Watching the Mariners (did you hear they’re in first place?) this year has been strange, and not simply because they’ve been good (did you know the Mariners are in first place?). In the waning years of the Jack Z era, despite his best efforts, the pitching was the team’s strong suit; a salve for the festering sore that was their offense. The first year or so of Dipoto’s tenure stressed controlling the zone, prioritizing walks, OBP, and plate discipline. But now this offense is a new design altogether - they’re built to hit, to make contact, to put the ball in play - and I think that’s a large part of what has made them so compelling to watch this year (that and the winning.
Two strikes, so what?
