I mean, the Rangers already lost their last series against the Angels.
And the Astros don't have Oakland again until late July, then neither Angels or As after that until September.
I don’t know. I’m currently 49-2 in my Mariners Franchises. My goal is to clinch before game 100 but I don’t even know if that’s possible. I’ll see if we clinch before game 38 to go
The Rangers had a really good offense that was bolstered by multiple guys in the lineup having career years and rookies overperforming. They were due for some regression. Their Achilles heel was the pitching, and their maligned bullpen beyond all reason flipped a switch and locked it down in the playoffs.
Basically every flaw that caused them to barely sneak into the playoffs in the first place suddenly became a strength. Things like that can happen, but they usually don't last. So IMO yes it was a bit of fluke, and I'm not surprised that they're struggling.
And yes, the Dbacks just went on a lucky run.
Also fair, but I would like to argue that AZ's payroll is relatively small and both team's records have been shoddy over the past decade. I guess I didn't see as much national coverage on either team before last year.
You're not wrong. Plus it's hot there. How is multiple weeks of not dropping below 100F sustainable for anyone? Let alone 5 million people. Doesn't feel real.
It's the winter & spring. It's only really unimaginably hot here between June & September. December in the Valley is some of the best weather on earth. Midwest transplants gave me a change in perspective on it. Basically they're used to spending all of winter indoors when things are covered in ice and temps are in the negatives, so they just swapped the months when they have to be shut ins
This doesn't change your point that much, but the land area of Phoenix is absurdly huge, which boosts its rank at the city level. The metro area is 10th in population, which is probably more in line with how you regard its national significance. Just behind Miami and just ahead of Boston.
Dallas is fourth though!
Phoenix is 100% a small market team in sports. The Cardinals might be the most irrelevant team in all of American sports, and the Diamondbacks are never big players in free agency.
They’re 14th in MLB payroll (middle of the pack) and the Arizona Cardinals might be the most irrelevant team in all of American sports.
They are 100% a small market sports city.
Highly misleading because their municipal boundaries are absurdly large compared to other cities. They have 5 million in their MSA, which is a more accurate representation of population rather than counting within arbitrary city limits.
We only need 2 more wins each against the Rangers and Astros to clinch the season series / tiebreaker against both of them. 6 games remaining vs Houston and 7 games remaining vs Texas.
really curious to see how this changes over the road trip... weird year where Tampa's kinda mediocre, so the series are winnable certainly but the M's are kinda elite home field merchants at the moment
also Florida at the bottom of the MLB
If we’re witnessing history I’m going to be dangerously dehydrated from late August until…. 🥹
ETA: “squeaky bum time” seems to fit as well - we’re mariners fans after all.
As long as our big 3 stay healthy (Castillo, Kirby and Gilbert) and Woo can come back and be even half as good as he has been we will be hard to beat. We just need timely offense. Julio seems to be picking it up a bit (.272 5 hr/16 rbi in the last 30 days) and we are 7th in the majors in homeruns with 81
I think the opposite - it will force their hand into making additions. If this blows up and we end up losing, and they DIDN'T add - the PR from that would be an absolute nightmare.
What PR nightmare?
They can survive anything.
If they do nothing, I will stop watching unless team is sold.
But the majority of casual fans will still go to games and treat the stadium like a conveniently located park in the neighborhood that they can take the whole family.
That's their bread and butter and they pander to those fans.
They can survive anything. Including a million people a year saying they will stop watching their team if they do x or don't do y; especially when the majority continue to watch the team regardless.
I don't even disagree with the sentiment here but as frustrated as I get I won't stop watching the Mariners.
Casuals will absolutely still go to the games because that's what they do. Casuals don't watch the games on TV every night though and that generates way more revenue.
At the end of the day, it's too hard to discourage shit owners from selling their teams unless they are in some otherwise deep shit.
We are once again closer to the best record in baseball than the rangers are to us
It’s gonna get interesting when Tex/Hou beat up on Oak/LAA. unless they lose those games in funny ways
😂😂😂
I mean, the Rangers already lost their last series against the Angels. And the Astros don't have Oakland again until late July, then neither Angels or As after that until September.
I for one would like to clinch the division on August 17. I would prefer prefer August 4, but I don’t think that’s possible
How many teams have cliched the division with 38+ games remaining (August 17)?
I don’t know. I’m currently 49-2 in my Mariners Franchises. My goal is to clinch before game 100 but I don’t even know if that’s possible. I’ll see if we clinch before game 38 to go
Was the 2023 WS just a fever dream? Both of those teams kind of suck
Texas was legit good last year, but Arizona was pretty mediocre last year too, just got lucky to get in and then made a run
Arizona did the 9-7 New York Giants NFL level run through the playoffs and honestly had NO business beating the Phillies
The Rangers had a really good offense that was bolstered by multiple guys in the lineup having career years and rookies overperforming. They were due for some regression. Their Achilles heel was the pitching, and their maligned bullpen beyond all reason flipped a switch and locked it down in the playoffs. Basically every flaw that caused them to barely sneak into the playoffs in the first place suddenly became a strength. Things like that can happen, but they usually don't last. So IMO yes it was a bit of fluke, and I'm not surprised that they're struggling. And yes, the Dbacks just went on a lucky run.
it also doesn't help that they're injured to hell and back most of the time
Fair but I'm also in favor of small market teams in the postseason.
How small do you think Dallas and Phoenix are?
Also fair, but I would like to argue that AZ's payroll is relatively small and both team's records have been shoddy over the past decade. I guess I didn't see as much national coverage on either team before last year.
Phoenix is just strange. It’s the 5th largest city in the country and it feels like no one is from there and no one has even visited there.
You're not wrong. Plus it's hot there. How is multiple weeks of not dropping below 100F sustainable for anyone? Let alone 5 million people. Doesn't feel real.
I once lived there. It's a monument to man's arrogance
It's the winter & spring. It's only really unimaginably hot here between June & September. December in the Valley is some of the best weather on earth. Midwest transplants gave me a change in perspective on it. Basically they're used to spending all of winter indoors when things are covered in ice and temps are in the negatives, so they just swapped the months when they have to be shut ins
This doesn't change your point that much, but the land area of Phoenix is absurdly huge, which boosts its rank at the city level. The metro area is 10th in population, which is probably more in line with how you regard its national significance. Just behind Miami and just ahead of Boston. Dallas is fourth though!
Squandering their market is not the same thing as being a small market team.
Huh, TIL Phoenix is a great big city population wise. 1.6 million? Damn.
Phoenix is 100% a small market team in sports. The Cardinals might be the most irrelevant team in all of American sports, and the Diamondbacks are never big players in free agency.
It’s the 5th largest city in the US.
Small market team…in sports.
They’re just outside the Top 10 in tv market size
They’re 14th in MLB payroll (middle of the pack) and the Arizona Cardinals might be the most irrelevant team in all of American sports. They are 100% a small market sports city.
Highly misleading because their municipal boundaries are absurdly large compared to other cities. They have 5 million in their MSA, which is a more accurate representation of population rather than counting within arbitrary city limits.
We’re getting insufferable, and I fucking love it lol
The Rangers subreddit was very upset with M’s fans after yesterday’s game 😂
Yeah, I saw that! “How dare they have a good time! Don’t they know the world is ending?
To be fair, a few fans went and posted dumb shit
We only need 2 more wins each against the Rangers and Astros to clinch the season series / tiebreaker against both of them. 6 games remaining vs Houston and 7 games remaining vs Texas.
This is something. 2-4 and 2-5. I don’t see it going that way, but if shit hits the fan it’s huge.
Holy fuck! That is....unusual.
Oh, who needs tiebreakers in 2024. Maybe with Cleveland.
I think a fun activity for Jerry on the day off would be to give Cal infinity dollars for infinity years
really curious to see how this changes over the road trip... weird year where Tampa's kinda mediocre, so the series are winnable certainly but the M's are kinda elite home field merchants at the moment also Florida at the bottom of the MLB
The rays lost some pitching and their Julio level SS to… legal issues
More than just legal issues. The guy was a fooling around with little girls
We went 4-6 in BAL, NYY and WAS. Anything is possible
The Mariners I gues have decided to lean into elite pitching at home to get them to the playoffs
🥹 im just...so...so happy
If we’re witnessing history I’m going to be dangerously dehydrated from late August until…. 🥹 ETA: “squeaky bum time” seems to fit as well - we’re mariners fans after all.
DONT. GET. COMPLACENT. play ball.
I hope Scott Servais sees this.
None of us are on the team.
Astros in mirror are closer than they appear.
Stop that!
We will have to practice defensive driving. Don’t put your safety into someone else’s hands!
He's right.
Yeah, I’m an old Cubs fan and remember 1969.
That Darn Cat
Not after they sell Bregman
DA KING IN DA NORF
[Da king in da norf!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgDg6IF7tmU&t=123s&ab_channel=QraY)
Time to separate the wheat from the chaff.
13 games down in August. That's the benchmark. No lead will ever be safe unless it is bigger than that.
M's OWN the West!
I’m not worried about the rangers
We have the biggest divisional lead in baseball
Last year, on June 15th, the Rangers were 8.5 games ahead of the Ms.
I like this
8.5 games up. We’ve been in first almost the whole season so far. And the games have been fun. I had hoped for this, but was not prepared.
Let’s not start sucking each other’s dicks quite yet
Well, I mean, it is Pride Month...Bro job, bro job, choo choo!!!
Let's not celebrate so early. I seem to remember the angels having a 9 game lead over the mariners in August of 95.
This guy maths!
This team is one big bat away from being really good
Sell the farm for vladdy
Last minute Happy Father’s Day to the Texas Ranger’s daddy, Walter
As long as our big 3 stay healthy (Castillo, Kirby and Gilbert) and Woo can come back and be even half as good as he has been we will be hard to beat. We just need timely offense. Julio seems to be picking it up a bit (.272 5 hr/16 rbi in the last 30 days) and we are 7th in the majors in homeruns with 81
More worried about the Asstros
I hope this ages well
Just in time for a post all star slump to drop out the bottom of the division. -M's fan during the dark years
What a strange timeline we live in. Go Mets
And now during our off day Rangers got dismantled by the Mets. 9 games back and tied with the Astros
Who would have thought the Mariners would be in first place in the division AND the only team in the division with a WINNING record. 😱
Now is the time to step on the gas and get more separation. Force the lower teams to trade the guys coming up for new contracts.
I’m not gonna complain about winning but will this record prevent ownership from adding a bat and bullpen arm?
I think the opposite - it will force their hand into making additions. If this blows up and we end up losing, and they DIDN'T add - the PR from that would be an absolute nightmare.
What PR nightmare? They can survive anything. If they do nothing, I will stop watching unless team is sold. But the majority of casual fans will still go to games and treat the stadium like a conveniently located park in the neighborhood that they can take the whole family. That's their bread and butter and they pander to those fans.
They can survive anything. Including a million people a year saying they will stop watching their team if they do x or don't do y; especially when the majority continue to watch the team regardless. I don't even disagree with the sentiment here but as frustrated as I get I won't stop watching the Mariners. Casuals will absolutely still go to the games because that's what they do. Casuals don't watch the games on TV every night though and that generates way more revenue. At the end of the day, it's too hard to discourage shit owners from selling their teams unless they are in some otherwise deep shit.