What a difference a year makes.
The Seattle Mariners raised expectations last offseason when they went out and signed slugger Nelson Cruz, added depth to the lineup by trading for left fielder Seth Smith and signed a proven veteran in Rickie Weeks with the hope he could transition to the outfield.
Role players like left fielder Dustin Ackley and first baseman Logan Morrison, both of whom had shown flashes of promise, were supposed to take the next step.
The subsequent 76-86 season cost general manager Jack Zduriencik his job and ended Lloyd McClendon's two-year stay in Seattle while Ackley, the club's No.