The Seattle Mariners, cellar-dwellers of the AL West for the past two seasons, hope that a fresh few faces, along with some familiar figures, will turn the tide and guide the M’s to a playoff berth for the first time in half a decade.

Catcher: Although Kenji Jojihma is technically a rookie, he possesses credentials beyond those of your typical farm system prospect. In Japan, Jojihma won seven Gold Gloves and consistently ranked among the league leaders in slugging and on-base percentage. Despite having to adapt to a new culture, Jojihma command of English has improved dramatically since joining Seattle. Communicating with the pitchers shouldn’t be an issue. A larger problem will be Jojihma's adjustment at the plate against major league quality breaking balls. B-

First Base: Richie Sexson had a great first season as a Mariner in 2005, belting 39 home runs with 121 RBI for an anemic offense. Sexson strikes out far too often (169 times last season), and hits for a low average (career .270), but he frequently gets on base (.369 OBP in 2005). Sexson is a premier power hitter in the league, and despite playing half the time in spacious Safeco Field, he will likely hit 30-100 once again. Despite his 6'8" frame, Sexson is only an average first baseman. B+

Second Base: Jose Lopez struggled at the plate last season, hitting .247 and two homeruns in 190 at-bats. He’s only 23 and has the speed and potential to develop into a fine hitter, but right now he’s mediocre with the stick, and that might be being generous. Lopez must improve his career .645 OPS or he’ll remain a liability at the plate. Lopez is a solid fielder. D+

Shortstop: Yuniesky Betancourt already possesses the glove to play in The Show; Baseball America stated Betancourt is the best defensive shortstop to come up the M’s system since Omar Vizquel. Betancourt is still very raw offensively, evidenced by his lone home run and stolen base in sixty games during his rookie year. He may be the breakout position player for the M’s in 2006. C+

Third Base: Adrian Beltre, the jewel of Seattle’s 2005 free agent signings, had a disappointing debut for the M’s. He struggled adjusting to a new league and heightened expectations, finishing with a .255 average, 19 homers and 87 RBI -- far below the numbers Beltre amassed in 2004 when he was the National League MVP runner-up to Barry Bonds. Now that Beltre is acclimated to AL pitching, Be25 home runs and 100 RBI isn’t a stretch for a player of his caliber. Another positive sign for Adrian was his excellent performance in the World Baseball Classic. Beltre has always defended the hot corner well, and he’s got a plus arm. B+

Right Field: 2005 was a subpar season for Ichiro Suzuki, as his batting average dipped almost 30 points below his career norm. That being said, Ichiro remains among the best at his position. He has been remarkably consistent and healthy during his career. Every season since 2001 he has played in at least 157 games, hit above .300, scored 100 runs, stolen 30 bases and won a Gold Glove. 2006 should be no different. Expect Ichiro to become a more vocal leader, as he was with Japan during the WBC. A-

Center Field: Jeremy Reed had an up and down first full season. Some in the media dubbed Reed the best defensive center fielder in the AL. That’s quite a stretch, as Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter highlights would suggest otherwise, but Jeremy showed a quick first step, flashy glove-work and tremendous range. He has a good arm, but it’ll never be mistaken for Andruw Jones’ cannon. Offensively he was downright dreadful. His OPS was dead last among center fielders who qualified, even below the much-maligned Bernie Williams. Reed possesses decent speed (12 SBs last season) A wrist injury will cause Reed to miss the start of the season. C-

Left Field: Seattle recently resigned Raul Ibanez to a two-year, $11 million extension. It was a good move by the Mariners front office, considering left-handed batters that hit .280, 20 homers, drive in and score 90 runs a season are a rarity (especially at that low price). Ibanez, in his eighth season as a Mariner, provides veteran leadership for an inexperienced team. He also plays a solid outfield and can also play first on occasion. B

Designated Hitter: Carl Everett will be the primarily DH. Everett played last season for the White Sox, hitting .311 with 23 home runs. Matt Lawton and Michael Morse will also get at-bats; both are competent. Lawton is a base-stealing threat. B

Bench: Willie Bloomquist can play every infield and outfield position. Unfortunately, versatility is his strongest attribute, as Willie is below-average in every tool. Joe Borchard, a marginal bench player, will start in center on Opening Day in place of Reed. Morse had a productive half-season stint at SS in 2005. Lawton is a viable base as a runner substitution and left-handed pinch-hitter. Shin-Shoo Choo and Chris Snelling are promising young outfielders with injury histories. There is no legitimate power threat coming off the pine. C-

Jamie Moyer: The Ageless Wonder keeps on pitching, and winning. 2006 will be Moyer’s 21st season, 11th with Seattle. He has won at least 13 games in eight of the last nine seasons. His fastball has lost a few MPHs, causing his changeup to be less effective. Jamie can’t dominate for nine innings, but Jamie never could. Despite the lacking the stuff of a prototypical ace, Moyer’s stats for the season will likely include 200 innings pitched, few walks allowed and countless induced groundballs. His craftiness and baseball IQ will undoubtedly rub off on his younger pitching mates. B

Joel Pineiro: Joel has struggled the past two seasons, losing double-digits games and having an ERA over 4.50. He doesn’t have any outstanding pitch to consistently rely on. It’s a stretch to consider him a legitimate number two starter. C

Jarrod Washburn: Jarrod had a fine 2005 campaign with the Angels despite only an 8-8 record. His 3.20 ERA was fourth-best in the American League. Washburn’s performance earned him a lucrative contract with the Mariners. Jarrod is entering the prime of his career. He has good control and is a flyball pitcher, which will benefit him in Safeco Field. If Washburn pitches like he’s capable, Seattle will have many reasons to be happy with its investment. B

Gil Meche: Gil has never blossomed into the pitcher some thought he would become. His ERA has been over 5.00 the last two seasons. He has decent stuff, but struggles with command. Meche’s K/BB ratio was barely over one in 2005. D

Felix Hernandez: Twenty-year-old King Felix demonstrated during his half-season stint in 2005 why he’s the most hyped pitching prospect since Doc Gooden. He has the frame (6’3, 230), stuff and poise to be a dominating pitcher for a long time. Every time he steps on the mound, he exudes an aura. No doubt, this kid is special. Hernandez should feast upon pitching against other fifth starters early in the season before moving up the M’s pitching ranks. The only knock on Hernandez is that there a precedent for pitching phenoms to flame out. A-

Bullpen: Eddie Guardado entertains Mariner teammates as a clubhouse prankster and demoralizes opposing players as an outstanding closer. J.J. Putz is a reliable setup man. Julia Mateo is the inning eater, and does a commendable job. Rafael Soriano has pitched only in 13 games in two years because of elbow problems. Either Jake Woods or George Sherrill has to develop as reliable option against left-handers. B-

Position Players Grade: B-
Pitching Grade: B-
Overall: B-

Despite the improvements, the Mariners are universally pegged to finish last in the AL West. Oakland and Los Angeles, led by their quality pitchers, are widely expected to be battle for the division crown. Texas remains a notch below the A’s and Angels. The Rangers still have big boppers in the lineup, and added pitchers Kevin Millwood, Adam Eaton and Vicente Padilla to bolster their starting five.

The Mariners, meanwhile, should make great strides this season. A .500 record, which would be a twelve-game improvement over 2005, remains a distinct possibility. If Texas stumbles Seattle may challenge for a third-place finish, but even that may be wishful thinking