Sinking like a stone

During this past off-season, the M’s front office cashed in all their chips on pitching, assuming that by compiling a top-notch staff backed by one of the league’s best defenses, the wins would come rolling in and the M’s would rise to the top of the AL West. The faulty thinking behind this plan was the lack of attention paid to the team’s pedestrian offense, which scored 19 fewer runs than allowed by the pitching staff in 2007, resulting in a Pythagorean 79-83 record that was nine wins off the team’s final record. This nine-game discrepancy must have fooled the front office into thinking the Mariners had an offense good enough provide leads for one of the better pitching staffs in the league. What they didn’t expect was that the line-up wouldn’t score any runs- or hit the ball- at all.

As such, nobody should really be surprised by last night’s 2-0 embarrassing display by the offense at the hands of Rangers’ starter Vincente Padilla, who made his early season case for Cy Young by limiting the Mariners to two singles over seven innings. In his two starts this season against the M’s so far this season, Padilla has allowed ten hits and one run over 13 innings, no doubt a positive impact on the 5-2 record and 3.02 ERA numbers he has posted so far in 2008.

There are so many ways to say this team is bad and they are ba-a-a-a-a-d. Erik Bedard limited the Rangers to two runs over seven innings, a good enough effort to lose his second start in a row. Bedard has tossed three quality starts since returning from the DL with his hip inflammation, winning just one, while over his last two starts he has allowed five runs- three earned- over fourteen innings in losing efforts. I would like to personally offer an apology to Mr. Bedard, who is probably wishing he was still on the Orioles’ roster, where at least he stood a chance to win a few games.

Indeed, it appears that the Mariners did use up their run quota for the week in Monday’s 7-3 victory in the first game of the four-game series. Ever since the third inning of the four-spot they posted in that first game, the M’s offense has been putting up more zeros than a robot’s binary solo, posting just one run over their next 23 innings. Amazingly, even though its hard to believe due to their offensive ineptitude, last night’s shutout was only the second posted by an opponent against the M’s so far this year. (At this point last season, they had all ready been shut out three times, but still enjoyed an 18-17 record.) The M’s offense is now currently on pace to score 653 runs, an unfathomably low mark not seen by a Mariners team since the 1990 team posted 640, and still had a better record (17-18 ) despite being shut out in their first 35 games. That 1990 team managed to win 77 games, much better than the 65 wins this current team is on pace for, which would be the third 60+ win mark posted by the franchise this decade. An odd turn of events for a team that totaled 393 wins over the first four years of the decade.

With last night’s pathetic showing, the M’s are guaranteed of finishing this series in last place, whether in a tie with Texas or all to themselves. Texas left hander Kason Gabbard is probably looking forward to his chance at bolstering his numbers against the Mariners. Gabbard has struggled in his career against Seattle, dropping his only decision while giving up 14 hits, eight walks, and seven runs- six earned- in just shy of ten innings. Ichiro has picked up four hits in six at-bats against Gabbard, and Willie Bloomquist has somehow taken Kason deep. Kason was in a Red Sox uniform the last time he faced the Mainers, pitching into the fourth while allowing six hits and six walks. But that was against a Mariners team that could score runs- and had a bullpen that could preserve a lead- as Seattle preserved for an 8-7 victory.

Felix Hernandez- receiving an average of 3.69 runs in support by the Mariners so far this year, and just 1.5 over his last two starts- has his turn on the mound to be frustrated by the M’s inept offense. Felix allowed only a single unearned run against the Rangers in his season debut, a 5-4 loss thanks to Josh Hamilton and an inept bullpen- a ridiculous turn of events that could only happen with Felix receiving the “support” he has so far from the Mariners’ offense. Felix has struggled as of late, allowing ten runs on 18 hits and seven walks in just shy of 13 innings over his last two starts, seeing his ERA increase from 1.67 to 3.04.

Felix will be looking to right his ship in his start tonight, and that of a Mariners’ team seeing their 2008 season quickly slipping away after just six weeks. No pressure, Felix! But of course, don’t expect the M’s to rally around to support Felix. They’ll score some runs, but Felix still won’t have his ‘A’ material as the Rangers are able to patiently work counts in their favor and for the pitches they want, and the Rangers will force across the winning run against the M’s bullpen. Final score: 6-5, Texas.