Mariners Come Home Fall Flat

It is quite something the Mariners win seven out of ten on the road and first game home they fall flat. They not only don’t score any runs they get picked off the bases.

Whatever chances the Mariners had to make at least .500 or back in the playoffs will be more difficult if they don’t win at least two of these games in the series again the Texas Rangers. Actually the remaining three would be ideal. It is sort of interesting to think after averaging over five runs a game in the ten games on the road they can’t score one at home. They didn’t have either Nelson Cruz or Frankie Gutierrez available though you would have thought they may have used Cruz in the ninth inning as a pinch hitter. I don’t understand the idea of what Lloyd is doing with pinch hitting; he pinch hits when someone is needed from the other side of the bat. I believe he has pinched hit way to much this season; however, when he could use Cruz he doesn’t. Makes me really scratch my head; we can hope the players can rebound things despite Lloyd.

I am really glad that Elias was able to rebound in this game and pitch a really good game. The Mariners will need him to pitch in the rotation next season especially if James Paxton continues to have arm issues. Besides resigning Iwakuma the Mariners need to go out and get another starter. The bullpen will need to be done all over again. I won’t rehash about it though.

It looks like Sean O’Malley will be a good player for the Mariners coming into next season. It seems he could play the role the Mariners had planned for Brad Miller. In the off-season the Mariners could either trade Miller in a package deal or start him in the outfield. O’Malley like Miller will be able to play either infield or outfield. Along with Marte he gives added speed in the lineup they can use. Playing in Safeco Field speed can help out quite a bit for the Mariners along with hitting a lot of doubles. Home runs still come as a premium in Safeco Field though it can happen because I see the other teams having little problem  hitting home runs there.

With the new general manager coming in soon we will see what kind of changes will happen with the Mariners. We need the pitching and the hitting working together instead of one or the other. Go Mariners!