They were a rag-tag bunch, the Seattle Mariners of 2009 – a team that was constantly in transition, perpetually fragile and featuring the worst offense in the American League.

And they won 85 games.

Rookie general manager Jack Zduriencik and his rookie manager Don Wakamatsu spun magic from the 101-loss team they’d inherited, taking an immense step forward with a 24-game single-season improvement, best in the league.

And today they couldn’t name their 2010 starting lineup or rotation.

“There’s a lot to be answered with this ballclub as we go into the winter, some things that we are evaluating, looking at, discussing,” Zduriencik said. “We’ve set a foundation for the next few years, but where we go from here is what we have to work on now.”

What Zduriencik called the “redirection” of a franchise saw the Mariners trade two shortstops – Yuniesky Betancourt and Ronny Cedeño – and lose veteran starters Carlos Silva and Erik Bedard to injuries.

By mid-May, their closer lost his job.

By late May, their starting catcher, Kenji Johjima, was on the disabled list for the second time.

It was a season that started with Ichiro Suzuki on the disabled list and saw half the roster join him at one point or another.

It was a team that pitched far better than it had any right to expect – leading the league with a 3.87 earned-run average. And one that hit worse (.258) and scored fewer runs (640) than anyone in the American League.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Wakamatsu said.

The ’09 season was a gift to Mariners fans who’d endured losing seasons and false hopes. It was a complete overhaul of the front office, coaching staff and roster.

Seattle utilized 17 position players who either joined the team in 2009 or were brought up from the minor league system for the first time. Nine new pitchers had to be introduced as Mariners.

For all that, the change that lies ahead may be every bit as dramatic as what’s already transpired.

If you had to produce a starting lineup from players under contract for 2010, it would look something like this:

CRob Johnson

1BMike Carp

2BJose Lopez

3BJack Hannahan or Bill Hall

SSJack Wilson

LFMichael Saunders

CFFranklin Gutierrez

RFIchiro Suzuki

DHWho knows?

How likely is it that this is the lineup that will open next season? Not at all.

The Mariners will bring back Russell Branyan at either first base or DH, and Zduriencik almost certainly is going to make changes – and, hopefully, improvements – in a couple of other spots.

There will be cash to spend: free agents Adrian Beltre, Miguel Batista and Bedard made a combined $29 million this season. The strength of the team is pitching, and with young relievers such as Phillippe Aumont and Josh Fields on the horizon – and strong-armed relievers Mark Lowe, Shawn Kelley, Sean White and Chris Jakubauskas already here – Zduriencik might be tempted to move a pitcher for offense.

Keep in mind, the biggest deal Dr. Z made last winter was trading closer J.J. Putz in a move that brought Gutierrez, Endy Chavez, Carp and Jason Vargas back, and was eventually responsible for Cedeño and Garrett Olson, as well.

Does that mean closer David Aardsma, who didn’t have a career save until nailing down 38 this year, could be traded?

Zduriencik has made it clear he will listen to teams talk about anyone but Ichiro and Felix Hernandez – and at the trading deadline, he briefly listened to offers for Hernandez.

Beyond Ichiro and Gutierrez, no position player is guaranteed to be back next spring.

Second baseman Lopez and his production – .272, 25 home runs, 96 RBI – might make him a trading plum, and in Seattle he may be a man without a position.

Jack Wilson didn’t get the chance to show much at shortstop after his acquisition from Pittsburgh because of injuries, but he’s due $8.4 million next year.

It’s not hard to see a scenario in which Jack Wilson is traded to a National League team this winter, light-hitting Josh Wilson starts the year at shortstop and phenom Carlos Triunfel is ready to take on the position by midseason.

The question of bringing back Ken Griffey Jr. or Mike Sweeney – either or both – probably won’t be answered until the Mariners determine if they can do more with their offense elsewhere.

With those two starting all but five games at DH this season, the position produced a .242 batting average, 24 home runs and 78 RBI, which ranked 12th, eighth and 13th in the league, respectively.

Improving the offense means finding more production at third base, left field, shortstop, catcher or DH.

Some of that improvement could come from what the team now has. Catcher Adam Moore has upside, Triunfel at shortstop has speed and power, Saunders remains a prospect in the outfield and Tuiasosopo could probably do as much the plate next season as Beltre did this year, maybe more.

Bottom line: Expect Zduriencik to bolster the offense.

What of the rotation?

By the end of the season, Seattle had no starter older than 27. Felix is 23, Ryan Rowland-Smith 26, Brandon Morrow 25, Doug Fister 25, Ian Snell 27. The Mariners will try to find a role for Silva next spring and could bring back Bedard, although he figures to miss at least a month of the 2010 season returning from shoulder surgery.

There are other pitchers in the picture: Luke French, Olson and Vargas.

Given that depth, Seattle might put together an impressive package offer – and Zduriencik has shown the creativity to move multiplayer deals for what he wants.

What the average Mariners fan wants to know goes beyond whether Junior will suit up again or Felix will win the 2010 Cy Young Award. What they want to know is, after winning 85 games this season, can Seattle realistically contend next year?

“We expect to be playing an extra month next year,” Wakamatsu said.

“The goal is the World Series,” Zduriencik said.

But, realistically?

Zduriencik produced 46 players – 20 of them pitchers – this season, and Wakamatsu used 140 lineups. Mariners fans learned new names every week, it seemed, and the team made it work.

Ryan Langerhans, an outfielder who didn’t make the Washington Nationals roster, hit two walk-off home runs for Seattle. In spring training, people weren’t sure if his name was Russell Branyan or Branyan Russell – but during the season he hit 31 home runs despite missing 46 games.

Seattle began the year with Morrow closing, then pushed Aardsma, who’d never saved a game in his career, into the role.

Simply put, the Mariners made the most of a roster almost everyone thought would finish last in the AL West and, on the final weekend of the season, had the opportunity to come in second.

Zduriencik has a feel for talent and a scouting department that knows what he’s looking for. Wakamatsu and a coaching staff that includes pitching coach Rick Adair and bullpen coach John Wetteland showed the ability to get more from players than anyone had before.

Can the Mariners contend next year? They shouldn’t – any more than they should have won 85 games this season.

What they did in 2009 surprised everyone. If they improve again next season, far fewer people in the game will be shocked.

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners