Mariners Moose Tracks, 2/21/20: Ichiro, Jim Crane’s nightmare, and David Ortiz

Welcome to (weather permitting) the final links of the winter before a game day!

In Mariners news...

• The Mariners will be having Ichiro Suzuki throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at T-Mobile Park this year, after having him in the starting lineup on Opening Day the past two seasons.
• Seattle has released their expected starters, including for the first televised game Sunday:

• There’s plenty of live BP video to enjoy, including Sam Delaplane stymying Jarred Kelenic:

• Logan Gilbert gave Mallex Smith a tough time as well.

• Corey Brock of The Athletic sat down with Kyle Lewis and talked through several at bats from last September, pitch-by-pitch.
• Baseball America released their full top-30 prospect list for the Mariners, and also named OF Jonatan Clase as their pick for a breakout, along with RHP Tim Elliott as a sleeper, and Justus Sheffield as the top rookie for this season.
• Ew and ouch. Best wishes to Mitch Haniger in his recovery.

• The ZiPS projected standings from FanGraphs expect Seattle to go 62-100. Yikes.
• Some positive buzz on another young player rumored to be set to sign with Seattle next July.

• Craig Edwards of FanGraphs collected the info on dead money contracts by team. The Mariners, unsurprisingly, have the second highest total in MLB.

Around the league...

• Today in “As the Astros Turn”, folks seem unsurprised at how Jim Crane has bungled this entire situation.

• Things aren’t getting easier for Crane, who has been added personally to the lawsuit by former MLB pitcher Mike Bolsinger.
• In a worrying development for Yankees fans, RHP Luis Severino is still experiencing discomfort and tightness in his right forearm, stretching back to his playoff appearances.
• David Ortiz was not happy with Mike Fiers taking so long to come forward.

• Eric Fisher of Sports Business writes that the MLB At-Bat App will be renaming their mobile application.
• Pirates infielder Pablo Reyes has been suspended 80 games without pay for testing positive for the PED Boldenone.
• Félix Hernández says he feels healthy and ready to contribute in Atlanta.
• Archie Bradley has won his arbitration case, while Hector Neris settled before a decision was needed.

• The Mets will play a spring game against the Orioles at the U.S. Naval Academy this March.
• Andre Ethier tells the Los Angeles Times analytics are a culprit in his eyes in the Astros banging scheme.
• Adam McCalvy of MLB has an oral history of the 2000 Olympic Games, with the surprise victory of the U.S. over a then-juggernaut Cuba club.
• Jonathan Lucroy spent plenty of time in the AL West, attempting to outwit the Astros. He had a lot to say on the matter to Rob Bradford of WEEI Sports.
• Ji-Man Choi is ready for spring training.

• We may see a shift in treatment of foul balls.

• Rob Arthur of Baseball Prospectus continued his detailed research on the sign-stealing scandal, noting that while Jose Altuve may have a good defense in the data that he wasn’t using the team’s scheme, the 2018 Red Sox look mighty guilty.
• Dr. Nick Elam helped craft the much-enjoyed new rules for the conclusion of the NBA All-Star Game. He was recently asked about how he might attempt to tweak the rules in MLB, and had an interesting answer I’d never heard before.

John’s Pick:

• Mars! Moons!