It's OK to Be Happy With Where the Mariners Are While Also Wanting More

In a world of "pick one side and stick to it," it's OK for two things to be true at the same time with the Seattle Mariners.

May 13, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals centerfielder Dairon Blanco (44) steals second base ahead of a tag by Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (7) during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Society today wants everyone to pick sides.

Society wants you to pick a side, stick to it, and never see the other side.

Seattle Mariners fandom is apparently the same. Either you are on the "they are in first place, quit complaining side," or you are on the "so what, they should be better side."

The thing is, in Seattle Mariners fandom, like in most places of life, two things can be true at the same.

Through 51 games, the Seattle Mariners are 27-24 and in first place. There's a lot to be thankful for in that. It beats being 24-27. It beats being the White Sox. It beats being the A's. It's fun to root for a team that has won more than its lost and that right now has a meaningful chance at the playoffs. For years, most of us would have given our left arms for the team to make the playoffs, so to be relevant at Memorial Day weekend is a minor victory in and of itself.

That said, it's also ok to acknowledge that it's ok to want more. It's perfectly fair for you, as a fan, to not want the team to waste a stable of great pitching performances from affordable pitchers in their prime. It will only get harder to keep everyone healthy and around in the future, so seizing this particular opportunity is incredibly urgent.

It's also fair for you, as a fan, to want Julio Rodriguez, the guy who has the biggest contract in franchise history, to not strike out nearly 30 percent of the same and be relegated to a guy who hits hard ground balls that sometimes find holes and sometimes don't.

It's also fair for you, as a fan, to want your prized offseason acquisitions of Mitch Garver and Jorge Polanco to hit at least .200. It's fair to not want the team to leave so many men on base, it's fair to not want them to sleep walk through seven innings multiple nights per week, and it's fair to want more out of the bullpen than just Andres Munoz.

And it's fair for you to want the team to capitalize on the Astros and Rangers getting off to bad starts. The Astros, which have tormented you for a decade, are on a sub-.500 pace, and you haven't been able to distance yourself, leading them by just 4.5 games entering play on Friday. Good teams bury opponents. Good teams seize opportunities.

It's fair for you to want the Mariners to be that kind of good team, while still acknowledging that they are in a good spot right now.

Follow Inside the Mariners on social media

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Brady on "X" @wdevradiobrady