More than just getting in shape

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto made his intentions for 2019 as soon as the 2018 season ended.  He initially denied that this was a rebuild of a team that had done better than any since 2003, but his tactical moves clearly indicated a larger strategic goal of winning in a year or two and beyond.

Dipoto traded or released most of what had produced a respectable 89 wins in 2018.  He cut payroll, discarded aging players for younger ones and restocked the farm system.  Of the 41 pitchers and catchers reporting to the spring training complex in Peoria yesterday, less than half had been there the year before.  Gone were Paxton, Diaz and Zunino, all mainstays of the rotation, bullpen and backstop.

The new names and faces are too numerous to list here... on top of that, who knows how many of these new players will make it?  For now, all we can do is what Dipoto, manager Scott Servais and the coaches will do for the next six weeks... watch and see.

In addition to determining which new players make the team (or don't) there are two intriguing story-lines from the pitching mound to follow.  

An obvious one concerns the future of Felix Hernandez. A once and past star, having signed a long-term contract six years ago, Felix' performance has declined significantly each year.  Last season was 8-14 with a ugly 5.55 ERA.  No longer the King.  They tried him in the bullpen, with no gain.  He under-performed his way out of being tradable, so the Ms are going to have to carry him for the last year of the team's most expensive contract. Despite management pleas for Felix to get in better physical shape and start relying on other pitches than his fastball (which seems to have lost its motion) he's been stubborn about being the Felix he's always been.  A story to watch.

Then there is the story of the M's new pitching coach, Paul Davis.  So new to the Ms and to major league baseball, he doesn't even have a picture or bio on the team website. (Ryan Divish does have an excellent profile on Davis in this morning's Seattle Times).  Davis is big on the use of statistical analytics, but has never coached a staff beyond the college or the low minors.  It's hard to imagine the challenge he faces, not just working at the major league level, but building a rotation and bullpen from the ground up.  Could be a tall challenge.