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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

No place to go but up

Addition of Griffey, veterans gives M’s new hope

Tim Booth Associated Press

SEATTLE – Remember those expectations from a season ago, when Richie Sexson was going to be the comeback player of the year and the Seattle Mariners were the hip pick to win the A.L. West?

Many of those responsible for the collapse from preseason contender to 101-loss debacle are gone, replaced by a first-time manager, a generous handful of new players and a renewed emphasis on responsibility and accountability.

Oh, and The Kid, who helped make Seattle a baseball town, is back, too.

The Mariners enter 2009 without expectations, generally picked to retain their lease on the A.L. West basement.

Last year’s clubhouse featured bickering and infighting, childish maneuvers by management and a glut of high-priced players who didn’t justify their paychecks.

Now comes a new regime, led by no-nonsense GM Jack Zduriencik and first-time manager Don Wakamatsu.

“You can establish expectations as a manager but the second part of that is you have guys, especially the veteran guys, buy into what you’re doing,” Wakamatsu said. “If they buy in and they understand what you’re trying to accomplish, it’s their clubhouse. If they respect the staff and me and understand what we’re trying to do, those guys are going to keep the other guys in line.”

The unique personalities that dot the Mariners clubhouse should help restore the order that was lacking last season, when Seattle stumbled from the start and became the first team in history to spend $100 million on payroll and lose more than 100 games.

No personality is louder than Ken Griffey Jr., whose bellowing keeps everyone on their toes and the atmosphere light.

The one-time savior of baseball in the Pacific Northwest is now a 39-year-old left fielder/designated hitter looking for one final shot of glory where his career started.

Well-traveled veterans Mike Sweeney and Russell Branyan are also taking the lead in healing last year’s fractured squad.

“We’ve got some characters here and I’m telling you right now, being a young guy, that stuff helps,” starting pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith said. “It’s a lot more comfortable to play out there when you’ve got those guys behind you.”

But even with better clubhouse chemistry, the team might not post many more wins. There isn’t really anywhere to go but up coming off 101 losses, but a massive surge into contention would be a shock.

“Players have good years,” Zduriencik said. “If we’re fortunate enough to have that happen for us, then I think we’re headed in the right direction.”

The pitching staff will be anchored by young star Felix Herandnez. Expected to break out last year, he stumbled to a 9-11 record, hampered by an anemic offense that scored four runs or less in 20 of his 31 starts. His 3.45 ERA ranked eighth in the American League and he struck out 175.

The big question mark among the starters is Erik Bedard, who flopped in his first season with the Mariners in 2008. Traded for five players, Bedard went 5-4 with a 3.67 ERA, but was criticized for not going deep into games. He missed the final half of the season with shoulder problems.

Bedard’s contract is up after this season, meaning he will likely be dealt if Seattle is out of contention as the trade deadline approaches.

Third baseman Adrian Beltre is in a similar position. Regarded as the best at his position in the league, he could also be traded during the summer if it’s clear Seattle is not challenging.

“It all depends if we do our parts,” Beltre said. “It just depends if we can get all the things together that we need to.”

There are things for fans to get excited about even with star Ichiro Suzuki starting the season on the disabled list with a bleeding ulcer.

Endy Chavez, Franklin Gutierrez, Wladimir Balentien and Griffey will share outfield duty in the first few games. When Ichiro returns, Seattle will be able to field one of the best defensive outfields in baseball with Chavez and Guiterrez.

Jose Lopez is developing into one of the top offensive second basemen in the American League and Seattle might finally have the left-handed slugger in Branyan to take advantage of the short porch in right field at Safeco Field.

But massive questions remain:

•Can catcher Kenji Johjima prove the $24 million, three-year extension he signed last year wasn’t a waste of money?

•Will shortstop Yuniesky Bentacourt stop lazily taking plays off?

•Will Griffey’s legs hold up in left field, or will he spend most of the season in a platoon at DH with Sweeney?

•Will starting pitchers Jarrod Washburn and Carlos Silva – both expensive disappointments last year – pitch better in the early innings to keep the team in games?

•How will the bullpen shape up after entering the final weekend of spring training without an established closer or a situational left-hander?

Despite the questions, Wakamatsu is ready to start rebuilding Seattle’s reputation.

“As a coaching staff, we talked about the goals back in November and I think we’ve accomplished those things,” he said. “More importantly, these guys have really worked hard and gave us their best effort and they’re ready to go.”