[Layback]

Next 6 games are critical for the Ms. While the Yankees playing the As the Ms are playing the Orioles. And then the Yanks come to town. Huge opportunity to pick up ground for the wild card. Meanwhile, the Sox magic number for a playoff birth is 6! True to the Blue!!! Goodbye baseball!!!

[Layback]

Losing to the worst team in baseball??? And our players are squaring off in fistfights in the clubhouse? Can our boys in blue get any lower? Holy boomstick! http://amp.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners/article217829730.html?__twitter_impression=true Surely they’ll turn it around and June Optimism will be back! Goodbye baseball! True to the blue!

[gb]

They were playing their worst game of the season excepting Leake, but then the adults came to the fore. After the home runs, they ended playing a very good game. I believe Diaz had struck out the last eight men he faced until the final out flew out meekly last night.

[Layback]

The Sox have clinched a playoff spot. This is due to a combination of the Sox beating the Blue Jays (eh?) and the Moroners losing. The Ms fooled even me this year. I thought for sure I’d be watching the Sox pummel the Ms in the ALDS at Fenway West. But theres still technically a chance. Goodbye baseball! True to the blue!!! Kings Court with a side of Boomstick!!!

[gb]

[Chief Joseph]

I think that we can safely "Put a fork in them"...they're done, but at least they improved quit a bit.

[Sore Feet]

The problem with "improved quite a bit" is they're still saddled with several huge contracts that will impede their ability to buy the necessary pieces to improve further, and the farm system is utterly barren so we're not trading for much without giving up major league talent. It's clear we need at least two starters, an outfielder, possibly a 3B given how much Seager has fallen off the table, and frankly a Catcher too since Zunino can't seem to figure out how to make consistent contact and not strike out. But we're not gonna be able to do that with $70 million tied up in three players next year (Felix, Cano, Seager). And we're certainly not going to be able to dump those contracts on anyone else either. Cano should still be relatively worth it, but Seager is definitely a question mark, and Felix is...very much no longer Felix. So the question then becomes do we plod along with this level of mediocrity again, or blow it all up and trade away the pieces we have that could actually restock the farm system: Segura, Haniger, Diaz, and Paxton should easily be able to net us at least 4-5 top 100 prospects, if not more. I hate the idea of trading any of those guys, especially Haniger, but it's a tough decision that might need to be made at this point. The plus side is the Free Agent class for the 2019 season is super, super deep, so there may be some bargains that will allow deferring a rebuild for at least another year, but it's probably just prolonging the inevitable.

[Layback]

The problem with the organization is that you don’t have more fans like Sore Feet. I know few Ms “fans” who are actually paying attention. My colleague is another. I hear people talk all the time about the 116 win season and how cool it was. Unfortunately it didn’t cause people to love the team - to make it a part of the city. The Ms are as signifcant in Seattle culture at The Storm. That’s the real reason I can’t stand them. I can’t understand how there could be so little passion about a MLB team. It’s a culture I can never be a part of. Unless you pay a FA a ton to come here, why would they? Guys like Robi “Steroid” Cano are just looking for a pay day. On paper improvements mean as little as a 116 win season without a World Series. Congrats on not sucking all the way through July. August, September and October are when it matters. Nobody will remember the 2018 Ms. They won’t even remember the clubhouse fight; I hear that Ms batters actually hit something in there. Goodbye baseball! True to the blue!!! I need more boomstick!!!

[Slim]

This article sums it up pretty well: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/as-another-season-ends-in-frustration-mariners-are-stuck-in-worst-kind-of-limbo/

[Layback]

Meanwhile, in NY, my second favorite team clinched the AL East last night.

Mookie Betts, MVP

[CC]

[Layback]

I must admit, the homestand and against the Astros made me very nervous about the post season. But you have to remember the Sale has been out. Starting pitching is just getting back to a normal rotation. The bullpen has been leaving something to be desired... I’d like to see them put Rodriguez in the bullpen with Kelly. Regarding the ALDS I’d like them to square off with the Yanks. The As bullpen makes me nervous. Yanks are a known entity and we can “do some damage” against the Yanks. With home field advantage throughout the playoffs I like their chances. Plus it’s 2018. The baseball gods have to favor the idea of a Red Sox win in 1918 and 2018. Whatever the case may be, I have very little doubt that the World Series winner will come out of the AL this year.

[Layback]

Well my second favorite team beat the Yankees in the ALDS is amazing fashion. Since the Ms couldn’t get it done, and I badly wanted to go to a postseason game this year, I have no choice but to fly to Boston on Friday and attend the ALCS with my dad to celebrate his 70th birthday. Go Sox!

[CC]

[Layback]

Looks like the pitching rotation is going to be: 1) Sale 2) Price 3) Eovaldi 4) Porcello Hopefully we get good Price and not bad Price. Psyched that Sale is pitching tomorrow. Fingers crossed that I get to see a W!