Seattle Mariners: Contenders or Pretenders?

Will Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik buy or sell at the trade deadline?

The Seattle Mariners are currently in third place in the AL West with a 21-25 record. They came into the season with very few people thinking that they would contend and it appears that they are going through a rebuilding phase right now. In the off-season they traded their young ace in the making Michael Pineda in exchange for young stud catcher Jesus Montero. Offense has always been a weakness for the M's, and they got a heck of an offensive player in Montero. Montero has unbelievable raw power and has the ability to hit 30 home runs or more in a single season. He is currently hitting .257 with 6 bombs. He hasn't gotten much protection in the lineup so his numbers really should be better. If the Mariners want to compete these season, they would have to make a move at the deadline to acquire a bat. The AL West seems to be locked up already, with the Rangers running away with the division and the Angels being a hot streak away from getting back in the wildcard race. One thing that is great about the Mariners is that their pitching is excellent. King Felix is playing great as usual, and Jason Vargas has been serving well as a #2 starter. A big surprise for the M's is the bounce back season by veteran Kevin Millwood. Millwood has pitched very well so far and could be shipped to a contender at the deadline if the Mariners continue to fall out of the playoff race. In conclusion, are the Mariners contenders or pretenders? I'l choose pretenders, due to their offensive problems and their questions about the future.