Series Preview: Rangers at Mariners

Despite completing a sweep of the A’s last night and owning an ML best +22 win differential from 2008, the Seattle Mariners don’t really have much left to play for. Except maybe second place.

The Rangers will head to Seattle to wrap up their season with a three-game series against the Mariners, and while neither team will be playing in the postseason, the M’s front office was pleasantly surprised by the team’s turnaround. After needing to win their final three games of 2008 just to avoid having baseball’s worst record, Seattle played well enough in ’09 to earn every coach an invite back for next season.

A huge reason for their success has been a lethal combination of pitching and defense. Seattle’s pitching staff is anchored by Cy Young candidate Felix Hernandez and they  lead the A.L. by a wide margin in team ERA, while also ranking first in MLB in almost every defensive metric imaginable. So the reasons for their turnaround are obvious, but one thing that isn’t quite as clear is who should be the team MVP. Hernandez, who the Mariners are trying to lock down long-term, is an obvious candidate. But so are Franklin Gutierrez and recently reactivated Russell Branyan, both of whom had breakout seasons.

Ken Griffey Jr., on the other hand, might have to fight for a chance to play again after he posted some ugly numbers this season. Veteran Mike Sweeney might be in the same boat. And even 25-year-old Brandon Morrow, who the Mariners picked over Washington-native Tim Lincecum in the 2006 Rule IV Draft, is starting to look more like Chad Gaudin than Lincecum.

Game one will get underway tonight with Ian Snell on the mound for Seattle. Snell, who was acquired from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, has put up a rock-solid 5-2 record to go with his 4.17 ERA since the move. Snell’s first start in a Mariner’s uniform came against Texas back on August 2, when he lasted six innings of three hit, two run baseball.

Ryan Rowland-Smith will make his eight career appearance against the Rangers in game two, although it will be his first time as the starter. His 10.2 career innings against Texas isn’t a huge sample size, but an 0.84 ERA is an ominous sign for Ranger bats. On the season, Rowland-Smith is 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.

The season will wrap up Sunday afternoon against Felix Hernandez. Among A.L. pitchers, Hernandez is second in ERA and wins, fourth in strikeouts, and third in innings pitched — though he’s just 0.1 innings behind Justin Verlander for second. The Rangers’ efforts against him this year have been an exercise in futility to this point. In five starts against Texas, Hernandez is 3-1 with a 2.31 ERA.