Some team batting data, thanks to Fangraphs and a whole lot of messing around with Excel:
-47.6% of pitches thrown to the Mariners are in the strike zone, third-fewest in baseball (average: 51%). The Angels are the lowest, at 40.9%, followed by the Dodgers at 41.7%. I don't know much about the Dodgers, but I imagine what's going on here with the M's and Angels is that pitchers know they like to hack away, so they try to make them fish. The Angels seem better at dealing with this than we are. The Yankees get the most pitches in the zone because I don't know why.
-the Mariners make contact on 84.3% of their swings, second-highest in baseball (average: 81.4%). The Blue Jays are #1, at 86%, with the Giants and Marlins tied for last. We're tied for third in making contact on pitches in the zone, and we're #1 on making contact on pitches out of the zone. Which is good, because it's contact, but it's also bad, because it encourages more swinging at balls out of the zone. Seriously guys knock it off.
-we're right in the middle of the pack when it comes to swinging at balls in the zone
-when it comes to swinging at balls out of the zone, we come in at 24.2%, ninth-highest. Our ratio of in zone/out of zone swings of 2.75 ranks ninth-lowest, providing more evidence for the argument that we have a bunch of mediocre batting eyes. The Cardinals have been the most disciplined offense so far, while the Angels have been the least.
In other news, Mike Mussina is completely and utterly finished. Which means that this could, and should, be a happy Felix Day.
LET'S GO MARINERS!!