Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
There are only a few playoff spots to go around in Major League Baseball and this time of year can be difficult for those teams who are fighting for a spot but aren’t quite good enough to get there. On the other hand, the teams who the season has been the toughest on are some of the best and most free-spirited teams this time of year. The Seattle Mariners are one of the best examples of that as they make each and every playoff contender they play earn stripes when passing over them.
While the Mariners are not a playoff contender this year, that is a bit of a disappointment. Their team is pretty good in most areas, just without the execution all season long. In a strange way that makes them even more dangerous at this time of year when facing teams like the Tampa Bay Rays or Kansas City Royals. The Royals have to win most of their games to stay in the hunt but the Mariners made them work for any wins they got over them.
The same is true for their weekend series with the current holder of the second wildcard slot in the American League, the Rays. The Rays want to win most of their games especially against the supposed lesser teams to keep their shrinking lead from shrinking any more. They might win the series against the Mariners but I guarantee you they will make it very difficult on the Rays to do so. That is what the Mariners and teams like them can do this time of year and you have to know it feels good to them.
David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
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