As we get closer to September there seems to me much excitement about what we could see coming from Tacoma when teams can expand their rosters. Youngsters will get looks, some longer than others. The question is, how young will this team be when it leaves Peoria next spring?

Since 2002 only one opening day roster has had more than two first year starting position players on it. In 2006 Kenji Johjima and Yuniesky Betancourt were opening day starters, each with less than a year of big league experience. In 2004, 2005 and 2007 the team had no rookie position players, backup or starter. The organization has purposely avoided the "rebuilding season" and it would seem like now that we could be close. But how much youth will we see in April?

In talking with Jack Zduriencik on the past roadtrip I got the impression that yes, we will see more young players on this team next year. But heading into the offseason Zduriencik is not prepared to declare 2011 a full-on rebuild. Like last year he refuses to limit himself heading into the offseason by putting a label on the team or being specific in its needs. He is leaving doors open.

"Opportunities present themselves," Zduriencik said. "Like last year as we went through the winter we had an opportunity to get Cliff Lee. You don't walk away from that. There will be other opportunities to see if something else presents itself. We are building this organization."

While the organization has not lived up to expectations at the big league level, it has exceeded expectations below.

"We had a void, there is no question that we thought a year and a half ago that the bulk (of talent) was in Double-A and below," Zduriencik Said. "So now as that gap begins to get a little closer, now you begin to say we want to put the best team on the field. We want to be as competitive as we can. But you have got guys like Michael Pineda, guys like Danny Cortes. These guys are doing some pretty special things below. So how quick some of those young kids close the gap remains to be seen. To answer that and say this is exactly what we are going to do? I still think that needs to be weighed based on how we go into the winter. We will go into the winter, we will see if we are able to do some things. There are going to be a lot of young guys we are going to rely on. It could be your Adam Moores, it could be Michael Saunders, it could be (Matt Tuiasosopo). Guys are going to fight for positions and we will see."

What we most likely will not see is another Cliff Lee-like deal. In his tenure with the M's, Zduriencik has been able to build his farm system while still adding to his major league team. That could be tougher this offseason, according to Zduriencik. In the Lee deal he gave up players he did not feel would be able to help the major league club for at least two years. The two-year-out crowd has closed the gap quicker than many thought they would. These are the players other teams most likely will target and Zduriencik will be hesitant to give up. These are the players he hopes to build with.

While it may seem exciting to hear the possibility that names like Dustin Ackley, Moore, Saunders, Justin Smoak and Pineda could be on the field together early next season, Zduriencik warns that the transition to the big leagues is more than often not easy.

"The one thing about wanting a young kid to get to the big leagues, you don't always have instant success and that is the other factor," he sad. "And every kid is different. Typically a player has to get his feet wet. We are seeing that with Michael Saunders, with Adam Moore, any of these young kids who are going to get to play a lot. But it is nice to look and see that you have a high ceiling guy like a Michael Pineda, who like Justin Smoak can be a good player. We think that Ackley is a guy who is making very nice strides and doing very well in Triple-A. Again, every player has his own time frame. That is the one thing you have to be careful of. But the acquisitions like Danny Cortes, who is throwing up to 100 mph; like Justin Smoak, who has big league experience and you figure that next year he is going to have a chance to be in your lineup and then you have the experience with some of the other guys that they have gained this year and you can see where we are getting to where now we have young players who have the chance to be good players for a long time."

Assuming most of those prospects named make the club next year, how will they be protected? What if some of them stumble? What if it turns out they are not ready? Zduriencik feels it is important to surround them with good veterans, many who are already on this team. What about an impact bat next year? Does he still think that it is crucial to get the big bat that eluded them this year?

"I sure would like to," Zduriencik said. "I think we have the potential with some of the guys on our club. Can Smoak become a really productive player? Can Michael Saunders become a productive player? Can Adam Moore become a force where that's gong to help your club an awful lot? Then you still have to figure out other pieces. We have to make a decision on (Russell Branyan). We will see. It is hard to sit here with the start of next season eight months away and a lot happens in the wintertime. Whether another deal will present itself or we sign a free agent that fills a need we have, it is hard to say. You don't have the answers right now because you just don't know what is going to present itself. What you do know is that I can look at this group of players that is coming and feel that they have a chance to be pretty good players. They are just not guys to get their feet wet, they are going to be guys with playing time they will have a chance to be productive players for a long time."

Zduriencik will not only be looking for players this winter, there is a managerial vacancy to be filled as well. Tomorrow he addresses what he is looking for and what the No. 1 quality he wants to see in the next manager of the Mariners as well as what he felt the biggest challenge with the clubhouse was this season.

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