The 2016 Seattle Mariners: Cautious Optimism
By Todd Pheifer
In case you were wondering, my fantasy baseball team name is the same every year. That name is Cautious Optimism.
I realize that this information is unlikely to make your day more productive, but I bring it up for one particular reason. My feelings on the 2016 Seattle Mariners are in line with that team name.
Cautious optimism, emphasis on the cautious.
If I were writing an article about the Seattle Seahawks, I would be talking about how deep they will go in the playoffs next season. Certainly the ‘Hawks could miss the playoffs because even great teams have down years and tough losses. However, the Seahawks are currently amongst the NFL elite, and it is very reasonable to expect them to contend for another Super Bowl. The Seahawks have created high expectations in the last few years, and the fans have responded with a strong sense of excitement going into each new season.
Cautious optimism
The Mariners? Not so much. Sadly, the fan base has almost forgotten what it is like for the Mariners to be in the playoffs. You say “Mariners” and “playoffs” in the same sentence and for some reason they don’t seem to go together.
There are obvious reasons for this mindset. The Mariners have logged 37 seasons in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and they have been in the playoffs exactly four times. Not exactly a perennial powerhouse. For those of you who are old enough to remember, the M’s were last in the playoffs during the epic, 116-win 2001 season. To be fair, the Mariners did win 93 games in 2002 and 2003, but the AL West was very tough in that era.
This brings us back to 2016. David Schoenfield of ESPN wrote an encouraging piece about how the Mariners could be a surprise team in 2016. You will notice that he used those key words of “could” and “surprise.” If you read between the lines, he is essentially saying that you can be optimistic, but don’t get your hopes too high.
Cautious optimism.
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
Vegas has given the Mariners 40-1 odds of winning the World Series. Not as bad as the Phillies and Braves at 500-1, but 40-1 is not a number that gets you particularly excited. Granted, Vegas doesn’t know everything, and a lot can happen in a long baseball season. Still, those odds do mean something.
So where does that leave us? Truthfully, we are in the same spot we have been for a number of years. If everyone plays up to their WAR, the Mariners could be a contender. If stars slump or get hurt, we could be looking at an extension of the playoff drought.
Baseball season is fun to anticipate, and the Mariners do have a shot this year. Fans should protect their hearts, lest they get broken again. However, there is reason for optimism in 2016. Cautious optimism.