5 Mariners that Need to Step Up in the 2nd Half

Jul 10, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Logan Morrison (20) reacts to striking out in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field. The Angles won 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

Logan Morrison – 1B

Logan Morrison is one of the most popular players on the team, and he is a personal favorite of mine. In May and June he was one of the best players in the M’s lineup, but that seems like a lifetime ago. LoMo is hitting .229 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI’s across 87 games in 2015. His .300 on base percentage is amongst the best on the team, but his .385 slugging percentage is somewhat hollow.

Inconsistency has been the story for LoMo this season. He has had a pair of decent months at the dish sandwiched in between a couple of awful months. Morrison hit .273 in May after hitting just .197 in the opening month of the season. His hot hitting continued in June as he posted a .253 batting average. However, that number has fallen to just .125 in July.

Lloyd McClendon made the strange decision to move him to the top of the lineup for an extended period in June, and predictably, LoMo struggled in the new role. Morrison is hitting .210 across 21 games hitting out of the leadoff spot for Seattle this season. He is at his best when hitting 6th in the lineup, and that is exactly where he should be moving forward.

LoMo put this team on his back last September, and nearly carried them over the threshold into the postseason. He has a Jay Buhner quality to him, and that is a huge compliment. Morrison is the emotional leader in the clubhouse, and his personality is often more valuable than his stats. However, he needs to get back to the player we saw in May if this team has any hope of gaining ground in the AL West.

Next: F-Rod