Monthly Poll: Who is the Mariners MVP Thus Far?

In your opinion, which of the following players has been the most valuable to the Seattle Mariners so far?

Ichiro



Really, there could be no MVP debate without the consistently great Ichiro. Year in and year out he has put up outstanding numbers in an M’s uniform. This year is no exception. Ichiro leads the majors in both batting average, with an eye-popping .372, and hits, with 110. The man always seems to find a way to get on base, whether through a walk or an infield hit.

And who can forget the seven-time Gold Glove winner’s amazing defense, rounding out one of the top defensive outfields in the league. -Evan


Felix Hernandez




A couple of days ago, Prospect Insider's Jason Churchill tweeted the following: "Felix. 1.72 ERA on ROAD. League slugging .316 off him... 1.06 ERA in 5 starts in June. All-Star? Screw that. Cy Young". It seems like Felix is no longer transitioning into being a dominant front-end starter, he is that dominant front-end starter. 

The past couple seasons we have seen glimpses of his greatness, now we are witnessing it every time he takes the mound. Now that King Felix is on a team that is winning games, winning the Cy Young award does not seem so far off. The last pitcher that got me this excited to watch who was in a Mariners uniform was Randy Johnson.  -Kevin

David Aardsma



It was hard to see JJ Putz lose his status as one of the league's top closers. This past off season, the Mariners front office made it evident that they did not think Putz would be able to return to his 2007 form. Who was to replace Putz? It was a mystery toward the beginning of the season, especially after Brandon Morrow's failure to control his fastball.

However, Aardsma soon emerged and has suddenly become the consistent option to close out games for the Mariners. Since April 10th, Aardsma has converted 16 saves out of 17 opportunities. He has compiled a 1.49 ERA and has not allowed a single earned run since May 31st. -Kevin

Russell Branyan
seattle pi


I previously made my case for why Branyan is one of the best hitters in the majors. He has hit for both power and average on a team that desperately lacks offense. With 19 homers, he has nearly twice as many as anyone else on the team (Lopez has 10). 
Not bad, especially considered the man he replaced, Richie Sexon, only had 11 homers last year. Branyan was an enormous find and the most important addition to this year’s team. Without his bat, there is no way the Ms would be in competition this year. -Evan
Franklin Gutierrez


komo news
I regret sarcastically joking about the upcoming promotion of Franklin Gutierrez bobblehead night. Out of the all the bobbleheads I would want, Franklin's is my heart's sole desire. He has been brilliant. I will not bore you with his amazing defensive statistics. Just know that he is one of the top defensive players in the majors leagues if not the best.

He will be snubbed for a gold glove, unless the media starts to look at some valid statistics like UZR. Is it just me, or does F-Gut have some pop in his bat to go along with his stellar glove? It looks like he has shown increased power at the plate, it is only a matter of time when that power becomes more consistent. He's made the playoffs a legit possibility for the Mariners, and for that I am eternally grateful. -Kevin

Note: If you are viewing this through your email or through your feed reader, please visit the site directly to participate in the poll.






Who is the Mariners MVP so far this season?(trends)