Remember these guys? Yeah, I do too. Remember how unassumingly it started? A few wins in early August?
Well guess what; this incarnation of the Mariners - beleaguered and scrutinized for their lack of offense, lack of superstars and shoddy front office work - just won their 7th consecutive game, swept their second consecutive series, have won eight of their last nine and are 14-6 since the All Star break. Oh by the way, they are 8-2 since a certain moody and socially awkward right fielder asked to be traded....
What's the most amazing thing about this? Because of the 2nd Wild Card team introduced over the off season, the Mariners, yes THESE Mariners...are only 7.5 game out of a playoff spot.
I realize this is some serious optimism. I realize that just about every single team in the American League with the exception of the Twins and Royals is mathematically still alive for the playoffs - but because this is a franchise that has given us so little over the past decade, I'm willing to get excited.
I have been extremely critical of this team and organization for several years. Even during the 2009 season when they won 88 games with smoke and mirrors, or last year when they somehow played .500 baseball for the first half of the year, it was clear that they weren't actually getting better. This stretch of baseball has involved precisely no overpaid, over the hill veterans (Miguel Olivo has not contributed, obviously....). It has been on the shoulders of young pitchers, young position players who finally FINALLY seem to be showing signs of maturity. Dustin Ackely is starting to hit out of the leadoff spot. Jesus Montero, back from a concussion, has started to look much more comfortable at the plate. Blake Beaven has come back from AAA and gone 4-0 while averaging 7+ inning pitched per start. Jason Vargas just had one of the best month's of baseball in franchise history, going 5-0 and giving up 8 runs in 36 innings. My dear lord, Hisashi Iwakuma struck out 13 Blue Jays in his last start!!!!
I'm not even going to mention Felix, because he has done what he's always done - get stronger as the season goes on.
Again - this is still a team that runs out a shortstop that just got a beer shower because he broke the mendoza line (although, he's the best fielding and facial haired SS in baseball), and the cornerstone of the Cliff Lee trade is in Tacoma trying to find his swing. There's a long, loooooong way to go. But finally, it seems, there's some hope on the horizon.
And hey, I'm not the only one who is shocked about the recent success....Adam is pretty stunned as well.
Well guess what; this incarnation of the Mariners - beleaguered and scrutinized for their lack of offense, lack of superstars and shoddy front office work - just won their 7th consecutive game, swept their second consecutive series, have won eight of their last nine and are 14-6 since the All Star break. Oh by the way, they are 8-2 since a certain moody and socially awkward right fielder asked to be traded....
What's the most amazing thing about this? Because of the 2nd Wild Card team introduced over the off season, the Mariners, yes THESE Mariners...are only 7.5 game out of a playoff spot.
I realize this is some serious optimism. I realize that just about every single team in the American League with the exception of the Twins and Royals is mathematically still alive for the playoffs - but because this is a franchise that has given us so little over the past decade, I'm willing to get excited.
I have been extremely critical of this team and organization for several years. Even during the 2009 season when they won 88 games with smoke and mirrors, or last year when they somehow played .500 baseball for the first half of the year, it was clear that they weren't actually getting better. This stretch of baseball has involved precisely no overpaid, over the hill veterans (Miguel Olivo has not contributed, obviously....). It has been on the shoulders of young pitchers, young position players who finally FINALLY seem to be showing signs of maturity. Dustin Ackely is starting to hit out of the leadoff spot. Jesus Montero, back from a concussion, has started to look much more comfortable at the plate. Blake Beaven has come back from AAA and gone 4-0 while averaging 7+ inning pitched per start. Jason Vargas just had one of the best month's of baseball in franchise history, going 5-0 and giving up 8 runs in 36 innings. My dear lord, Hisashi Iwakuma struck out 13 Blue Jays in his last start!!!!
I'm not even going to mention Felix, because he has done what he's always done - get stronger as the season goes on.
Again - this is still a team that runs out a shortstop that just got a beer shower because he broke the mendoza line (although, he's the best fielding and facial haired SS in baseball), and the cornerstone of the Cliff Lee trade is in Tacoma trying to find his swing. There's a long, loooooong way to go. But finally, it seems, there's some hope on the horizon.
And hey, I'm not the only one who is shocked about the recent success....Adam is pretty stunned as well.
