SECTION 331

I’ll fail at this, but there’s nothing quite as exhilarating as diving into the water when you’re not entirely sure how deep it is.

Earlier this week, USS Mariner‘s Dave Cameron posted his ideas on what the FO should do during the offseason. Some of it I agree with, some I’m kind of iffy on. Please keep in mind that I am not arguing with USSM. I love them like I love cupcakes (which is a lot). They are very smart, and they organize cool events to go to. My opinions are out of personal bias, a piddling amount of knowledge, and a giant wad of boredom because there is no news right now. It is because they do such an excellent job that I even have something to opine about to begin with. So taking Cameron’s projected lineup, here’s what I think about it:

• C-Adam Moore: This is pretty much a no-brainer with Rob Johnson’s surgery, and the job Moore did last year being so phenomenal and all. He catches, he hits, he calls games, he blocks the plate; he does his job. If the Johnson bench idea works out, further security in the backstop position.
• 1B/DH: Russ Branyan, Nick Johnson: Definitely. Having the ability to replace Branyan should he find that playing a full year takes a toll again would be invaluable. Having the ability to replace him with someone who can hit would be even better.
• 2B: Orlando Hudson: I plead the 5th. I know we probably can’t keep Lopez for 2010, but I don’t know that much about Hudson. The above-average hitting is definitely intriguing, however. I like hitting. I feel like the Ms and Lopez have been through a lot. I think that is a loss that will bite a little for me personally, should it come down to that.
• 3B: Matt Tuiasosopo: I’m not fond of Tui at 3rd, and the five of you who read this every day have probably figured that out by now. I prefer Tui at 2nd, where he seems to have more range, and I get the feeling that the FO does, too. I don’t think he played 3B at all last year, as Chris Shelton seemed to be all over that spot last year rather consistently. I kind of dig Jack Hannahan at third base, for reasons I’m not quite sure about; maybe because I don’t know if he can handle it every day? Eh, I’ll go with that. Right now, however, I’m choosing to remain in denial of the loss of Adrian Beltre.
• CF, RF, LF: Franklin Gutierrez, Ichiro, Michael Saunders: There are no other three guys that I want in those positions. With Ryan Langerhans on the bench with further left field coverage, I feel that sort of warmth and safety about our outfield defense that reminds me of hot cocoa on a foggy day.
• SP: Felix Hernandez: Duh.
• SP: John Danks: I like Danks, but I don’t like the idea of giving up Mark Lowe to get him. I understand why we would need to do that, I just don’t like it. There will be crying and hair-pulling if that happens. You’ve been warned.
• SP: Ryan Rowland-Smith: This, too, is a no-brainer. Whatever they did to Hyphen this last year worked, and it was super cool to see him graduate from a pitcher that used to occasionally make me wince to the pitcher he became. I love his demeanor on the mound; he is very cool and collected, a nice counterbalance to Felix’s fire.
• SP: Ian Snell: If they can continue to tweak him the way they did at the end of the year, he won’t scare me as much. I would love to see him improve and be the guy they want him to be, and shake off that Pirates stigma. I’m a sucker for happy endings.
• SP: Ben Sheets: Again, I have to plead the 5th. Cameron cites health issues, and it appears that Sheets had some surgery this year on a tendon, and has not played at all in 2009. Health issues make me gunshy. They probably shouldn’t – I mean, look at Mark Lowe, and what he’s been able to accomplish. Sheets’ numbers before this year look good at a glance, so I’ll just say if it happens, fine, if not, fine. A bridge I’ll cross when I get to it.
• Closer; David Aardsma: Cameron is the first local person I think I’ve seen who openly says he wants to keep Aardsma. Everyone else wants to sell. I want to keep Aardsma. Good call, Dave!
• Setup: Shawn Kelley, Nick Hill: Earlier this year, I might not have felt the same way, but Kelley managed to come back from his oblique injuries fairly well. If he doesn’t go nuts and pull something else, he belongs in our bullpen. Of course, him being setup would also mean that Mark Lowe would be gone, so maybe I shouldn’t be too hasty. Nick Hill is a name I’ve heard being tossed around, but FanGraphs doesn’t bring up anything on him. If I Wiki him, I get a football player. Help, anyone?
• Middle: Chris Jakubauskus, Garrett Olson: Again, another one for Garrett Olson. I have no problem with either of these guys in these roles. They also provide added cushion in their ability to pinch-start if one of our rotation suddenly takes a dive.
• Long: Doug Fister, Carlos Silva: I must have read Dave’s post about three times before I realized that he had, in fact, included Silva in the list. It is my assumption -not knowing much about contracts- that there isn’t any way we can get out of this, so we might as well make the best of it. Silva’s general demeanor seems to have changed this year, and regardless of whether or not he’s completely healed, he obviously wants to do the job, just based off everything I read about him from Shannon Drayer and other sources this year. If you can’t be an wonderful starter, be an awesome long reliever. And who doesn’t love Doug Fister? Nobody, that’s who! Again, more cushion with the starting experience on both their parts. Backup is always good to have.
• Bench: Rob Johnson, Jack Hannahan, Bill Hall, and Ryan Langerhans: I think I’m OK with this. I’m conflicted about Hall – his performance toward the last few weeks of the season was not stellar, and his left fielding was Ibanez-ian, but as a platoon/bench guy, maybe he’d work out alright. Hall lacks speed, however, and that bothers me a little. I know a bench guy is a bench guy, and veterans, and pinch runners are all part of this mix, but Hall I still remain skeptical about. I love being proven wrong though; I absolutely adore it. And it would indeed be nice to have a situation where everyone was able to switch around as necessary to give guys days off in case an ankle gets twisted or someone has the flu; and have the people who replace them NOT strike fear into the hearts and minds of fans. I think whole list  accomplishes that pretty well.

And then, of course, the wonderful world of shortstop. JJ Hardy’s name has been passed around like the town bicycle, even before our acquisition of Jack Wilson. But obtaining another shortstop kind of goes against what I thought Jack Zduriencik was interested in, after a lengthy time spent coveting Wilson to begin with. We need offense, and that is what Hardy provides, along with the glove…it’s just that Jack Wilson seemed to be so happy here, and Zduriencik seemed so happy about acquiring him, during that meeting a few months ago. I’d kind of like to see what our hitting coaches can do with him in the offseason before I get on the JJ Hardy train. But that’s just me.

Also, to add to the recent issue of lack of third base coach, what do you suppose Mike Sweeney’s plans are for the future?