Sometimes the first draft didn't turn out to be quite what you'd envisioned

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Q.  What about Taijuan?

A.  OK, let's say your take is different than mine.  You think that Paxton and Hultzen got work to do.  Agree to disagree.  Then what's the story on Taijuan Walker?  He's got only 11 walks on the year and his motion is set, too.  What's the excuse for his not being in Safeco?

If it's innings load, fine and dandy.  Let him do a Santana out of the bullpen for two months - next year too; the M's had Santana in and out of the pen for three years.  The electricity off the buzz would have the effect of helping re-boot...

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Q.  Is the offense in crisis?

A.  Here's a personal grok.  I know, I know, we're supposed to be showing our work.  Here on SSI, it's a baseball chat, not a summary argument in a court of law, and not a work sample disguised as a HBT "study".

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The unreliable character of the pitching is making these young hitters look as though they're in crisis.  They never have any sense that production will be rewarded.

The Mariners have eight (8) different young hitters who are producing, producing anywhere from 90 to 120 on the OPS+ scale.  It's not the 1961 Yankees but their young hitters are hanging tough.  C'mon, that's eight different guys who are sticking their noses into the pitch and taking good cuts.

Ackley's on a 13-game hit streak.  Seager's slugging .450 and he's a middle infielder.  Ichiro's on pace for 4-5 WAR.  Wells, Montero, and Jaso are hitting well.  At 100 and 106 OPS+ respectively, Saunders and Liddi have about twenty times the OPS+ that last year's CF and 3B did.

It says here that the Mariners have three lousy starting pitchers, guys whose ERA's run from 5.08 to 6.32 to a rickety 4.38 in Safeco, they have a busted closer, they have several Ayalas and Spoljarics in the bullpen ... and we are interpreting this to mean that the position players are a blinkin' lost cause.

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Q.  You're blaming the bullpen for offensive woes?  C'mon.

A.  There is a certain jittery quality that manfests in your young hitters when they expect no lead to ever be good enough.  You'll recall that, in April, SSI grokked that the bullpen was held together with baling wire and duct tape?  Why, what don't you like about the bullpen, ye sez?

This season has had a different look since the blown 8-1 lead over Cleveland.  This ain't Dr. D's opinion alone.  Point of evidence:  why do you think that ballplayers and managers endorse the idea of paying $50M to a "closer"?  Every single one of them, in uniform, will tell you "we need to know that when our bullpen door opens up, the game's over."  You think closers make $10M per year for nothing?  They're paid for the chemistry they provide.

Gimme last year's rotation and pen, with these young lefties, and I'll take my chances.  Or gimme this year's real rotation...

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Q.  Leaving us where?

A.  Needing a correct diagnosis of the problemos.  It's the pitching, not the hitting.

They could use a Straw That Stirs, no doubt.  But out on the field, you got a bunch of players you could win your next pennant with.  Nothing wrong with the Mariners, the 2012 Mariners even, that a string of lockdown pitching performances wouldn't fix.

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My $0.03,

Dr D