PEORIA, Ariz. — The Twitter mailbag is back after a lengthy hiatus from last season. After reporting to spring training in the best shape of its life and with a new pitch and some swing changes, it’s looking for a bounceback season and to put up numbers similar to what the back of its baseball card says. The focus of this spring is on controlling what the mailbag can control and the rest will take care of itself.
As always, these are real questions submitted by the fine folks on Twitter.
Can the Mariners win the AL West this year? – @kamdenbenecke
I’m of the opinion that playing them close in the postseason and on a few occasions during the regular season in 2022 doesn’t mean they are going to dethrone the Astros in 2023. Their long-expected demise has yet to show signs of even starting. Instead, it’s been “easy lies the head that wears a crown.”
The Astros are still the king of the division. They still have a loaded pitching staff and the return of a possibly healthy Michael Brantley and the addition of former AL MVP Jose Abreu should make their offense more formidable.
The Mariners feel like a hitter short in their lineup. And that could impact them in the grind of a 162-game season. Even if Seattle wins 94 games, I’d expect Houston to win closer to 100.
Do the Mariners plan on going with a bullpen by committee again this year? Or will guys have more defined roles? – @_jeff_deyoung
They don’t really go with a bullpen or even the closing role by committee. It’s all based on matchups and “pockets” in the lineup, who is available and who is pitching well.
In a way, those pockets are sort of like roles instead of being a 7th-inning or 8th-inning guy, a pitcher like Andres Munoz is a late-inning, high-leverage pitcher vs. the top of the order, whereas Matt Festa or Penn Murfee are probably going to be used in the middle innings and bottom-of-the-order hitters. Diego Castillo’s pocket might be the middle innings in a right-handed heavy portion of a lineup. Matt Brash and his power stuff could be in the middle-to-late-innings with high leverage situation where a strikeout is needed. If the Mariners actually have a capable and effective lefty in the bullpen, that might be the closest thing to a definable role.
How has JP Crawford looked? Any noticeable changes from his time at Driveline? – @ChickenKota
He’s looked fine in workouts and live batting practice sessions. He’s hitting the ball as hard as I’ve ever seen and he’s consistently finding the barrel.
In a brief discussion, he said the changes he made were mostly from the ground up, meaning he’s using his lower half differently. Crawford said the changes shouldn’t be that noticeable to most people. The biggest change was more of an understanding of what he needs to do with his swing, what it should feel like and how he can get it back on track if he starts to struggle.
Who’s in the battle for the backup catcher spot/spots? – @SamDmsc
There isn’t a battle for the back-up catcher spot. Cal Raleigh is the starting catcher and Tom Murphy will be his back-up. The Mariners won’t use a straight platoon for the spot. But Raleigh will start the majority of games when there is a right-handed starting pitcher on the mound. Murphy, who has excelled at hitting left-handed pitchers, will start most of those games. But Raleigh is still the primary catcher and as a switch-hitter, he will start games when lefties are on the mound.
The Mariners don’t want to run Raleigh into the ground by catching him 140 times in a season. They will be cognizant to get him full days off and possibly even rest days as the designated hitter.
How much consideration will Tom Murphy get for being a regular DH? And how could that influence Cooper Hummel making the 26-man roster? – @Icollinsrb
I don’t think they are giving consideration or any player being the regular designated hitter. The Mariners have used the philosophy of rotating the position as a way to get players rest while still keeping them in the lineup.
Glancing at the projected roster, I would guess that AJ Pollock might get the most opportunities early in the season.
Servais said that there is a possibility that they could put both Raleigh and Murphy in the lineup at the same time on a few occasions. But it wouldn’t be a common occurrence. As for Cooper Hummel, he has an outside chance of making the team as a hitter and backup outfielder. The Mariners would prefer to use Raleigh and Murphy behind the plate as much as possible.
Is there any realistic path for Evan White to earn a roster spot or is it more like he starts in Triple A? – @MichaelChase23
White didn’t actually end last season well. He had his season cut short with more discomfort in his core area. After seeing another specialist and undergoing another MRI, they found he had inflammation in his pelvic wall. He underwent treatment for the issue and feels better than he has in his career. Larry Stone wrote a fine column on White’s situation and his hopes of being the player everyone expected.
He’s looked outstanding thus far this spring. He’s running at a high level. His fielding at first base has returned to Gold Glove level. And his hitting — the biggest question mark beyond his health — has seemed much improved. He’s worked hard to focus on improving his contact rate and ditching the emphasis on launch angle and hitting for power.
“I just want to get back to making consistent contact and hitting the ball hard,” he said recently. “If I do that, I can be a good player.”
Because of hip and core injuries and the subsequent surgeries, White has played a total of 62 games (30 MLB and 32 Triple-A) in the last two seasons.
He needs innings and at-bats to restore his developmental track and reestablish his confidence and approach at the plate. It’s why he’s expected to start the season at Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners may also give him some occasional innings in left field while he’s playing with the Rainiers.
I’ll be coming down to my first spring training. Do they still let fans shag balls in the outfield? – @zackmak7
Yes, I watched a guy misplay a Julio Rodriguez fly ball and almost get hit in the face and another guy fall down on the warning track and almost de-pants himself in the process.
It’s highly entertaining. I think there’s a place on the Mariners website you can find the information or fill out an injury release form in the main office of the complex.
I will say that it isn’t probably as glamorous as you think.
What is your standard order at In-N-Out? – @kmasel
Two double doubles animal style (grilled onions) with green chiles added and no lettuce, large order of fries with special sauce and a large iced tea.