THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Some stuff to take care of for M's first

There’s work to do before the Mariners open the regular season later this month.

For openers, we need to find the magic 26.

Scratch around, hunt the talent, take a long look at injuries, see who’s added juice from a year ago, and — sorry for this part — pin the tail on players who seem to have gone backwards since that 2025 run at the World Series.

Maybe you’ve noticed, but Seattle’s lineup looks a little like a jigsaw puzzle.

There are plenty of terrific pieces, but you get the feeling that we’ll have to squint to see how everything fits together.

At least for a month or two, after which club baseball boss Jerry Dipoto expects to have a beautiful, humming squad that’s laying waste to the AL West.

Nothing we’ve seen so far — in Arizona or on the road at the World Baseball Classic —suggests that these M’s are a gifted, unified contender.

In fact, they’ve taken almost daily beatings in the Cactus League, including a stroll into history that involved giving up 27 runs to the Padres.

The whole thing has been unpleasant.

I know, I know.

Spring training results are meaningless (unless you’re winning a lot).

Same yada-yada as always.

THERE’S BEEN a bonus this spring, with Seattle all-stars Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena getting into …

What?

A spat?

Mutual insults?

Is Randy angling for a move to Florida, you think?

If he feels that T-Mobile Park is just too tough a place to hit and he wants to move someplace without a marine layer, snarling his way into an ugly relationship with Raleigh (in three languages) is just about the fastest way to earn a ticket out of town.

Meanwhile, “The Handshake That Wasn’t Heard Round the World” has been left hanging in mid-air, with Arozarena and his Mexico mates eliminated before a referee could sort out exactly what the hell had happened.

The short version, as I understand it, is that Raleigh is taking the WBC (and this obligation to perform for his country) mega-seriously.

No nonsense.

“When we get back to Seattle, then he’s my brother and I love him,” Cal told some panting reporters.

Until then, however …

Whoa, Dipoto would have a heart attack if his two stars got into a collision at home plate!!

I’ll just wrap up this sideshow as best a columnist can from 40,000 feet.

I suspect these two guys actually DO resent each other for some reason, and even though they have to be fake pals each baseball season, it’s phony — and each finally found a reason to go public without damaging the Mariners.

However.

The M’s are overloaded with outfielders, and if Arozarena is being an ass on purpose, it wouldn’t be a shock to find newcomer Brennen Davis in left field on opening day.

OK, NOW let’s skip over this potential feud and get down to actual baseball.

With or without Randy, it’s fairly easy to spot, say, 24 of the 26 uniforms that will be handed out for the opener against Cleveland.

Lot of new faces from this time last year.

Checking the infield, well, Raleigh and shortstop J.P. Crawford still have premium parking spots — but now the likes of Josh Naylor, Cole Young and Brendan Donovan have joined them.

Dom Canzone and free agent signee Rob Refsnyder are ticketed to platoon at DH.

Julio Rodriguez (duh!) will roam in center field, with Victor Robles and Luke Raley splitting duty in right.

Left field?

At the moment, that’s TBD.

Let’s see if Arozarena does enough hugging to prove was just kidding.

The tip-off will be  …

Uh, if he’s angry, he won’t be there.

The previously mentioned Davis could make the team, and what I don’t understand is why there’s no hoo-rah over outfielder Rhylan Thomas, who played last year at Tacoma.

Thomas hit .325, which is OK, but consider this: In 617 plate appearances, he struck out just 32 times.

Yes, he had 78 RBI without a lot of power (35 steals), and this guy can put his BAT on the ball.

I still can’t get over 32 Ks in 617 plate appearances. You shouldn’t be able to do that if you’re BUNTING every time.

I want to see this guy, who must be playing in a cave to be so unknown.

Oh, I understand.

He’s left-handed.

NEXT TIME:

THE PITCHING STAFF

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On."