MLB 2018 Season | Open Thread

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Somehow the Mariners are tied for the lead in the AL West. Did they put something in the water in Seattle?

I'm a Mariners fan and I can see two big things propelling them to the lead: 1) a light's out bullpen, anchored by Edwin Diaz, gives them pretty good luck in one-run games; and 2) borderline all star performances from players who had previously been average players - Mitch Haniger, Dee Gordon and Jean Segura come to mind.

Marco Gonzales and Guillermo Hereida have also taken significant steps forward. James Paxton is also healthy (finally, knock on wood, slaughters a goat at midnight on the vernal equinox) and dominant still. Wade LeBlanc is secretly a reincarnated Jamie Moyer.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Houston vs. Boston and New York: 4-7
Los Angeles vs. Boston and New York: 1-8
Seattle vs. Boston and New York: 0-0

[NewYorkExpress]

Houston vs. Boston and New York: 4-7
Los Angeles vs. Boston and New York: 1-8
Seattle vs. Boston and New York: 0-0

That's a good point.

But all Seattle has to do to win the West is beat up their opponents in the division. They're 15-12 in the division at this point, heading into a crucial two game series with Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Houston vs. Boston and New York: 4-7
Los Angeles vs. Boston and New York: 1-8
Seattle vs. Boston and New York: 0-0

Yeah, frontloading the poor ALC helped a lot.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

MLB draft started yesterday and is continuing today. Keep an eye out for a certain former National Security Adviser being drafted today.

[JGibson]

Cardinals legend Red Schoendienst passed away this evening. #RIPRedSchoendienst

KSDK:

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[NewYorkExpress]

The Mariners apparently swept Houston in their two game series, because they now hold a two game lead over the Astros.

Meanwhile, you know the NL West is bad when the tanking San Diego Padres are only 4.5 games back of the lead as of this minute.