MLB Power Rankings # 26

I thought i would try and fit in one more team on my power rankings before i have a very busy weekend. Today we will look at a team that many thought would be a contender in 2010 but failed to even be .500. That would be the Seattle Mariners, as they come in at #26 in my preseason power rankings. As i mentioned in my previous post, the Mariners had been ranked 27th but with the addition of Miguel Olivo i bumped them up to 26th. Lets take a more in depth look at the Mariners.

Rotation-
1. Felix Hernandez
2. Jason Vargas
3. Doug Fister
4. Erik Bedard
5. Luke French

This staff is headlined by CY Young winner Felix Hernandez, who is by far one of the top pitchers in the game right now. But after Hernandez their is a steep drop off, Vargas and Fister may be valuable back of the rotation guys but not top of the rotation guys. Erik Bedard is the wild card of the group he has yet to really be healthy for the Mariners but when he's healthy he can be very good. But don't count on a healthy season, and Luke French is a 5th starter nothing better. David Pauley could become the 5th starter and may be a better option. This staff is similar to the Royals last year, were they have an ace at the top with nothing else of good value.

Pen-
CL- David Aardsma
SU- Brandon League
SU-Garrett Olsen
MR- Shawn Kelly
MR- Danny Cortes

The only arm that is really good here is Brandon League, especially with David Aardsma's injury. He will likely miss opening day and wont pitch for a few weeks allowing League to get some save opportunities. The rest of the Pen has some potential but none are proven relievers who will do much to help this team. This is a mediocre pen that might hold a few surprises but outside of League im not a fan of any of these guys.

Lineup-
1. Ichiro Suzuki-RF
2. Chone Figgins-3B
3. Franklin Gutierrez-CF
4. Jack Cust-DH
5. Miguel Olivo-C
6. Justin Smoak-1B
7. Michael Saunders-LF
8. Brendan Ryan-SS
9. Josh Wilson-2B

I will give them credit, they did add some pop to this lineup (Cust and Olivo). But it will not be enough to compete with the teams in their division. Ichiro is aging and at some point will show some signs of decline. That being said Figgins should play better this season which could help for any regression that Ichiro may show if any. Gutierrez was supposed to be their next superstar and he failed to produce, he did play well defensively but he needs to bounce back on offense. Cust and Olivo will add some solid power to the middle of the lineup, and Smoak was a heralded prospect who hopefully will come through in 2011. The bottom of the lineup is kind of weak with light hitting middle infielders Ryan and Wilson but that usually is a weak part of a lineup anyways. Overall this offense will improve in 2011, but the question is by how much. Even if they improve a lot the pitching outside of Hernandez is not good enough to push them to contention. But they could take steps to respectability in 2011 and no matter what they will not be the worst team in the MLB.