And Then There Were Two

by Matthew on Sep 25, 2008 10:26 PM PDT in Seattle Mariners Game Recaps

Tonight's loss means that even if we were to sweep Oakland and the Padres went on to lose their final four games (of which they're about to win one of those anyways), the best the Padres could do would be to match our record. Since the tiebreaker for draft position goes to the team with the worse record in the previous year and Seattle (88-74) had a worse record than San Diego (89-74) that means the tiebreaker goes to us.

It's down to Seattle and Washington now for first overall. With Washington's washout tonight that almost certainly will not be made up, Seattle gained an important half game on the Nationals. With three games to play, the records stand at:

Seattle Mariners: 58-101
Washington Nats: 59-99

The Nats have the tiebreaker over us, but since they'll only play 161 games this year, that's not going to come into play. Three games remain and we now have a 1.5 game lead meaning we have a one game cushion back. If we drop at least two games to Oakland than the first pick is ours regardless of what Washington does.

Tweet Comment 44 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Finally some breathing room.

9=8

by JI on Sep 25, 2008 10:24 PM PDT reply actions

There's a chance that tomorrow

we can snag the number one pick and the Rays can clinch the AL East.

Oh my, oh my.

by BrianL on Sep 25, 2008 10:25 PM PDT reply actions

Let's hope Silva starts a game.

The road to hell is paved with Mariners.

by .Taylor on Sep 25, 2008 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

Let's pencil him in to start all four

Just to be on the safe side.

by Alex B on Sep 26, 2008 1:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks for making everything oh so clear!!

Kids, we are in a race!

So we might be able to actually root for our team the last game of the season…

by Smith18 on Sep 25, 2008 10:37 PM PDT reply actions

What is the tiebreaker? Divisional record? League record?

by Bodhizefa on Sep 25, 2008 10:42 PM PDT reply actions

With the game cancellation, there isn't one, the Nats will only play 161 games

by edddgar on Sep 25, 2008 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Is reading the post so very hard?

by Graham MacAree on Sep 25, 2008 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions

I can read ;)

I understand there won’t be a tiebreaker. That’s not what I asked. I asked what the tiebreaker was since you mention the fact that the Nationals would have held the tiebreaker but you don’t actually mention what that hold entailed.

by Bodhizefa on Sep 25, 2008 11:59 PM PDT up reply actions

Since the tiebreaker for draft position goes to the team with the worse record in the previous year

by Jeff Sullivan on Sep 26, 2008 12:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Guess I can't read...

I’m a moron, and thanks for the response.

Maybe it really is time to upgrade the ol’ glasses prescription again…

by Bodhizefa on Sep 26, 2008 1:03 AM PDT up reply actions

Impossible to tie it is.

by ThundaPC on Sep 25, 2008 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions

I walked past the Mariners team store in Bell Square tonight

And yelled “Viva Strasburg” at the lonely employee lounging at the counter and watching USC get upset by OSU. He threw me an air-fist-bump. It was a great moment.

Free Stephen "Awesome" Strasburg!

by seattlecougar on Sep 25, 2008 10:57 PM PDT reply actions

I get the feeling that we'll lose the #1 pick on the last day of the season.

It will be so Mariners.

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Sep 25, 2008 11:31 PM PDT reply actions

stopitstopitstopit

by BrianL on Sep 25, 2008 11:33 PM PDT up reply actions

`

by BrianL on Sep 25, 2008 11:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Let me for once be excited about something

Determined, Jonesing Commentor | Proud proprietor of Corcotopia and Washingtonhighways.org

by Corco on Sep 25, 2008 11:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Bloomquist

Willie’s hamstring will miraculously recover and he’ll hit a walk-off grand slam in his final act as a Seattle Mariner.

by Alex B on Sep 26, 2008 1:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Unfortunately not possible

since they put him on the 60 day DL. It would be appropriate though.

by appleshampoo on Sep 26, 2008 1:23 AM PDT up reply actions

My only solace for such a moment:

Grant Green’s not a bad consolation prize.

by Gomez on Sep 26, 2008 8:26 AM PDT up reply actions

The magic number is 2!

by Nick S on Sep 25, 2008 11:32 PM PDT reply actions

I can't believe this is actually happening.

by OlSalty on Sep 25, 2008 11:33 PM PDT reply actions

5-18 in September

These guys pulled it together to fall apart.

by ThundaPC on Sep 25, 2008 11:40 PM PDT reply actions

Rally Rats!

by Jordan of Boise on Sep 26, 2008 1:12 AM PDT up reply actions

I think Riggleman actually did something right, if unintentionally

I don’t know if he’s been trying to lose with the lineups he’s put out there since the rosters expanded or what, but the consequence of those horrible lineups has been losses which is good. It’s possible they’ve been trying to win and just failing hilariously at it, or maybe they just finally figured out it would benefit them more to lose right now.

Or maybe it’s just that the Mariners upper farm system sucks a lot worse than the Nationals system and since both teams are playing a large portion of those players now we are a legitimately worse team.

by OlSalty on Sep 26, 2008 1:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Come on Mariners, let's not blow this. Lineup as follows, please:

Jeremy Reed – LF
Miguel Cairo – RF
Matt Tuiasosopo – 3B
Bryan LaHair – 1B
Yuniseky Betancourt – DH
Luis Valbuena – 2B
Tug Hulett – SS
Rob Johnson – C
Wladimir Balentien – CF

by Alex B on Sep 26, 2008 1:33 AM PDT reply actions