Battle Tested Early: Mariners Have A Tough Schedule To Start 2014

Feb 25, 2014; Mesa, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman

(15) runs the bases during camp at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The Mariners Will Quickly Become Road Warriors:

Only three teams in the AL have it worse, and by worse I mean the Mariners have a brutally tough schedule to start the 2014 season. According to the Buster Olney Blog on ESPN Insider, the Mariners have the 4th worst schedule to start the 2014 season behind only the Minnesota Twins, the Chicago White Sox, and the Tampa Bay Rays, respectively.

Of the first 41 games of the season, only 18 are played at home, and 27 are played against teams that finished with records of .500 or better in 2013… This is primarily because the M’s start the year with 16 straight games against the Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Texas Rangers.

Let’s break down the first quarter of the season and see just how important it may be for the Mariners to start the year strong.