How much will the Mariners miss Mike Cameron?
Greatly. Hugely. Monstrously. He was the lord of the CD player in the clubhouse. He was up front and always available with the media. He had that great smile for television audiences. But more than that, he’s as good a center fielder as anyone in his generation. Randy Winn can have a very good year in center field and the Mariners would still miss Cameron. His love-hate relationship with Safeco Field was well documented, but he would have come back if the Mariners had made him a competitive offer before he left for free agency. They could have kept him. 11. How bad is the Mariners’ bench? Not as bad as you think and not as good as it should be. Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox pay premiums to have top-flight veteran backups. The Mariners, like most other teams, go with young players in those roles. Quinton McCracken is a good defensive outfielder who can play any of the three spots, something the Mariners haven’t had for a while. Dave Hansen is one of the game’s best pinch-hitters. T
