Mariners Expected To Be Players At Trade Deadline

The Mariners are a team in transition and should be very active at this year's mid-summer trade deadline.

"They should be major players at the trade deadline, whether things go well or not. If the season falls apart, many of those would-be free agents would be obvious trade fodder," writes Larry Stone of the Seattle Times.

Of course, there is always a chance that the Mariners will outplay expectations.

"If by some chance the Mariners surge into contention in the first half, those decisions will become harder," Stone continued. "The temptation will be to not mess with a good thing, even if it means potentially compromising the future."