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=== Git Yer Programs, Only Eight Bucks ===

The official Mariners' pre-camp rotation handicap, going off this report and other MLB-approved buzzlines this winter:

• 1 Felix
• 2 Vargas
• 3 Iwakuma
• 5a Noesi
• 5a Millwood
• 5a Beavan
• 5b Furbush
• 5c Hultzen
• 5c Paxton
• 5c Ramirez

In any organization, there are good reasons for listing the depth chart with the kids at back.  In Jack Zduriencik's organization, there are eight times as many good reasons.  The man never met a pink backpack he didn't like.  Oh well, whatever, nevermind... 

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=== Don't Flash Your Stud Card, Dude ===

Carl Willis sez, in Geoffy's report, 

"It should be a very interesting competition for a couple of spots,'' Willis said.

Not to mention newcomers Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker, all minor leaguers who could crack the majors within the next two years. One or two could even make the big leagues this season, though they remain longshots to do so out of camp.

"Everybody's real excited about the young kids,'' Willis said. "And what I'm excited about is, if they come in here and earn it then let's go!''

Dr. D cordially invites all you lesser blogs to interpret "IF THEY COME IN HERE" as referring to someplace other than Arizona, such as Kowloon, gay Paree or, ummm, Cheney...

Last winter, also, Jack Zduriencik flatly stated that he expected James Paxton to come TO CAMP and "make a statement."  Granted, you could emulsify that comment into meaning "a statement that he would prefer not to be in AA very long."  However, we gentlemanly suggest that all pitchers make those statements, in every start that they make...

When Zduriencik signed Danny Hultzen, he also flatly stated that Hultzen would be given a fair chance to make the 2012 Seattle Mariners' rotation out of spring training.  

Slightly-more-attended blogs smiled at that and figured, well, he has to say that.  Slightly-more-alert blogs, those being SSI and the impending super-blog DetectoVision.Net, noticed that Zduriencik's comment came at the end of a long evening's worth of death-slash negotiation with Hultzen's agent.

Quick translation guide for you, homeys.  If you're in the box with a power lawyer for 18 hours, and you come out looking hollow-eyed and emergency-transfused, and you wearily intone to 9,000 cameras "He'll have a shot at the rotation next spring," that translates as "He'll have a shot at the rotation next spring."  The dialectic form is "We wanted this guy bad enough that we took him even though we might lose a year in 2012."

And good for them.  If this guy is half of what Jay-Z thinks he is, he is Cole Hamels.  Zduriencik didn't trade Michael Pineda because he thinks Blake Beavan has his back.

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