The Seattle Mariners just are 2.5 weeks away from starting, potentially, the most-anticipated season in franchise history (March 26 vs. Cleveland Guardians).

It's the 50th anniversary of the organization, and one of the very few that begins with the Mariners having real championship-level aspirations.

In building this roster, the Mariners appear to have met the moment. This team looks ready to compete for another division title and its first American League pennant.

It's taken years to get to this point, but the M's are here, and we talked more about it on the most recent 'Refuse to Lose' podcast:

"I think maybe ultimately, this is what I want you to take away from all of this. I believe that we are at the point where if the Mariners don't accomplish great things, it will be because they got injured or it will be because they just flat out had a bunch of guys with down years. And if that's the case, then that would be unfortunate, but that would be baseball.

But if the Mariners don't have a special season, I don't think it will be at all because they weren't built well. And that's been the question many, many years over in the past, that the Mariners just weren't built to compete. They weren't built to last. They weren't built for 162. They weren't deep enough. They didn't have the answers internally in the farm system to help. Those have been the things that have plagued the Mariners in the past.

This year, I don't believe that we're there. This year, if the Mariners don't do special things, it will just be because they were hurt or because a bunch of guys had down years, and again, it will just be because baseball. It won't be because they weren't ready. It won't be because they weren't prepared. This won't be because the Mariners left themselves exposed or vulnerable."

Heading into the season, the Mariners have a solid five-man rotation, a deeper bullpen after the addition of Jose Ferrer, prospects like Michael Arroyo and Colt Emerson who appear able to help this season, and some leftover capital to go make as-needed moves at the trade deadline.

Furthermore, Josh Naylor and Brendan Donovan add a ton to the roster and to the clubhouse, and the M's went out and were aggressive in bringing both in this offseason.

None of this means that the Mariners will win the World Series, but they are better equipped to than ever before.

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