Seattle Mariners: One big goal for the 2020 season
The Seattle Mariners open the 2020 season tonight in Houston. PNWS finishes our countdown series with the M’s biggest goal this year.
Welcome to Opening Day. The Seattle Mariners are in Houston to kick off the season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Major League Baseball and it’s Players Association’s failure to agree on anything, it’s taken over four months to play games that count in the standings finally.
Seattle concluded their three weeks workouts outs at T-Mobile and are ready for the 2020 season’s 60-game slate. The endless monotony of intrasquad contests is over. M’s Nation can look forward to meaningful games as the summer winds down.
Pacific Northwest Sports ends our countdown to the opener with the Seattle Mariners, one big goal for the 2020 season.
Sun 7/19 – 6 questions about the 2020 season
Mon 7/20 – 5 impact rookies to watch in 2020
Tue 7/21 – 4 reasons why the Mariners will have a hard time rising in the A.L. West
Wed 7/22 – 3 players who could be in their final Mariners seasons
Thu 7/23 – 2 X-Factors for 2020
Fri 7/24 – 1 big goal for 2020
The Seattle Mariners’ biggest team goal in 2020 is to improve the organization’s young players. Fans will hear the development mantra repeatedly this season. It will come from GM Jerry DiPoto to manager Scott Servais, to the broadcasters and even the players themselves. Everyone will use the word “development,” ad nauseum.
Servais can win 20 of 60 games this year, but as long the “kiddie corps” makes strides from game one through number 60, his job is safe. Granted, he has plenty to work with up and down the roster. Kyle Lewis, Justus Sheffield, J.P. Crawford, and Evan White are potential all-stars.
To be honest, I almost scratched this article after MLB’s announcement on Thursday. Instead of 10 teams in the postseason, 2020 will have 16 teams, eight from each league. If the Seattle Mariners are in contention for an American League Wild Card slot, 30 days from now, would they abandon the mission?
Upon further reflection, that’s unlikely to happen. Before summer camp started, DiPoto said the organization was handling the 2020 and 2021 seasons as one long 17-month developmental period. Although getting some playoff experience under the belts of their young players could be invaluable, it’s not worth sacrificing their long-term plan. Nor should they.
So Seattle Mariners fans, it may be a little ugly at times this season, but keep the big picture in mind. By 2022, the M’s will be fighting for an A.L. West title, and you can look back with a warm chuckle about some of the growing pains the team suffered back in 2020.