After falling one win shy of reaching the World Series, the M\u2019s are no longer a team hoping to break through and make some noise in the playoffs. They\u2019re a team with legitimate World Series aspirations that knows they\u2019re capable of achieving their goal.<\/p>\n
Brock and Salk co-host Mike Salk<\/a> spent a week around the team at their spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona. He noticed something else different, too.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re asking for takeaways, I have them in general, but really it all comes down to one word: complete,\u201d Salk said. \u201cThis is the most complete Mariner team I\u2019ve seen in my 17 years of being around this organization. We\u2019ll find out whether or not they\u2019re the best one. You got to play the actual games to figure that out.\u201d<\/p>\n What stands out to Salk is the way the Mariners have built a roster with few holes.<\/p>\n \u201cDo they have a starting rotation? Yes. Obviously, that\u2019s been the strength of this team for a while. Is the bullpen good? Yes, and it got a little bit deeper with the addition of Jose Ferrer this offseason. Do they have star power at the top of the order? Well, of course. Cal (Raleigh) took that vault last year and Julio (Rodr\u00edguez) is a star, regardless of how frustrating he can occasionally be to some Mariner fans who are waiting for him to take it to that ultra, ultra, ultra top level,\u201d Salk said.<\/p>\n The way the Mariners have lengthened their lineup compared to recent seasons is the biggest addition Salk saw to the team. After taking a big step forward offensively last season, they re-signed first baseman Josh Naylor, traded for All-Star infielder Brendan Donovan and signed veteran lefty-masher Rob Refsnyder. With Donovan and Naylor batting near the top of the lineup, it\u2019s helped the projected bottom of the Mariners\u2019 order look more formidable with veteran players like Victor Robles and Luke Raley, who Salk likes as bounce-back candidates this season, mixed in with up-and-coming youngsters like Cole Young and potentially Colt Emerson.<\/p>\n \u201cI just think they\u2019ve built a team where, yeah, you\u2019ve got a couple of platoons at the bottom of the order, but you\u2019re not running out the Rowdy Tellezes and Donovan Solanos of the world,\u201d Salk said. \u201cYou actually have somebody you want to be there in all nine spots in your batting order, all five spots in your rotation and virtually every spot in your bullpen. That is a complete baseball team.\u201d<\/p>\n Salk shares his full thoughts in the video at the top of this post. Catch him on Seattle Sports\u2019 Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays.<\/p>\n Seattle Mariners coverage<\/p>\n \u2022 Josh Naylor named Canada captain for World Baseball Classic<\/a>
\u2022 Seattle Mariners Notebook: J.P. returns; Bryce Miller to test out oblique<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Three unexpected early standouts from Seattle Mariners camp<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0See Mariners\u2019 Cal Raleigh in his Team USA gear for World Baseball Classic<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Brendan Donovan showing he\u2019s a \u2018tremendous\u2019 add in clubhouse<\/a><\/p>\n
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