The Mariners were a trendy pick to win big in 2015, but so far they’re off to a weak start. For his part, manager Lloyd McClendon thinks that all of the team’s tough losses will help prepare them for later on in the season.
“Like I told the guys the other day, and this is real important: Everybody’s giving the American League title, the pennant, to the Seattle Mariners, and we’re going to hoist the trophy, we’re going to the World Series. And yeah, that’s great,” McClendon said, according to MLB.com’s Doug Miller. “But in between, there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears, some heartaches, some adversity that you’ve got to go through, and you’ve got to be built for it. And you’ve got to handle it. And if you’re lucky, in the end you’ll be able to hoist that trophy.”
Here’s more from around the majors..
- Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com spoke with Cubs execs about what went into their decision to draft Kris Bryant No. 2 overall in 2013. “It was clear [that Bryant, Stanford pitcher Mark Appel, and Oklahoma pitcher Jonathan Gray] were going to go in the top three. As an organization, we knew we needed pitching but philosophically we felt like taking hitters at the top of the draft was the safer bet. Also, at picking at No. 2 it was hopefully our one shot at picking that high in the draft. Going hitter was safer,” GM Jed Hoyer explained.
- Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com attempted to peg what kind of impact we could see Bryant make in his rookie year for the Cubs. Mayo writes that he’s undoubtedly ready to make his mark at the big league level and, unsurprisingly, scouting directors raved about his overall upside. “He’s an exceptional player and talent,” one director said. “He has the chance to be one of the top hitters in baseball over the next 10 to 15 years.”
- Angels bench coach Dino Ebel and manager Mike Scioscia had dinner with Josh Hamilton on Wednesday night and Ebel told reporters, including Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (via Twitter), that the meeting “went well.” It remains to be seen how the Hamilton situation will play out in the wake of owner Arte Moreno’s comments.
signing a few “star” free agents will not build a winner. only after gelling as a team those stars will contribute to a great team.
Mariners also have had the worse luck of any team in baseball. Dead last in Babip around 220 with the next team being around 240
Not that big on the Mariners. Average D at best, some stars along with a lot of pedestrian players that don’t have the sort of skills to support the stars. Don’t see the grit and Baseball IQ in the support players. Don’t see Cruz hitting in that pitchers park the way he hit in Arlington and Baltimore – which are hitters parks.
80% of the game may be pitching, but it’s seldom that teams with the best pitching and little else to go with it become the big winners.
Still like the Angels in the ALW.
Kirk Gibson, is that you?
Just wait until around late sept, No one wants to face this Mariners team in a WC game. They don’t need the division just a WC with one of the best pitchers in baseball. The AL lacks a real road block team like the Cardinals or Giants in the playoffs.
I missed the Mariners being the trendy pick. I thought Washington was the consensus pick.
Nats were the universal pick – best record in MLB the past 3 years. Mariners and Indians are the trendy picks.
Indians did nothing in the offseason. They are lucky Minnesota is in the division.