THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Wait and see just how far the M's can go

Let’s not tip-toe around the place.

What do you think?

Can the Mariners take a serious shot at the World Series?

Note: We’ll leave WINNING the Series out of our question, given the existence of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sure, baseball is crazy, and the Dodgers could do an unexplainable face-plant at Hollywood and Vine — but I recommend you don’t put your 401(k) on it.

Baseball is the sport without a salary cap, at least for now, so teams like the Dodgers, Yankees and Mets can spend their way into relevance.

Meantime, the Mariners are operating on a tight budget (feel free to giggle until it hurts).

As we’ve been told over and over, that’s budget nonsense based on the premise (more giggling) that Seattle is a little one-horse town with lemonade stands propping up the city’s economy.

And the rest of the Northwest?

No money changing hands over here, unless you count the radish business or tourist flights over the lake.

Bottom line: The Mariners will tell you they don’t belong in the big-time free agent market, and the only way they can stay competitive is through the draft — with savvy development and an occasional clever trade on the side.

BIZ HAS to be run on the cheap at T-Mobile Park, in other words.

The Mariners’ business model involves putting together a base of talent, hanging on to it for dear life, and then be sharp enough to add a piece here and a piece there.

If you can pull that off without making a ghastly goof along the way, eventually the sun will splash beautifully on the ballpark — and you’ll wind up enjoying the rare air of a pennant race.

That’s where we are now.

And it’s why we started with that question about the World Series.

The 2026 season that opens with a tussle against Cleveland on Thursday night COULD be historic.

You probably don’t need reminding that the Mariners remain the only team that has never played an inning in the Fall Classic.

“It’s crazy, so many years, so many teams,” Cal Raleigh said.

Raleigh surely will do his part in trying to stop that streak.

Coming off a 60-homer year that may stand forever as a record for a catcher, Raleigh is now the Mariners’ unofficial captain — and definitely the club’s leader.

Cal and Julio Rodriguez will anchor a lineup that’s as solid, and potentially as explosive, as anything that Seattle has seen in years.

The additions of Josh Naylor at first base and Brendan Donovan at third, along with exciting young Cole Young at second, have given the M’s an infield that can bang.

J.P Crawford is a question mark at short, and won’t make opening day because of a sore shoulder.

If Crawford is out for a serious length of time, M’s fans may get their first long look at rookie Colt Emerson.

The lineup will have platoons at two spots: Luke Raley and Victor Robles in right field, plus Dom Canzone and Rob Refsnyder at DH.

YOU MAY notice an oddity about that Mariners’ lineup.

For games against right-handed pitchers, Seattle will roll out seven left-handed hitters.

Crawford, Donovan, Naylor and Young — the entire infield — are full-time lefties.

Raleigh and Crawford’s backup, Leo Rivas, are switch-hitters.

Raley and Canzone will get tons of at-bats as the lefty sides of platoons.

Are there TOO many left-handed hitters?

It will be interesting to find out.

Despite the fact Mariners boss Jerry Dipoto spent the winter on a crusade for run production, this team’s ultimate fate will come down to pitching.

The starting rotation is fantastic (if healthy) — and Bryce Miller already is finishing rehab on a muscle that cost him all of spring training.

Logan Gilbert will get the ball on opening day, and the other starters are ready to roll: All-Star Bryan Woo, George Kirby, Luis Castillo, with Emerson Hancock filling in for Miller.

Meanwhile, we’ll have to wait on the bullpen.

The two key lefties, Gabe Speier and Jose Ferrer, were awful during spring.

But there’s a “forever truth” about spring training, both for pitchers and hitters.

As Reggie Jackson once famously said: “Let’s wait ‘til the stadiums have three decks.”

Great idea.

Thanks, Reggie.

Email: [email protected]

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."