Why One ESPN MLB Insider Says the Seattle Mariners' Style of Play is "Torture"
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The Seattle Mariners are only eight games into the season and fans are already at heightened stress levels. It's not just because the M's are 3-5, but also because of the types of games that the M's are playing.
Through eight games, the M's have already played a 4-2 game that required a late comeback win and a 2-1 game that required the same thing. They had to hold on for dear life to beat the Tigers 3-2 on Wednesday and were beaten in gut-wrenching fashion in extra-innings by the San Francisco Giants on Friday afternoon.
On the "Refuse to Lose" podcast this week, I referred to everything that the Mariners do as being "hard" and feeling difficult. On Thursday, I spoke to Buster Olney of ESPN on the podcast about that and here's what he said:
"They remind me of the early 2010s Giants teams. Duane Kuiper, the Giants announcer, referred to it as torture, the style of play that they would have. And I think the reality is, that's what you have with the Mariners. They're not going to be a team on a daily basis that allows you to breathe easy....And back in those days, San Francisco's ballpark was very pitcher-friendly, just as Seattle's is perceived to be very pitcher-friendly. I think what you saw in this first week is kinda how they're gonna play..."
You can listen to the full interview with Olney below, and reminder: He's on every single Thursday edition of the "Refuse to Lose" podcast:
The Mariners will be back in action on Saturday night as Bryce Miller pitches against Robbie Ray. First pitch is 6:05 p.m. PT.
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