If -- and I know it's still a big if -- Jake Fraley, Kyle Lewis and Jarred Kelenic all end up in the same outfield, who do you think plays which outfield position? And, of course, Julio Rodriguez is coming up right behind them.
-- Keith H., Federal Way, Wash.

It’s definitely fun to ponder when and where the Mariners will play their promising prospects once they’re all ready for the big leagues, which isn’t that far away now as Lewis and Fraley have a chance to make the club this spring and Kelenic has a shot to at least be in the picture at some point next year as well.

The Mariners will tell you that one of the great things about this group is they’re all capable of playing center field, which speaks to their athleticism. The same is true of returning outfielders Mitch Haniger and Mallex Smith as well as Braden Bishop, and those players must be factored into the mix as well.

But regarding your specific question, my guess is Fraley would play center among those three as he’s the fastest of the group. Kelenic and Lewis both have stronger arms -- as does Rodriguez -- so any of those guys would fit well in right field. Of course, that is also where Haniger figures to reside, assuming he’s healthy.

Lewis started 16 games in right field -- and one in center -- after getting the call up in September while Haniger was sidelined, but I think he’ll shift to left field in the spring, so that’s where I’d put him in your scenario, with Kelenic playing right.

Rodriguez, for those who haven’t seen the 18-year-old, is a big kid at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. So like Lewis, he most likely will shift to a corner spot as he continues growing. Kelenic and Fraley are more typical center field types in regard to size and short-burst speed.

What are the chances of Haniger or Omar Narváez being traded?
-- Marc D., Spokane, Wash.

Both of those players are entering their first year of arbitration eligibility this winter, which means they have three years of team control remaining before becoming free agents. They’ll still be relatively inexpensive -- probably in the $3 million range -- next season before their salaries start to escalate, depending on performance, in 2021 and ’22.

So, the question is whether the Mariners see them being part of the team they hope to start contending with in another year or two, or would they be better served trading them for prospects to help in that push? The Mariners didn’t trade Haniger last year, feeling he was exactly the sort of player they wanted to build around, but then he missed most of the season with injury.

I don’t see them trading Haniger now, because they’d be selling very low coming off his down year, but it will be interesting to see what happens once the young prospects mentioned above start showing they’re ready to play.

Narváez is a different case. He hit extremely well last year and was their best offensive player over the course of a full season. But his defense behind the plate remains a work in progress, so a lot depends on how the Mariners view him internally and how much they could get in return. With the emergence of Tom Murphy and Austin Nola and the progress of prospect Cal Raleigh, they do have options there. But you can never have enough catching depth, and the Mariners were fortunate to not have any backstop injuries last year.

With two Mariners getting 80-game suspensions for banned substances in each of the last two years, is there a legitimate concern with the training staff or is it just a coincidence?
-- Tom J., Spokane, Wash.

Robinson Canó was suspended in 2018 for testing positive for furosemide, a diuretic better known as Lasix, which is often used to help mask banned substances in urine tests. He said he was prescribed the medicine by a doctor in the Dominican Republic to treat an illness he was dealing with during the offseason.

Tim Beckham was suspended this past season after testing positive for Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. Beckham said he unknowingly took a tainted supplement from a trusted source.

In the past 10 years, 44 Major League players have been suspended for failed drug tests. Three of those were on the Mariners at the time, the other being pitcher David Rollins in 2015. Rollins openly acknowledged he took a PED to overcome an injury during winter ball in Puerto Rico.

It seems that problems occur when players don’t follow the strict advice of training staffs when it comes to taking medicines or supplements. The Mariners -- and I’m guessing all MLB teams -- are very proactive in trying to educate and control what their players are taking. And you’d probably be surprised how often players are pulled aside after games to be randomly drug tested during the season.

Why is Jerry Dipoto intent on wasting money on stopgap back-end free agent starters and middle relievers as opposed to just going with non-roster invitees and Triple-A players in another season in which we will likely finish under .500?
-- Darren W., Kirkland, Wash.

I’m not sure why you think he’s wasting money yet when they haven’t signed anyone and can’t even begin the free agent process until five days after the World Series ends. Once that process gets underway, don’t expect the Mariners to chase expensive free-agent pitching. Dipoto wants to leave the path open for youngsters like Justus Sheffield, Justin Dunn, and eventually, Logan Gilbert to team with Marco Gonzales and Yusei Kikuchi.

Other prospects like Ricardo Sánchez, Ljay Newsome and George Kirby are moving up the system as well, but the Mariners do want to bring in a couple veterans to add immediate depth and allow those youngsters to advance as they’re ready. I’d expect a starter or two in the mold of Tommy Milone, a veteran who signed a Minor League deal last year and then took advantage of the opportunity to pitch in 23 games and 111 2/3 innings, his most in the Majors since 2015.