Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
After a disastrous 2008 season that claimed two managers (one interim) and a general manager, the Mariners returned to respectability in 2009. General manager Jack Zduriencik placed an emphasis on bargain players -- Franklin Gutierrez, Russell Branyan, David Aardsma -- while manager don Wakamatsu stressed fundamentals. The result was the Mariners finding a way to 85 wins despite being outscored by 52 runs over the course of the season.
A major factor was how good the defense made the pitching look. Despite injury woes for Erik Bedard and the loss of Jarrod Washburn in a trade at the deadline, the Mariners had an AL-best 3.87 ERA (and it wasn't close, as the White Sox checked in at second with a 4.14). According to most advanced metrics, Seattle had the best defense in baseball thanks to Gutierrez, Ichiro, Jose Lopez and company. Of course, they'll be looking for some firepower as they move to 2010. Last season, only the Padres and Pirates crossed home plate fewer times than Seattle.
Former major league closer and current Seattle Mariners bullpen coach John Wetteland was taken to a Texas hospital on Thursday with what is being described as a "mental issue," according to news reports. It seems that police arrived at Wetteland's house shortly after receiving a phone call around 1:30 PM ET about a "possibly suicidal person."
After police arrived at the home Wetteland apparently came out of his house with both arms in the air and told police that he "needed help." Wetteland was then taken to Denton Regional Medical Center outside Dallas.
The story was originally reported by ESPN and confirmed in a statement by the team Wednesday afternoon.
The future Hall of Famer agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Mariners that's similar to the one he signed prior to the 2009 season. Griffey returned to the city he became a star in last year after spending nearly a decade in Cincinnati and hit .214/.324/.411 with 19 homers over 117 game for the Mariners.
The Mariners built their 24-win improvement in 2009 on both a renewed focus on defense and finding contributions from cheap, unexpected players. With that in mind, it's no surprise that they approached both Jack Wilson and Russell Branyan about contract extensions, a little more than a week before both players hit the open market.
The offer to Wilson was reportedly a multi-year deal that would presumably be for less money per year than the $8.4 million team option that the M's hold on the shortstop. The offer to Branyan was apparently a one-year deal that the slugger has already turned down in hopes of milking a two-year deal out of someone, though he says he'd prefer to remain in Seattle.
Johjima spent the first nine seasons of his career with the team currently known as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in NPB's Pacific League, and there he was a 30-homer player between 2001 and 2004 before hopping across the Pacific to the Mariners. After struggling with the Mariners the past two years, the decision to move back to NPB clearly makes a ton of sense; he'll make more money, he'll be back home, and the smaller parks may give him a chance to regain his power stroke.
The Seattle Mariners announced on Monday that catcher Kenji Johjima has opted out of his current contract so that he can return to Japan and finish out his career there. Johjima signed a three-year contract extension with the Mariners in April of 2008, but used a clause that allowed him to opt out of the final two years of his deal.
The 33-year-old catcher came to Seattle in November of 2005 after playing 11 seasons in the Japanese Pacific League and was the first Japanese-born player to ever catch in the major leagues. In his four seasons as a Mariner, Johjima hit .268 with 48 home runs and 198 RBI.
Mike Blowers played 11 seasons in the majors, but he never had a day like this. Sunday, Blowers -- who now does color broadcasting for the Seattle Mariners -- made one of the most unbelievable predictions we'll ever see. The sheer accuracy of how he laid the situation out is simply mind-boggling. It involves the first career home run of rookie infielder Matt Tuiasosopo. Please check out the video, as it is well worth the watch.
Mike Blowers knows more about baseball than you. His AM radio predictions for Seattle Mariners third baseman and spellcheck challenger Matt Tuiasosopo came true in increasingly accurate and eerie ways, including pitch count, distance, and barometric pressure. The only possible explanations for this are that he is a genius, or that an older version of him traveled back in time with a Sports Alamanac. Somebody get a picture of his wife, see if she has enormous implants.
I predict that tonight's Dugout is after the jump. /puts fingers to temples
Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez has always had the stuff to make opposing hitters and anyone watching him work drop their jaws and say "wow." But he's also had the ability to frustrate with his inconsistency.
All of that has changed in 2009 as the 23-year-old has put together his best season in the major leagues, going 17-5 with a 2.49 ERA and 207 strikeouts.
Now his name is being mentioned as a Cy Young candidate, and the Mariners are elated to think about the fact that Hernandez may get even better in the coming years. Of course, that also means he's going to get more expensive.
MLB 
Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.
Former major league closer and current 
The Mariners built their 24-win improvement in 2009 on both a renewed focus on defense and finding contributions from cheap, unexpected players. With that in mind, 
Just a few days after announcing that 
The 
Seattle 
Starting Five
