JP Crawford, Seattle Mariners.
Many didn’t believe the Seattle Mariners would have a winning record in 2021. The prevailing early season predictions had the M’s finishing third in the AL West at best; fourth was the most common. The analytics and data all say that the Mariners should not be winning games.
These guys just don’t care. They continue to defy the math; water finds its level. And maybe next year it will. However, this year, this team is defying the odds.
The Mariners have clinched a… wait for it… winning season. When this article was written, the M’s were still 2.0 games down in the wild card race, but they clinched a winning season. Eighty-two wins are all that is needed to do that for those of you that weren’t “in the know.”
Raise your hand if you thought that you would be saying that at the beginning of the 2021 season. For those in the back that couldn’t tell, only a handful of “I told you so” M’s fans raised their hands. Half of those are actually lying or thought they “could.”
On paper, this team shouldn’t have a winning season. I said it, what now? If you were to tell me that their prized free agent acquisition, James Paxton, would get injured in his first start of the season, for the season, and the M’s will still post a winning record, I’d say you lost your mind.
But wait, there’s more. If you were to tell me the M’s would spend most of the first months of the season batting below .200 (formally known as the Mendoza line) and would finish with a winning record, again, I would say you were lying. As of today, they are batting .225, which is still the worst average in major league baseball.
I have more, be patient. If you were to tell me that your Seattle Mariners would blow 30 saves (45 saves in 75 opportunities) to lead the majors and still finish the season with more wins than losses, I’d say nay to that, sir, or ma’am.
We’re not done yet. If you were to tell me that they would refuse to break camp with their #1 prospect, despite a very strong spring. Then call him up after less than a week in Tacoma, and he finished his first stint as an MLB player at less than .100. Including a 39 at-bat, hitless streak.
Then the heralded prospect came back, and he did okay but remained below .200 for the season. Take a breath. I’d say you were nuts to think they’d have a winning record. Over the last month, Jarred Kelenic resembles more of what the scouting reports said., posting a .240 average with seven home runs and 18 RBI.
What if, at the trade deadline, the Seattle Mariners traded away their closer and best reliever and clubhouse leader? Would they still have a winning record? It turns out the answer is yes.
Lose their starting centerfielder and reigning rookie of the year for the season and still have a winning record? Yep.
Force the CEO to resign because he’s a moron that can’t help but run his mouth to his buddies and still have a winning record? Yet again, the answer is yes.
Seattle has a 60 run differential but still, put up a winning record? Yes. Let me make sure I understand this, the Seattle Mariners, who most experts predicted would win between 67-72 games, has won 84 games with 9 games to go? Wait, the Mariners, who have arguably one of the worst offenses in the history of the sport and a mediocre pitching staff (Based on ERA and WAR accumulative), would somehow figure out how to win more games than they lose?
The answer to all of these questions is an emphatical yes. One of the lowest active payrolls in the league, and the youngest team on opening day, will finish the 2021 season with a winning record. It’s not the playoffs, but again, only a handful of blinder-wearing diehard fanatical Mariners fans believed they could produce a winning record. Now they get to hand out their “I told you so” badges all over social media.
It’s looking more and more like this season won’t end the playoff drought, but with the growth and promotions of Julio Rodriguez and Noelvi Marte, the offense should start to turn a corner soon. In addition, starter George Kirby looks like the real deal. While Emmerson Hancock struggled with some nagging injury issues, pitching looks like it could be a real strength in the future. Plus, they lose some of their dead contracts and either restructure or release Kyle Seager to free up even more room to make big moves in the offseason. Provided, there isn’t a lockout, but that’s a whole different article.
Congratulations on winning more than you lose 2021 Seattle Mariners; it’s been a welcome surprise.
Joe Swenson is an author, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, director, producer, podcaster, youth kids soccer and baseball coach, and all-around nice guy.