One thing that is OBVIOUS from watching the playoffs this year? Our "expectations for how we are going to win the West" need to go up.
Seriously, the talent, especially the athleticism gap between our non-star players and those of these playoff teams is shocking to me. This must be what DiPoto was talking about. So many young guys who are big, strong, fast, skilled, and can hit or pitch. Where are OUR guys like that?! Haven't WE been the ones with all those high draft picks over the years? How Houston, Chicago, New York, KC, get all those guys and we've got squat?! Even LAA got Kole Calhoun, who is a complete, athletic player.
Watching the playoffs, it's as if Seattle has been planning to excel in 20th century baseball while these up-and-coming-and-now-here teams have planned and now deployed 21st century teams. I can't help but wonder if this is an unseen aspect of our player development failures. And perhaps even our medical and training failures.
Guys, we need to up our game more than we think.