Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics Live Stream: Watch Opening Day Free Online With Felix Hernandez Pitching at 10:05 p.m. ET

The Seattle Mariners are heading into the 2013 season with something that has been missing over the past few years and with Felix Hernandez locked up long-term and the team putting out some of its best young players, hope has returned to the city where the team hasn't made the playoffs in a decade.

The Mariners will try to get their 2013 campaign off to a good start against a team that had a season they hope to have last year, as the Oakland Athletics host Seattle at O.co Coliseum in the California Bay Area. The Athletics were a surprise team to make the playoffs last year and the squad shocked the Texas Rangers by catching them on the final day of the season to win the American League West.

Seattle will have their $175 million man on the mound on Monday night against the Athletics, as Felix Hernandez gets his first start since signing his seven-year contract extension. Hernandez has been the best player on the team for years and now he has some talent around him as the team hopes to make it into the playoffs this season.

Hernandez was the highest paid pitcher in baseball for a little while before Justin Verlander signed his deal, but the Seattle starter has never worried about being the highest paid, just the best that he can be. The soon to be 27-year-old went 13-9 with a 3.06 ERA in 33 starts in 2012 and he will be looking to do even better this season.

The Athletics are coming off of a 94-win season that saw them catch the Rangers while trailing them by five games with less than 10 to play and then later lose in five games to the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs. Hernandez has experience with the Athletics, as he faced them three different times last season, including the first game in Japan as well as at the home debut for the Mariners that saw Seattle win the first two games.

The Mariners have been offensively challenged for years, but after leading the majors with 50 home runs in spring training, they are ready to burst out big. The team brought in Michael Morse and Kendrys Morales and has added to a lineup that includes Dustin Ackley and lots of other young talent. The team ranked 30th in on base percentage, batting average and slugging percentage last season and scored just 619 runs.

The Athletics ranked 14th in runs scored last season and were 28th in batting average. The team was 15th in slugging and 24th in on base percentage and is looking to improve on an AL West championship from last season.

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