- Through eight games, the Mariners have the lowest team OBP in the Majors. This is due in no small part to the fact that they also have the lowest P/PA ratio. Some of the problem is that they've faced a pretty strong group of pitchers, but still, this lineup just does not draw walks. That they've scored more runs per game than all but three other teams so far is a minor miracle, and it's a pace that won't continue until someone besides Kenji starts swinging a hot bat.
- At the same time, the pitching hasn't been as bad as it's looked. If someone asked you to name the staff that's allowed the fewest line drives in the league, would you say the Mariners? Their peripherals are average across the board, but the 62% LOB% has led to an inflated ERA. That's going to even out. By the way, don't be misled by their 48% GB% (third-highest in baseball); that's somewhat a function of their low line drive rate. Their FB% so far has been right on the average.
- Mariner team defense so far: +2 groundballs, -4 flyballs. The best gloves to date belong to the Mets, A's, and Blue Jays, who're all at +9 overall. The worst: Devil Rays, -17. The Rangers are at -14 on grounders, which should come as no surprise given (A) the guys they have in the middle infield, and (B) Matt Kata yesterday.
- I don't know what's funnier - that the Angels have a miserable .264/.323/.360 batting line so far, or that they also have the lowest line drive rate in the league (14%), meaning that they've actually kind of overachieved. A 14% LD% does not belong with a .298 BABIP, so unless they start hitting the ball hard, things are only going to get worse. That is not a good lineup.
- By the way, in case you were thinking that offense seems pretty low this year, you're not imagining things; the .713 average OPS is down 56 points from where it was a year ago. Of course, this is almost entirely due to the cold April weather, and as the weather gets warmer, so will the bats. So for those of you lamenting cold starts by several Mariners, give them a break. They're not the only ones struggling.
- The Mets have a 2.69 team ERA and a 4.76 team FIP. I'm just saying.
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