Any A.L. West fans out there?? Why isn't ANYONE giving the Mariners a chance?

Question

i think there in as good a position to win that division and make the playoffs as any other team in that division... thoughts?? comments??

Answer 1

Two words: Mike Hargrove. He has made some of the worst managerial calls in recent history this season, and shows no signs of correcting his errors. The entire Seattle baseball world has been calling for him to get fired, but the last time it seemed a possibility they got hot thanks to interleague play. Now, more than half way through the season and still in "contention" (though that's really only thanks to the general disaster that is the entire AL West this season), it's unlikely Hargrove will get the boot (even though bringing up Dan Rohn from AAA Tacoma would be relatively painless and pay off overnight).
Some examples of what I'm talking about:
-The last two extra innings games we lost to Toronto, the bullpen pitched 11 innings. Our best reliever, JJ Putz, was used for ZERO of those. In close, important ball games against a tough opponent. Our worst reliever, Julio Mateo, pitched 2 and 2/3 (losing the game on Sunday)! Why wasn't Putz used? Hargrove said he was tired after warming up 3+ separate times on Saturday. No manager should do that to his best pitcher and not use him!
-Carl Everett. Look at his numbers. He's stinking it up all over the place, while good bench players like Petagine and Perez don't get any ABs. Talented youth in Tacoma could fill his slot better... This kind of horrid production from a DH, let alone a DH in the middle of the lineup, is inexcusible.
-Willie Bloomquist. He can't hit, he chokes under pressure, and he still plays more than any other Mariner out of the starting 9.
-Hargrove refuses to pinch hit. Even when it gives him a much more favorable matchup to bring a hot bat off the bench and the guy in there is slumping, he'll leave him in.
-Pineiro is still in the lineup, despite proving that he still doesn't have what it takes to be a starting pitcher right now. We have potential both in the bullpen (Soriano comes immediately to mind, but with him so hot right now it's hard to mess with what's already working), and in the Tacoma/Seattle circuit (Mark Lowe is the real deal).
The Mariners have a great team. We have tons of talented young players in Tacoma who are just about ready to come up and make an impact, and guys on the bench who should be household names by now. Instead, we keep seeing guys like Bloomquist, Mateo, and Everett... And they're losing us games. I'm not saying this team can't make the playoffs, I'd love to see them do it. I'm just saying they can't make the playoffs with Mike Hargrove as the skipper.
Side note: Interesting Mariners blogs that provide more thoughtful and in-depth analysis than I...

Answer 2

After watching Friday's game overseas, I was impressed with their start to the second half of the season. The AL West Division race will be down to the wire on October 1st, the official last day of the regular season. So for the M's to win the division, they need to start improving their pitching, and help the pitchers get the run support they need. Hopefully they do win. I would love to see them be a contender for a shot at the World Series, but general manager Bill Bavasi is doing everything he can to get the right players, even a couple of more call ups from the Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League might help.

And socalsonja, I used to root against the Mariners when I used to be an Angels fan growing up in the L.A. area. I was living in Las Vegas when the Angels blew the 13-game lead and the division back in '95. I remember that feeling in that one-game playoff. I stopped being an Angels fan on the day they signed Mo Vaughn. I always disliked him.

Answer 3

Whoever's pitching holds up is going to win the division.. I follow the Rangers rather closely... and with Millwood going down with an injury and Eaton out... the Rangers' chances are dwindling.. The Mariners need to get pitching from Moyer, Piñeiro, Hernandez and more solid pitching from Meche... I think they have a chance of surprising a lot of people.. because Ichiro has been off the planet.. by hitting a ridiculous .475 for June... and if Béltre and Sexton hitting better.. I really think that things can turn around.. but pitching is always key.

Answer 4

Nobody is giving the Mariners a chance because recent history has shown that the Angels are a team that is committed to winning and spending the necessary money to do so, and that the A's are a team with crafty management that has a keen eye for talent. Conventional wisdom is that one of those two teams will make the necessary adjustments to edge ahead of the pack, but conventional wisdom is also ignoring the fact that those two teams are more deeply flawed than in prior years.

The Rangers are also committed to spending money on talent and have a lot of scary bats in their lineup, but again conventional wisdom assumes that their pitching will wilt in the summer heat.

The Mariners, by comparison, appear to be committed to fielding a team that is somewhat competitive and appealing to fans (so they can make money), but not necessarily to winning.

But I agree with you, they have just as good of a chance at winning as anyone in that division. The best thing they did to improve their chances was by getting rid of Guardado.

Answer 5

I am a Rangers fan but I think that the M's have a chance. This division is close. Any of the 4 teams could win it. Having said that, I want the Rangers to win but I think the A's will win it. Ultimately the division is up for grabs for any of the four.

Answer 6

i say that the commerce is sweet for both communities. It supplies the mariners yet another large pitcher to bypass alongside with felix, and an growing old lineup that needs to contend contained in the subsequent 2 years. For the Orioles, it truly is likewise an effective deal because in spite of the indisputable fact that they could likely get better for bedard, purely look on the Johan Santana challenge. communities received't provide up better then 2 good potentialities. in spite of the indisputable fact that the Mariners are giving up Jones and this different large minor league pitcher, alongside with george sherrill, so it may quite be an effective deal. Plus, trading Bedard may assure the Orioles a very last position end contained in the AL East, so that they are going to be in a position to get an effective draft %..

Answer 7

I think they can make the playoffs but the Mariners won't win the World Series probably won't even advance to the second round

Answer 8

I am sure Seatle will contend for the title until the season is over. Although they were 2 1/2 games back at the All Star break, they were playing some good ball.

Answer 9

They don't look so well against the Yankees. The middle of their lineup is hit or miss. I would love to see them unload Beltre and/or Sexson and experiment with Ichiro as a run producer. There pitching is suspect as well. I think they should trade Moyer for some prospects.

Answer 10

im not sleepin on the mariners....im an angel fan and they always beat us so i def understand what they can do....its just that if ur not on the west coast then you dont see them so everyone else thinks that they are a nothing team but i guess thats just the way it goes.....