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JIM BOWDEN:  If all the Mariners' starters pitch good, they'll make the playoffs.  LINK.

RANDOM 'NET WAG:  How many teams could you say that about.

DR. DETECTO:  Not many.  Not in this sense.

.....

Random 'net wag hangs a slider and gives Dr. D a chance to wheel out his fave "true but not accurate" malapropism.  Sure, any team could have its #3-4 starters come through, but ... remember 2011?  Felix was epic, Michael Pineda was a rookie with a 9.1 strikeout rate and 2+ walks, Doug Fister had a 3.33 ERA, and the Mariners had Erikkk Bedard coming off a #1 xFIP finish in the AL.  Even Jason Vargas pitched well out of the 5 slot, walking 2+ men, keeping homers down and running his K's above the Radke Line.  

Chris Chambliss, was it, said "that summer was the best rotation I'd ever seen.  I mean, ever."  That rotation kept a pathetic offense in the thick until 43 wins and 43 losses, and then the Mariners' shoulders slumped and their chests collapsed.  They figured out that pitching and defense do not win championships, not by their ownselves they do not.  So they threw in the towel and went 24-52 the rest of the way, a 51-111 pace.

So I'll thank you to SAVE YOUR FACILE THINKING FOR THE CAPITAL CITY WHERE PRESIDENT SNOW CAN REWARD IT PROPERLY.

.....

The 2017 Mariners have a fearsome offense behind which four good starters could make hay, and those four good starters are not four potentially good starters.  They are four actually good starters.  Let us put a bit of lipstick and eye shadow onto their career accomplishments:

.

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Sure, you see what we did there with Felix.  That career 3.16 ERA includes a few 2.30 Cy Young summers.  But you take the point.  It's one thing to say "things could go wrong."  It's another thing to say "let's hope something goes right."  Y'feel me?

Come to think of it, "Things could go wrong," now THAT one you can use anywhere around the league you like.

Enjoy,

Jeff