'Cause any hopes of '06 (as thin as they were) are over.

Although it sucks to see this team play well and get my hopes up then to see them get beat up in their own division I see many postive things ahead. Looking to next year here's some things I would like to see & expect.

- A solid batting order. This year they got in their groove but guys like Lopez have slowed down as the season wore on. Here's what I'd like to see for next year in a batting order;

1. Ichiro - RF
2. Betancourt - SS
3. Ibanez - DH/LF
4. Beltre - 3B
5. Lopez - 2B
6. Snelling - LF/DH
7. Broussard 1B
8. Johjima - C
9. Jones/Reed - CF

On the bench - Willie & either a few AAA callups or new signings for utility guys, Perez for leftys.

Pitching;

1. Zito (call it a pipe-dream b/c he's gonna cost $$$$)
2. Hernandez
3. Moyer
4. Baek or Cruceta
5. Washburn

JJ as closer
Lowe/Sherril/Baek or Cruceta for setup-men
Green/Woods/Pinero as well

Dump;

Mateo

Trade;

Richie, Soriano (love the guy but he's fragile), maybe Pinero or Meche if there's some good prospects on the table.

With that I see good things, Broussard has impressed me and I think the Ms could maybe work a package trade and deal Richie to a team that likes his power. If this batting order plays to its potential it could be very good. The rotation is a bit of a ?, I'd love to see Zito up here, and I like how Cruceta and Baek are looking in AAA. I also think Joel would do a much better job if he had Julio Mateo's role.

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But mainly, replace Hargrove. Get someone else in there that can work better with this group. I see next year as a much better year, maybe a team that finishes 15 - 20 games over .500 and in the west that might just get it done. Get a manager who will bond a lot better with these guys and work with the younger players.

i'm a red sox fan so i really dont care but rumor is ichiro is going back to japan

Ichiro: under contract for 2007 and will play the year in Seattle. He may or may not go back to Japan after that.

Soriano: No way I dump that guy. He's cheap, dominant and just one season off tommy john surgery. Great arm to have in the pen and he wouldn't bring much back in trade anyway.

Sexson: I'd trade him for the right package but I wouldn't just dump him for salary reasons. The M's will have about $25 mil in salary to burn this off season and the FA class is pretty thin. This is not a good year to try and buy $40 mil worth of players.

Lineup:

Call me crazy, but I liked the look of the lineup with Beltre hitting in the two hole and YuBet/Lopez hitting back to back:

Ichiro (LH) RF
Beltre (RH) 3B
Ibanez (LH) LF/DH
Sexson (RH) 1B/DH
Brussard (LH) 1B/DH
Joh (RH) C
YuBet (RH) SS
Lopez (RH) 2B
Jones (RH) CF

That would leave a bench of:

Quiroz (RH) C
Willy f'n Bloomquist (RH) Utility INF
Perez (RH) 1B/DH/LF
Snelling (LH) LF/CF/RF

Yeah, I'd go with Quiroz at catcher and Snelling as the 4th OF. If Snelling isn't playing better in ST, I'd sub Reed in that 4th OF spot. I would also use the DH to rotate players and rest them much more than Hargrove has done.


Rotation: Matsuzaka is far and away the best pitcher available, if he is posted from Japan. Assuming that he is, he has to be prioroty number one for the Mariners. The Yankees and Dodgers will be after him hard but the M's should have the inside track.

If the M's can add Matsuzaka plus either Zito or Schmidt, the rotation will be set. I would also bid farewell to Moyer and let one of the kids take the #5 spot in the rotation. Blackley is a full season off his surgery now and after an off season of rest, I'd lay odds on him taking that spot over Cruceta. Baek reminds me too much of Pinata.

A rotation of:

Matsuzaka
Zito
Felix
Washburn
Blackley or Cruceta

would be pretty nice.


That leaves a pen of:

Innings eating schlub like Mateo, Woods or Green
Campillo
Cruceta/Baek/Free agent (Blackley needs to start - if not in Seattle, then in Tacoma)
Lowe
Sherrill
Soriano
Putz


That's not a bad 25 man roster. The offense is still real thin on OBP but second year improvements from the catcher, SS, 2B and CF should help a lot. The bullpen is filthy and the rotation very strong.

Of course, I would also FIRE MIKE HARGROVE. That f**k[*] idiot needs to go. I would go after Bobby Valentine very, very hard. He's a pompous ass and he wears on people after a few short years but his teams always play hard for him. This team needs an ass-kicking manager and one that understands the Japanese mindset. In Bobby V, they get them both in one guy.

Thanx Mariners for sweeping those Red Sox three out of three!!!

Now how come ya can't beat anyone in your own damn division (I still remember two out of three from my Yankees recently)?