They can, they will and yes it does.
This young Mariners team is growing up on the fly and not as awkward as I had imagined. The core of the roster is made of "80's babies". Meaning every key member of the team's present and future save Ichiro and Bedard were born between '83 and '89. When your team consists of 20-somethings it means two things: you lack experience but have plenty of great years to gel into a force.
Can you remember the last time the Mariners made a fantastic free agent signing that made an immediate impact? I know you're first thought was "yeah, didn't the M's sign 2004 NL MVP Adrian Beltre?" Sure he brought his magnetic glove to third base but he also never batted over .275 and cost the team $64M over 5 years.
Or maybe your first thought was about "Big Sexy", aka Richie Sexson. 4 years $50M....If it was, then I feel sympathy for your memory bank. I extricated that man from my mind as quickly as Sexson struck out at the plate.
See, the M's have typically sought talent outside their own organization as opposed to raising it themselves. Today, Seattle is finally making strides with in-house talent. It took a long time but general manager Jack Z's calculations are adding up to a bright future.
In his first 10 Major League games, Dustin Ackley is hitting .303 with a double, two triples and a homerun. The 2009 second-overall draft pick looks like the real deal and Mariners fans couldn't be happier. If he can shore up his defensive game at second base then Seattle will surely have a middle infield staple for many years to come.
Speaking of infield staples, have you noticed how mature and Major League ready Justin Smoak is? The M's first baseman leads the team with 12 homeruns and 40 RBI. Not bad for a rookie. With half the season almost done, Smoak has the chance to double those numbers by September. If Smoak stays consistent and finishes strong in his first full season the Mariners should feel really solid about trading Cliff Lee.
A third rookie is making a good impression in the outfield. Left field has been a rotating door since Raul Ibanez left. Today, Carlos Peguero is slowly shutting that door on the competition. Through his first 37 games Pegeuro has 24 hits including 3 doubles, 2 triples and 6 homeruns. He also has made a couple acrobatic outs in left. I think this is the guy that actually sticks and will be patrolling the yard with Gutierrez and Ichiro.
There is plenty to like about this group and manager Eric Wedge has his stern finger on the pulse of this ball club. His philosophy is obviously working. So Seattle fans sit back and watch the foundation of future success develop in front of you this summer at the Safe.
And who knows, maybe these young guns will continue defying logic and capture the division too...
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