The thing that worries me is that they literally don't hit at all at home. It's always nice to win a game with 4 hits but that isn't sustainable. The pen is going to get stressed big time if the Benoit injury is more than 2 weeks ... Peralta is a ticking time bomb on the mound.
Their ceiling is probably 85-88 wins which will keep them in it ... but Texas will get a big boost when they get Darvish back in the next month. If their pen stabilizes at all, they have the most balanced team in the division. They also can leverage their minor league system in a way during the years that the Mariners can only hope to dream about.
I really don't think Texas is that good. Their bullpen was lights out last year, has struggled early this year, and that's the kind of thing that happens to bullpens. It's one of the most fickle things in sports. Look at M's 2014 pen compared to 2015. Strength to a weakness with the majority of the same guys.
Before the season I thought the Astros would run away with the division, but they've looked terrible so far. Only team in baseball to not have consequtive wins this season. They'll get hot at some point, there's too much talent there to stay down all year.
Angels are pretty bad outside of Trout and Richards and the A's are even worse. If the M's can figure out how the hell to hit at home they should be in the hunt all summer. They won't make the playoffs but in theory they've got as good of shot as anyone else in the West.
I really don't think Texas is that good. Their bullpen was lights out last year, has struggled early this year, and that's the kind of thing that happens to bullpens. It's one of the most fickle things in sports. Look at M's 2014 pen compared to 2015. Strength to a weakness with the majority of the same guys.
Before the season I thought the Astros would run away with the division, but they've looked terrible so far. Only team in baseball to not have consequtive wins this season. They'll get hot at some point, there's too much talent there to stay down all year.
Angels are pretty bad outside of Trout and Richards and the A's are even worse. If the M's can figure out how the hell to hit at home they should be in the hunt all summer. They won't make the playoffs but in theory they've got as good of shot as anyone else in the West.
Comments
Their ceiling is probably 85-88 wins which will keep them in it ... but Texas will get a big boost when they get Darvish back in the next month. If their pen stabilizes at all, they have the most balanced team in the division. They also can leverage their minor league system in a way during the years that the Mariners can only hope to dream about.
Before the season I thought the Astros would run away with the division, but they've looked terrible so far. Only team in baseball to not have consequtive wins this season. They'll get hot at some point, there's too much talent there to stay down all year.
Angels are pretty bad outside of Trout and Richards and the A's are even worse. If the M's can figure out how the hell to hit at home they should be in the hunt all summer. They won't make the playoffs but in theory they've got as good of shot as anyone else in the West.