It would be hard to find a team that has been a bigger disappointment vs. the baseball lines so far this season than the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners were thought to be a team that could win the American League West this season. That no longer looks to be the case as the Mariners may end up below .500 vs. the baseball odds when all is said and done.
Baseball lines listed Seattle right with the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West this season. The Mariners were thought to have a great one-two duo of Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee and a lineup that could score some runs with Chone Figgins and Milton Bradley. The Mariners have gotten very little out of Lee and Figgins and Bradley was placed on the restricted list due to personal problems. If not for the Angels being a notch below where they normally are, the Mariners would already be out of the race.
The Mariners made some questionable off-season moves. Picking up Lee looked to be a good move but what many people forget is that Lee was only a .500 pitcher in the American League last season before going to the Phillies. He dominated the National League but he has had his ups and downs vs. the baseball lines in the American League.
The Mariners got Chone Figgins in the off-season and he was supposed to improve their run scoring but having two players at the top of the order that are slap hitters has not worked. Ichiro Suzuki is a singles hitter and so is Figgins. Neither has much power and there is nothing in the lineup behind them. Bradley has been a major bust but the Mariners should have seen that coming. Seattle has said they are sticking with Bradley for now as he works through his problems. “The process has started. We’re together with Milton and his agency group and we’re forming a partnership to help him get through this thing,” Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “The timeframe has yet to be determined. I don’t know the answer to this because I’m not a professional in this field.” Baseball odds numbers indicate that Bradley is hitting .214 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 21 games. The Mariners really don’t know what to do with Bradley but they are being supportive. “We’re just happy we’re going down this road right now and getting him some help,” manager Don Wakamatsu said.