Last year’s team had LF, 3B, SS and C production that were all at the bottom of the league, as well as bad DH production.

Guess what? When 55% of your lineup sucks, you can’t score.

The M’s would have to have everything fall apart to get back to there again…

In the end, I think that this lineup, as structured right now, will not produce as much as last years team. Which does not bode well for the offense, or this team, right now. Unless, we improve our pitching staff our upgrade the lineup (First Base Please!) We have too many table setters in the lineup right now, unless Guitierez can build on last year and Kotchman can step up his game and build on his time with the Angeles.

Sometimes, there are no numbers available to show things in baseball because some players do not have track records. But I would point to Matt Holliday and his production in Oakland with no protection, to his production in St. Louis with the host of prolific hitters in their lineup and when he was with Colorado. That will be the cumulative effect on this team unless the aforementioned players step up to the plate and perform.

henryv the site I use to calculate runs a game says 5 per with that line up if kotchman wilson and bradley just put up career avg stats. In short that line up doesn’t suck.

I don’t think any of these guys will, though.

Wilson and Bradley are NL guys, and they come from more hitting-friendly parks.

This team isn’t going to struggle as bad as is predicted by the people that think you can’t win without an “run producer/big bat/HR hitter/Whatever BS you can fit in the Seattle Times”.

In fact, my comment wasn’t so much about how many runs they would score, but rather just how many baserunners they would likely have, as well as home many pitches they were likely to see.

Not this again.

Sisyphus, meet rock.

And SlowRoast, if I could suggest just one stat, it would be RC/27. That concept pretty much negates all your points.

He also made many, many outs, and didn’t play well as a DH- the Mariners were 11th out of 14 combined OBP and SLG from their DHs.

The guys is first ballet hall of famer, he didn’t forget how to play.

So’s Hank Aaron. Why don’t we sign him, since you seem to think Griffey’s age and recent performance is irrelevant to how you should expect him to perform?

You honestly think that JackZ did this for the nostalgia only?

Honestly? I think the General Manager of the Seattle Mariners realizes that a 25th roster spot isn’t a big deal in the scheme of things, likes Griffey’s attitude in the clubhouse, and will let a first ballot HOF’er who spent a lot of time in Seattle get that 25th roster spot, even if he’s spent most of the last decade playing at replacement level.

I don’t think there’s any reason to wishfully think the 1999 or even the 2005 versions of Griffey will show up. The “oh, he’ll be better once he recovers from (insert name of injury)” is something I’ve been hearing the last decade. At some point, you look at the record and make your judgment on that.

Here bud, have a read. And another. And finally, one more. There ya go. Now you’re up to speed, pal.

@ MJ Slider:
I don’t even know if your comments should merit a response, but here’s one anyways.

Differences between Damon and Griffey:
a) Damon can still run, Griffey can’t.
b) Damon, while not DTFT, isn’t a crater in the OF, and Griffey most certainly is.
c) Damon is 36, Griffey is 40.
d) And finally, this.

Anyone else can feel free to add to this list. Put simply, all Griffey is good for, in a practical sense, is some walks and some HRs. He can’t be guaranteed to play an entire season, he has a fairly lengthy injury history, and he occupies a roster spot that could very easily be filled by a better player for the same or less money.

The M’s need power and RBI ability in the lineup.

Not this again.