2022 MLB Playoffs - The Seattle Mariners Are Not Fucking Around
This is a blog series I put together on the 8 MLB Wild Card playoff teams. You can click these links for the other previews already published:
1. Guardians
2. Rays
3. Cardinals
4. Phillies
5. Blue JaysHopefully it helps improve your MLB playoff experience whether you're a diehard like me or just getting into the season and don't know where to start.
And of course - follow Starting 9 for world class MLB playoff coverage.
Let's get into it:
The Seattle Mariners (are not fucking around)
League: American
Division: West (2nd)
Playoff Seed: 5th of 6
Wild Card Opponent: @ (#4)Toronto Blue Jays (up 1-0)
Obligatory Sweet Moment:
Manager: Scott Servais
Years Active: 7
Overall Record: 528-504 (.512)
Postseason Record: 0-0
Accomplishments: 1st postseason for Seattle in 20+ years so probably biggest accomplishment is a decade+ of job security
Noteworthy Nuggets: Married to his high school sweetheart, Jill
Head Honcho: Jerry Dipoto (7 years) finally gets to the postseason and to be honest it's been a rough go for Jerry. He's the guy who traded Mike Napoli's 120 OPS+ and $4M salary for Vernon Wells (2 years, $47M for .667 OPS in 208 games) then followed it up with nearly half a billion dollars worth of free agent contracts to Albert Pujols, CJ Wilson, and Josh Hamilton. Not the easiest reputation to shake but same time he took over for Captain Jack Zduriencik who might be the worst GM in modern history. So it's almost like Mariners fans are just coming alive with what's possible from a competent front office. And now maybe Jerry Dipoto has the whole thing figured out.
Owner: a bunch of local investors, but the main name is John Stanton. He's so boring he does not get a picture or feature. Let's get through this guy quickly.
Net Worth: $1.1B
Source of Wealth: Business but nothing even remotely interesting.
Year Purchased: 2016 from Nintendo which is actually pretty sweet and makes me wish Nintendo still had some skin in the game. Nintendo rocks.
Purchase Price: $1.3B
2022 Team Value: $1.7B
2022 Payroll (MLB rank): $128 Million (21st of 30)
That's enough about this guy. Let's talk about the real owner of the Mariners.
Here's over 15 minutes of Jay Buhner highlights:
The 2022 Mariners:
Brand Recognition:
3 Best Players:
1. Julio Rodriguez, OF = Alek Manoah should go to jail for throwing at him
2. Eugenio Suarez, 3B = sweet hair and the "g" is silent
3. Cal Raleigh, C = light tower big dick donkey power
Best Starter: Luis Castillo is my guy and that's before he threw 7.1 scoreless last night and he said NO MOTORCYLE on Starting 9.
Best Reliever: I think Erik Swanson but who knows with that bullpen
Surprise Guy To Watch: Cal Raleigh even though he's not a surprise to anyone paying attention the last few weeks. The 2018 3rd rounder from Florida State has insane power and already a knack for the dramatic. So maybe not a surprise at all.
Even so, I think the country is still sound asleep on the Mariners. No way the casual baseball fan is going to be prepared for this guy's hacks in primetime. Such a sweet catcher.
Oldest Guy On The Team: Carlos Santana, 36
Youngest Guy On The Team: Julio Rodriguez, 21
Strengths: Too young to care. Too inexperienced to know any better. Stable of dominant righties mixed with Robbie Ray in the rotation. The lineup is a better version of the Rays. You have no idea how most of these got here, but at least you recognize the names. They have spirit and they love each other. It's an awesome team to watch.
Weaknesses: Not a lot of star power in the middle of the lineup. Everyone is solid (except J Rod) but you don't have that group that can dominate a pitching staff. You have to rely more on big moments like most other playoff teams. They have the longest road trips to make so that either hurts or helps if they advance from Wild Card.
My 3 Questions:
1. How good is their pitching staff? It looks like it can compete with anyone but basically no experience to lean on.
2. Can one of these veteran guys that's been traded a thousand times step up and become a household name this October? I listed like 40 of these guys earlier. Any one of them is more than capable of being that guy.
3. DO SOMETHING JERED KELENIC - I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOU
The Mariners can win the World Series If…
George Kirby pitches like a monster when the playoff schedule opens up. Nobody in the lineup gets hurt. Cal Raleigh stays red hot while some of these veterans get going. But honestly I think it's as simple as this. J-Rod can get hot and win games by himself. That's not the highest threshold, but he can do it. And the Mariners can pitch well enough to keep teams off major crooked numbers. Personally I like them very much and that was before they took the first game yesterday. Tough bouncing back in Toronto against Gausman. But overall I like their chances very much to give the Astros hell in the next round should they make it.
For more on the Seattle Mariners and the 2022 Wild Card Series: