For the 48th time in Mariners history, it’s another round of “maybe next year”. This was the worst one yet.
I’ve taken a day to reflect and mourn this season, and what hurts the most is how many things had to go so perfectly right to get the Mariners this far. A relatively weaker AL, a down year from the Astros, an MVP season from a catcher, years that shattered expectations from a handful of players, an incredible trade deadline, a dominant September, a first round bye after a Tigers collapse, a favorable ALDS, and winning the first two games of the ALCS on the road. When could that possibly all line up so perfectly again.
I said after the game that it was the worst sports moment of my life, and I stand by it. The only close option is the Malcolm Butler interception to lose Super Bowl 49, and I’ve always said I’m a baseball fan before a football fan. When the Blue Jays took the lead I felt all the feeling leave my legs, and I barely said a word for the rest of the game. I knew it was over right then and there.
A lot of people are going to blame Dan Wilson for putting Bazardo in that situation over Munoz, but you can’t blame the guy for going to one of his most trusted arms. Bazardo had the season of his life, and has had his praises sung all postseason. Obviously Munoz is elite, but putting Bazardo out there is not a bad idea. Worse are people who blame Julio Rodriguez for striking out to end the game, like he hadn’t scored two of their three runs that night and homered three times in the ALCS. Anyone could’ve had that last at-bat, none of this is his fault. Mariners fans want someone to blame, and I offer the only obvious option: George Springer.
Springer is a nightmare in human form. Former Astro, known cheater, and playoff performer against the Mariners, there was no person who could’ve hit that home run in the 7th that would make me feel worse than him. For most Mariners fans, giving Springer that moment makes it that much worse. Blue Jays fans will take the time to complain that fans booed Springer after he took a pitch off the knee in game 5, but if anyone has been to a Mariners/Blue Jays game in Seattle, there is a large crowd of Jays fans that travel well. Most of that booing can be attributed to Blue Jays fans booing Bryan Woo for hitting Springer with that pitch. Obviously some people booed Springer for his injury because he is heavily disliked across every fanbase outside of Houston and Toronto, but Blue Jays fans should just celebrate their win without trying to grab some sort of misguided moral high ground.
Enough about Springer though, this season was categorically the best Mariners team I have ever watched in my life (I just missed the 2001 team). Now is the time to mourn what could’ve been, and to reflect on the incredible season Mariner fans got to witness. I want to thank everyone who took the time to read this blog for the past couple of months. I will continue to write during the offseason when (hopefully) the Mariners make some moves in free agency, and you can expect me to be back in full force next season. I hope everyone takes the time they need to recover from this heartbreaking finish to the season, and I will see you all soon.
Go M’s,
Henry “I Hope Both Teams Lose the World Series” Neiman