The Sweetest Thing: Seattle Mariners Now Frontrunners for 2011 World Series with Addition of Three Extra Home Games.

If Bono can't save the M's, who can?

Although Mariners’ fans still haven’t found what they’re looking for (a World Series title) their suffering may soon come to an end thanks to a very unlikely source…legendary rock and roll band U2.

Due to a scheduling conflict at Sun Life Stadium the Marlins vs. Mariners three-game series set for June 24-26 in Florida will be shifted to Safeco Field in order to accommodate U2’s “We’re So Much More Important Than Baseball” Tour.

The Mariners, a vastly superior team at home (35-46) compared to on the road (26-55), will look to cash in on three extra games at the friendly confines of Safeco. Most baseball experts switched their preseason predictions for the AL West upon learning of Seattle’s 84 home games with the Mariners as the clear-cut favorites in over 90 percent of Gallup Polls. ESPN’s Buster Olney explains why this seemingly minor move will have major ramifications for the rest of the league:

“The Mariners are a team perfectly tailored for their home park (great pitching and an stellar offense) who will benefit greatly from their extra games in Safeco. Although the games are played with National League rules it will be the Mariners, not the Marlins, who will benefit from this move because it allows Seattle to insert a pitcher into their lineup rather than being dragged down by a designated ‘hitter’. We at the ESPN think tank conservatively estimate that the Mariners will win 80 of their 84 home games…throw in 20 or so wins on the road and you’ve got a team steamrolling into the playoffs with 100+ wins. If Seattle doesn’t win the World Series this year, I will forever relinquish my title as ‘Baseball’s Brightest Buster’. You heard it here first.”

Although the Mariners are attempting to draw attention from their newfound status as favorite by drumming up rumors of a Chone Figgins trade (who is far to valuable to ever consider moving*) it’s clear they won’t be able to hide forever. With Bono’s touch, 2011 will be as good as gold for Seattle…

*There’s a microscopic chance that comment is sarcastic.

Seattle Continues Busy Offseason: Carlos Silva Traded to Cubs for Milton Bradley.

How will Milton Bradley's temperament fit in with the Mariners' good mojo?

In what is becoming almost a daily occurence in the Emerald City, the Seattle Mariners have acquired yet another player in hopes of capturing the AL West in 2010, though this deal is anything but a sure thing. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Mariners have finalized a trade that will send pitcher Carlos Silva to the Chicago Cubs in return for outfielder Milton Bradley. Both players had long since worn out their welcomes in Seattle and Chicago respectively, and with each being slated to make around $25 million dollars over the next two years, this trade was the only real option for two teams looking to get rid of their constant source of headaches.

The Carlos Silva experiment was an absolute disaster for the Mariners. After signing a four-year/$48 million dollar contract in 2007 (a move which was widely mocked throughout the league) Silva went 5-18 over the past two seasons, including a 1-3 mark with an ungodly 8.60 ERA in 2009. In fact, about the only positive thing Silva accomplished during his time in Seattle was getting hurt last season, allowing the Mariners to develop young arms in their rotation. One of the last painful reminders of the Bill Bavasi era in Seattle, the fact that the Mariners were able to get anything for Silva is a miracle, and while Bradley does come with his baggage, he also offers tremendous upside at the plate.

It didn’t take long for the Cubs to figure out that Bradley wasn’t a good fit for them. In fact, it didn’t even take a full season (he was suspended on September 20th). Plagued by injuries throughout the year and serving as a constant distraction to the team with his outbursts and tirades, Chicago was dead-set on moving Bradley this offseason but couldn’t find any suitors other than the Mariners. Signed to play in the outfield last year, Bradley struggled defensively and only hit .257 with 12 HR’s and 40 RBI’s. Still, his keen batting eye allowed him to post a .378 OBP (which would have been second on the M’s last season), and Bradley has constantly shown himself to be an adept hitter—when he’s healthy and happy. Long regarded as a clubhouse cancer, Bradley seems to create controversey wherever he plays, and may prove to be more trouble than he is worth for Seattle if they can’t find a way to keep him under control.

The Mariners needed to find a designated hitter after the news that one of their primary targets, Nick Johnson, planned to sign with the New York Yankees. Keeping Bradley off the field will help neutralize the risk for an injury, but will his disruptive presence ruin a clubhouse that was one of the best in all of baseball last season? Seattle is gambling that veterans like Ken Griffey Jr. and manager Don Wakamatsu’s zen-like personality will be able to keep Bradley in line, and if that works, they’ve acquired a top-flight hitter who will be a welcome addition to their lineup. There’s no debating Bradley’s talent (career .371 OBP) but his off the field problems are a very real issue. Jack Zduriencik has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt thus far, and Mariners’ fans hope that Bradley will be a key factor in the team returning to the playoffs…and not just Carl Everett part two.