Year by year record as of June 2nd

[seahawksfan234]

While there are obviously problems with the roster and we all don't like the way this franchise is run, I thought I should post this to put into perspective the fact that we have been improving:

(End of year record)
2014: 28-28 (TBD)
2013: 24-33 (71-91)
2012: 24-31 (75-87)
2011: 29-27 (67-95)
2010: 21-31 (61-101)
2009: 25-28 (85-77)
2008: 21-37 (61-101)
2007: 27-25 (88-74)
2006: 24-32 (78-84)
2005: 22-30 (69-93)

In bold are the years we had a better record than we currently do. I'm sure Cezero will be disappointed in me for saying this, but I don't think our .500 record is a fluke and that we are a legitimate LF, DH and a non-terrible 5th starter from being a pretty solid team. I doubt that our FO will or can pull it off, but if the right moves are made this offseason we could have a contender next year.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Worth noting that when I say "we are a legitmate LF, DH and a non-terrible 5th starter away from being a pretty solid team" by pretty solid team, I mean playoff contender. It just almost feels taboo saying the words playoff contender when talking about the Mariners.

 

[PolarVortex]

Worth noting that when I say "we are a legitmate LF, DH and a non-terrible 5th starter away from being a pretty solid team" by pretty solid team, I mean playoff contender. It just almost feels taboo saying the words playoff contender when talking about the Mariners.

Maybe. But the fact is that they are a contender right now, without a decent LFer, DH and #5 SP. Parity is rumnning rampant in the AL so far this year. 13 of the 15 teams are either holding a playoff spot or are within 3.o games of the second wild card. And the 14th team, Houston, is advancing quickly. And the 15th team, Tampa Bay, is uncharacteristically under-achieving.

 

[mcnabb7542]

I'm not pulling the plug yet on this season, they are still in it! Granted a month ago it looked like they would lose all of the games remaining on the schedule, but some how or some way they got on track and made it interesting....

Got to give McClendon some credit, he's had a sub par roster and finding a way to make it work...

 

[PolarVortex]

I'm not pulling the plug yet on this season, they are still in it!

Got to give McClendon some credit, he's had a sub par roster and finding a way to make it work...

Hell no. There is no reason to. They can't win the divison, obviously, but the two wild card spots are very much up for grabs. And I don't see any teams that have the ability to distance themselves in the wild card race. The only true locks for a playoff spot in the AL this year are Detroit and Oakland. Toronto is on a nice roll right now but I don't think they can sustain it without better pitching. They may win the weak East this year, but they are in no way in the same class as Oakland and Detroit.

And you're right, McClendon does deserve some credit. He's made some mistakes. All managers do. But he's also the guy who gave Elias a spot in the rotation, brought up Jones from Tacoma, gave Young a spot in the rotation, stuck with Zunino rather than turning to a veteran catcher, gave Leone a shot in the bullpen...

 

[NWinAZ]

Nice work on the thread.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Nice work on the thread.

Thanks AZ, thought it would be interesting to see where we were at this point over the years.

It is nice that we have one of the better starts we have had over the past decade, but that speaks volumes about our ineptitude over that same period.

 

[NWinAZ]

It is nice to see. I always assume where we are, but that isn't always accurate. This is. And I agree on the ineptitude part.

 

[octagondd]

A little over 1/3 in to the season it is still too early to say what is going to happen. There is still a lot of baseball, injuries, streaks, slumps, etc. to come. We have a decent view of the team now, but all it takes is someone to tank and the team hits the skids, or a switch to flip in Smoak, Miller, etc. Look at the boost Jones has given so far. Huge improvement up top. Can he sustain it as the book gets written on him? We will see. His speed is tough to contend with and he can get on extra times like Ichiro because of that.

Miller has gotten some hits the last few games. Maybe he is turning it around, or maybe it is an anomaly.

We are in June and the M's are still relevant, so that is good thing. If they can go .500 or better this month, that will be huge.

 

[NWinAZ]

Agree with what you are saying, but we will never be relevant in baseball if .500 is our goal as a team or as fans. Again, I say the same thing as you but it is sad they make us joyful over going .500. Cheap bastards.

 

[dude82]

Man... what a huge gap between the 2007 finish and the 2011 finish in terms of expectations of where this year's team could finish after a similar start. Obviously the hope is that they come close to their 2007 finish, but that was the hope in 2011 before a prolonged losing streak in July ruined any chance of that. That's why the 8-gamer they had in April this year keeps you from getting too excited about their moderate success since. Unless some of the guys they have in there now (and had in there during the losing streak) start playing better or are replaced with guys who play better, the prospect of another extended losing streak is still there. I'm optimistic that it won't happen again, but it can't be ruled out either.