safeco Field.  But even with the above numbers that I predicted, he will still be a good middle of the order bat.  There just seems to be a logjam of corner outfielders/1st basemen/DH's. 

Michael Saunders - .280 avg, 25 HR, 91 RBI
I think the Canadian Condor will have a breakout season.  He will get most of his starts in right field and I think it's his time.  The fences have been brought in, and he will utilize every bit of the Safeco Field... field.  I also think participating in the World Baseball Classic will give him a little bit more motivation for this season. 

Casper Wells - .240 avg, 5 HR, 17 RBI
I don't see Casper having much playing time this year for some reason.  He's a decent player and a heck of a 4th outfielder, but he's run out of options.  I'm thinking someone else will pick him up this year.  Only time will tell.

Starting Pitchers:
Felix Hernandez - 17-12, 3.23 ERA
I see Felix having a very decent, but not oustanding season.  He will of course lead the ballclub in many pitching statistics, but it'll be a season just shy of Cy Young consideration.

Joe Saunders - 12-12, 4.20 ERA
Saunders will step in as the #2 on this team and will put up Vargas-like numbers (which is slightly above average). 

Hisashi Iwakuma - 13-10, 3.45 ERA
Iwakuma is going to be consistent this year, hopefully.  We resigned him for good reason.  He's probably a good #4 or 5, but until one of our big three emerge (Hultzen, Walker, Paxton), Iwakuma has to be a #3.

Brandon Maurer - 4-7, 4.69 ERA
I believe Brandon will have an up and down season.  He will have really good starts, but he will have really bad starts, too.  More of the latter, I am afraid.  But him being up in the bigs gives one of the big three time to develop in the minors.

Blake Beavan - 9-12, 4.34 ERA
My same day birthday buddy (Both of us were born January 17, 1989) apparently worked on his mechanics.  I'm worried, though, because Beavan is a flyball pitcher who gives up a lot of home runs, and we just moved the fences in at Safeco.  Just keep the ball down, Blake.

Previously included: Jon Garland, Erasmo Ramirez

Bullpen (No stats except for the closer):
Charlie Furbush
Furbush did really well in the relief role last season, when he was healthy.  I think he'll be continued to be used as a situational lefty and occasional two inning guy.  His best spot clearly is the bullpen.

Josh Kinney
Starts the year on the 60 Day DL

Kameron Loe
Many consider him mediocre, but he has pitched in Texas for a lot of his career.  I think he'll settle down more in Seattle.

Lucas Luetge
Here's a guy who could be a dominant LOOGY (Lefty One-Out Guy).  He is still pretty young so he can only get better.

Stephen Pryor and Carter Capps
I expect big things from both of these guys in the bullpen.  They both have great stuff and they're both young.  Someday, one of these guys will be our closer.  The question is though: Which one?

Oliver Perez 
We almost have too many lefties in the pen, but I guess better to have too many than too few.  Oliver Perez, a former starter, has shown he is definitely better suited for the bullpen now.  Heck, if the rotation suffered a lot of injuries, I'm sure he could step in if need be.

Tom Wilhelmsen, 37 saves, 3.01 ERA
Here's hoping he has just as good 2013 as he did 2012.  Wilhelmsen stepped in for League last year at closer and did marvelously.  But he's got a couple of young arms in Capps and Pryor waiting in the wings.  If Tom struggles, Wedge might be quick to put Pryor or Capps in as closer, especially if one of those two pitch well enough.

Alright, now that you know how each player will do, here's the lineup I expect to be the most-used (or at least the opening day one):

1. Michael Saunders, LF
2. Franklin Gutierrez, CF
3. Kendrys Morales, DH
4. Michael Morse, RF
5. Jesus Montero, C
6. Justin Smoak, 1B
7. Kyle Seager, 3B
8. Dustin Ackley, 2B
9. Brendan Ryan, SS

Bench:
Robert Andino, INF
Raul Ibanez, OF/DH
Kelly Shoppach, C
Casper Wells/Jason Bay, OF

Now, for the statistical leaders, in case you couldn't gather it from above:
HR leader: Jesus Montero
RBI leader: Kendrys Morales
Avg. leader: Dustin Ackley
Stolen Bases leader: Michael Saunders
Pitching wins leader: Felix Hernandez
Strikeouts: Felix Hernandez
Saves: Tom Wilhelmsen

Now, some of my personal awards, just for the fun of it:
John Jaso unsung hero award: Raul Ibanez
Kyle Seager breakout star: Michael Saunders
Carl Everett/Milton Bradley waste of space award: Jason Bay
Brandon League unreliable pitcher award: Kameron Loe
Rookie of the Year: Danny Hultzen
Clutch hitter award: Dustin Ackley

Well, let's hope for a positive 2013.  I expect the hitting to be improved with perhaps the pitching taking a step down.  If everyone is able to play to their potential, this is a 2012 A's type dark horse team.  This team really could surprise people and make a run for the playoffs just like the 2012 Oakland A's did.  I'm looking at the lineup, and having Michael Saunders hitting 8th is making it looking like a stacked lineup.  Haven't been able to say that for a while.  Here's to 2013!  GO MARINERS!