Mariners Lose Twice In SD

The Seattle Mariners knew that to have any chance to make the playoffs they really had to go into San Diego and win both games. It was almost a sure thing because the Padres are the worst team in the national league.

On Tuesday the Mariners got one of their best performances out of Felix Hernandez on the season going seven innings giving up four hits and two runs however they lost 2-1 because they couldn’t score any more than one run on eight hits. The one lone run was a home run in the top of the ninth inning by Nelson Cruz.

Wednesday afternoon the Mariners had to do was now split the series but had a poor performance out of Erasmo Ramirez who could only go three innings in an 8-3 loss. The only positive side was Roenis Elias was able to go the rest of the way going five innings giving up one run. The Mariners were able to get nine hits in the game but only scored the three runs. Now they go to Oakland to play a four game series. This is now the most important series of the season if they have any hope in making the playoffs.

The odds are against the Mariners in making the playoffs. They almost have to win every game remaining in the twenty-nine games. They at least have to sweep the A’s in Oakland. We know they can do it because they have done it before.

This is probably going to be the best team the Mariners have field in the last seventeen years but likely will not make the playoffs however I wouldn’t count them out yet. All I know is that I am going to remember this season as a bizarre one. They had winning records the first three months of the season. Also started out July fine as well but then had trouble beating the Colorado Rockies especially in Denver. They lost Robinson Cano in May first because of an injury then he was suspended for eighty games just a couple days later. They played pretty well for the first month without Cano; so much that it looked like they were a better team without him.

The second half of the season the Mariners have looked like the total apposite of the team that played the first half; what makes it real bizarre to me is that they have played awful against the National League West. I would have to say in the previous sixteen years the Mariners have played well if not the best team in the American League playing against the National League. In fact I am sure many would say why the Mariners couldn’t play better against American League teams like they have done against the NL. This year they have played the opposite losing so much against the NL West. They play the NL like the last sixteen years they could be leading the American League West or at least making the playoffs as a wild card. I am sure they would be ahead of the A’s at this point.

Now we have to see who they are against the A’s this coming series and beyond. Will the Mariners be Jekyll or Hyde? The Mariners could win sixteen of their remaining twenty-nine game which would give them ninety wins but probably won’t make the playoffs unless the A’s take a real slide. They only need to win ten remaining games to make ninety wins.

Whatever happens in this series against the A’s I know we will be shaking our heads in one fashion or another. I am sure we will end the season saying to ourselves what could have been. The Mariners had to play a season where they were in the best division of baseball. The Oakland A’s who were not expected to do anything this season has played better than any team in the major leagues in the second half and overtook the Mariners.  Now we will have to see what the Mariners do against them in this four game series. What team will we see? Against the A’s and thereafter; anyway that is it for now. Go M’s.