Has your stretch drive turned into a stretch dive?
Have the Seattle Mariners already ruined those visions of September bliss and October euphoria, and your hopes plunged deeper than Richie Sexson’s batting average?
Don’t give up yet, because the Mariners are entering a 10-game stretch of opportunity against teams they can easily beat. One hot streak by the Mariners and a hiccup by the Yankees who play Toronto and Boston on the road this week may revive the wild card race.
See, there is hope.
But just in case you’ve lost it, there’s still plenty to hold your attention the next three weeks if you’re a Mariners fan.
n Ichiro Suzuki and the batting race. Their head-to-head weekend has one more game, but Suzuki and the Tigers’ Magglio Ordonez probably will take their battle for the American League batting title down to the final weekend. They entered the weekend one point apart Ordonez at .353, Suzuki at .352.
n J.J. Putz and a sub-1.50 ERA. The Cy Young talk we heard in the first half of the season has died, along with Putz’s save opportunities during this horrid stretch by the Mariners. He hasn’t had a save or a chance at one since Aug. 24.
Still, Putz can finish with some phenomenal numbers. He entered the weekend with 37 saves, a 1.45 earned run average and a good chance to win the AL saves title provided the Mariners give him another opportunity.
Putz and Bobby Jenks of the White Sox, also at 37 saves, trailed Cleveland’s Joe Borowski, who had 40. Borowski also had an unglamorous 5.50 ERA.
Want some more eye-popping numbers from Putz? He’d allowed 31 hits and 12 walks in 62 innings.
n Will a veteran pitcher rise and lead this team? Rick White obviously wasn’t the answer in relief, and lately nobody else has been, either, in the starting rotation. That’s one reason the bullpen has been so vulnerable lately after being so stout all season.
This is a critical week for the Mariners, and their three elders in the rotation Jarrod Washburn, Jeff Weaver and Miguel Batista must pitch deep into games and keep the score low.
n When all else fails, root for some former Mariners. The division races are full of ex-M’s who are making a difference with their ballclubs. In lieu of men in Mariners uniforms doing something special this month, there are some familiar faces doing interesting things with other teams.
At Arizona, former M’s manager Bob Melvin has kept the Diamondbacks in a season-long fight with the Padres atop the National League West.
At Melvin’s side in the dugout is pitching coach Bryan Price, chomping on his bubblegum and twirling a stopwatch around his fingers just like he did with the Mariners.
And right there with them is none other than Jeff Cirillo, the embattled former M’s third baseman who is trying to resurrect his career with the Diamondbacks OK, there’s still Melvin and Price to pull for.
At Chicago, Lou Piniella has the Cubs believing in themselves and nosing toward an NL Central title, employing the same managerial touch he used to turn the Mariners from perennial losers to division champions.
At St. Louis, the Cardinals are keeping up with Piniella and the Cubs, and a couple of ex-Mariners are prominent in that drive.
Relief pitcher Ryan Franklin, who detested working out of the bullpen with the Mariners, has found considerable joy and a 1.93 ERA entering a weekend series at Arizona in a setup role.
Joel Pineiro, who never developed into the star starting pitcher the Mariners and their fans had hoped, has made a difference down the stretch for the Cardinals in a good way. He’s 4-2 with a 3.63 ERA going into Monday night’s start at Chicago.
At New York, Alex Rodriguez not only is helping pull the Yankees back into playoff position, he’s running away with the American League MVP award.
OK, there’s still Melvin and Price to root for.
Kirby Arnold covers the Mariners for The Herald. His book, “Tales from the Seattle Mariners Dugout,” is available at all major booksellers.
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