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Great post!  Last year's April was actually pretty decent.  But yeah, we stumbled out of the gate, getting swept in Texas.  But we recovered, and entering April 30 last season we were 11-11, holding our own AND now we had Cliff Lee(!) taking the mound.  Ready to make our move:  the hitting, while nothing to write home about, was decent.  Ichiro, Guti, even Milton and Kotchman were stroking the ball well and making it work, more or less.  Our problems seemed to really be guys like RSS and Snell - and the great Lee would take care of that nuisance. 
As it turned out, it was the activation of Lee that immediately preceeded our implosion.  To your point, Doc, had Lee been given just a smidge of offense that glorious first night he took the mound as a Mariner, perhaps things would have been different. 
And we weren't even looking for Branyan bomb, or a Griffey heroic. We were merely looking for a highly regarded benchman named Eric Byrnes to drop a friggin bunt. After all, pitching, good defense and small ball were going to be our meal ticket.  But that, right there, was the moment we lost our confidence. 
The Mariners have had many a good April, and ended up with a real lousy season.  I remember a 7-1 start in 1984 with guys like Phil Bradley, Alvin Davis, Ken Phelps, Jim Presley, Mark Langston, Mike Moore, and Jim Beatty exciting the fan base.  Serious talent.  By the end of May: 4 games below .500 and we were getting ready to deal Spike and Hendu.
Anyway, I love a good April.  But give me a good May!