Nothing's Changed

I'm a Seattle Mariner fan. But this season, with all the hoopla about a new manager and new players, nothing has changed. They won the season opener against the Minnesota Twins in good fashion, even Ken Griffey Jr. contributed. I wasn't for his return but I'm open if he adds to the team throughout the season, something he had a problem with at Cincinnati.

But then Tuesday's game was normal Mariners. After working hard to get a 5-3 lead in the ninth inning, they brough in the new closer, young Brandon Morrow, who throws in the mid-to-upper 90's. And he quickly dispatched the first two hitters and got two strikes on the last hitter.

So one out away, and he walks that batter and the next two to load the bases. Then they replace him with Miguel Batista who then gave up two singles, Minnesota won 6-5.

Ok, there are 160 more games to go. But I'll bet it a sign of things to come. Another normal losing season like the last four. Eric Bedard pitched a great game and got robbed of two runs after a bad call by the umpire. And then Mr. Morrow imploded on the mound. He couldn't throw a strike against five straight left hand hitters with a two run lead.

And so the season will unwind and I'll still be there listening on the radio or watching on TV, but I'm not expecting any wins this years. I'll take them as surprises and loses as business as usual. Again. But there's always hope. They did it in 1995, 2000 and 2001, getting the American LCS, but losing all three times.

Such is life of a Mariner fan. Another 160 games of frustration and denial.