The 2015 Seattle Mariners: Managing Expectations

Apr 13, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Nelson Cruz (23) celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in an interleague game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Mariners lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers last night, 6-5. I am in Los Angeles, but I didn’t get to watch the game because the cable companies are still busy perfecting their displays of greed. Capitalism is a nice economic system until rich people decide not to share…at all. But, I digress.

You can’t win them all, right? A baseball season is very long and there are a lot of ups and downs. One game your team looks like a World Series contender. The next game you cover your face with your hands and do some mental math in your head as you calculate the days left until football season.

More from Emerald City Swagger

• Seattle Seahawks: To rest or not to rest, that is the question
• Washington State Football: What you need to know for 2018 Alamo Bowl
• Washington Basketball: 3 takeaways from Huskies win over Sacramento St.
• Seattle Seahawks: 12s still waiting to exhale
• Seattle Seahawks: 4 Takeaways from 26-23 Loss to the 49ers

The Mariners are doing…okay. A 3-4 record is not horrible, but it certainly isn’t what we would label as a fast start. One word comes to mind. That word is “meh.”

Sure, the mighty M’s showed some resiliency after winning two straight extra-inning games. They almost made it three extra-frame wins last night. Maybe today they will stick with a standard nine innings, just for something different.

Last night, the Mariners put on a display of power. Unfortunately, they forgot to put men on base before swinging for the fences. Five runs from four homers is hardly a good use of the long ball. At least we’re getting our money’s worth from Nelson Cruz thus far, at least in terms of dingers.

The Mariners are doing…okay.

Sadly, the Mariners are having trouble at the plate. Haven’t we seen this movie before? Seattle has a .197 team batting average (28th) and a .237 on-base percentage (30th). Yep, those are our M’s.

Admittedly, it is early. Seven games does not a season make. At 3-4, the Mariners are only a half game back in an American League West that could prove to be a rather tight division.

For now, we’ll leave the Mariners in the “cautious optimism” category (Also my fantasy baseball team name). Until they start putting more men on base, it is hard to get more excited than that.

Next: Seattle Mariners: Five Shocking Stats Through Week One