Projected batting order Ichiro Suzuki, RF Randy Winn, LF Edgar Martinez, DH John Olerud, 1B Bret Boone, 2B Mike Cameron, CF Jeff Cirillo, 3B Dan Wilson, C Carlos Guillen, SS Rotation Jamie Moyer, LHP Freddy Garcia, RHP Joel Pineiro, RHP Ryan Franklin, RHP Gil Meche, RHP Bench Mark McLemore, OF/INF Ben Davis, C Greg Colbrunn, INF John Mabry, OF Willie Bloomquist, OF Bullpen Kazuhiro Sasaki, RHP (CL) Arthur Rhodes, LHP Jeff Nelson, RHP Shigetoshi Hasegawa, RHP Rafael Soriano, RHP Complete Mariners roster  ESPN's Take Q: OK, so the Mariners won't return to their 116-win form of 2001, but what must happen for them to claim the AL West again? One of the things that has made the Mariners tick -- besides Ichiro -- is their bullpen. Guys like Arthur Rhodes, Jeff Nelson and Kaz Sasaki lead a bullpen that has had success for many years now. That may be the biggest key for Seattle. -- Tom Candiotti OK, so maybe Jeff Cirillo isn't the .330 hitter he's been for some of his career, but he's a lot better than .249. Cirillo's first season in Seattle was forgettable, but he's too good to be that bad again. Look for a bounceback season with a .280 average and at least 12 home runs. Freddy Garcia has us mighty worried. After a solid first half of 2002, Garcia was terrible after the break, and things haven't gotten any better this spring. Garcia remains capable of a big season, but you have to drop him down a bit on your lists after seeing him struggle. -- Eric Karabell Chris Snelling, LF The intense Australian skipped Triple-A last season, jumping straight from the Double-A Texas League to the American League. But in his eighth major-league game he blew out his left knee, and now he'll get a chance to come back in Triple-A. Randy Winn's the left fielder for now, but Snelling should take his place in 2004, if not sooner.

Manager: Bob Melvin  Home: Safeco Field (47,116)  '02 record: 93-69  Team page | Schedule | Offseason moves

Catcher: Dan Wilson/Ben Davis At 33 last season, Wilson set a career high with his .295 batting average, thus fending off a challenge from Davis, the Mariners' backup catcher. Considering Wilson's defensive prowess, he figures to be the starter for at least one more season. First Base: John Olerud Like Rafael Palmeiro and Fred McGriff, Olerud looks like he can just keep hitting forever, and last year he posted nearly identical stats to those of 2001. Does figure to get a bit more rest this season, with Greg Colbrunn playing some against lefty starters. Second Base: Bret Boone Compared to his amazing 2001 campaign, 2002 was a major disappointment. Taken on its own merits, though, it was pretty good, as Boone hit 24 homers, knocked in 107 runs, and won another Gold Glove. Third Base: Jeff Cirillo For Cirillo, there's nowhere to go but up. He got off to a slow start last season, his first with the Mariners, and didn't get along with then-manager Lou Piniella. Cirillo may never be the player that he was in Milwaukee, but there's a good chance he'll bounce back some this year. Shortstop: Carlos Guillen He's a JAG -- Just Another Guy -- but he's cheap and he's decent with the glove, so M's are happy with him for now. Did get off to a hot start last season, but struggled down the stretch with various injuries. Left Field: Randy Winn From the outhouse to the penthouse -- maybe -- for Winn, who moves from the American League's worst team (Tampa Bay) to a likely postseason contender. Winn is also going from a decent hitter's park to a good pitcher's park, which may well impact his numbers. Center Field: Mike Cameron Last year he led the AL with a team-record 176 strikeouts and batted just .239, but also posted a respectable .340 on-base percentage, hit 25 homers, and played his typical Gold Glove-quality defense (though he didn't win the award). Right Field: Ichiro Suzuki Batted just .280 after the All-Star Game last season, but most consider that merely a blip on the radar screen. New manager Bob Melvin has talked about playing a National League style this year, which might mean more stolen bases for Ichiro. Designated hitter: Edgar Martinez Is this the final season for the greatest DH ever? Martinez turned 40 in January, and last year he missed most of the first half with a ruptured tendon. He did come back strong in the second half, posting his typical .400-plus OBP. No. 1 Starter: Jamie Moyer At 39 last season, Seattle's ageless wonder posted a career-best 3.32 ERA and ranked second in the league with 34 starts and fourth with 231 innings. He did go through a rough patch down the stretch, but the M's rewarded him with a new three-year contract after the season anyway. No. 2 Starter: Freddy Garcia Hailed as a future Cy Young winner not so long ago, Garcia struggled in the second half of last season (5-5, 5.66) and hasn't pitched well this spring. So once the season starts, he's got something to prove. No. 3 Starter: Joel Pineiro After opening last season in the bullpen, Pineiro entered the rotation in late April and eventually wound up with a 3.24 ERA, best among Seattle's starters. Doesn't throw particularly hard, but employs fine control with a variety of pitches. No. 4 Starter: Ryan Franklin Has mostly been a reliever for the M's, but went 4-5 with 3.91 ERA in 12 starts last season, good enough to give him the inside track for a permanent rotation slot this season. Bullpen: Arthur Rhodes, Jeff Nelson, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Rafael Soriano, Julio Mateo Rhodes' mid-90s fastball and Nelson's wicked slider give the Mariners one of the more potent lefty-righty set-up combinations in the game. Hasegawa's also solid, while Soriano is a flame-throwing comer who figures to wind up in the rotation before long. Closer: Kazuhiro Sasaki A question mark. Sasaki suffered a sore elbow last September, had a bone chip removed this winter, and has been less than completely healthy this spring. If he opens the season unable to pitch, manager Bob Melvin will likely go to a closer-by-committee.

-- Rob Neyer, ESPN.com

Record: 93-69 | Finish: 3rd in AL West | Results | Statistics: Batting | Pitching Offense (AL rank) Defense (AL rank) 814 runs (6th) Home: 368 runs (11th) Road: 446 (4th) 699 runs allowed (5th) Home: 329 (2nd) Road: 370 (5th) 2002 Stats Leaders   Average: Ichiro Suzuki, .321 Runs: Ichiro, 111 On-base pct: John Olerud, .403 Stolen bases: Ichiro, 31 Wins: Freddy Garcia, 16 Saves: Kazuhiro Sasaki, 37 Home runs: Mike Cameron, 25 RBI: Bret Boone, 107 Slugging pct.: Olerud, .490 OPS: Olerud, .893 ERA: Joel Pineiro, 3.24 Strikeouts: Garcia, 181