What Should the Mariners Do in Outfield?

The Seattle Mariners have options to do in the outfield. They can bring back either or both Seth Smith and Aoki or go another direction. It looks like Smith will be coming back but not sure about Aoki. The only reason I see Aoki coming back is what he did for the Mariners in August and September after being sent down a couple times to Tacoma.

The Mariners have two outfielders they both got last season. Primarily they were used as defensive replacements late in the season. The question would be if they would platoon in either left or right field in the same manner as Smith and Gutierrez. If so then Ben Gamel would start against right handers while Guillermo Heredia against lefties. If this were the case the Mariners may bring Gutierrez back to platoon again with Smith? Whoever did not start in the outfield between Gamel and Heredia would likely come late in game to replace Smith and Gutierrez. This is the way the Mariners go likely Smith and Gutierrez would play in left field.

Another option would be to go out and get another outfielder to play left or right field. In this case Gamel or Heredia would be on the roster as the extra outfielder. The Mariners do have Shawn O’Malley as the utility player who can play the outfield well as the infield so he could come in as a defensive replacement as well when he doesn’t start a game or move over late in games.

If the Mariners were to go out and get an outfielder to start in left or right who should they go after? I was reading on line where Michael Saunders in going to be a free agent. Should the Mariners go after him and sign him. In the same manner did when Raul Ibanez came back to the Mariners. He is athletic like Gamel and Heredia with experience. He fits the mold that Dipoto is looking for and he knows Safeco Field as well. The big question is can he stay healthy and be consistent. He had a great first half of the season since he was voted into the all-star game however his second half hitting dropped off. With experience in the playoffs this year for Toronto is now mature for the Mariners? He is twenty-nine years old so he could be the answer for the Mariners.  If not him who else should they go after either free agent or in a trade.