Wednesday, September 24, 2003
MEANING
I've said to Jeremy quite a few times since the Mariners lost the division lead to Oakland that "this win doesn't mean anything if they don't win tomorrow" after wins like the first big inning back at the Safe. Such is what I would say when the Mariners needed a must-win, much like they did tonight. And the game before that. And the game before that (rinse and repeat as needed).
That said, let's look at the Mariners' streaks after the All-Star break when the Mariners were 58-35 going in. This will be from July 17 at Kansas City until now. I know it's not an exact segue, but hell, it'll still make you sick after I'm done with this.
Jul 17 (@KC): L 1
Jul 18 (@KC): W 1
Jul 19-21 (2 @KC, @MIN): L 3
Jul 22-23 (@MIN, OAK): W 2
Jul 24 (OAK): L 1
Jul 25-26 (2 TEX): W 2
Jul 27-28 (2 TEX): L 2
Jul 29-31 (3 DET): W 3
Aug 1 (CHW): L 1
Aug 2-5 (2 CHW, @CLE): W 3
Aug 6-8 (2 @CLE, @NYY): L 3
Aug 9-10 (2 @NYY): W 2
Aug 11 (TOR): L 1
Aug 12-13 (2 TOR): W 2
Aug 14 (TOR): L 1
Aug 15 (BOS): W 1
Aug 16 (BOS): L 1
Aug 17-19 (BOS, @TOR): W 2
Aug 20-25 (2 @TOR, 4 @BOS): L 6
Aug 26 (TB): W 1
Aug 27-28 (2 TB): L 2
Aug 29-Sep 2 (3 BAL, @ TB): W 4
Sep 3-4 (2 @TB): L 2
Sep 5 (@ BAL): W 1
Sep 6-9 (2 @BAL, TEX): L 3
Sep 10-13 (2 TEX, 2 ANA): W 4
Sep 14-16 (ANA, 2 @TEX): L 3
Sep 17 (@TEX): W 1
Sep 18 (@TEX): L 1
Sep 19-20 (2 @OAK): W 2
Sep 21 (@OAK): L 1
Sep 22 (@ANA): W 1
Sep 23 (@ANA): L 1
Winning streaks: two 4-game streaks, two 3-game streaks, six 2-game streaks, six singles.
Losing streaks: nine singles, three 2-gamers, four 3-gamers, one 6-gamer.
They're 32-33 since the break. WAY TO GO!
Yes, the pitching's been pretty great all year. The only time they slipped up, it was the entire turn through the rotation that sucked and that was around Aug 25th, the date that the A's caught the Mariners in the standings. On the 25th of August, the Mariners had just gotten swept in Boston. They never sniffed first place again. And I knew they wouldn't; THAT is the sick part. The Mariners had their lead hover around 4 or 5 games over the A's for a couple weeks before that, but once it got to three, it all went downhill because suddenly Oakland WASN'T losing on the same days that the Mariners were.
I think David Locke of KJR brought up what I'm about to talk about. This really wasn't a pennant race. This was more of a pennant slip-away. A "pennant race" is when you have a bunch of ups and downs, and your team gains ground and loses ground from day to day and it's a rollercoaster. These Mariners went from August 13th to September 19th (Oakland lost on a Mariner off day Sept 8th) before they gained ground on the A's on a day in which they actually played a friggin game. THAT IS NOT A PENNANT RACE. THAT'S OVER A MONTH WHERE THE TEAM DIDN'T GAIN AT ALL.
Believe it. It's over. Move on. And don't even THINK of holding on to the Wild Card. One, the Mariners have to sweep the A's. Two, the Red Sox have three in Tampa Bay. Read that again: TAMPA BAY. Now, usually you'd just think about strength of schedule -- of course Boston should beat Tampa Bay. The clear factor for me, though: LOU CAN STICK IT TO THE MARINERS FRONT OFFICE ONE LAST TIME. If he's smart, he will have his team lay down for the Red Sox, improvement over last year be damned. Hell, Texas and Anaheim have laid down for Oakland a bunch of times down the stretch -- OAKLAND IS 10-2 AGAINST TEXAS AND ANAHEIM THIS MONTH. I have just made myself sick putting down that stat.
Goodnight, everyone. I have class in 7.5 hours.
That said, let's look at the Mariners' streaks after the All-Star break when the Mariners were 58-35 going in. This will be from July 17 at Kansas City until now. I know it's not an exact segue, but hell, it'll still make you sick after I'm done with this.
Jul 17 (@KC): L 1
Jul 18 (@KC): W 1
Jul 19-21 (2 @KC, @MIN): L 3
Jul 22-23 (@MIN, OAK): W 2
Jul 24 (OAK): L 1
Jul 25-26 (2 TEX): W 2
Jul 27-28 (2 TEX): L 2
Jul 29-31 (3 DET): W 3
Aug 1 (CHW): L 1
Aug 2-5 (2 CHW, @CLE): W 3
Aug 6-8 (2 @CLE, @NYY): L 3
Aug 9-10 (2 @NYY): W 2
Aug 11 (TOR): L 1
Aug 12-13 (2 TOR): W 2
Aug 14 (TOR): L 1
Aug 15 (BOS): W 1
Aug 16 (BOS): L 1
Aug 17-19 (BOS, @TOR): W 2
Aug 20-25 (2 @TOR, 4 @BOS): L 6
Aug 26 (TB): W 1
Aug 27-28 (2 TB): L 2
Aug 29-Sep 2 (3 BAL, @ TB): W 4
Sep 3-4 (2 @TB): L 2
Sep 5 (@ BAL): W 1
Sep 6-9 (2 @BAL, TEX): L 3
Sep 10-13 (2 TEX, 2 ANA): W 4
Sep 14-16 (ANA, 2 @TEX): L 3
Sep 17 (@TEX): W 1
Sep 18 (@TEX): L 1
Sep 19-20 (2 @OAK): W 2
Sep 21 (@OAK): L 1
Sep 22 (@ANA): W 1
Sep 23 (@ANA): L 1
Winning streaks: two 4-game streaks, two 3-game streaks, six 2-game streaks, six singles.
Losing streaks: nine singles, three 2-gamers, four 3-gamers, one 6-gamer.
They're 32-33 since the break. WAY TO GO!
Yes, the pitching's been pretty great all year. The only time they slipped up, it was the entire turn through the rotation that sucked and that was around Aug 25th, the date that the A's caught the Mariners in the standings. On the 25th of August, the Mariners had just gotten swept in Boston. They never sniffed first place again. And I knew they wouldn't; THAT is the sick part. The Mariners had their lead hover around 4 or 5 games over the A's for a couple weeks before that, but once it got to three, it all went downhill because suddenly Oakland WASN'T losing on the same days that the Mariners were.
I think David Locke of KJR brought up what I'm about to talk about. This really wasn't a pennant race. This was more of a pennant slip-away. A "pennant race" is when you have a bunch of ups and downs, and your team gains ground and loses ground from day to day and it's a rollercoaster. These Mariners went from August 13th to September 19th (Oakland lost on a Mariner off day Sept 8th) before they gained ground on the A's on a day in which they actually played a friggin game. THAT IS NOT A PENNANT RACE. THAT'S OVER A MONTH WHERE THE TEAM DIDN'T GAIN AT ALL.
Believe it. It's over. Move on. And don't even THINK of holding on to the Wild Card. One, the Mariners have to sweep the A's. Two, the Red Sox have three in Tampa Bay. Read that again: TAMPA BAY. Now, usually you'd just think about strength of schedule -- of course Boston should beat Tampa Bay. The clear factor for me, though: LOU CAN STICK IT TO THE MARINERS FRONT OFFICE ONE LAST TIME. If he's smart, he will have his team lay down for the Red Sox, improvement over last year be damned. Hell, Texas and Anaheim have laid down for Oakland a bunch of times down the stretch -- OAKLAND IS 10-2 AGAINST TEXAS AND ANAHEIM THIS MONTH. I have just made myself sick putting down that stat.
Goodnight, everyone. I have class in 7.5 hours.
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