harmony

Good explanation. Thanks.

Last year Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager joked that he helped shortstop J.P. Crawford and first baseman Evan White win Gold Gloves because his lack of range let balls get through to Crawford and his errant throws across the diamond permitted White to come up with some impressive scoops.

The eye test was startling last night for a fan who watches few Red Sox games.

FanGraphs gives the Rays, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Yankees all better than 50 percent chances of advancing to the postseason: https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds How is that possible? No one is obligated to answer the question.

Again, it's not the travel as much as it's the rainout makeups.

The five AL West teams also have the disadvantage of extensive travel, occupying five of the top seven slots in 2021 travel miles: https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/visuals/map But what's annoying are the frequent makeup games as a result of rainouts in the East and the Midwest. East and Central teams almost never need to squeeze in a makeup game on the West Coast; West teams almost always need to squeeze in a makeup league games on the road. This year's weather has been particularly bad but during a normal baseball season Seattle receives only a fraction of the precipitation of Boston or New York.

Who would've thought?

Yes. The final 200 yards were always at a faster pace than the previous six miles.

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Seattle is a landing spot for pitchers coming back from Tommy John surgery ... and the Mariners have money to spend.

FWIW the Astros are 2-1 against the Rays with three games remaining in Houston.

My analysis was limited to whether the difference in interleague schedules could influence the Wild Card race where "a game or two difference- or even more" could be deciding. The AL West still holds a 77-75 edge this year in head-to-head competition against the AL East. Draw whatever conclusion ... or no conclusion at all.

Noah Syndergaard has not pitched at the MLB level since 2019 when the righthander posted a 4.28 ERA and a 96 ERA+ in 32 starts: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/syndeno01.shtml Syndergaard is unlikely to land a $210 million contract. MLB Trade Rumors does not list Syndergaard among the top 10 free agents in the 2021-22 offseason: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/03/2021-22-mlb-free-agent-power-rankings.html

The AL East and AL West are nearly even in head-to-head competition with the AL West holding a 77-75 edge. The AL East and the AL West are nearly even in their respective records against the AL Central, the AL East holding an 82-68 edge and the AL West holding an 81-69 edge. The difference comes in interleague play where the AL East has a 55-34 record against the NL East while the AL West has a 45-52 record against the tougher NL West. Overall records determine the Wild Card entrants so in a tight race the difference in interleague competition could be a deciding factor. Or not. Just floating the idea for discussion. Let's have an enjoyable week.

Indeed, the Red Sox are 20-13 against the AL Central while the Seattle Mariners are 13-16 against the AL Central. In a larger sample, AL East teams are 82-68 against AL Central teams while AL West teams are 81-69 against AL Central teams. In the close Wild Card race involving three AL East teams and two AL West teams. the difference in the interleague schedules -- against the NL East and far stronger NL West -- could tip the balance. Or not.

Currently at 13-17, the Red Sox are guaranteed of a losing record against AL West teams with three games remaining against the Seattle Mariners. Currently at 18-13, the Mariners are guaranteed of a winning record against AL East teams with three games remaining against the Red Sox. Currently at 11-4, the Red Sox are guaranteed of a winning record against NL East teams, with five games remaining against the New York Mets and Washington Nationals. The Mariners have closed out their interleague schedule with a 9-11 record against NL West teams. Different divisions present different challenges.

The Seattle Mariners should keep shortstop J.P. Crawford, the 2020 Gold Glove winner who ranks third among shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved since the start of the 2020 season: https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2021&month=0&season1=2020&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2020-01-01&enddate=2021-12-31&sort=13,d Crawford remains under team control for three more arbitration seasons working off his current Super Two salary of $2.05 million. So far this season Crawford has posted 2.4 fWAR, valued at $19 million. https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jp-crawford/15491/stats?position=SS#value Noelvi Marte, Seattle's 19-year-old shortstop prospect, is currently the 11th-ranked overall prospect at MLB.com: Top 100 Baseball Prospects | MLB.com WWW.MLB.COM The Official Site of Major League Baseball

The Red Sox won the season series 10-9 despite being outscored 110-81 by the Blue Jays. That's a Seattle-like run differential.

Seattle lefthander Yusei Kikuchi is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA against the Tampa Bay Rays in two career starts (both this year). After this season the Mariners have a four-year, $56 million option on the 2021 All Star. If the Mariners do not exercise the option, Kikuchi can exercise a $13 million player option for 2022. The 30-year-old Kikuchi becomes a free agent if he declines the player option. James Paxton is 3-1 with a 3.61 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays. Felix Hernandez is 9-3 with a 2.19 ERA in 18 career starts against Tampa Bay,

Two years of 24-year-old Rafael Devers, who has posted 4.2 fWAR this season, does not land four years of 22-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has posted 6.2 fWAR this season.

The Pacific Northwest may not welcome the Boston Red Sox and their COVID outbreak. The Seattle Mariners require fans to show proof of vaccination and wear face masks: https://www.mlb.com/mariners/ballpark/safety The Mariners are offering suprisingly steep discounts for tickets to next week's three-game series against the Red Sox.

BTV currently has 25-year-old Jarren Duran with a surplus value of $34.1 million: https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/players/8068/ An update might be in order. Or not.

Near the trade deadline the Rays traded closer Diego Castillo to Seattle for reliever JT Chargois (and minor league infielder Austin Shenton). Castillo was nasty in two appearances over the past 24 hours.

Not much disappointment in a young Seattle team that in Houston today won its 76th game after a preseason forecast that called for 74 wins: https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds?date=2021-03-31&dateDelta= The Mariners lose only starter Tyler Anderson and reliever Joe Smith to free agency after this season.

No opinion provided on what division is better this year; only statistical facts offered. AL East teams have staged a comeback to narrow their losing record at 75-77 this year in head-to-head competition against the AL West. AL East teams have inflated their win totals with a 54-32 interleague record against the weak NL East while AL West teams have deflated their win totals with a 43-49 record against the far tougher NL West. Draw whatever conclusion ... or no conclusion at all.