The Mariners, since ending their postseason drought a few years ago, have been a very good team that has constantly struggled to surpass that last rung into greatness. On multiple occasions the Mariners have just missed the playoffs, or held first for a while only to stall midyear and cede ground to another team [usually the Astros]. This year, after holding onto first for a majority of June, they once again slid and careened out of first, leaving the Astros, surging out of pure spite, to take first again.
I can speak for a lot of people when I say that this consistent anticlimax is unacceptable. Constantly the same thing happens, where the story of the Mariners as the underdog with great organizational moves and an excellent youth movement gets upended in favor of an Astros team with a less exciting story. I get that it's hard to really expect great storytelling from a league where so much is up to fate and chance, but the Mariners just seem like they're destined for something greater than what they've gotten. The Blue Jays, who I'd say have had similarly bad luck despite the presence of great teams, seem to be getting their chance to compete this year. And it just sucks that the Mariners aren't there yet.
The single most crushing reality this team has to face is that they wasted their best pitching season since 2001 on a year where nobody could hit. So this current team, where a ton of people are hitting but most of the rotation is responding to injuries, is facing the consequence. If your team can't be on the same page, it's not gonna click immediately. That's why it's a good thing you at least have Bryan Woo, who missed time last year, having an excellent, and healthy season. Last night he nearly no-hit my team. The truth is he's honestly looked that good all year. Gilbert, Kirby and Castillo have slowly been catching up, but their ERAs are higher and many of them have missed a lot of time. It's a far less sure rotation than last season, and it's a lot of why the team is behind Houston.
But, again, the lineup is why they're still defiantly a 2nd place team, and why they've got an ever-closing gap heading towards first. Raleigh, Arozarena, Julio, Polanco and somehow Dominic Canzone have made this lineup unpredictable, weighty and powerful. Raleigh has 36 homers before the ASG break, which is unheard of, especially for a catcher. Personally I hope he chases Judge. It'd be really cool. Julio has 11 homers and 44 RBIs, he's doing his thing. J.P. Crawford's having his best season in years, hitting .286 with 95 hits and 32 RBIs. Crawford is still an excellent shortstop with terrific contact abilities, and the Mariners are lucky to still have him. And now Ben Williamson and Cole Young are heating up as well, which will be very good for them going forward. I have thought about the fact that since Raleigh has been THE guy for this team, Harry Ford might be getting dealt [cause I don't think they banked on him becoming Austin Romine], but that's a decent problem to have.
The Mariners have enough to potentially hit their way into a wild card spot. Games like last night do worry me, as they can take a 5-0 lead into the 8th and still lose, but hopefully in the next 3 months they learn from it and become better at those situations. And, more importantly, they keep hitting.
Coming Tonight: He came back from a brief injury break and got right back to the terrific season he's been having at third.
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