Mariners notebook: Bullpen on a roll and so are the Mariners

Here’s a quick stat snapshot to explain why the Mariners, after entering the season amid high expectations, are barely clinging to the fringe of postseason contention.

The bullpen.

The Mariners have nine losses when leading after seven innings — two more than any other American League club. (The league average is 4.7).

Further, the Mariners’ winning percentage of .870 (60-9) when leading after seven innings is the worst among AL clubs. Oakland is the second-worst at .885. The league average is .927.

We point that out to point this out:

The Mariners’ bullpen, through Friday, has not permitted a run over its last 21 1/3 innings. It worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings in Friday’s 3-1 victory over Texas and leads the majors with a 1.33 ERA in September.

And, no surprise, the Mariners are 11-5 this month.

“I think we are where we are, and trending in the way we’re trending, because of the bullpen,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “The back end of our bullpen has been outstanding. They’ve pretty much shut things down.”

ROSTER LIMITS

McClendon renewed his call for tighter roster limits for September. Current rules permit clubs to expand their rosters from 25 players to as many as 40 on the first of the month.

“I don’t like it,” he said. “You play five months with a 25-man roster, and then, for 30 days, some teams are playing with a 40-man roster. Teams that are in (postseason contention), they may have a few call-ups but not many.”

McClendon advocates allowing clubs to call up as many players, up to the 40-man limit, as desired but only allowing “four or five” to be active for any particular game.

The National Football League, for example, allows clubs to carry 53 players on their roster, but only 46 are permitted to suit up to participate in a game. Seven players are designated each game as ineligible.

McClendon contends a similar rule in baseball would make for a more-appealing game by effectively limiting the number of pitching changes.

“I don’t think it’s fair to the fans,” he said, “to sit there and watch that kind of debacle. Pitcher after pitcher after pitcher coming in the game. If I’m sitting in the stands, I wouldn’t want to watch that.”

LOMO SITS

Logan Morrison is 11-for-28 (.398) in his career against Texas starter Cole Hamels, including 3-for-7 with two doubles this season in three previous games.

So why wasn’t Morrison in the lineup Saturday against Hamels?

“Cole Hamels kind of handled him the last time out,” McClendon said, “and Logan’s not swinging the bat extremely well right now. So we’ll give him a breather against the left-hander.”

Morrison was 1-for-3 with a double against Hamels on Sept. 8 at Safeco Field, but he is 2-for-13 in nine games, most as a defensive replacement, since the Mariners last saw Hamels.

LOOKING BACK

It was 15 years ago Sunday — Sept. 20, 2000 — that rookie closer Kazuhiro Sasaki set a club record for saves when he got his 34th by closing out a 5-4 victory at Tampa Bay.

Sasaki stranded two runners by retiring Gerald Williams on a foul pop to third baseman David Bell. Sasaki went on to finish with 37 saves and be selected as the American League Rookie of the Year.

Sasaki broke his own record a year later when posted 45 saves. That record stood until last year, when Fernando Rodney had 48.

SHORT HOPS

Robinson Cano entered Saturday needing six hits in the Mariners’ final 14 games to reach 2,000 for his career and become the 14th player to do so through the first 11 seasons of his career. … Nelson Cruz played eight years for Texas from 2006-13 but now torments his former club. He had hits, all prior to Saturday, was batting .418 (23 for 55) against the Rangers with six homers and 12 RBIs in 14 games. … Kyle Seager’s career .348 average (56-for-161) through Friday at Globe Life Park is the highest among all active players with at least 150 at-bats…The Mariners, by winning Friday, stretched their road winning streak to six games. They have not won seven straight road games since a 13-game run in 2003.

ON TAP

The Mariners and Rangers conclude their three game series at 12:05 p.m. Pacific time Sunday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

Right-hander Felix Hernandez (17-9, 3.55) will try to take sole possession of the American League lead in victories when he faces Texas lefty Derek Holland (3-2, 3.77).

The Mariners have an open date Monday before continuing their final road trip with three-game series at Kansas City and Anaheim, California.

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Mariners notebook: Bullpen on a roll and so are the Mariners."