Mariners Lessons: From the Arizona Diamondbacks
Speed Kills...
A big reason why the Snakes were able to beat three teams that I feel confident in saying were more talented, was the special teams play of swiping bags. Arizona stole 23 bags in 17 games at an insane rate of success. They had seven players who could steal a bag, with guys like Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and Geraldo Perdomo being superb at swiping bags. It causes so much pressure on opposing pitchers and their defenses as any mistake would put a runner in scoring position. They always gave their offense (which is not a great offense) as many bites at the apple as possible.
Jerry Dipoto in his introductory press conference when he was hired talked about wanting a fast athletic team. It's time to lean back into that style of play, especially with the new base rules.
The Wise Old Man...
It feels like every year we'll see a team in the World Series that has a former star who is in his twilight years but still plays a huge role in the clubhouse and on the field. Evan Longoria may not end up in Cooperstown, but he was a great player who was a big part of the success this season. In the past, we've seen guys like Carlos Beltran in Houston, Raul Ibanez in Kansas City, Pat Burrell in San Francisco, and Lance Berkman in St. Louis all see the end of their runs playing a sizable role in October.
If Seattle could bring in a veteran that can contribute and bring championship experience, it would be huge. Guys like JD Martinez, Justin Turner or Jason Heyward could be a big boost in more ways than one.