10 Keys of the Future

So, with all the talk about the Mariners season dwindling down to a rebuild session, here are 10 players to watch and will be who we depend on for more success next year and hopefully the years to follow:

1. Felix Hernandez, SP: Right now, Felix is the franchise player. He sets the tone for the entire pitching rotation and is our ace for the next 5 year, even managing as. He's proven himself having gone 65-46 since he first broke into the bigs, managing to start at least 30 games a year since his second season, and he currently stands to surpass the 1000 strikeout mark before he turns 25. He has the makings of a great and is the most dependable pitcher the Mariners have. As long as he continues to work hard and put out his greatest effort, he will always give his team the best chance any pitcher has to win.

2. Justin Smoak, 1B: Yep, the guy we traded for Cliff Lee. I put him second, because he's the other side of the coin. Jack Z has really focused on the pitching side of the game with a good defense in order to prevent runs, but what we've found out this season is that we need a better way to produce runs. Right now, Justin Smoak is our cornerstone, our future cleanup hitter and with good reason: he's already hit more homers than any other Mariner this season, sans Russell Branyan, and he did it as a minor leaguer rushed to the big leagues to fill holes in the Rangers lineup. This year is about getting him playing time and working him into the lineup everyday, but he projects to be the everyday first baseman and the big bat by next opening day. As long as he gets comfortable and finds his stroke, he should add more to an offense based on luck right now.

3. Chone Figgins, 2B/3B: Our biggest free agent that we brought in this season with an invitation to stay a while, Figgins hasn't quite lived up to the level of expectation we had for him at the beginning of the season. His hitting has been a bit off, as has his fielding, but luckily, the speed is there and he's starting to pickup more hits. Like Ichiro, Figgins needs to be able to get on base for guys like Smoak to knock in. Once Dustin Ackley reaches the M's, Figgins will probably move to the hot corner and maybe his fielding will improve. Either way, the Mariners need Figgins to play at the level he did in Anaheim and be a run catalyst in seasons to come.

4. Dustin Ackley, 2B: Our number one draft pick is coming along nicely in the minors. In 82 games at Double-A, he's got an on base pct. of .389, with more walks than strikeouts and 21 doubles. He just got promoted to Triple-A where he will likely play out the rest of the season, unless he gets the call up in September with opportunities to start. Ackley looks to fill out the lineup with semi regular power and great on base percentage abilities, but he still has this next level to get through. Should Ackley find his power stroke and continue to improve in the minors, he will be a great addition and hopefully an All Star second baseman for years to come.

5. Franklin Gutierrez, CF: Another franchise player extended to a lengthy contract, Franklin has more than proven himself defensively, but he has also shown great flashes at bat, with some power as well. He should win a gold glove this season, and until last month, was the second most consistent offensive player on the team. However, Guti has been placed in the 3rd slot more most of the season and while he's done okay at this spot for most of the season, but he'd be better suited in the 5th or 6th spot. Again, this is if Ackley and Smoak can be forces to reckon with, because while Gutierrez may not be much of a threat hitting out of a power spot on a team with no depth, but a pitcher who faces Ackley and Smoak, and then has to face Guti somewhere deeper in the order will have more to contemplate. Let's hope Guti keeps swingin and finds himself in a more complimentary position next year.

6. Michael Pineda, SP: The 21 year old phenom that a lot have heralded as another potential ace in the Mariner's rotation. He's well on his way, having gone 8-1 in double A and 2-0 since coming to Tacoma. He's been said to be a little wild, but he's striking out at least a batter an inning and is becoming a dominant force in the minors. If he finds his control and continues to abuse to hitters in the minors, he should be with the M's come September. Then, next year he should slot as the #2 starter and hopefully give us back the 1-2 punch.

7. Jason Vargas, SP: Vargas has really come around as a great middle of the rotation starter, and if he continues to pitch well this season, he may find himself a spot in that rotation for a while. He's not over powering, he's not dominant, but he gets grounders, he doesn't walk much, and he's only allowed 8 homers in 107 innings. With Felix and Pineda atop the rotation, Vargas can hold down the third spot, pitch 6 or 7 and give the M's another chance to win. With run support, he can even win quite a few. Vargas has to just stay healthy and remain consistent with his control.

8. Adam Moore, C: When the Mariners traded Lee for Smoak, Adam Moore probably breathed a little easier. He started in the bigs at the beginning of the season, but his offense and his defense both struggled. Now, in Triple-A, he's batting over .350 and slugging .488. He could be a definite force in the lineup if those numbers translate to the bigs, but if he can't the M's might end up trading or drafting another candidate. Of course, if they decide to keep their faith in Moore, he's gonna need to bring the lumber.

9. Michael Saunders, OF: Currently, Saunders is starting everyday in left field, and he's even added some power to his swing. His defense is great, but can he be a consistent hitter at the major league level? As of now the job is his, but if he can't at least find .250 then it will be hard to keep justifying playing him in left.

10. Greg Halman, OF: The guy currently blocked by Saunders who has hit 20+ homers in each of his last 4 seasons in the minors, and he has 20 already at the all star break in Triple-A Tacoma. Plus, he's only 22. He could be the answer to the Mariner's offensive woes, but he does strike out a bit and has a low on base pct. (this is common for power hits though). Hopefully, he gets his chance sooner than later.

Well, that's my list of ten impact players that the Mariners will need to build around in order to start winning divisions. I know that one player absent is Ichiro, but I left him off for several reasons:

1. Ichiro is the most consistent Mariner in the last decade, and probably one of the all time consistent Mariners that ever played. He really doesn't need to prove himself anymore, nor do we have to worry about him getting 200+ hits each season, fielding well in right, and scoring runs, (as long as someone can drive him in).

2. Ichiro is only signed through 2012 and while it would seem that the M's would resign him, nothing is ever for certain.

3. Ichiro is 36 and nearly in the twilight of his career. He still has some good years ahead, but when he hits 40, nothing is guaranteed. I would love for him to be the Jamie Moyer of position players, but would hate that conclusion to merely be assumed.