Mariner warts on display

The team has played all of two games and is 1-1. It is way too early to start making changes to anyones thoughts on the team after two games, and anyone who's opinion has changed already probably didn't think things through very well in the first place.

After the opening day win, many fans were super excited and thinking ahead to the playoffs(!). After the next days loss, all of a sudden people are panicking and finding reasons to assign blame. It's funny how even in a 162 game schedule, as humans we put so much into every game.

Last nights blown save by Putz isn't going to happen all that often. Texas' pitching sucks, but they have a nice offense and you can't expect to win many games without doing some hitting yourself. It's too bad the game was as close as it was, and this is where the warts many have been yelling about reared their ugly head.

• The offense is just a repeat of last year- we have harped on Bavasi and his plan of only upgrading the pitching staff all winter, and basically taking the offense for granted. This is the same, no power, singles hitting team we saw in '07. They get a lot of hits, but often don't score a lot of runs. Talking about "putting the game in motion" is just talk. Actually scoring runs consistently takes more than that.
  
• George was really good in the pen last year- we often hear the media talking about who would "replace" Sherrill. The fact is, no one on the roster is replacing him. There is a reason Baltimore wanted him in the trade for Bedard.
• Sexson is not winning comeback player of the year- some day, the Seattle Mariners might understand the concept of "sunk cost." That time has yet to come.
• Proper bench usage- some day, the Seattle Mariners might understand the concept of a "bench." That time has yet to come.
• Defense- if fans want any evidence of why defense is important, just watch Michael Young play the field for Texas. As good as his bat is at Arlington, it is literally erased by his fielding. And to think they are paying him the money they are... But anyway, the Mariners have made some pretty boneheaded plays in the field already (not to mention the basepaths). If they want to play like the champs many think they are, the defense has to improve immediately.

Texas can hit, and the Mariners found that out last night. Bring the bats, because the "pitching wins championships" crap we hear all the time is completely untrue and counterproductive to any real discussion on building a team.

I still expect this team to be in first place at the end of April, but last night some warts were exposed. The team isn't going to try removing them in one month, but lets see if the fans have the same patience.