2014 Seattle Mariners Schedule Released
By Matthew Gray
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle — the 2014 Seattle Mariners schedule was released on Tuesday, and for the first time in four years – the M’s will face off against the Los Angeles Angels for a three game jaunt in Anaheim, instead of the Coliseum against the Oakland A’s.
This marks the sixth consecutive season starting on the road for the struggling franchise.
The season promises to be a demanding journey, with the Mariners playing 14 of their first 19 games on the road, and 11 of the last 14 games outside of Safeco Field.
The Mariners are also anointed with the daunting task of playing the dreaded “two and two” series against San Diego in June, where they’ll play two in Safeco and then hit the buses for two in San Diego directly afterward with no days off.
Furthermore, the Mariners have a nine game road trip in August that entails visits to Detroit, Boston, and Philadelphia. The MLB scheduling has been harsh on the M’s incessantly, and 2014 is more of that red headed stepchild treatment. The stints away from home to begin and end the year, are threatening if you have hopes of stringing together wins and building synergy.
If you think the Mariners are going to be in the playoff hunt at the end of the year, this schedule certainly doesn’t appease those feelings.
I understand the challenges in making a schedule for 30 Major League teams each year, and with the addition of interleague play it makes the task even more difficult.
Nevertheless – is there an American League West divisional opponent making out the M’s schedule? Seattle is slated to go up against American League West rivals for 22 of the team’s first 25 games.
Somebody show some love!
The home opener is on April 8 against the Angels, and the Mariners have interleague series with the NL East, meaning the Nationals, Braves and Mets will all come to Safeco.
You can check out the full schedule here.