While talking Mariners with friends and family, a recurring theme has been “next year.” No, why not this year? If giving up postseason hope translates into next year, then the Mariner fanbase has said “next year” the last 17 seasons.
What makes this potential wild card collapse surprising is that the M’s haven’t had a lineup this strong in a while. The M’s are set from hitters 1-6 if you count Ryon Healy. Kyle Seager is still included in the mix because he’s a proven All-Star. Despite his struggle in clutch situations, the team has found their speed demon sparkplug in Dee Gordon.