It is on the players now. Jerry delivered.

[Sexymarinersfan]

Need more bullpen help. It's been one of the biggest factors into being so mediocre this season. Go get Mason Miller!

Harry Ford, Hancock, Morales! Get it done!!

[Seattle or Bust]

Replying to a few points raised here:

1) Cal not being part of those to blame if the M's don't make the playoffs: the next part of his game he needs to elevate is his leadership. It's cute and all that he said he felt amazing that they traded for Geno... I wish he would have said, "it's awesome that they went and got Geno. I am stoked about that. But we just dropped 2 of 3 to a team that shouldn't be in games with us. This team will be better with Geno on it... but I need to be better, everyone needs to be better, and I am going to make sure that happens."

2) Jerry put us in this position to begin with: the Astros are down their 4 best players and have been hobbled for the better part of a month. Their players, ones who do not sniff what the M's have talent wise, have elevated their mentals and play to keep the Astros in front. The Mariners, despite some holes, have underperformed. There is no way the M's should only be 5 games over .500 and 5 back in this division. That is on the players, not Jerry.

3) Yeah, but Jerry needs to add to the bullpen: funny, I just watched an A's bullpen and Angels bullpen with shit for pitchers just flat out shut the M's down late in games this whole road trip. The M's have 4 really good back end relievers in Bazardo, Spierer, Brash, Munoz... how many other teams in baseball can say that? Does he need to add another arm? Probably. Do the pitchers currently on the roster need to elevate their performance, fuck yes.

Again, like I said, this all boils down to the players elevating their games. There are no excuses anymore. If they can't get it done, look squarely in their eyes and call them the failures they are.

[Michael K.]

Replying to a few points raised here:

1) Cal not being part of those to blame if the M's don't make the playoffs: the next part of his game he needs to elevate is his leadership. It's cute and all that he said he felt amazing that they traded for Geno... I wish he would have said, "it's awesome that they went and got Geno. I am stoked about that. But we just dropped 2 of 3 to a team that shouldn't be in games with us. This team will be better with Geno on it... but I need to be better, everyone needs to be better, and I am going to make sure that happens."

I think after the last time Cal called out the FO publicly? He does his talking behind closed doors. It was mentioned today that he said something to the effect of "this is exactly what we talked about this off season." He also fired Boras. He bought in to what they told him, and it was all handled behind closed doors. That's my opinion anyway.

2) Jerry put us in this position to begin with: the Astros are down their 4 best players and have been hobbled for the better part of a month. Their players, ones who do not sniff what the M's have talent wise, have elevated their mentals and play to keep the Astros in front. The Mariners, despite some holes, have underperformed. There is no way the M's should only be 5 games over .500 and 5 back in this division. That is on the players, not Jerry.

Could not agree more. It's like all the times that Pete and Russ got credited for late game heroics, or all the bullshit talk about how "they had the ball with a chance to win in the end, that's all you can ask." My response was always...fuck no, I can ask you to not take three quarters of football to decide to play offense! Jerry could have built a team that was ready to win in March. Instead? They went on the cheap, knowing that paying rentals starting in August is cheaper than paying for them for the entire season. NOW? If it doesn't work, they can pretend they did everything they could, when in reality they entered this season with a team not even as good as the one from the year before that missed the playoffs.

3) Yeah, but Jerry needs to add to the bullpen: funny, I just watched an A's bullpen and Angels bullpen with shit for pitchers just flat out shut the M's down late in games this whole road trip. The M's have 4 really good back end relievers in Bazardo, Spierer, Brash, Munoz... how many other teams in baseball can say that? Does he need to add another arm? Probably. Do the pitchers currently on the roster need to elevate their performance, fuck yes.

Again, like I said, this all boils down to the players elevating their games. There are no excuses anymore. If they can't get it done, look squarely in their eyes and call them the failures they are.

Agreed. But this has to change the mindset of those players right? A few years ago we ended up completely deflated after the biggest win of the season because they made a trade to the team in the other Clubhouse that we were chasing. The next year they made a big move for a stud starter, and we rode that into the playoffs. IMO? Adding these two bats is bigger than adding Castillo, and far bigger than adding Arozarena. I think it helps us not only on the field, but with their approach. And think of how much longer the lineup is now?

My biggest beef with this is the entire philosophy that we need to wait until August to make this team good enough. That wasn't the case, they just didn't want to spend. Which is a giant slap in the face to the fan base they have been lying to for the entirety of this rebuild.

[seattlefan-daBronx]

What I love about it is not even Dan can screw up the lineups.

1 thru 7 or 8 is going to be pretty solid every night.

That's why I want so badly some more bullpen arms. Look at the Mets and Phillies. They are stocking.

IF Kirby and a Gilbert cannot go 5 or 6 innings at least you've got a bridge or two to Brash/Munoz.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

Yeah i don't agree with the notion that it's incumbent on the weak links in the bullpen or lineup to elevate their games. They are what they are. It sounds like the TS wants to take all responsibility off the management/ownership if this season doesn't end well. Personally i think it's foolish to expect Suarez to continue playing at the level he has so far this season for Arizona, or even Cal not to drop off somewhat. What they need is JP and Julio to perform up to their abilities and everyone else to keep producing at their norms. And if they fall short a lot of blame should go on the FO.

[Southpaw773]

Then there’s getting better within. I think a couple guys could come up to replace the weakest links in Seattle. And hopefully they find a new batting order.

[Juliooooo]

The biggest problem mariners have is that they have too many lefties at the bottom of the lineup. It makes for a really easy switch to a lefty late in the game, and it’s not like they have anyone to bring off the bench to hit against those lefties either.

Julio
Naylor
Cal
Geno
Randy
Then you have
Polo (who is much worse against lefties)
Canzone
Young
JP

Are you going to put Arozerana lower in the lineup to break that up? Hopefully Robles comes back strong and can help for the last few weeks and (fingers crossed) playoffs.

[DanielVogelbach]

They went on the cheap, knowing that paying rentals starting in August is cheaper than paying for them for the entire season. NOW? If it doesn't work, they can pretend they did everything they could, when in reality they entered this season with a team not even as good as the one from the year before that missed the playoffs.

My biggest beef with this is the entire philosophy that we need to wait until August to make this team good enough. That wasn't the case, they just didn't want to spend. Which is a giant slap in the face to the fan base they have been lying to for the entirety of this rebuild.

Who were they supposed to sign in the offseason?

The goal is to win the World Series. All that matters is the team you have after the deadline and take into the post season. You can have the foresight to realize you have enough talent and prospects to end up in a buyer's situation at the deadline. They ended up with Geno Suarez and Josh Naylor. Are you kidding me? I'm not sure how much of a dice roll it was. But, there's no way it could've ended up any better.

It ended up with the most exciting transaction in the history of the franchise. I put this one ahead of signing Robbie Cano.

I remember watching Geno on the Ms, and I thought he put up the most professional ABs on the team. He is replacing Williamson. This just seems so massive on paper. The pressure this is going to put on opposing pitchers. The excitement for the fans that already loved the guy from his previous time as a Mariner. He can help Naylor adjust, since they know each other from Arizona.

Whatever you wanted Jerry to do in the offseason, you can't complain now. This team is now STACKED.

[AZOldDawg]

We still have plenty of prospects. We still could use a difference making reliever

[DanielVogelbach]

Woo
Castillo
Gilbert
Kirby

Bryce Miller can be bullpen for the post season