That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary

Of course the Seattle Mariners want to win, but last few seasons this team has been living in the cellar. The best news for the Mariners was the arrival of the 2013 season, when the Houston Astros joined the American League West. Now, the Astros have ownership of last place, and might own it for a while.

The main reason that Jack Zduriencik, General Manager of the Seattle Mariners signed ex-Yankee second baseman Robinson Canó for 10 years and $240 million, is to be relevant in Seattle(and also trying to keep his job)a few days ago, Seattle Mariners long time President Chuck Armstrong resigned after almost two decades, with no titles.

Their attendance is dwindling, the interest for the team is at an all-time low(specially with the resurgence of the Seattle Seahawks, who have become “the team in Seattle”.

The Mariners franchise founded in 1977 has never won a pennant or a World Series. This is the franchise that had such players in the past as: Randy Johnson, Ken Griffey Jr, Edgar Martínez, Omar Vizquel, Alex Rodríguez and Ichiro Suzuki. among other excellent Hall of Fame type players.

Last few seasons the Mariners have waited for their young coveted talent to develop, but it has not happened, they still have a very good starting rotation, with ace Féliz Hernández, one of the best hurlers in the game. In 2013 the Mariners offense was totally absent, and they needed to “wake up”the fan interest in the Emerald City.

So, as far as shock value, the Canó signing is as good as it comes. We know it is a players market and every team need to have established star talent to draw well. The Mariners are one of those regional teams, they draw not only from Washington, but from nearby Idaho,Oregon and parts of Canada. Because of the geographical situation of Seattle, the Mariners do lead the league every season in one department; they travel more miles than any other team.

Seattle is a very nice city, and they can still revive that fan base. This is one step towards doing that. Yes, they probably overpaid for Canó, if he plays the rest of his career in Seattle he will be 41 on the last year of his contract and problably, with that swing, still a good hitter in the league, as their designated hitter by the 2025 season.

Safeco Field, still one of the very best facilities for baseball in the world, they continue to have very wealthy ownership,with the Nintendo Company of Japan at the helm, so there is hope for the Mariners after all.

The American League West have been won the last two season by one of the teams with the smallest payrolls in baseball, the Oakland Athletics. 2013 Executive of the Year, A’s General Manager Billy Beane continues to make the most with the owners budget.

Nobody has to be more creative as a General Manager than Beane. The American League West will continue to be one of the strongest divisions in baseball this next 2014, and the Mariners want to be part of that group of teams that will content for the title.

Now, what the Seattle Mariners need, is to acquire a couple of bats with power, and insert them on that lineup around Robinson Canó, then they could finally be relevant for the first time in a while.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commnentary each week for Sportstalk Radio