Are the Seattle Mariners for real, or is the NL West that bad?

Hey BroadwayPhil, tough loss today for the M's losing in x-tra's to the Rockies, so 14-4 is great against the NL. But the NL West is horrible, but then again the AL West has had it's problems too. The AL has really been ripping the NL to shreads. My BoSox just finished 16-2 against the Senior Circuit. Seattle would be a top 5 team in the NL, but not in the AL. The Mariners have been playing a lot better as of late, but I guess we will find out soon when the Mariners get back to playing the AL Teams. The team that they have to worry about most is the A's, Rich Harden is due back soon from injury. But Joe Blanton and Danny Haren has been very ordinary and very inconsistent. Zito has been their best pitcher so far. The Mariners have to hope that they continue to get good performances from Ichiro which is a given, but Lopez and Johjima have been pleasent surprises for them. Ibanez just very quietly go about his business, he's so underrated, a good steady outfielder. Gil Meche has been pitching much better this year which is a plus. Moyer has done very well, isn't he about 50 now? God bless him, he's still doing it at his age. They really need Washburn and Pinero to get better consistency. King Felix can just flat out dominate when he's on. So are they in it for the long haul? Could be, but just as you said the AL is murderers row this year with Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, and New York. You really don't catch a break with teams like that. Mariners just have to care of business against the under .500 teams and see how it will play out. They have a chance to win the AL West!!!

PS. - I have Ibanez, Lopez, and Ichiro on my fantasy baseball team, so they are OK by me :)

Remember that last year, the NL West winner was only two games over .500 and the rest of the division had losing records. None of the teams had any really major changes, so yes, the NL West is that bad. Isn't Ichiro batting like .900 against the NL West this year?

I'm a Giants fan and, frankly, I believe that the NL West is just _that_ bad. Around the MLB, the NL West boasts the lowest winning percentage of all first place teams. Also, with the Giants playing with a geriatric team with starters consistently on the bench due to injury or needed rest (moreso than the younger guys) to be only 2 games out of first is amazing and sad at the same time.

I think that pretty much all the teams in baseball are doing pretty poorly except for the Redsox, Tigers, Mets, Reds, Yankees, and Cardinals. But now that you mention it, the Mariners are on a pretty good streak. Maybe the momentum will carry them long enough to win the AL West, but I doubt they go any further than that.

yes the NL West is that bad Seattle is your typical 500 team and the NL West are light years away from putting a team in the World Series

The N.L. West is certainly not bad, as they are the most competitive and strongest of all divisions. I always favored the Mariners a little bit. I think they have the team, they just have to put all the parts together, like right now. It will be tough, but they are capable.

NL West is pretty bad. I predict the Mariners will end the year below .500

Wow. Johjima who? Don't even mention is name with Albert Pujols. Atleast you have Griffey Jr. Oh wait. You still have Buhner? Nope. Boone? A-Rod? Edgar? Well atleast the trades for Beltre and Sexson are working out. Combine their numbers together and you might have ONE decent player. You're excited cause they're back to .500 and your "power hitter" is finally over .200? Mariners for real? You actually had to ask this question?

The NL West truly is that bad.

actually the whole AL is much better than the NL...but the NL West is actually MUCH better than last year...so it is a toss up...