This weekend I attended Mariners Fan Fest, and I have to say, can it be April 3rd already?! That day, of course, is when the 2017 Mariners will take on the Houston Astros in Houston with Manager Scott Servais penciling in King Felix Hernandez as his Opening Day starter and Jerry Dipoto’s jumbled roster attempts to take on the longest playoff drought in baseball. So many storylines intrigue me this year and so many new faces I got to meet have me optimistic for this year.

Will King Felix take back his throne as one of the best pitchers in baseball? Will the middle of the order of Cano, Cruz, and Seager continue on a tear? Did the acquisitions of Jarrod Dyson and Jean Segura give the top of the lineup enough speed? What about the pitching staff? Will James Paxton blossom into the ace that he has shown flashes of? Will small gambles like Drew Smyly and Yovani Gallardo provide the depth to the injury-marred rotation? And finally, can the Mariners break on through and clinch the playoff spot that is so elusive for them?

Those questions will become more clear as we set sail on 2017, but for now, we do know one thing: The Safeco Field promotions and events are stacked this year. Here are just a few ones that I have shown particular interest in (the full list can be found here):

• Ichiro Dual Bobblehead Night: April 19th
• Felix Hernandez Bobblehead Night: May 6th
• Nelson Cruz Bobblehead Night: June 3rd (I have collected the other two he’s had, so I basically must go here)
• Mariners Snow Globe Night: July 7th (rumor has it that a certain number of fans will get a Kingdome snow globe or a different snow globe)
• Kyle Seager Bobblehead Night: July 8th
• Edgar Martinez Retirement Ceremony Weekend (Congrats Edgar!): August 11th—13th
• Robinson Cano Bobblehead Night: September 9th

There are so many more to pick from, but these are just a few highlights! Not to mention an exciting 81-game schedule at Safeco that features National League teams like Miami Marlins (April 18th—19th), Colorado Rockies (May 31st—June 1st), Philadelphia Phillies (June 27th—28th), and the New York Mets (July 28th—29th). Not to mention so many important games in the division and in the American League.

So, make sure you guys make it out to Safeco this year and go have a good time! After all, in my totally biased opinion, it is the best ballpark in the USA! Here are some important dates to know before we get to opening day:

• Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training: February 14th (position players report Feb. 16^th)
• Spring Training: February 25^th—April 1st
• Opening Day 2017: April 3rd in Houston, Texas (5:10 p.m. PST)
• Mariners Home Opener: April 10th vs. Houston (2:10 p.m. PST)

Go Mariners! True to the blue!