2014 Seattle Mariners: Anticipating an Average Season

Dec 12, 2013; Settle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) poses for a photo following a press conference at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014 season is approaching quickly and apparently theSeattle Marinersare still shopping.Nelson Cruzappears to still be on their shopping list.

TheSeattle Seahawkswon the Super Bowl and that brought a great deal of excitement and civic pride to the Pacific Northwest. And now, it is baseball season.

Letdown, anyone?

Oh, the Mariners. It has been hard to be excited about the mighty M’s in recent years. The star power is lacking. The win totals have been unimpressive. Despite a loyal group of fans and a beautiful stadium, the franchise seems to be struggling for direction.

The Mariners did make a “splash” in the offseason when they signedRobinson Canoto a 10-year, $240 million contract. Unfortunately, the lineup still has a few holes and Cano cannot play multiple positions at once.

This brings us to the 2014 season. Do the fans dare to get excited? Do they hope for a season that actually resembles contention? Hope may spring eternal each April, but fans know what it feels like to be disappointed. Fans can be optimistic, but oftentimes that is tempered with a measure of caution.

Felix HernandezandHisashi Iwakumashould still be good.Kyle Seagerlooks like a player that could be a star.Mike ZuninoandBrad Millermight be solid hitters in the future. There is excitement aboutTaijuan WalkerandJames Paxton.

All good things.

And yet, this team is far from complete. The Mariners have many questions, and contention may require just about everything to go Seattle’s way in 2014.

So, are you ready for an average season? Sadly, that may be the best that fans can expect. It would be fantastic to be wrong, but the reality of sports is that winning does always come easy.

2014 may be yet another building year for the Seattle Mariners.

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