Doc, I get what you're saying about the offense.
I get that the lack of power is a problem.
But, you're ignoring the facts when you start implying that the horrid start is *ALL* about the offense.  It ain't.
After the KC series, the Ms have *ALLOWED* 84 runs (most in the AL ... 2nd highest Runs/Game average of 5.25).
They have allowed 13 unearned runs (tied for most in the AL), on 13 errors.
The team ERA+ (83) is basically just as dreadful as the OPS+ (79).
The team DER is dead last (.669) with a league average of .706 at the moment.
SPs are: 3-10 with a 4.53 ERA and (11 unearned runs)
SPs have a slash line of: .280/.323/.450 (.773)
RPs are 2-1 with a 5.09 ERA (only 2 unearned) with a slash of: .245/.322/.342 (.664)
The Emperor has no defense.
More directly - the Mariners have the *WORST* defense in the AL.  Not an average one.  Not a questionable one.  Not even a lower third one.  They have the WORST defense in the AL.  Not only do they get to the fewest BIPs of any defense, they throw it away at an alarming rate - and specifically do so in critical situations, running up the opponent run totals.
Understand this.  If the Ms had the BEST offense in the AL and had scored 84 runs at this moment, (2 more than league leading KC has at the moment), they would have a dead even 84-84 run differential and the best offense in the AL would likely give them a .500 record.
The offense is lousy.  But the defense is equally lousy.

While I don't believe Seattle will remain the WORST defense in baseball ... there ARE reasons to believe that the 2011 defense isn't just off to a slow start.
1) DTFT ... the club is missing the heart and soul of its defense, and it's showing.  While Saunders/Langerhans are adequate temporary CFs ... Langerhans has NEVER been considered a CF.  He was an above average LF when playing regularly.  Saunders stats also show him to be adequate not elite.
2) Age -- while defensive skills don't cliff dive the way offensive skills do -- they DO tend to peak in late 20s, and they tend to decline in the early 30s (and then level off).  Bradley (33), Wilson (33), Figgins (33), Langerhans (31), Olivo (32).  The only guys that could be argued as in their "peak" defensive years are: Ryan (29), Saunders (24) and Smoak (24).  The oddity with the Ms is that usually experience tends to manifest as a minor loss in range, but an improvement in error rates - (at least until injuries start F% imploding).  Ichiro is 37 ... not 27 and not even 32. 
3) Last year I predicted a drop to 4th in DER - (standard following a massive jump to #1).  This year I didn't make a prediction, because too many variables are in flux.  But, a team that sees itself as OUT of the race from day one - (which I think was true) - is inherently less likely to be 100% engaged defensively.  IMO, Guti was the heart and soul of the defense and w/o him, the entire defense is simply not as focused. 
In "theory", the new SS is supposed to be a plus defender - but no way does Ryan step in and become a defensive "leader".   Wilson might have done that - except Wilson was getting 'demoted' to 2B.
I still believe defensive performance is predominantly about defensive HUNGER.  Guys like Guti, who get a natural thrill from defense stay engaged, almost w/o exception.  Guys like Bradley, Langerhans, Figgins ... uh-uh. 
I think if Guti stays out, the Ms defense will likely stay in the bottom third, (say 11th), for the first half ... then we'll have to see what kind of lineup shakeup occurs at the trade deadline.
If Guti returns ... I still see them as no better than middle of the pack.  And given the natural bonus that they get with Safeco, middle of the pack is actually pretty bad.
===========
All that said.  I could be wrong.  NOBODY has a monopoly on defensive analysis - least of all me.  But, the notion that Seattle gets to have a superb defense "just because" is exactly the kind of attitude that guarantees they won't have it.  And I believe the focus on the offense is contributing to the defense being taken for granted -- not only by the fans, but by the players and coaches, too.
Honestly, I see little reason to be optimistic about the Ms defense improving in the coming months, (outside of roster shakeups).

I would have really liked to add Upton to LF and really help our offense, but this is why he's not here:
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2011/04/17/werth_m...
"2. Justin Upton, OF, Arizona — It’s the lack of consistency that makes you pause with Upton, but the talent? He hit a 478-foot homer last Tuesday. The sky is the limit for the 21-year-old. Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers was willing to deal him to the Red Sox in the offseason, but only if he got the Gonzalez package or straight up for Buchholz in return."
That's for the #31 prospect in Kelly, the #75 prospect in Rizzo, and Reymond Fuentes, no slouch himself.  They are the Padres #1, #2 and #4 prospects now per BA.
To get an analogy here, before the season, that's Pineda, Franklin and Jones, minimum.  The problem is what if the D-Backs wouldn't take two players so far from the bigs in the deal?  If we'd given up Pineda and Ackley, maybe we could have had Upton.  Would that have been worth it?  At this point it would feel so...except that without Pineda we're still dead in the water.
We need Cust to hit.  We need Figgins to get on base, and Bradley to keep hitting, and Olivo to pull his head out, or go on the DL so he can heal and Bard can play.  The absolute black holes in this lineup shouldn't look like this.
The problem with this team has always been that we cannot deal from a position of excess.  We don't have excess.  Every great or even good prospect we have is desperately needed on the big club.  Most teams that have a top-10-in-the-league arm, a MOTO bat, a top-10 prospect on the way and two 95 mph bullpen arms all come through AAA in the same calendar year wouldn't have room for them.  We absorbed them (or will in Ackley's case) without a ripple and still need another 4 slots filled.
That's a problem.  It's partly Jack's self-created problem.  He's the one who spent big on Figgins.  Gutierrez isn't his fault but we don't have a quality backup for the position. Adding Ryan without trading Wilson was a calculated risk that hasn't worked out to add any value to Wilson at all, especially by moving him off position and the ensuing debacle dropping his worth further.
We need whatever talent we can glean from the minors, better vets, AND more outside help to restock.  There will be no trade of Gutierrez now, and we likely won't have him back in the lineup for a long time.  Aardsma would have to come back on fire to get teams to bite on his injury recovery risks come the deadline.  Figgins has to hit SOMETIME or he's with us forever.  Our pieces for trade are a mess - we do not have a good, low-risk player to move.
It's the second year we've tried to skimp on hitters and scrape by with some luck, and the 2nd year that it's biting us in the butt.  We're now RELYING on the young guys.  Pineda, Smoak, Wilhelmsen, Lueke and soon Ackley will have to carry this team, especially if Felix struggles.  Saunders has to come through for us soon.
The black holes can't last forever - but at this rate why would next year be better?  Bradley will be gone so we'll need a LF, Figgins and Olivo will still be here so that's 2 black holes remaining, and our CF situation is up in the air.  Anybody wanna bet the payroll doesn't get cut again if we lose 95 and attendance is down further?
If we can't add hitters - the kind who can clear fences or at least hit balls off of em - and our black holes can't move from "absolutely useless" to "not horrid" it's not just gonna be a long year this year. 
It's gonna be tough sledding next year too.  I'm not big on panicking after a couple of tough weeks, but the Ms need to get some big hits and some huge pitching performances to avoid that crash and burn from your other post, Doc.
And as you said, the question is, are these hitters qualified to do that?
For Zduriencik's sake and my sanity, they'd better be.
~G

Agree that the M's aren't in the best position to be dealing away Top 100 prospects right now. Contention in 2011 is going to require a miracle, but this team *can* contend in 2012 if the front office gets in the game.
Ackley will probably have over 600 AAA AB's by the end of the year; he's our starting 2B in 2012. I think you need to invest LF in Saunders based on where the team is right now. That still leaves black holes at SS, 3B, and probably C, CF, and DH, and we'd ideally replace Bedard with a #2/3 SP as well.
The M's have most of the key pieces in place, that's the difficult part. They will also have a lot of payroll flexibility for 2012. It shouldn't be hard to bring in the remaining pieces they need, it's just a matter of whether they're willing to do it. Another offseason like '10-'11, and I'm probably writing them in for third place in 2012 regardless of the progressions of the young players.

Upton has, in the vernacular, "a huge upside."  Which usually means, when you're talking about a 21 or 22 year old MLB'er who already disappoints, that they are a head case and not worth the risky investment.
The problem with the M's investments in FA lately is that they pick guys with almost no chance of being slugging offensive weapons.  Figgins, Griffey last year, Branyan last year, Olivo, Jack Wilson, Langerhans, etc. 
Cust was an arguable slugger type addition.  My argument there was that they had guys in the hopper just as likely to slug this year (or nearly so) as Cust.
Bradley was a different deal altogether. 
Smoak was the one very nice offensive addition in two years.
and surprisingly, I don't think I've said "Gee, I think Guti would have caught that ball!" all year.
Z designed this year a small ball team that will take pitches.  OK...It was either a bad strategy or bad signings.
You don't have to hit it over the fence to win.  But to win a bunch of games you still have to have guys who can rip it/roll it to the fence.
Pineda is truely something to be feared, however!

Doc,
You are absolutely correct that 15 games doesn't determine where a team will finish in ANY stat.
But, if you can extrapolate a two week power outage as a likely year long problem, then I believe it is equaly reasonable to posit that the defense may not be just 'bad luck'.
The 13 runs on 13 errors is an obvious outlier - (league average is somewhere around 2 errors per unearned run).  But, Seattle had a rough 7/11 ratio in 2010, so "untimely" errors are not always a random occurrence.
IMO, this team isn't nearly as good defensively w/o DTFT.  And as good as Wilson may have "looked" at 2B early on, *HE* clearly was not enjoying his demotion from 6 to 4.
How many people you know who "thrive" in a job they hate? 
Honestly, I think the team did a remarkable job in 2010 by not allowing the defense to go any further south than it did (considering the record).
Another problem is ... if the defense continues bad for much longer, then the pitchers will start trying to "strike everyone out" - which leads to its own set of self-inflicted suicide by fear. 
First half of April is ALWAYS full of nonsense ... (Langerhans leads the team in HRs ... Figgins is next to last in walks).  Perhaps the D will show up when the power does.  I wouldn't be counting my chickens on either front.

Boston should have traded Buchholz for Upton straight-up if that was really offered. Buchholz was the ultimate sell-high and Upton the ultimate buy-low.
Looks like Upton may be taking that next step to stardom this year (though its still early). Thats probably off the board because his trade value is likely higher than Felix at this point.

If Gut can't find a way to get healthy, theres a chance this team will even worse than last year.
Marginally better offense with a much worse ERA+.
I dont' really care about the record in '11, but would like to see the prospects continue to do well, Ryan to hit and field well, Figgins to rebound, and Gut to figure out his stomach issues. These are all very important factors for us beyond '11.

instead of going to the minors to get in shape, he's going to the Mayo Clinic.  In other words, no end in sight.
  http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110418&content_id...