30 Bold Predictions for the Seattle Mariners and the AL West

With Opening Day just three days away, all of our spring training questions will be answered, our predictions will be proven wrong and our teams will most likely disappoint us.

Okay, okay, that may be a bit of a pessimistic view—but I'm a Mariners fan.

Being a Mariners fan means being able to sit through 1-0 games; it means being able to take the abuse from your Angels, Rangers and Athletics friends; and it means looking towards the future.

So, in an attempt to predict that future and brighten the upcoming murky season, here are 30 bold predictions about the Seattle Mariners and the rest of the AL West.

Texas Rangers

30) Brandon Webb Will Make Fewer than 5 Major League Starts

Shoulder injuries for pitchers that take two years to fix usually aren't the best.

29) Chris Davis Will Be Texas' Everyday First Baseman by July

The Rangers have a lot of injury-prone players and a lot of versatile players that can move around in the infield. Davis has been mashing in spring.

28) Josh Hamilton Will Play Fewer than 100 Games

One healthy season, one hurt season, one healthy season...you know what's next. 

27) Elvis Andrus Will Steal 50 bases

Surpassed 30 previous two years. He had hamstring problems at the end of last year. He's still only 22. 

26) The Rangers Will Hit More Home Runs than the Red Sox and Yankees

Hamilton, Cruz, Kinsler, Moreland, Davis, Beltre, Molina: lots of powerful hitters. Generous ballpark that resurrected Vlad's career.

25) Derek Holland Will Be the Rangers' best starter with 15 Wins and an ERA Under 3.50

Just a hunch. I feel like he's right on the cusp of a good year. I'm thinking Colby Lewis and CJ Wilson come back to earth a little bit after terrific comeback years last year. Tommy Hunter is starting the year on the DL and you already know my feelings toward Webb.

24) The Rangers Will Finish Second in the West

I think they'll run into injury problems with Kinsler, Cruz and/or Hamilton. Their pitching is still a little suspect.

Seattle Mariners

23) Michael Pindea Will Win 12 games with an ERA of 3.50

Which would be better than Felix's first season. Then the nickname "Prince Pineda" starts popping up everywhere.

22) David Aardsma Will Reclaim the Closer Job When He Returns from Injury...and Then Lose It within a Month

Brandon League will take the job and run with it.

21) Chone Figgins Will Record 180 Hits

Another hunch—I feel like there will be less pressure on him this year.

20) Justin Smoak Will Get Things Figured Out and Hit 30 Home Runs

And 20 of those will come on the road.

19) Dustin Ackley Will Struggle in AAA and Not Get Called to the Majors until August When the Mariners are Realistically Eliminated

I hope I'm wrong.

18) Milton Bradley Will Hit .300 and 20 Home Runs

Contract year. And something tells me this is the type of guy who can forget that he's crazy for a year in order get paid.

17) Ichiro Will Rob a Home Run by Climbing on Top of the Fence

A la Major League II. 

16) The Seattle Mariners Will Finish Third in the West

They'll beat out the A's by a game after sweeping them in the final series of the season. Dramatic, I know.

Oakland Athletics

15) Coco Crisp Will Steal 40 Bases

He stole 27 in the second half of last season. The A's like to play small-ball and steal a lot of bases and he looks like he should be healthy to start the season.

14) The A's Will Be No-Hit Once

Their lineup screams mediocrity. I realize that they have had success in the past with lineups like this, but they will definitely have their off-nights.

13) Rich Harden Will Be Traded by the Deadline

He'll return from injury about a month before the deadline and show that he can have success from the bullpen. His contract is up at the end of the year and that will be enough for a contender to go after him.

12) Dallas Braden Will Fight Alex Rodriguez

And win.

11) Gio Gonzalez Will at least Be in the Talk for the Cy Young

He had a 2.59 ERA in the second half, he's still only 25 and he showed that he can strike out people at a good rate. Two hundred strikeouts and an ERA around 3.00 isn't out of the question.

10) The A's Will Have a Top 5 Bullpen in the Majors

They have at least five guys that could be closing on good teams and Harden should be joining the bullpen soon. He could dominate as a one-inning guy.

9) They Will Finish Fourth in the West

Just don't think their offense is good enough.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

8) Vernon Wells Will Hit Fewer than 20 Homers

It's a small sample size, but he hasn't hit a homer at Angel Stadium in 22 at-bats.

7) Kendry Morales Will Hit 40

He'll probably miss a couple weeks to start the season but as long as he learns how to celebrate without injuring himself, he's got the power to get to 40.

6) Howie Kendrick Will Hit .300...with a Full Season of At-Bats

Because the sixth season is the charm!

5) Scott Downs Will Lead the Team in Saves

After Fernando Rodney inevitably implodes, I think they hand the ninth inning over to Downs instead of prospect Jordan Walden. 

4) Scott Kazmir Will Bring his ERA Back Down under 4.00

I think it finally settles in that there is a legitimate chance he could lose his spot in the rotation.

3) Dan Haren Will Win 20 Games

He continues to eat up innings and strike a lot of people out. He was a little unlucky last year, but he should be firing on all cylinders for his first full year in Anaheim. 

2) Ervin Santana Will Record 200 Strikeouts

Gut feeling—Just like I had a gut feeling that Old Dominion would beat Butler.

1) The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Will Place First in the AL West

Underrated pitching staff in my mind. And the Wells addition gives them a dangerous lineup.