Seattle Mariners

A Mariners Wish List That Would Make 2017 One Big Holiday

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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As a Mariners fan, there always seems to be a lot of wishing and hoping, but very seldom do those wishes come true. Here are some presents that Mariners fans will be wishing for during this holiday and beyond.

This holiday season is time for joy, wonder and the hope that every period of the year can be as magical as this one.

With the winter meetings taking place and general managers looking to help their team improve, their current players are resting up (in most cases) to prepare for another year on the diamond.

Jerry Dipoto wants to make Mariners fans happy during this hiatus and so far he is doing just that. But, there is still much more us greedy Mariners fans can hope for in 2017. Here is our ultimate wish list that would make every M’s fan feel that all of 2017 is a holiday.

Sep 21, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) reacts after the final out of the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Pitching Wishes

A Healthy Felix Hernandez

Before last year it would have never occurred to a Mariners fan that King Felix could get hurt and be out for an extended period. Last season we saw that happen and Felix’s season was nowhere near what Mariners fans or Felix himself expected it to be.

Last season Felix had one of his worst years. A 3.82 ERA, his worst since 2007. His 153.1 innings pitched was his lowest mark since he first came up to the majors in 2005. Felix’s recorded is the lowest strikeout to walk ratio in his career at 1.88 last season as well. At a cross road is his career, everybody will be rooting for Felix to get back on track and stay healthy, along with everybody else staying healthy, including you, James Paxton’s left middle fingernail.

At a cross road is his career, everybody will be rooting for Felix to get back on track and stay healthy, along with everybody else staying healthy, including you, James Paxton’s left middle fingernail.

More Starting Pitching

To go along with Felix’s injury last year, the Mariners had problems with staying healthy in the starting rotation. Iwakuma was the only starter who seemed to stay healthy all year. The Mariners started too many different pitchers to count last campaign. They were

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They were that close to bringing back Carlos Silva and Jeff Weaver, okay, maybe not that close, but you get the point. Actually, all in all, the Mariners used 13 different starting pitchers last year and after the trade of Walker, the Mariners need to fill two starting pitcher spots after Felix, Kuma, and Paxton. We should be looking for the Mariners to keep adding pitching depth throughout the off-season.

We should be looking for the Mariners to keep adding pitching depth throughout the off-season.

That Edwin Diaz That Struck Everybody Out

There was that point when Diaz first came up and eventually moved into the closer’s role where he seemed to strike even the most terrifying hitters out. That seemed to fade out near the end of the season as Diaz came back down to earth.

Mariners fans should be wishing for Diaz to return to something close to how electric he was when he first came up. He was still electric at the end of the season, but he seemed to lose some of his luster. That could have been because of his over use or hitters around the league figuring him out.

Either way, we should be looking forward to the hard-throwing back of the bullpen to with Diaz, Arquimedes Caminero, and Dan Altavilla to be one of the best bullpen trios in the league.

My personal wish is to see Thyago Vieira make the big league roster sooner rather than later. He is Mariners prospect clocked at hitting speeds of 100+ mph with his fastball.

Sep 24, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager (15) congratulates designated hitter Nelson Cruz (23) after his home run in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Batting Wishes

The Main Guys Continue Doing What They Do Best

The main guys being Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, and Kyle Seager. And doing what they do best is hitting the cover off the ball. Last year we saw them combine for 307 RBI, 112 HR, and a 16.6 OWAR.

Seager struggled out of the gate but turned it around once the calendar hit May. If these guys are anything close to what they were last year, then the Mariners should be in the playoff hunt all year long.

Leonys Martin Be The Leonys Before He Got Hurt

Leonys was a productive player last year. He played a terrific center field and hit a career-high 15 home runs. But do you remember that hot streak he had in May last season? He had a 9 game hitting streak and had already hit 9 home runs.

Leonys was never quite the same the rest of the season after that hamstring injury. He showed some great signs but none like the hot streak he had then. Hopefully, Leonys can have a couple hot streaks like that again next year and provide similar power numbers along with covering that large center-field in Safeco.

Along with Martin, hopefully, the Mariners figure out the infinite possibilities they seem to have with those corner outfield spots. Whoever is out there, please just let them be better fielders than Nori Aoki and better hitters than Dustin Ackley.

A Shortstop That Is Both Offensively And Defensively Productive

Well, this wish may have already come true but we will see how it plays out during the season. The Mariners acquired Jean Segura from Arizona, which may have granted our wish.

Jean might not be the Brendan Ryan of defensive shortstops but he should be a sure-handed shortstop, and Jean is definitely not the Brendan Ryan of offensive shortstops, last season Jean hit .319, while Ryan was a .233 lifetime hitter.

This wish turned reality should bring great rewards.

Production From A Catcher

Last year, Iannetta had his moments and was a great defensive catcher. Same with Zunino, who was recalled about halfway through the year and showed a ton of improvement from his past seasons in the majors, but it was still not quite enough to be the Mariners everyday catcher… yet.

In comes Carlos Ruiz in the trade with the Dodgers. Ruiz has a career OBP of .352, and even though his best years are behind him, we should still see some decent productivity from the catcher’s spot, especially if Zunino continues to build on last year’s output.

Jul 7, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Seattle Mariners hitting coach Edgar Martinez (11) watches batting practice before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Everything Else Wishes

Former GM Bill Bavasi Doesn’t Come Near Seattle

We all know the terrible decisions Bill made when he was the Mariners General Manager. I think it is pretty self-explanatory why this wish would be a top priority. I wouldn’t even wish Bill Bavasi to be a general manager of any other MLB franchise, that would be too much disappointment for any organization to go through.

Side wish would be for the Orioles to feel sorry for stealing Adam Jones from the Mariners and decide to return him.

Edgar To Be A Hall Of Famer

I don’t know how this wish hasn’t been granted yet, but here we are, another year where writers argue whether Edgar should or should not be in the Hall of Fame. because he would only have about 4 at bats a game and wouldn’t have that great of an impact on the match.

But those same writers will vote for a relief pitcher who might only get one or two batters out every other game.

Edgar should be in the Hall of Fame, it is quite simple, get it right writers who vote. A lifetime .312 hitter, with 1261 career RBI, 309 HR, 1283 walks and 514 doubles. How is that not a Hall of Famer?

This wish should be granted soon if the writers who vote come to their senses.

A World Series Title

Now this might be far-fetched, but isn’t that what wishes are for?

The Mariners have flirted with the playoffs over the past couple years, so maybe just a playoff appearance is enough to wish for, but we just saw the Cubs end their incredible curse last season, so anything can happen.

Now even though the Mariners don’t have a curse and their title drought isn’t even half as long as the Cub’s was, why not have some lofty wishes of a title.

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