7/8: Open game thread

In their last eight games, the Mariners are 4-4. During that stretch they have outscored their opponents 46-34. It's the perfect small-sample encapsulation of this team, which is 43-43 despite having outscored their opponents by forty-nine runs. When the Mariners win, it is typically in dominant, bludgeoning fashion. When they lose, it's usually by one run, and because Steve Cishek is kind of annoying, or James Paxton ncannot throw a ball sixty feet in any direction but home plate.

It's just all so ridiculous. They appears to be a pretty good team. Many of the numbers say they should be a pretty good team. But as the season wears on more and more it threatens to be defined by their inability to win close games, through a variety of factors both within and without of their control. It's a whole new way to be frustrated by the Mariners, and I'll give it to 'em, I thought they'd already done every way possible.

If you can't tell I'm fairly ready for a few days off from them. Tonight, Hisashi Iwakuma starts against Yordano Ventura. More likely than not the team will at some point have a lead or the go-ahead run in scoring position in the late innings. As baffling and inexplicable as I have found Scott Servais' tactics at times it will be on the players to get crucial hits, or crucial outs. Until they start doing it more regularly, they will never gain the traction needed to prove to themselves and to us that they really are any different than the teams gone by.

So, how about you win a damn baseball game, you frustrating ass teases?

(Welcome back, Jesus Sucre. You are not very good, but you have a nice smile, and I like you.)

Game info

• Mariners @ Royals, 5:15 PM PDT, Kauffman Stadium
• TV: ROOT, Radio: 710 ESPN, Online: MLBTV