I don't have much time. Two main points.
1.) With regards to the blowouts and our road offense, all I'm saying is that we must consider that the thirty-nine games over which the Mariners averaged 4 RPG might be more representative of the true level of the offense than the seven games where the team scored 64 runs.
They play 81 games, leaving the Mariners about thirty-five more games. There's still almost a half of baseball to be played.
2.) My hypothesis as to why the Mariners struggle so much at home is that we have too many inexperienced hitters.
• The strike zones aren't the same in the minors as they are in the majors.
• The level of pitching isn't nearly as good, or consistent.
• Some played recently in the High Desert League, where the ball really carries.
There's already a lot that these guys are trying to adjust to. I could see how veteran hitters might respond better to the elements of Safeco Field than inexperienced ones.
I could see how if you're a young player, and you're convinced you absolutely crushed a couple baseballs to left-center, and they end-up in fielders' gloves, you might start to doubt yourself. That doubt could lead to experimenting with your swing, or trying to swing too hard, do too much.
An older player who has taken his lumps might understand that sometimes, you knock the sh*t out of a ball, and for whatever reason, it just doesn't carry. He has enough experience to know to stay patient and keep practicing good habits, knowing eventually, those good habits will be rewarded.
I think Safeco Field can hurt players physically and psychologically. The way the ball travels in Safeco turns some HR's and 2B's into outs, or some HR's into 2B's. A weak, young, inexperienced lineup exacerbates the problem.