The Mariners Are Fighting For The Playoffs, Someone Tell The Fans

I was starting my senior year of high school when the Seattle Mariners made their “Refuse To Lose” run at the end of the 1995 season. And though I lived in Salem, Oregon – a three and a half hour drive away from Seattle – the atmosphere here was just as crazy as it was near the Kingdome.

Everyone here was talking Mariners. There were so many Mariners hats, t-shirts, bumper stickers and other fan swag, that people from out of town would have sworn that the team was closer.

It was the first time that our MLB team was in the playoffs, and the region was electric.

In a seven-year span from 1995 to 2001, the Mariners made the playoffs four times. Mariners fans thought – at least I did – that this was becoming a regular thing. That the Mariners would be relevant for many years to come.

They haven’t been to the playoffs since.

So, here we are, fast forward to 2014. The Mariners are just a half game back of the 2nd AL Wild-Card and a game back of the 1st spot. With nine games to go, the Mariners have entered a “Refuse to Lose” arena once more.

But something is different.

Mariners fans seem to be a bit hesitant this year. The fire, isn’t quite there. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that there is NO excitement, it just feels….different.

I know that some segments of the fan base believe that even if the Mariners got into the playoffs, that they don’t have the offense to make a deep run.

But remember, in October, it is often more about how good your pitching is. True, a team needs timely hitting and the Mariners have often struggled with that. But it doesn’t mean they can’t hang with the rest of the American League.

And even if they can’t. I am behind this team until the final out is made on the final game of the season. Whether that be September 28th at Safeco or sometime in October.

The Mariners are in the Hunt For Teal October and we should be jazzed.

I haven’t been this invested in the final week of the regular season since that 1995 season. Let’s show this team that we bleed teal, that we are “True To The Blue” that we want to experience the Sodo Mojo once again.

Let’s shout our support out to the team on Twitter, let’s get #HuntForTealOctober trending. Let’s show this team that we are behind them.

And then, let’s sell out Safeco for the final three games of the regular season against the Angels. Let’s shake Safeco. Let’s show the world the power of the 10th Man – or whatever you wish to call it.

Let’s help push this team into October. Because if they make it to the playoffs, we could be in for something special.