PEORIA, Ariz. — Any infield that has All-Stars as fixtures at second base and third base, as the Mariners do with Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager, figures to be pretty good.
Sure, there are questions elsewhere, but unlike last year, Seattle appears to have viable options in all areas.
The projected competition between Brad Miller and Chris Taylor to determine a starting shortstop is one of the top storylines heading into spring training, which opens this weekend in Peoria, Arizona. Miller enters the spring with a slight edge because of his run-production potential.
First baseman Logan Morrison closed last season with two strong months, but he’s been injury-prone — playing fewer than 100 games in each of the past three years — so the Mariners need a backup/alternative. That could be Rickie Weeks, the long-time Milwaukee second baseman signed last week to fill a reserve role. Weeks clearly doesn’t figure to play much at second with Cano around.
Or it could be erstwhile mega-prospect Jesus Montero, who is seeking to prove that he’s moved, finally, beyond a series of personal issues, including a propensity to over eat.
Veteran utilityman Willie Bloomquist, 37, also can play first but must prove he’s sufficiently recovered from an injured right knee that required season-ending surgery on Aug. 9.
The locks
Cano, 32, remains one of the game’s premier players, and Seager is a rising star who signed a seven-year deal in the offseason for $100 million.
Morrison is the unquestioned starter at first base after compiling a slash of .321/.375/.512 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) in 49 games over the final two months.
Weeks, too, is a lock. The Mariners didn’t shell out a $2 million guarantee for a “maybe.” And general manager Jack Zduriencik made it clear the team has a spot for Bloomquist — if Bloomquist is healthy.
Spring battles
Miller’s offensive potential makes him the preferred choice at shortstop if he avoids the defensive yips that surfaced on occasion last season. That’s a big “if,” though. The Mariners are quite willing to accept what would likely be less pop from Taylor in order to get a reliable glove at shortstop.
How that competition plays out could affect the rest of the roster because Miller, due to his versatility, could still make the final 25 as a reserve — particularly if Bloomquist isn’t 100 percent.
If Taylor loses out, he likely will land in Triple-A Tacoma.
Bloomquist will be closely watched. If back in form, he can play everywhere on the diamond — including a backup at short if Miller wins the job, and a backup at first to Morrison.
Minor-league invite Shawn O’Malley can play short, which means he could get a look if Bloomquist isn’t full-go. Weeks makes an unlikely backup at short, but he is likely to see time at first.
And everyone is interested to see how Montero, a former catcher who has coverted converted catcher, looks after an offeseason of dieting.
Help if needed
Keep an eye on Ketel Marte, a 21-year-old who finished last year with Tacoma. A year from now, Marte, a switch-hitter, could be a strong candidate to be the starting shortstop.
The future might also be glimpsed in D.J. Peterson, the club’s first-round pick in 2013 who is also in big-league camp for the first time. He is likely to shift, increasingly, from third to first and looms as a 2016 possibility.
Any injury to Seager or Morrison could bring Carlos Rivero into the picture. A nine-year pro acquired from Boston on waivers, he had a big winter season in Venezuela.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
