THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Where did the M's go wrong in 2024

The numbers are unpleasant. 

Oh, I’m sure there’s a mathematician at Princeton or someplace who can produce an equation by which the Mariners stumble into the playoffs. 

But I wouldn’t wait on it.

A combination of poor roster construction, underperformance by some key players, and injuries at just the wrong times have taken this season that promised so much and left it locked in a dungeon. 

I think it’s time to take a good look at these Mariners, and ask where you’d start to fix things for 2025. 

And we SHOULD be thinking about next year, because this current team has almost all the parts to win a championship — but the pieces that it needed the past few months either couldn’t be found or wound up in a medical clinic someplace. 

Once they’ve run the full 162-game marathon, we’ll do a truly detailed examination of individual players, club philosophy, talent available at reasonable cost, and so forth. 

Today, though, I want to warm up by looking at some general areas of the ’24 Mariners — along with what went wrong, plus some obvious changes that need to be made going forward. 

CAN WE accurately point to one thing that kept these Mariners from making the playoffs? 

Yes. 

The bullpen. 

Specifically, the lack of reliable middle relief to offer a bridge between the spectacular five starters and closer Andres Munoz. 

As happens so often in life (and not just in baseball), Mariners bosses Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander had a plan. 

But to quote legendary philosopher Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” 

The Mariners went to spring training with little worry about the bullpen. 

They had Munoz to pitch the ninth, lights-out Matt Brash to shut down problem innings, and trade acquisition Gregory Santos to fit somewhere in other high-leverage spots. 

They also had amazing mojo in the development area, an apparent ability to create terrific relievers out of anyone who shows up with a uniform. 

The crusher, though, that cost this team a postseason spot was losing both Brash and Santos for the full year. 

Talk about putting some pressure on their magic bullpen machine. 

Fill it up with new dart-throwers. 

They actually DID make some lemonade again this year, but it wasn’t enough (Collin Snider and draftee Troy Taylor), and it came too late. 

Several other “project” relievers — the kind we’d expect to pop up from nowhere and immediately handle tough spots — surprisingly got hammered. 

Result: Tight games kept slipping away. 

That formula of getting to eighth and ninth, or maybe extra innings, and shutting teams down until they could score, just wasn’t there on command. 

In fact, during a stretch late in the year, they lost one-run games in bunches – and that’s why we’re looking at a season of disappointment.

THE GUYS on the field, meanwhile, need a long and careful look. 

Two things immediately come to mind when you wonder why the Mariners kept treading water. 

ONE: The roster assembled last off season was all wrong. 

TWO: Julio Rodriguez wasn’t special. 

We can surely assume Julio will find his juice again, but the front office can’t have another catastrophic winter — adding even MORE slow, average guys who strike out like they enjoy it. 

Meanwhile, what were they thinking with the signings of Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco, Luis Urias and even our old friend Mitch Haniger? 

Josh Rojas and Luke Raley are legit major leaguers, but everyone else would have gone unclaimed if the Mariners released them. 

Ironically, the Mariners made the best mid-season acquisition in baseball when they signed free agent Victor Robles on June 4. 

Robles quickly became the club’s best hitter (.333/.404/.878 for an OPS+ of 159 in 68 games with the Mariners), played great defense, ran wild on the bases (stole 25 before he was caught…stealing home) and has been a hell of a lot of fun. 

Was grabbing Robles a canny move after a long scouting project — or just plain luck? 

Either way, we’ve got to give Dipoto and Hollander big-time credit for that one. 

The signing of Robles and trade for Randy Arozarena at the deadline were ultra-positive moves, because both are the fast, athletic, turn-up-the-volume players that Mariners need. 

Robles, Julio and Arozarena are now locked in as your outfield next year, with Raley happy to help out if a lefty bat is needed. 

And the infield? 

We’ll have to discuss that issue next time, because the current roster is a mish-mash…and there are prospects baying at the gates. 

I know this is just a view of some positions, and even then, it’s a look from the Snoopy blimp. 

But hey, it explains why you’re crying. 

Handkerchief? 

Email: scameron@cdapress.com 

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens. 

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”