What to make of Lloyd McClendon’s lineups, comments about media’s expectations for Mariners

Lloyd McClendon said earlier this week that the media's expectations for the M's are "absolutely ridiculous". (AP)

I have good news. The Mariners will win tonight. They are 33-40, and every time they’ve been seven games under .500 this season, they’ve won the next game. It’s happened six times already.

But as you know, they’ll probably lose the next night or the day after that.

It’s hard to figure them out. Guess you knew that, too. Everyone’s wondering if it’s general manager Jack Zduriencik’s fault, manager Lloyd McClendon’s fault or the players’ fault. I put most of the blame on McClendon for changing the lineups so often and his unsettling habit of being more patient with some players than others.

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The platoon thing has also gotten out of control. Dustin Ackley went 3 for 4 and was a triple away from a cycle in a 7-0 win over Kansas City Tuesday night. He finally had a good game, but was he in the lineup the next night? Of course not. Why? Because Royals starter Danny Duffy is a left-hander.

To this I say: “Good Lord, it’s Danny Frickin’ Duffy, not Madison Bumgarner or Clayton Kershaw. Give Ackley a chance to build on the game he just had and see if he can keep it going.” But that wasn’t going to happen because you have to play the percentages AT ALL TIMES!

Then McClendon said something this week about high expectations somehow adversely impacting his team. Because of the expectations and trying to meet them, the players aren’t able to relax and perform to their capabilities. Or something along those lines. I’m not exactly sure – it was so ridiculous I need an interpreter to help me understand that line of mumbo-jumbo.

Then the next day, after apparently reading The Seattle Times or The News Tribune, he thought it was inferred that his comments were directed at the fans. And boy oh boy, he wanted to make sure everyone knew that that wasn’t the case – he loves the fans, he was talking to the media, and he was trying to send a message to his players.

Two things:

1) What’s wrong with high expectations, whether they’re placed on a team by reporters or fans? People thought this team could go to a World Series and maybe even win the whole thing this year. Is there something wrong with that? Why not embrace it and run with it like the Seahawks did with Super Bowl expectations the last two years?

2) McClendon sounds like a guy whose seat is getting warmer if not hotter. He’s worrying about stuff that doesn’t matter such as the perception of his team from outsiders. Think Lou Piniella cared about any of that? And if he were truly trying to send a message to his team, why didn’t McClendon deliver it personally in the clubhouse instead of through the media? I don’t get it. His comments on both days this week are almost as crazy as saying white shirts in the stands affected Brad Miller’s throws in spring training.

When I heard that, I remember thinking: “What?! How can white shirts in the stands affect his throws? I’d maybe give you not fielding some balls cleanly because they get lost in the background of white shirts, but the throws?” I didn’t say anything because he was simply trying to support his player.

If I’m a player, I wonder about all kinds of things with McClendon as my manager. Will I be in the lineup tonight? Wonder where I’ll be hitting in the lineup? He’s telling me to relax and in the next breath tells me drastic changes will be made if I don’t start hitting. Don’t I already know all of this? And I wonder how much time he’ll give me. He sure gave Rickie Weeks a long time. And he’s sure given Ackley a looooong time. But Justin Ruggiano and Chris Taylor? Not so much. I wonder which camp I’m in. Plus I’ll bet if I’d screwed up on the basepaths three times like Robinson Cano, he would’ve benched me. But Robby? Nope, back in the lineup the very next day.

I like that the Mariners called up Franklin Gutierrez to give him a shot. They’re averaging the fewest runs in the major leagues this month, and maybe Gutierrez will give them a lift. If they’re going to stick with platoons, why not try one in left field with Gutierrez and Ackley and one in right field with Seth Smith and Mark Trumbo?

Another decision is coming with the rotation. Hisashi Iwakuma pitched four scoreless innings in a rehabilitation start for Tacoma Thursday night. He’ll probably return July 5 at Oakland. But who does he replace: Mike Montgomery or Roenis Elias? I’m guessing they’ll go with Elias because he’s had two shaky outings in his last three starts, but you could make a case for the lefty from Cuba staying in the rotation. You can’t possibly demote Montgomery the way he’s been pitching, can you? He has a 2.04 ERA.

Shannon Drayer suggested the possibility of a six-man rotation, but I can’t see the Mariners doing that. You have one of the best pitchers in baseball in Felix Hernandez, and you want him out there every five games, not every six.

From what we saw of Iwakuma in September and April, I’d be more inclined to keep the rotation as is than to see the possibility of another round of batting practice being thrown by their veteran right-hander. I’m guessing Elias will come down with a mysterious groin pull, and that will solve the dilemma.

As for the team itself, at this point it sure looks like it’ll be active at the trade deadline – as a seller instead of a buyer.