Optimism thread... Give your thoughts about what you predict in '10

goes on to outperform expectations but fades in the playoffs.

that for once the M’s are involved in. And to me that’s the best thing ever – individual accomplishments are awesome but if the M’s are still in contention so that September is a stressful, exciting, delirious, scoreboard-watching month, that’s all I want.

And CapSea’s #10 would be a nice bonus too.

Like 1995 or 2001, but do so in its own right.

Also, I would like to see the emergence of Dustin Ackley and Adam Moore, although it may be premature this season. This may be a long shot, but Ackley or Moore will hit their first home run in the playoffs.

I’m from Canada (what that really means: even though I’m in BC, thousands of miles away, the media thinks we’re in the Blue Jays market) so I have seen many many games where League’s sinker is downright unhittable. Then again, I’ve seen him come in and walk the bases loaded plenty of times too. He was frustrating to watch because when the bullpen door opened, you never knew which version of League was coming in.

I would love to see him come in and live up to his potential. He’s from the west coast so maybe being closer to home will help!

Obviously the #1 desire is to make the playoffs, regardless of the path to get there. Beyond that, I would like to see

*RRS establish himself as a solid, durable MOR starter. I love the guy and bought his jersey at FanFest so I’ll be pissed if he flames out. Lollipop curveball ahoy!

*Ichiro gets 200 hits again, tying Pete Rose for the all-time record of 10 seasons.

*Felix shows no regression to his pre-2009 days. A Cy Young on top would be sweet, but I would be supremely happy with him just as a solid ace.

*Cliff Lee is so enthralled with our team that he signs an extension at the end of the season.

There’s some great stuff in here.

Adam Moore hits 10 homeruns.
Felix strikes out 200.

after a self-induced hiatus of sorts, Fanposts are fucking crazy to post now. Holy crap.

And he manages to throw close to 130IP with a KperNine of 11.45.

Also M’s become the most annoying team to play against.

Going backward from the end of the season

1) November 2010, an estimated half million people show up for the Mariners World Series parade. Ken Griffey Jr. is given a "king’s" chair and robe to wave to the people from. The block party that follows is considered to be one of the best Seattle has ever experienced. Where appropriate, everyone gets laid.

2) World Series in 5 games at Safeco Field. Felix wins complete game in 85 pitches. Griffey hits game winner and walks off the field to a thunderous crowded that is heard throughout Seattle. Future Star Dustin Ackley does the pitch running getting into his first World Series game.

3) M’s win the ALCS over Boston in 5 games at Safeco field. Felix gets the win. Gutierrez drives in the game winning run.

4) M’s beat the New York Yankees in 4 games at Yankee Stadium. Felix throws the best game of his life. A 9 inning (4 hits all turned into double plays) shut out that leaves the Yankee fans quiet and dumb founded by the 6th inning. Griffey hits his last HR (a 3 run shot to right field) of his career at Yankee stadium.

5) The Mariners win 110 games and the division. Every member of the team reach their peak possible performance.

6) October 3rd (last game) Ichiro goes 5-5 finishing a career year with 305 hits, 20 HRs, 78 SB (9 CS), a +15 UZR, and a slash line of .420/.501/.681. Thus, Ichiro will forever be known as Mr. 420!

7) In their last starts Felix and Lee win in sounding fashion and are cheered off the field both having W/L records of 23-5 in 33 starts. Baseball writers everywhere compare the two to Koufax and Drysdale and Johnson and Schilling and other great 1-2 pitchers.

8) October 1st at fan appreciation night Griffey hits his 30th HR tying Willie Mays at 660.
  
9) Milton Bradley, Eric Byrnes, Ian Snell and Liriano have great come back years.

10) Ryan Rowland-Smith, League, Moore, and Kotchman have break out years living up to hype/hope of those rooting for them.

11) Gutierrez finds his power without losing anything else. Gutierrez gets the reputation of being the best center fielder in all of baseball.

12) The bullpen does so well Wakamatsu is quoted as saying "Closer? No. No. We don’t worry about titles. I have guys (DA, League, Lowe) I trust in there to take care of any situation that comes up."

13) The Mariners have a fantastic 1st half, with several All-Stars: Felix, Lee, Ichiro, Gutierrez, Figgins, and as a sentimental pick Ken Griffey Jr.

14) Leading to the All-Star break the Mariners take 22 out of 25 with a 15 game winning streak through the NYY, Detroit, KC and the Brewers. Ichiro puts together almost 75 hits over the 25 game span, people start talking about a new hits record.

15) April starts out well with the team going 2 out of 3 in each series but fans announce their concerns about the pitching/defense holding up as the weather warms up.

16) In the last week of spring training, it is leaked out and then made in an official announcement by Ken Griffey Jr. that this will be his last year. He is grateful to end as a Mariner and humbly asks "no one throw me a parade or anything".
   
17) Everyone shows up to Spring Training healthy and happy. The team bonds in record time. Griffey talks with the media and the coaches and works out a wonderful arrangement with Milton Bradley. Bradley reports "I’ve never been more welcomed into a clubhouse as I have been here. I really think everything is going to workout fine." Ichiro shows off some of the craziest outfits every. Felix and Lee share a bond as he has with no other pitcher. Gutierrez shows up in mid season form helping both Jack Wilson and Figgins get laid by way of being so amazingly smooth with the ladies.

18) Mariners trade Jose Lopez for Liriano and sign Orlando Hudson

Returns in late April and pitches 175 innings, strikes out 230 while running a 2.50 ERA.

Game 1 of the World Series, Bedard starts to look a bit funny in the second inning and comes off the mound clutching his shoulder. The bullpen cannot hold the lead, and the M’s drop Game 1. After the game, doctors examine Bedard Game 2, Felix dominates. Game 3, Lee dominates. Game 4, RRS pitches the M’s to victory, matching a career high 12 K’s in 8 innings of one-run ball. Games 5 and 6 are 1-0 losses with Felix and Lee on the mound. Game 7 reaches the 10th tied 3-3. With the bases loaded and no outs in the Top of the 10th, the camera pans to the dugout, where Bedard is talking to Wakamatsu. Suddenly, he pulls his jacket off, greeted by thunderous applause from Safeco Field. Warming up, he cringes a bit as he throws a few curves, then shrugs it off. He proceeds to strike out Jose Reyes, Jason Bay and David Wright on 9 pitches, all swinging strikes. In the bottom of the 10th, Francisco Rodriguez comes in to face Kotchman, Wilson and Rob Johnson. Kotchman and Wilson are retired, and Rob Johnson is due up. Unfortunately, in his celebration after Bedard’s last strikeout, Rob Johnson fell awkwardly on his leg and can’t walk, let alone swing a bat. With the Mariners bench completely used up, Wakamatsu is forced to call on Felix to pinch hit. First pitch Rodriguez throws, Felix swings wildly, hitting a walkoff home run. End of season.

That there will be a lot of running around in circles and screaming in my living room. Possibly some making out with the TV, but that part of my vision is a bit hazy…

and six months later will die of lung cancer.