=== Sabe-per-Matt Dept. ===

If you are feeling in surgeon-cool mode, Matty has done a comprehensive job with the preseason saber expectations for the 2010 M's.

He could be right or he could be wrong -- it's up to you to point out exactly where his model goes off track.  If you think you'll have an easy time catching mistakes, we'll give you a hint:  you won't.

At MC, he summarizes thusly:

I've got the Mariners projected to aroud 88-90 wins right now even under the assumption that the rotation's junk starters are worth zero wins total and the entire team defense rests with three good relievers, Felix, Lee, half a season of Bedard and great fielding from Gutierrez, Ichiro and Wilson. I don't see any reason to think the team won't at least compete...we may not get where we all want to go (October) this season...but it's going to be a fun ride.

His numbers aren't subject to the emotional disappointment we all feel that the M's won't pony up $4m for Washburn.

I think it's weird, too, the M's February and March in the front office.  But it's not worth docking them 3 full letter grades for the season.

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=== $91 Million vs $99 Million ===

I/O:  The usually "what, me worry" Baker is constantly annoyed by the M's failure to address emergent problems during spring training.  On the face of it, he's got a point.  SSI has, of course, threw itself on its back and kicked its arms and legs at the M's failure to add Washburn.

I/O: it was after the M's brought in Cliff Lee, that they were talking to Jason Bay.  Presumably they'd have brought him in at some price.  What happened to that money?

.......

CRUNCH:  The M's just brought in Cliff Lee in his walk year.  They're motivated to win now if at all possible.

.........

CRUNCH:  In the Rosenthal article, the M's emphasized yet again that Erik Bedard "is going to play a huge part in the success of this club."  I think that their budget probably allots the full $7-8m to Bedard and that, in the Mariners' minds, he was their post-Lee add.

Things feel pretty dicey right now, because it feels like maybe Lee will miss the whole season.  And we've had it hammered into our heads that Bedard is, gollum too rissssky, too risssssssssssky...

Take solace in the Mariners' own view of Bedard's recovery.  They're all giggles and grins about him.  And SSI's take is, considering the way Bedard threw last July, his shoulder couldn't have been too badly injured in the first place...

...........

CRUNCH:  I think the M's are looking ahead to a Felix, Lee, Bedard, Gonzalez (?) Ichiro type budget and aren't spending their cookies on Civics.

I guess that SSI should be applauding them for this.  If they're keeping powder dry by avoiding Civics, I can live with that.

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CRUNCH:  SSI scoreboard count:  be no more than 4-5 games out on April 15.

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Cheers,

jemanji