Whether leading the AL West or the second wild-card spot, the Mariners had people interested. Which is why last year’s collapse was disappointing but not surprising. For one thing, our team was neck-in-neck with the champion Astros! Was it a shame to see them leapfrog us and claim the division for good?
Yes, but remember that they were a more complete team, especially in the pitching department. They were also less fazed by the moment having gone all the way with their same group of guys.
Although the painful collapse wasn’t losing the brief West lead, it was what happened after the All-Star Break.