Dear Seattle Mariners: Please Don’t Disappoint Me Again
By Todd Pheifer
uApr 21, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; The Seattle Mariners celebrate after the Mariners scored two runs against the Houston Astros off a double hit by Seattle Mariners center fielder Abraham Almonte (36) (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Mariners are off to a subpar start this season. Many projected the mighty M’s to eventually land in fourth place, and they have indeed managed to find their way to this familiar location in the standings.
Is this the best that this team has to offer?
I try not to be a greedy person in life and I work to appreciate that which I have received.
Writing about a favorite team can be a challenge at times, simply because one has to balance objectivity with a desire for the franchise to get better. Throughout my life as a fan of Seattle sports, I have tried to maintain simple desires.
Namely, I want one championship from each of my favorite professional teams. This includes the Seattle SuperSonics (may they rest in NBA jail until their glorious return), the Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners.
Seattle SuperSonics: Done. The year was 1979, and the Sonics finished off the Washington Bullets for their first and only NBA championship. It was a glorious year and I remember it well. Good times.
Seattle Seahawks: Also, done. It has obviously been a fantastic year for professional football in Seattle. The ‘Hawks had a magical season and a decisive win in Super Bowl XLVIII. I remain grateful for that win, and while I will certainly take more titles, I refuse to get greedy and expect a dynasty.
Seattle Mariners: You’re up, M’s. Are you going to bring a World Series title to the Emerald City? Based on the current team and the prospects for the future, things aren’t looking all that promising.
Is it really too much to ask for one championship? The fans of the New York Yankees expect to win a championship every year, and they have 27. I could get off on a tangent and talk about the economic structure in baseball that allows teams to basically spend whatever they want. I could rip the Yankees and the Yankees West (Los Angeles Dodgers). I could question whether many of those Yankees titles back in the day were really legit.
But, we won’t go there for now. I’ll stick with the original point, which is my wish for one title from my beloved Mariners. The baseball season is very long, and it is even longer when you realize in April that your team will be fortunate to be contending in May.
It’s not easy being a Mariners fan sometimes. Loyalty is a wonderful quality, but sometimes it can be hard to stick with your favorite franchise.
The 2014 Seattle Mariners may get rolling and surprise some people, but if they are mediocre again it won’t be a shock. I’m going to stay with this team through thick and thin, but it is hard not to think about the mid-1990s and wonder what might have been.
Let’s go, Mariners! Make me proud. Maybe in 2014 you could give the fans a reason to hope for the future.