A Little (though just a little) Love for the Mariners

ESPN's Scout Inc has a little love for the M's.
Click here.

Some of the highlights ..

The Mariners' bullpen has been outstanding this year, posting the second-best ERA in the American League, thanks to an incredible record of keeping the ball in the park. Despite throwing 270 innings, fourth-most of any AL bullpen, Seattle relievers have allowed a league-low 14 homers.

They're last in the AL in both strikeouts (fine) and walks (not fine), and are just one single behind the league leaders in that category, the Angels. On the strength of the league's third-best batting average, the Mariners are currently eighth in the AL in runs scored, despite playing the majority of their games in pitcher's parks

Then the not so loving .....

The Mariners have been extremely lucky this year, and they're almost certainly not a "true" .581/94-win ballclub. That said, there are several factors working in their favor for the second half: The Mariners probably won't make the playoffs as currently constructed -- they're a .500 team that's played over its head.