Vitamin SEA: Halfway There, Somehow
Taking a look at the first half of the season
We have hit the 81-game mark, and honestly? Could be worse.
The Mariners are in first place in the AL West at 41-39, with lagging injuries, slow starts, and a lack of form from some of last season’s most consistent players. Let’s check in and see where things stand.
Each part of the Mariners’ roster has had a significant issue this season in some way or another and they have managed to survive it. The lineup had a lack of Cal Raleigh, who had a really slow start and then the first IL stint of his career. Additionally, the primary offseason addition of Brendan Donovan can’t stay on the field. A litany of other injuries to JP Crawford, Randy Arozarena, and Victor Robles have allowed for a merry-go-round of replacements in the form of Connor Joe, Weston Wilson, Patrick Wisdom, Ryan Bliss, Leo Rivas, and Jhonny Perada. Some of these guys have had good moments, but you can’t say that a roster with this many names who weren’t on the Opening Day lineup is quite the vision that the team was hoping for.
The gold star of the callups is obviously Colt Emerson, who so far has looked comfortable settling into everyday third base. The power has translated to the big leagues with 6 home runs in under 100 ABs, and the defense looks lockdown. Who knows what will happen when Donovan returns in a few weeks.
LINEUP GRADE: B
The starting rotation has been great overall, with a few big wrinkles. A lot of scrutiny has been put onto the early struggles of Luis Castillo, and with the added confusion of the six-man piggyback system, it just doesn’t feel comfortable. It almost feels like an inevitability that one of the starters will get dealt, and there’s no real good option to lose any of them. But with Kade Anderson waiting in the wings a move has to be made. Most of the tension is caused by too much talent, making this really hard to grade. The pitching has been good, but something is going to change, and not knowing what will change hurts.
ROTATION GRADE: B+
The bullpen has been a huge headache. Injuries galore to Gabe Spier, Carlos Vargas, Cooper Criswell, and Matt Brash twice. Andres Munoz losing all sense of composure out of nowhere. Huge pressure put onto Jose Ferrer and Eduard Bazardo while everyone else crumbles around them. And still after all that, a bullpen ERA of 3.39 makes for one of the best in the league. Please make it make sense. Another arm will be needed to shore up the pen at the trade deadline(or maybe just move Luis Castillo there), because they can’t afford to lose anyone else.
BULLPEN GRADE: A- (somehow)
The Mariners are an amazingly frustrating team this season, with more ups and downs than my little cousin at the trampoline park. This team has no sense of consistency, with any player capable of going on a crazy run of completely falling off out of nowhere. It makes sense that the Mariners’ record is around .500, not because they are mediocre, but they are either so good or so bad that it cancels out. A team like this is very lucky to be leading the division, as the AL West descends further into oblivion. The Mariners cannot continue to rely on the collapse of all of their competition. They are in a decent place, but it’s time to get serious. Second half Julio is upon us now, and Cal Raleigh is healthy and here to prove something again. Munoz seems to be finding his form again (he looked great yesterday at least), and no outward complaining has come from the rotation since they changed the piggyback to include everyone. So maybe things are looking up, as long as nobody else gets hurt. Knock on wood.
Also, All-Star voting closes today, and we might get a few guys in there this year! That is, if anyone can get past the unyielding wall of Blue Jays fans voting for their guys with .500 OPS. Not that I’m mad or anything. But get out there and vote, it’s your civic duty!
Go M’s,
Henry “The Next Bryan Woo” Neiman