I'm genuinely curious about the results we're going to get here, so it's a happy coincidence that it's also Gillette Confidence Tuesday. Two birds with one stone! Or, more accurately, two birds with one giant boulder that you drop on a bush with two birds in it. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but a bird in the hand is worth like infinity birds in the bush that have been smashed by a falling boulder. Lots of bird proverbs today. All right.
Through nearly a third of the season, the Mariners sit at a game below .500, with a run differential to match. They've currently won six in a row, lifting everybody's spirits, and they've ridden the back of a pitching staff that to date has been absolutely outstanding. With the emergence of Michael Pineda, the comeback of Erik Bedard, and the surprisingly competent performances turned in by some members of the bullpen, the run prevention had made up for lackluster run production, bringing the M's to their present-day place in the standings.
Now that we've seen 47 actual games, certain strengths and weaknesses have become apparent - some of which we predicted, and some of which we didn't. One weakness may soon be addressed with the promotion of Dustin Ackley, but then, one strength hinges on the durability of Pineda and Bedard, so it's not like it's all just going to be peaches from here on in.
Long story short, it's poll time, because I want to see how expectations have changed - if they've changed at all - since before the start of the season.