ESPN’s Jayson Stark: Mariners’ losing home record ‘not a good formula’ to make playoffs
May 24, 2016, 2:14 PM
It’s a been a tale of two Mariners teams so far this season, as they’ve been wildly successful on the road but not so much at home. Seattle is 18-7 away from Safeco Field, but after Monday’s 5-0 loss to the Athletics they dropped to 8-11 in their home stadium.
ESPN senior baseball writer Jayson Stark told 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Salk” that while the Mariners’ road success has its advantages, a winning record at home is almost necessary for a team to reach the postseason.
“What you’re seeing, that home-road record, is something that is not a good formula to try to get to October,” said Stark, referencing that the 2001 Atlanta Braves is the team to make the postseason in the division play era to with a losing record at home.
Related: Leonys Martin credits Mariners sluggers for fixing his swing
For the glass-half-full side of the equation, the Mariners’ reverse-splits, so to speak, are reminiscent of what the Kansas City Royals did leading up to the first of their two straight World Series appearances.
“In 2014, (the Royals) were barely over .500 at home – they were 42-39 – but they were excellent on the road. I mean, not as good as the Mariners are — you just don’t find teams with a .720 winning percentage on the road. But they were 47-34 on the road that year, (and) it came in handy when they went to Oakland and won that wild-card game,” said Stark.
Something else Seattle has in common with the Royals is a home park known for being unkind to hitters. Kansas City had to learn how to build a roster that worked for Kauffman Stadium, just like Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto made it a priority to fit the Mariners to Safeco Field.
“I don’t know if (Kauffman Stadium is the same as) Safeco, but their ballpark is as tough a ballpark to hit in as you’ll find anywhere, certainly in the American League. They had a really hard time finding hitters who suited their park, players who fit their park,” Stark said. “(Royals GM) Dayton Moore took a long time to try to find a group that can thrive in that park. … They’ve got a team with athleticism that catches the ball all over the field, and you’re seeing that approach work, but that isn’t the way it used to feel as recently as a couple years ago.
“So if you want to draw on the defending World Series champs as a comparable, that would be a pretty good one, huh?”
