Mariners Players And Their College Football Comparisons

Jean Segura – Washington Huskies

Before I go any further, GO DAWGS!

But back to what I was saying, this comparison is one of my favorites. Segura in 2016 showed the world that he possessed a strong offensive and defensive game, along with blinding speed. He led the NL in hits and hit over .310 with more than 30 SB.

Last year, Segura could swing the bat and flash good skill with the glove as well. He made a total of 10 errors in 2016 and finished top-12 in the MVP conversation. Segura seemed to be able to do it all in 2016.

The 2016 Huskies were in the same boat. UW showed that they could outscore nearly any opponent that dared to face them. UW boasted an average scoring margin of +23.8  during the 2016 season, up +15 from 2015.

That offense led by Jake Browning and speed demons John Ross and Myles Gaskin was an absolute force. CB’s had all the trouble in the world running down the Dawg’s version of “the Flash”. But not only could they score, they could defend the pigskin as well.

Even with a late season injury to Azeem Victor, the UW defense with Budda Baker and Sidney Jones rarely let people into the house.

The main issue with Segura and UW is simply; can they repeat their dominance in 2017?

Segura will be entering a pitcher’s park coming from Arizona. Can he repeat his success in a new lineup with higher expectations?

As for the Huskies, 2016 brought life back into UW football. But with many of their studs leaving, 2017 is a worry. Can the incoming guys continue the legacy that the older guys left for them to continue?

Felix Hernandez – Alabama Crimson Tide

Big. Overpowering. Scary.

For the past 11 years since Felix has graced a Major League mound, no one has wanted to face him. He may not be the #1 pitcher in the game every year, no one can deny his dominance.

154 career wins with a 3.16 ERA and over 2000 innings and strikeouts. Those are career numbers for a lot of pitchers, but he is not even close to being done. No doubt Felix will continue on to reach 200 wins and 3000 K’s and IP and cement himself as one of the all-time greats.

2017 will have to be a bounce back year for the King after a subpar 2016, but no doubt he will.

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The Alabama Crimson Tide have been the kings of College Football since Nick Saban took over. Bama has won four National Titles since 2009 and consequently has constantly produced loads of NFL talent.

In 2017, they may have six players go in the 1st round of the draft! Alabama has been a constant talent pool for the NFL and they only seem to get better every year.

Anyone who watched the National Semi-Finals saw that the Tide easily handled a UW team that was noted as an offensive juggernaut.

But every once in a while, a king gets knocked off his thrown. The Clemson Tigers, with a last second TD, captured the crown. But that game was a good ole’ fashioned slugfest.

Everyone knows that Saban will go out and recruit only the best athletes so that he can once again be #1 in 2017. Like Felix, there does not seem to be an end in sight for their dynasty run.

Robinson Cano – USC Trojans

USC in 2016 started off slow, but by the end, cemented themselves as one of the top 4 teams in the country. But could you blame them for an opening season loss when they played Alabama in the opener?

But after going 1-3, they switched in their freshman QB Sam Darnold, and they went absolutely nuts.

They went 8-0 and their new QB made their WR’s look like absolute stars. USC took down teams like UW, Colorado, and Penn State on the way to a Rose Bowl victory.

Although 2016 was promising, 2017 looks as if USC could end the season with a Ship under their belt. They will only improve and teams will not look forward to seeing the Trojans on the schedule. Also, USC will be returning all their studs and will only grow more chemistry as a team.

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Except for the slow start, the same could be said for Robinson Cano. Since joining the team in 2014, Cano has run the baseball world in the Pacific Northwest. In 2016, Cano hit .298 with 39 HR and 103 RBI.

With the playoff implications being similar to what he had in the Bronx, 2017 could be historic for Robinson.

Cano loves the clutch moments, and when the Mariners are in the hunt from day 1, he will only thrive. Having the pressure on him and a playoff run for the Mariners could equal an MVP for Cano.

Both Cano and USC have one thing in common, they are both jaw-dropping. They make you stop whatever you are doing and watch the TV. In 2017, opponents will be scared to play these two and fans will love every moment they get to watch.

Kyle Seager – Clemson Tigers

Two words can describe these two: consistent and underrated.

Some believe that because Seager plays in the Pacific Northwest at a loaded position, he doesn’t get the attention he deserves. But even with the lack of attention, Seager has been nothing but great.

Over his 6 year career, he averages 26 home runs and 88 RBI’s per season, along with a wicked good glove. He has finished in the top 20 in MVP voting twice in his career.

But the great part of Seager’s game, he is only going to get better. He is entering his age 28 season and as he enters his prime, he should solidify his game and could be competing for an MVP this season.

Although he is not the star of the team, Seager is a top-40 player and a backbone to the success of the team.

Seattle Mariners

Clemson is an under the radar team because they are simply not flashy. In today’s game, people love hard hits and obscene scores, and Clemson just plays technical football, but it works.

Clemson for the past couple of years has been reliably in the top few football teams and they finally got their championship.

Even the loss of their star QB will not slow down this football team. Clemson will still be the team to beat and they will continue to prove that technical football is still the foolproof way to win games.

2017 should continue to show that Seager and Clemson have continued success and maybe someday be the stars of the national spotlight.

Nelson Cruz – Louisville Cardinals

The one and only similarity between the Louisville Cardinals and the Boomstick: offense.

Nelson Cruz has always brought his bat wherever he has ended up. Seattle is no different. 2016 saw Cruz hit .287 with 43 HR and 105 RBI. Although not known for his defense, whenever he played the outfield, he could handle his business.

But we will always rave about his offense. 2017 will see Cruz mostly man the DH role with occasional OF play. As long as that offense comes to play, M’s fans will not care where on the field he plays.

The 2016 Louisville Cardinals were led by their stud Heisman QB, Lamar Jackson. No one ever doubted their ability to score, the defense was their Achilles’ heel.

The Cardinals started outscoring teams by 30 and 40 and that put Jackson in the Heisman talk. Their game plan was to score around 60 points and not have to worry about defense.

Unfortunately, losses to Clemson, Kentucky, and a solid Houston defense derailed their title hopes. But for fans of the team, they were blessed with an exciting offense. In 2017, if the defense can improve, the team could compete for a spot in the National Semis.

Louisville Cardinals and Mariners fans have a couple of reasons to be excited. Firstly, all of the keys will be returning for 2017. Louisville will return its star QB and its WR core, while the Boomstick will be in full force this year.

Secondly, both the Mariners and Louisville are in the national spotlight. Nothing makes games more exciting knowing that you’re playing for a chance at the title.

For these two, as long as the offense shows up, the defense will not bother anyone. A word to describe these two; Exciting.

Jarrod Dyson – Oregon Ducks

Speed, speed, and more speed.

Jarrod Dyson has one job for the Mariners in 2017 and that’s to be an absolute speed demon. In the last 5 seasons, Dyson has had more than 25 stolen bases and has been an amazing defensive outfielder.

The Mariners don’t need him to hit .300 or have 100 RBI or anything else of that nature. We just need him to give pitchers nightmares when he is on the bags. Speed is the key to his game, and no doubt he can bring that to Seattle.

Ask any college football fan, Oregon is the definition of fast and furious. Since Chip Kelly installed the,” faster, and then faster” mindset to UO, they have executed it well. For years Oregon’s opponents have been fearing their fast paced offense.

But in 2016, the reign of the speed demons took quite the hit. Since Chip Kelly left and they haven’t had stability at QB, the team hasn’t been as dominant. Their speed wasn’t the issue, it was that their football IQ wasn’t up to the level it has been in recent years.

2017 will prove to be a pivotal year for both Oregon and Jarrod Dyson, but for different reasons.

For Oregon, they will need to prove that they can still pull off their fast-paced offense in a loaded conference. Can their new QB provide stability at a recently troublesome position? Can Oregon compete with the likes of UW, USC, Colorado, and Stanford? We will see.

For Dyson, his question is simple? Can Dyson revitalize a part of the Mariners that has been non-existent since the likes of Ichiro roamed the bases

2016 for College Football fans was a season to remember. That’s what NCAA sports are all about. For the players, it’s developing them into not only great athletes but giving them memories they will never forget.

For the fans, they give us memories and victories that we will tell our family for generations to come. In 2017, M’s fans are hoping they can give us the same.

The Mariners fan base has been patiently waiting for a World Series for 40 years. This team looks primed to be the first Mariners team to bring us that coveted title.

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But no matter what the M’s bring us in 2017, always appreciate sports. They bring M’s fans to their feet and put countless jaws on the floor. Sports write scripts better than Hollywood could ever dream of writing.

No matter what, appreciate the Mariners and that the 2017 season is finally here.