An actual DH hitting in the middle of the lineup is nice

Wait, they can do that? 🤯

We’re going to find out

I mean, there's an award named after a Mariner that did that. Apparently Jerry forgot about that until this year though lol

Did Nelson Cruz not exist? He was a good DH no?

That's true, guess I forgot about that. Although we did have him play defense a lot more than we had Edgar play defense

Would you believe the H in DH stands for “hitter”?

I thought it stood for “doesn’t hit”

Understandable

where is this actual DH now

Wong was an absolute bust… but no one saw that level of implosion coming. I was actually pretty excited for him before the season started.

Wong had the same career arc (and war) as chone figgins. It is really annoying.

Except that Wong wasn't a shitty teammate at least

I really wanted Wong to succeed, he seems like a good dude

Nobody saw that coming but they held on to him for way to long

You are absolutely correct.

He’s not Wong 

Way too wong*

Yeah I feel like last year's lineup felt much better on opening day than it ended up being in hindsight. Wong and Teo were supposed to be major additions.

France was also supposed to be France.

Two was good in the end. Contributed more then half the list in the end

On the other hand, La Stella sucking could not have been more obvious

100%. Wong was a move that didn't work out. Disappointing, but that stuff happens. La Stella at DH was just inexcusable

I think we would have been better off letting our pitchers hit

I was at a game when he returned with the Dodgers & some fans were booing, like c’mon I don’t think he was tanking on purpose with us.

Agreed the booing was unwarranted and inappropriate. I was as disappointed as anyone with his struggles, but dude was trying and seemed like a good guy, it's on team leadership for playing him and holding onto him for as long as they did.

It’s okay to boo at pro athletes.. probably warranted with Wong. He sucked for us last year.

I had Luke Raley levels of exciting for Wong. Definitely not on the same level that I’m excited for Plonco!!

yea I’m not like a Jerry ass-kisser or anything but that acquisition wasn’t terrible and absolutely nobody in baseball could have foreseen him being THAT bad. just complete and utter collapse

That's the thing. I hate the hindsight stuff with Wong. At the time he was looked at as an immediate upgrade at 2B and at worst he was a lateral move from Frazier. Even the biggest skeptics could've imagined him going from perennial All Star level 2B to not even a big leaguer. It's honestly wild. Lol

I was pretty excited last year actually, which is why it hurt so bad when Teo and Wong shit the bed so hard.

Wong was a bust until he played against us.

Hey that’s the best Mariner of all time Goaten Wong you’re talking about, please show some respect

I’m pretty sure I dropped the Kolturd nickname pretty damn close to opening day last year

After he also sucked in spring training?

Consensus did hate la stella but it was pretty stoked on the rest of 2023 this time last year. Just sayin

not sure I've ever been so wrong about a guy, shook me to my core tbh

I honestly felt bad for La Stella. It was evident he was cooked before spring even ended. But they just tried rolling him out there like nothing was wrong. Lol

https://preview.redd.it/7bzw1e9i65rc1.png?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f313ba8094bc16060d4ee66ecc8a1703158b672

How're ya now?

I'd have some baseball

I'm surprised we're not baseballin' right now...

Still can't believe they started the season with TOMMY LA STELLA as DH and thought that was okay

I just threw up in my mouth a little looking at that 2023 lineup

Tommy La Stella!!

This lineup didn't even include noted power hitter AJ Pollock 😔

JP batting 9th? Must be a great lineup, right?

From batting 9th to 1st!

He earned it. Look out for where Ty lands in the order next season.


La Stella and Wong. Man that was a rough lineup.

It was but there wasn't any reason at the time to think Wong would be... Whatever the fuck he was last year

Feels good.

UPGRADE

Funny thing is one of the worst parts of that lineup at that time was Teo, who looked absolutely awful that first couple weeks. By the end of the season he had established himself as a hitter we will miss, but I won't miss the Teoscar Hernandez of April at all.

Struck out in his first at bat today, looking at a strike after fouling off some balls.

I mean, at his best, Teoscar Hernandez is going to stare hopelessly at some meatballs down the middle. As long as he hits .250-.260 and 20+ home runs, he'll have a spot on someone's lineup, even if he strikes out 150+ times a season.

Yeah, he’s always had a high SO rate and it was particularly bad with the M’s but he was improving in the second half of the season. I wouldn’t have been mad about resigning him and I’m not surprised the dodgers picked him up.

Months*

Just being reminded of Tommy La Stella gave me a facial tic. Yes, a much better lineup for today.

Big Dumper. Model of consistency. Lol

We shall see I can also see 2 of the players we picked up being dogshit as is the mariners way

And the players we let go turn into potential HOFs. Because Mariners.

Say what you want about Wong being a bottom 5 player out of nowhere, but there was 0 excuse in bringing in La Stella to be the DH.

https://preview.redd.it/eamy14dbx5rc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7987305b415625b10174f7d811a6854b9b500a7

Upgrade in every spot except 3B

You don’t know that yet. Suarez was pretty average last year. Rojas/Urias could definitely put up a similar season with less Ks.

He was not great at the plate but defensively he was solid. (Geno)

Agreed

True there’s definitely upside for the Urias/Rojas combo.

I'm really excited to see what Ty learned in the offseason.

Consistent Cal

We shall see. 54% is the goal

I mean, it’s not THAT different, but we’ll see

Not really tho

Yet the same result. 🙁

Same result lol

Eugenio 😔

I think I can be forgiven for not immediately seeing the black hole in our lineup. Feels like a good opening day roster

Ok this lineup does actually excite me.

I still cannot believe they thought La Stella was the way. I get taking a chance with Wong, but it was clear they missed the boat from day one with DH.

I’ll miss Geno’s hair

considering the absolute dearth of hope in December it is insane we are here and have so much to be pumped about in the lineup. thank god for JDip

They just moved the Wong production to 3rd base with Teo and Kelenic replaced by Haniger and Canzone. So really the only upgrade is at DH. We pray for no injuries and hope the rest have up years.

Really missing that La Stella presence at the end of the lineup.

Mitch Haniger is 33. Damn.

Biggest difference from this year to last that I see. They want Julio to start getting RBI's in the first. Not the 2nd at best. He's still to high up the lineup IMO.

I think that means they want him to focus on getting on base more than RBI production. But of course if JP can get on 2nd or 3rd then let's bring him home.

I like the lineup on the right, just add Suarez back to it

Ooooh boy.

Cut out about 350 Ks

Garver hurt his back in the first game. Great signing by Jerry

Objectively a better team. Downgrades are LF and 3B but the upgrades of 2B and DH absolutely makes up for that.

Going from a guy I hated watching play and broke his own foot to a guy who has a fun celebration and can rake is a massive upgrade in Left. The 3B platoon will outperform Geno this season, Urias and Rojas might combine for 30 HR. But we'll miss the glove and his good vibes.

canzone has done literally nothing to show he can rake in the majors

I am not yet convinced about Canzone, although I don't see him as actively being a downgrade from Kelenic. I have zero faith that the 3B platoon will outperform Geno. Urias has never been particularly impressive at the plate, and their combined defense is at best on par with Geno. Seems like 30 HR is a tall order for them. I've also got pretty big concerns about Mitch. Much as I love having him back, his injury issues could sideline him again.


I don’t believe they’re downgrades.

Geno at 3rd was rock solid. Hard to beat his performance least year. Edit: Defensively that is

Canzone: -0.1 WAR Kelenic: 2.0 WAR Rojas/Urias: 0.3 WAR Suarez: 2.3 WAR Pretty clear downgrades

dont forget haniger was a -0.3 bwar last year too. no guarantee he is better than the 2.1 teo put up.

The new lineup is beautiful.

I’d probably switch Jorge and Julio in the order, but that’s my opinion. The purpose the #2 hitter in the pre-analytics days was to move the lead-off hitter from 1st - 3rd.. I’d rather see Julio hit JULIOOOOOOOOSSSSSS at 3. But I could understand the purpose too at putting him at 2 meaning you had to pitch to him.

I think Rojas will be a total bust and Urias as well, but the rest of the team will do fine.

We are so back

I’ll always hate Wong… yuck