The Mariners played 27 innings of baseball against the San Diego Padres over the past three days.
They did not hold a lead at any point in any one of those 27 innings, however.
Of the seven runs the Seattle did manage in the three games, five were scored in the sixth inning or later after the Mariners had already trailed by five or more runs.
The closest thing to a bright side is that Seattle is only two games behind the division-leading Athletics, and only four of the 15 teams in the American League currently have a winning record.
What are people excited about: Colt Emerson, the franchise’s top prospect, was called up from Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday and made his major-league debut. He played third, batted ninth and went 0-for-2 with a walk.
Emerson is a key player in Seattle’s future. I do not, however, expect him to be an important player for the big-league club this year. Look at the way Cole Young struggled as a rookie last season. Or Alex Rodriguez back in 1995.
What are people made about: Dan Wilson’s insistence on going to his bench when a left-handed reliever enters the game.
After the Padres summoned Adrian Morejon in the seventh inning of Friday’s game, Wilson pinch hit Connor Joe for Luke Raley. This prompted many Mariners fans to curse and gnash their teeth as Raley leads the team with 10 home runs and Joe is batting .214. Joe walked in his first at-bat.
Two batters later, Rob Refsnyder replaced Dominic Canzone. Canzone has been a thoroughly adequate DH so far this season while Refsnyder has been unambiguously bad. Refsnyder struck out.
The Padres summoned closer Mason Miller to get out of a jam in the eighth. He then struck out Joe in the ninth.
In Wilson’s defense, he’s following the approach the organization has agreed upon, platooning players to get an advantage in individual matchups.
It’s worth considering, however, that the reason Raley doesn’t hit left-handed pitching is because he’s not allowed to hit left-handed pitching. Raley has 119 at-bats this season, the fewest among the 29 players who currently have 10 or more home runs.
Next up: Three-game series vs. Chicago White Sox, starting Monday, May 18, 6:40 Pacific.