Mariners manager Eric Wedge is "leaning heavily" towards starting Jason Vargas in the second game of the season in Japan against the A's. We already had a decent idea that Vargas would get the ball in that spot, because Hisashi Iwakuma told the media a few weeks ago that Wedge told him he wouldn't be starting in Japan. Vargas finished last season with a 4.25 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 131/59 K/BB ratio over a career-high 201 innings. The southpaw is only a spot-starter in mixed leagues when he has a decent matchup in Safeco Field.