Seattle Mariners

What was anticipated as being a big offseason for the Seattle Mariners has been anything but. To this point, Seattle has re-signed pitchers Oliver Pérez and Hisashi Iwakuma, traded for Robert Andino and Kendrys Morales, and signed free-agent outfielders Jason Bay and Raúl Ibañez.

Could the Mariners be making a play towards Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton?

With fewer than 100 days remaining until opening day 2013, the Seattle Mariners still seem to be looking for ways to improve their team.

After trading for Kendrys Morales just before Christmas, rumors began swirling about whether the Mariners would deal their young first baseman Justin Smoak.

With the New Year almost upon us, the Seattle Mariners have yet to truly make the splash that most of the baseball world expected them to this offseason. General manager Jack Zduriencik has been turning over every stone in an effort to find an answer for the lack of offensive production that has plagued the Mariners for years.

There are always questions with the Seattle Mariners.

While other teams are readying for playoff runs in 2013, the Mariners faithful are left to wonder if their team will be competitive. After the weak hitting of the last few years, just being relevant would be nice.

Seattle missed out on Josh Hamilton, but moves are being made. Kendrys Morales is a solid addition, and perhaps Jason Bay will rediscover his power stroke with the Mariners.

Raul Ibanez is 40 years old, but apparently the Seattle Mariners still believe that the left-handed power-hitter can contribute.

Ibanez appeared in 130 games for the New York Yankees in 2012. He faced right-hand pitching almost exclusively in that time.

Justin Smoak's days with the Seattle Mariners may be numbered.

Josh Hamilton is off the market and I'm OK with that, but not everyone feels the same way.

In fact, based on the response from most of the people I've spoken to and read, the Mariners' whiffing on Hamilton is a bit of a problem.

Upon hearing the news, a good friend and long-time M's fan sighed, "It's going to be a long winter and summer at the rate things are going."

Let me begin by saying this is never an article I envisioned I would ever have to write.

There are times in the world where we, the fans, lose sight of what is important in the world. We become so obsessed with free-agency signings, poor performances, wins, losses and lockouts that we forget that the games we become so obsessed with our merely that: games.

It's all about Felix Hernandez in Seattle. The Mariners revolve around him.

For now, anyway, and for good or ill. Of all the situations that must be handled with care in Major League Baseball, Hernandez's future with the Mariners is right at the top of the list.