The Hook

Projected Lineup

CF Ichiro Suzuki

3B Adrian Beltre

LF Raul Ibanez

1B Richie Sexson

RF Jose Guillen

DH Jose Vidro

C Kenji Johjima

2B Jose Lopez

SS Yuniesky Betancourt

Ichiro battled through a slow start to finish with his typical .320 average, 100+ runs, his best stolen base total (45) since his rookie year, and his sixth straight 200 hit season. Though he doesn’t bring a whole lot of power to the table, he’s a fantasy monster who can carry your team in average, runs scored, and stolen bases… Beltre started slowly himself, but had his typical second half run as he rebounded to hit .285/.340/.552 with eighteen homers after the break. He’s a solid source of power who even runs a bit… Ibanez is coming off of his finest season after annihilating his career bests with 33 homers, 123 RBI, and 103 runs scored. Though the numbers should come down a touch in 2007, he’s a fantastic run-producer in the middle of the order… Sexson also turned in a terrific second half, batting more than a hundred points higher (.322) than he did in the first half (.218). He displayed his tremendous power all season long, blasting 34 homers and driving in 107 runs… Guillen had by far his worst season since becoming a full-time starter in 2003. He fought through countless injuries all season long, eventually opting for season-ending elbow surgery in August. The former thirty homer man hit just nine in 241 at bats for the Nationals… Vidro had his healthiest season since 2003, though he lacked the power potential that made him a quality fantasy second baseman earlier in his career. He still showed a fine ability to hit for average, batting .289 for Washington… Johjima showed that his offensive skills could translate well in the U.S. as he clubbed 18 homers with a .291 average as a 30-year-old rookie. He enters the 2007 campaign a borderline top five catcher who can hit for both average and power… Lopez turned in a fine first half, displaying the power/average combo that made him one of the M’s top prospects for the better part of the decade. However, he tailed off miserably with his power in the second half, hitting just one home run in 253 at bats after the break…. Betancourt showed a fine ability to hit for average in his first full season, though he didn’t show off that potential double digit power and stole just eleven bases on the year. He enters 2007 with AL-Only value, but doesn’t figure to warrant a spot in mixed leagues at a fairly deep position.

Other Hitters To Watch

1B Ben Broussard

OF Jeremy Reed

Broussard wasn’t nearly the hitter that he was in the first half in Cleveland (.321) with the M’s (.238), but he still managed to slug a career best 21 homers. He’ll enter the year as the backup DH and 1B behind a major injury risk in Jose Vidro… Reed struggled early on, batting just .216 with the Mariners before breaking his thumb in June and calling it a season. With the addition of Jose Guillen, Ichiro moves to centerfield and drains him of any remaining value.

Starting Rotation

Felix Hernandez

Miguel Batista

Jeff Weaver

Jarrod Washburn

Cha-Seung Baek/Horacio Ramirez

While the lineup looks pretty tough, the rotation is in a shambles. King Felix is coming off of a disappointing rookie season, but showed some definite hope for the future in the second half, when he went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and 78 strikeouts in 87 innings… Batista was unable to build on his solid performance as a closer in Toronto, and proved just adequate as the number three starter in Arizona last season with a 4.58 ERA, a 1.53 WHIP, and a pitiful 4.8 K/9 IP ratio. Now in the tougher hitter’s league, you can do the math… Weaver was horrible throughout the regular season, though he showed some flashes of dominance in September (and October) for the Cardinals. He’ll enter the year as the number three in Seattle, and has double digit win upside with the potential to drop his ERA back to the 4.50 range… Washburn turned in his worst season in terms of ERA (4.67) and WHIP (1.35) since his first full season in 1999. He lacks a dominant out pitch, which can often get him in trouble… Baek dominated AAA for most of the season before having a fine showing in the big leagues in his final six outings. Baek kept a 3.00 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in Tacoma before winning four of five decisions for Seattle with a 3.67 ERA and 1.14 WHIP late in the year. The club brought in Horacio Ramirez in a trade with the Braves, who should provide some competition after winning sixteen games the past two years in Atlanta.

Closer

J.J. Putz

Other Bullpen Arms of Note

Jon Huber

Julio Mateo

George Sherrill

Chris Reitsma

Putz was the breakout closer of 2006, converting 36 of 43 chances while finishing with a tremendous 2.30 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He drastically improved upon his control from 2004 and 2005 while using his dominant splitter to strike out 11.9 batters per 9 innings… After showing a bit of dominance as the closer in Tacoma, Huber came up with little fanfare, but was absolutely stellar in 16.6 innings for the M’s, allowing just two runs and less than a baserunner an inning… Mateo dropped off significantly after his breakout 2004, watching his ERA rise more than a full run while his WHIP rose nearly fifty points. However, as the long man in the M’s ‘pen, he won nine games in spite of his poor performance… Sherrill emerged as a solid lefty out of the bullpen, racking up plenty of holds and striking out over a batter an inning… Reitsma endured a lost season in 2006. After starting the year as the Braves’ closer, he blew up early and often before hitting the DL in June and undergoing season-ending surgery in July. He’s a proven reliable arm towards the back of the bullpen, and will slot into the setup role in front of Putz.

Position Battles

Cha-Seung Baek vs. Horacio Ramirez – Though Ramirez clearly has more experience at the big league level, the club would rather see Baek, a solid finesse righty, win the job. Baek looked like a monster last season between the minors and the majors, and is expected to win the job handly.

Jose Vidro vs. Ben Broussard – With a lot of money tied up in Vidro, he enters the Spring as the clear favorite to win the DH job. However, the M’s apparent lack of power behind Richie Sexson, Raul Ibanez, and Jose Guillen could give Broussard a closer look. Broussard has considerably better power potential, while he’s shown a similar ability to hit for average in the past to what Vidro has.

Sleepers

Jose Lopez – Lopez’ nine homers before the break should prove to be a sign of things to come. The 23-year-old second baseman hit 39 homers in A-ball back in 2002, and hit 20 between AAA and the majors in 2004. He projects as a solid power/speed threat capable of hitting for average down the line, and could start realizing that potential as soon as this season.

Duds

J.J. Putz – Will he be an absolute dud? No. Will he keep a sub-1.00 WHIP with an ERA around 2.00? Absolutely not. Putz figures to regress to the mean a bit in 2007, though he’ll still be a solid borderline top ten closer.

Raul Ibanez – Again, I like the guy, but his 2006 numbers just scream career year. Ibanez’ 33 homers were nine more than he’d ever had in a season, while his 123 RBI smashed his previous career best by 20. He’s a solid third outfielder who will come back to the mean a bit in 2007. Players don’t all of a sudden have breakout seasons at the age of 34.

Player to watch for

Adam Jones – Jones got his first look at the big league level last season with mixed results. The M’s top prospect hit just .216 in 72 at bats, but did show a little of the power and speed that have owners eagerly anticipating his arrival. He tore up AAA Tacoma, batting .287 with a solid contact rate, sixteen homers, and thirteen steals in 380 at bats earlier in the year.

Projected Finish: 70-92, 4^th AL West