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I think Montero's pitch sequences are a huge chunk of the problem causing the comfortable ABs. While it is true that the Mariners have a lot of guys on staff that do not walk many batters...they are, nonetheless, doing just fine on their K rates. The problem can't be that they aren't missing bats and that batters are finding it easy to hit them due to too many strikes...if that were the case, every Mariner would have Verlander 2006 syndrome - big stuff, tiny K rate.
No...I have been watching Montero's pitch sequences...I think Montero is calling an MLB (TM) zeroeth-order game.
On first pitches, he calls the pitch that is most likely to get him to 0-1 (for Felix, that's the sinking change, for Saunders, a located fastball, for Iwakuma, a straight change or located fastball)...if the pitcher misses, he calls the same pitch again, hoping to get to 1-1. If the Pitcher gets ahead 0-1, he calls a different pitch...either changing location or changing pitch type, but generally, it's the pitcher's second-most-reliable offering. For Felix, that's the 4-seamer, for Saunders, the slurve, etc.
On 2-0 or 3-0 counts, he stays away and calls for a located fastball. On 0-2 counts, he always...ALWAYS calls something bendy. Seriously...if you look at his count called rates, his FB% on 0-2 would be like 11% of something.
This is BRAINDEAD...it's no different than Brandon League...and it's really easy for the opposing hitters to know what's coming. You know how I know it's easy? Because I can do it myself. On 0-2 against Carlos Pena in that disaster start for Maurer, I said, "he's behind on the fastball...looking feeble...he should call another one up and away, but he's going to call the slider"...he called the slider, sped up Pena's bat...easy double...and easy call for me.
I think Montero's pitch calling is bad...very bad...and I think that is a huge chunk of the problem.