How much better will the M’s be?

MARINERS

With spring training beginning in some voluntary form this week, it seemed like a good time to start paying a little more attention to the M’s.

The much-improved M’s.

Just kidding.

• The Seattle Times’ Geoff Baker tried to figure out if they are any better today and he is closer to the team than anyone here. Read the story and tell me what you think.

• The Times also had a story from Larry Stone on the eternal promise of spring training.

• My favorite baseball writer, Tacoma’s Larry LaRue, examines the Bill Bavasi era in Seattle, while John McGrath’s column looks back even further, to 30-years-ago.

• The P-I’s Greg Johns looks at the comeback attempt of lefty Jim Parque.

• That’s it for today. We’ll be back tomorrow – or later tonight if news breaks – with more on Inland Northwest sports.