Usually during this stretch of Spring Training, optimism runs fairly high within me. As I previously wrote about, it’s around this time where I’m habitually stricken with an unchecked case of sanguinity, causing the unabated belief that that the Mariners will most certainly be playoff bound. And simply believing is never enough. Rather, the fervor becomes so prodigious it’s necessary to enlighten everyone within earshot. But as is the normal course of development, the Mariners will tail-spin out of contention, and I will then spend long hours trying to rationalize why another season failed to extend beyond September.

It’s a vicious cycle I fall prey to each year. My own form of personal purgatory. My Sisyphus, if you will.

But this year is different. This year, even after landing one of the top five hitters in all of baseball, I won’t be overcome with such delusions. This year, I’ve been reminded that I’m better than that.

The other day I was browsing through the Mariner’s blog section at the Seattle Times and came across this interesting snippet from a March 10 article regarding first baseman, Justin Smoak:

“But it’s the hitting that will define Smoak, and he knows it. You can’t be a light hitting first baseman. McClendon isn’t asking him to be Prince Fielder type, but he’d settle for Mark Grace….”

The comment was written by Times’ beat writer Ryan Divish, and was in reference to manager Lloyd McClendon’s announcement that Smoak would be his starting first baseman for the 2014 season. It wasn’t clear whether this was something derived from Divish’s own thoughts, or if he was simply paraphrasing McClendon. But considering the dearth of personal opinion found in any of Divish’s reporting, one can pretty much surmise this was born from McClendon himself.

What makes the statement interesting isn’t the fact that McClendon’s expectations for Smoak are no longer of the prototypical power hitting first baseman that GM Jack Zduriencik and the Mariners have touted Smoak as being since his acquisition from Texas (well, that is interesting, but a discussion for another day). Rather, its McClendon’s temperament and apparent willingness to, instead, settle for Smoak being Mark Grace.

That’s right, settle for Mark Grace.

The same Mark Grace who finished second in the rookie of the year voting in 1988, was a three time all-star, a three time gold glover, a four time MVP candidate, and one of the top hitters in all of baseball during the 1990’s, averaging a slash line of .311/.392/.462 from 1992 to 2001. Call me crazy, but I’m not sure there are many teams today that would look at that type of production as something to settle for.

Now, McClendon’s reconciliation with Smoak has to do with his willingness to trade homeruns for doubles. In fact, a lot more doubles. Forty to forty-five doubles to be exact. But seeing how Smoak’s career high in doubles is 24, as well as the fact he hit only 19 last year, jumping to 40-45 doubles in 2014 would be nothing less than a major achievement. Perhaps even a miracle.

But in the eyes of the Mariners, Grace-like production from Smoak would be settling. And it’s with this one singular verb where clairvoyance materializes, cutting through my haze of romanticism like a Felix Hernandez fastball burning through the night time air. For it’s a stark reminder that much of the Mariners’ success in 2014 teeters on hope and overcoming odds rather than meeting expectations. It’s a memorandum on the fact that although Zduriencik and the Mariners like to tout the possible, the 25-man roster is governed by the plausible.

And since 2009, the “possible” taking precedent over the “plausible” has been the modus operandi of Zduriencik’s roster construction. Whether it has been an undying faith in the progression of the youth, or relying on the rebirth of veterans two or three years past their last productive season, the assemblage of the 25-man roster has consistently been built on the backs of players expected to perform well beyond any sort of reasonableness. And nothing represents the kind of Hail-Mary hopefulness that has long defined Zduriencik’s roster formation than McClendon’s belief that Smoak can be a Grace-like .300/.390/.460, 45 doubles and 20 homerun hitter.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Such an evolution by Smoak is possible, and would pair very nicely with Robinson Cano in the middle of the batting order. And yes, it would be a huge boost for this team.

But so would Corey Hart being able to stay healthy enough to play a decent right field regularly, rookie Abraham Almonte proving to be a solid everyday centerfielder and leadoff hitter, and veteran pitchers Scott Baker and Randy Wolf regaining their old form and solidifying the middle of the rotation, especially with Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker out with injuries for at least the first month of the season.    And, of course, questions still remain whether a bullpen that ranked as one of the worst in 2013 can improve despite losing two of their best arms in Oliver Perez and Stephen Pryor, whether Mike Zunino can show he doesn’t warrant further time in Tacoma, whether Brad Miller can prove he has what it takes defensively to stick at shortstop, and whether Dustin Ackley can continue hitting in 2014 like he did during the second half of 2013.

All of which is possible, but, realistically speaking, not plausible. And if the Mariners hope to make any noise in a tough AL West division, they will need most of these possibilities to become realities. But with Zduriencik choosing to once again lean on untested youth and affordable free agent veterans looking to find the fountain of youth and good health, the results have been less than reassuring so far this spring.

Predictably, Hart and his knees have not shown the ability to play the outfield (or anywhere for that matter) regularly. Almonte’s defense in center field has been so-so while his bat at the top of the order has been meager, producing a .174/.237/.304.  And Baker and Wolf have both been released, leaving the Mariners with a questionable opening day rotation consisting of Hernandez, Erasmo Ramirez, rookie James Paxton, rookie Roneis Elias, and one of Blake Beavan or Hector Noesi.

However, recognizing the fragility of their pitching staff, the Mariners promptly went out today and bolstered their rotation by signing soon-to-be 35 year old veteran pitcher Chris Young who was released by the Nationals. Young is coming off shoulder surgery on his throwing arm, hasn’t pitched at the major league level since 2012, and whose last full season as a starter was in 2007 where he made 30 starts for the Padres.

Wait, did I say bolster? Scratch that.

The Mariners entered the offseason needing to address the starting pitching, the outfield and the bullpen. Outside of signing closer Fernando Rodney to replace closer Danny Farquhar, the Mariners elected to ignore all three areas, believing instead that somehow, something will transpire and provide resolution. Perhaps Zduriencik and the Mariners see something the rest of the baseball world cannot?

It’s possible.