It is getting bad in Marinersville. Every time you turn around the ugly just keeps piling up. First off the Mariners come home on a 6 game losing streak. In four losses in Tampa Bay they were by a total of 5 runs. Last night you come home to the Minnesota Twins who just got no hit by Jared Weaver. You hold a 2-0 lead in the 7th, but the great 100 pitch count makes you pull your starter. The bullpen quickly proceeds to give up 3 runs and you lose 3-2. Who was the jackass that came up with the idea that pitchers are done after 100 pitches?? Jason Vargas was still looking good at 103 last night, but that's it he's done.
Secondly, I see an ugly scene coming with "Donkey" as I like to call him. Our $36 million bust Chone Figgins is up to his old tricks. For the first two years he hasn't done anything to help the M's. Granted, in 2010 he did hit .259 with a .340 OBP. Last year that slipped to .188 with a .241 OBP. Manager Eric Wedge thought that moving in to his "comfortable" lead off spot would get him kick started. In 2012, 18 for 95 equates to .189 with a .250 OBP. I'm sorry but I personally expect ALOT more from my lead off guy. You have to get on to have your teammates get you in to score.
Wedge has now finally decided it is time to sit Figgins. We all know that the last time he disagreed with a manager in Seattle it led to a brawl in the dugout with Don Wakamatsu. I say we eat the salary and just let him go, admit your mistake and take your lumps from the fans. I think another change that needs to be made is at the hitting coach position. The M's are 4th in the AL in # of hits, but at .237 they are 13th in average. I know the players are young, but there is no patience at the plate. Our only hitter above .300 is a pinch hitter at best in John Jaso, even Ichiro slipped under .300 last night. The Mariners as a team see 3.85 pitches per at bat, gaining only 66 BB's so far, but putting up 216 K's. Instead of progress all I see is regression.
Another part of the game I don't understand why it has left us is putting the game in motion. Though these first 28 games, the Mariners have a total of
13 stolen bases! That's less than 1/2 a steal a game. I sit and watch most games, and think here's a spot to steal and the announcers say the same thing, but we see no movement. I know that sometimes they get caught stealing, but you can't get caught if you don't try. Maybe if guys are moving, we could score some runs so our pitchers don't have to be perfect all the time. Take King Felix this year. In six starts this year, the Mariners have scored 3 runs or less in 4 of his starts. He's only given up 11 runs with a 2.23 ERA but sits at a 2-1 record. Even Felix isn't immune to the dreaded pitch count. Most games he is cruising along, but it's 100 and done. except for one game at 126 pitches, he has gone 104, 102, 107, 92, and 106. This kid is a horse let him loose like the old days of Nolan Ryan, and Juan Marichal.
This ship has been sinking since the start of the 2004 season, and you would think could have repaired it and start to get it to float by now. I can honestly see it taking another 3-5 years before this team is even close to being competitive. The Mariners wonder why the fans won't come to Safeco Field anymore. I agree that it is still a beautiful park, but even I stay away. Why pay $20 to park against some random team(it's $35-50 for teams like New York and Boston), nearly $40 per ticket, $6 for a hot dog, and $4 for a pop or $9 for a beer to watch your team continue to lose? I can sit on my comfy couch and do it for a lot cheaper, and if I get bored I can change the channel. I hope they can get this disaster going before we lose our young stars like Felix, and Dustin Ackley to the big money teams that win like players wants to do. I am in my 30th year as a Mariners fan and will continue to support my team, but please give something back to me as a thank you. This love affair is like a marriage, it's give and take from both sides but all I get is me giving to you and and you take but don't give me anything back...
