We are so very close to baseball returning to the Pacific northwest, whether it be or Seattle Mariners ball club, the Husky baseball team, and the Husky softball team. All of them, despite the dunderhead idea of "eternal rebuild" from Mariner "fans," should provide fans of their respective teams with exciting moments and lots to be excited about. With this article coming out just 3-days before pitchers and catchers report, let us take a look at each of the teams right before seasons start, or in softballs case, already started.
Husky baseball team: Led into this years season by coach of 12 years Lindsay Meggs', the UW baseball team will kick off the year in Houston, Texas this February 19th to take on Houston Baptist, followed by Rice the next day, and Little Rock Arkansas the day after that. After last years season that was cut short due to the pandemic and lasting only 15 games, the Dawgs will bring back four seniors, in outfielder Rollie Nichols, infielders Nick Roberts and Ramon Bramasco, and pitcher Leo Nierenberg. Not the oldest team in the country, but still some valuable leadership to help the team. Taking last years small sample size, sophomore infielder Noah Hsue will look to build on his performance last year with a .375 batting average. This team does not have a real power hitter in the lineup, but Hsue and Braiden Ward can get on base for this team. In the rotation, Stevie Emmanuels will bring his 3-1 W-L record from last year into the 2021 campaign and look to build, with Jack Enger and Dylan Lamb also aiming to build off strong performances. This is a young team and expect them to have some bumps along the way, but they could turn some heads.
Husky softball: When it comes to hitting a circle with a bat against nine defenders, this team is where its at for the University of Washington. The softball teams season is already underway, boasting a 3-0 record and just yesterday (February 13th) they won a slugfest against Southern Utah, 19-13 with Silentrain Espinoza accounting for 4 hits (and 1 homer), and Madison Huskey hitting two homers in addition to four other dawgs hitting balls out of the park. Looking at least year, the team went 23-2 in a season that was cut short that surely would have seen this team close to the Women's college world series. The year before that, they went to the world series and narrowly lost to a strong UCLA program that was ranked #2 after going 52-9. Husky softball is a strong program and look for them to again by a powerhouse this year. Led by 9 seniors and above (Livy Schiele, Gabbie Plain, Emma Helm, Pat Moore, Noelle Hee, Taryn Atlee, Sis Bates, Kaija Gibson, and Morganne Flores), it would not be a stretch to think this team can replicate its success from previous years. Led into 2021 by Heather Tarr, Silentrain Espinoza, Sis Bates, Baylee Klingler, and Sami Reynolds are starting this year off read hot and look for Espinoza and Bates to continue to do so. Gabbie Plain (who pitched a perfect game in the season opener, by the way) will lead the Husky rotation. The team has to face Dixie State today and Brigham Young on February 18th to finish off the UNLV tournament, then they will travel to St. George, Utah for the Dixie State classic where they will face Nevada, Dixie State (duh), Utah State, and Utah Valley. Expect success from this team all year, and updates weekly on the podcast.
Seattle Mariners: Let me get this out of the way right here and right now, I will not tolerate nonsense about how this team has been "rebuilding forever" or since 2001. They simply have not, and if you believe that they have been you are wrong and or just plain stupid. The additions of players like Cliff Lee, Robinson Cano, Edwin Encarnacion, Nelson Cruz, and others are clear cut proof that this team was doing a patch work job of trying to get to the playoffs. For years and years poor front office management held this team back, but under newer guidance and with general manager Jerry Dipoto at the helm, this team is young and ready to let it all hang out. The very reason that I am creating this at 7:51pm on Saturday, February 13th is because of a particular signing that intrigued me. Last year before the season started, I expected the Mariners to be a playoff team in 2-3 years, so using simple math this year, my schedule would have them in the playoffs in a year or two. With the addition today of James Paxton (welcome back, Big Maple), this has me thinking that Dipoto expects the team to win now. Normally in the offseason, there have been flurries of signings, trades, and other transactions as Jerry worked to get this roster the way he wanted it, and to rebuild the farm system. Kyle Lewis truly has emerged since September of the 2019 season, and through the shortened season of 2020 both offensively and defensively. There were two times that I knew Lewis was special, outside of coming back from a basically blown out knee to continue to play baseball: His stretch of home runs to start off his MLB "debut," and when I was out at Jackson golf course with my friend Alec when I heard Rick Rizzs call of Lewis hitting a towering homer off of sure fire hall of famer Justin Verlander on his second pitch. He is special and he will lead these M's into the future. Enough talking about Lewis, there are other young player on the roster already that will provide excitement, such as gold glovers J.P. Crawford at shortstop and Evan White at first base, Justin Dunn, Justus Sheffield, Marco Gonzales, and Yusei Kikuchi in the rotation (in addition to Paxton returning), Ty France, Dylan Moore, and Shed Long Jr are all young faces that could potentially push this team to a playoff campaign this year, ahead of schedule. Remember, this is a rebuild still. Rebuilds typically last 2+ years, and we would be in the "second" year. And no, I did not forget Mitch Haniger and Kyle Seager. Kyle still provides experience and some pop along with somewhat of his defensive prowess from years past, while Mitch Haniger to me is a wildcard. He has shown to be a "5-tool player," but do to injuries hampering him, we are not sure if Haniger will be someone that sticks around for the long haul, or if farm prospects Julio Rodriguez and or Jarred Kelenic will push him out. Speaking of the farm, incase you live under a rock, the Mariners have a top-3 farm system in Major League Baseball. The Mariners have Jarred Kelenic (Ranked #9 on top 100 prospects), Julio Rodriguez (#15), Emerson Hancock (#30), Logan Gilbert (#35), Taylor Trammell (#51), George Kirby, Noelvi Marte, and Cal Raleigh, all who at some point within the next 1-3 years should contribute to this ball club. All of those names, in addition to having the #12 pick in this years MLB draft. The Mariners are young, and they will only get better. Be patient just a little bit longer Mariners fans, we are very very close to something special here in the Pacific Northwest.
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