Ok, this isn't really a defense of these two players per se as much as it is my own mental justification as to why they continued to receive playing time as starters while struggling.

I am not trying to pick a fight here, I would like to offer some potential reasoning and hear what you think.  To be fair I haven't really heard this reasoning from McClaren or anyone else, so I'm probably just trying to justify Mariners actions in my own mind, so be it.

Okay, here's the theory:

Lets presume that the Mariners would do better and would have done better with BB at first base and AJ in left field (not a big leap).  So they take that action and play out the season, catch the Angels and win the west.

Now we're in the playoffs and here's where the problem is.  Each game is of vital importance in the playoffs and having a good bench is important to add to flexibility during games.  But now the Mariners bench is terrible! are you ever ever ever going to pinch hit Richie or Raul after you benched them during a terrible slump?  How are you going to use those players off the bench? you can't.

But it still seems really stupid to keep two players starting with the interest of keeping your bench good.  How could it matter how good your bench is if you can't win with your starters anyway?  Well, fundamentally I think it comes down to this gambit:

The Mariners will not win in the playoffs this year unless Richie and Raul are at least playing decent baseball.  Period.  They cannot do it (wrong? maybe, but I think this is a reasonable management position).

The only way to get them to play decent baseball and to know if they are turning it around is to play them on a semi regular basis now (especially the earlier it is the season).  

So Management seems willing to take a risk.  They will lower their chance of making the playoffs (by playing these guys) but at the same time increase the chance of winning in the playoffs (by hoping these players improve).

Does this make sense to anyone?  It's how I justify some of the player decision that have been made this season.