Mariners notebook: Game 162

Familiar sights and sounds in the clubhouse this morning before game 162. Boxes in front of lockers, tape rolls crackling, phone numbers being exchanged, bats, balls and jerseys signed.

Life will be different tomorrow for everyone who inhabits that clubhouse. The switch is flipped. From team time to their time. Teammates are replaced with family members and most will head for home away from Seattle.

There are numerous questions to be answered about what we saw this season and what lies ahead, and there will be plenty of time to do so in the coming days, weeks and months. Baseball is now a 365-day-a-year sport and there will be news to discuss throughout the offseason. For now, one final lineup.

Lineup!

Ketel Marte, SS
Kyle Seager, 3B
Franklin Gutierrez, DH
Robinson Cano, 2B
Mark Trumbo, RF
Seth Smith, LF
Logan Morrison, 1B
Jesus Sucre, C
Brad Miller, CF

Vidal Nuno, LHP

Notes

• Nelson Cruz is out of the lineup after tweaking his groin running to first in the ninth inning of last night’s game. He told reporters he hoped to get a pinch hit opportunity but I would be surprised if we saw that.

• Robinson Cano takes a 15-game hitting streak into the final game, the longest active hit streak in baseball.

• The Mariners have used 51 players this year, including 13 rookies and eight MLB debuts, which ties the club record set in 1999.

• If the Mariners lose today they will finish with the 10th-worst record in baseball, ensuring their first pick in the draft next year would be protected, and they would not lose it if they signed a free agent who turned down a qualifying offer.

As the Mariners prepare for their final game of the season, the clubhouse is filled with the familiar sights and sounds of transition. Players exchange phone numbers and pack up their belongings, signaling the end of another chapter. Meanwhile, in the world of football, the Seattle Seahawks have ruled out key players Marshawn Lynch and Brandon Mebane for their upcoming game against the Detroit Lions. Just as the Mariners face questions about their future, the Seahawks must adapt to these roster changes and strategize for success without some of their star players.

Related

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