Rising World Series hype dares Mariners fans to ask what could possibly go wrong

The preseason predictions are rolling in and the likes of MLB.com and FanGraphs have the Seattle Mariners as second favorites to win the World Series behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is good right? .... right?!?! Well, not if you know anything about the history of this team.

With all due respect to fanbases of other professional North American sports franchises, the Mariners have an excellent case for being top — and by top we mean worst — when it comes to things going wrong when success is just around the corner. Certainly, there will be plenty of Seattle sports fans shuddering with fear when we ask them what could possibly go wrong?

Mariners fans used to fearing the worst after decades of mostly disappointment

We've written previously about how the Mariners seem jinxed, when it comes to everything being set up for them to succeed and then falling apart in spectacular fashion. Clearly the number one example of this is the 2001 season when they equalled the all-time Major League record of 116 wins, but still managed to lose the ALCS in five games to the New York Yankees.

You can't really blame Mariners fans for having an ongoing sense of impending doom when it comes to their beloved team, with some even wondering if the franchise became cursed as a result of daring to equal the win record first set in 1906 by the Chicago Cubs. Irrational or not, it doesn't help when the M's then endure 21 years without playoff baseball and a further three years without a division title.

In theory you'd like to believe Mariners fans would think any curse is now lifted, after two playoff appearances in four seasons and finally winning the AL West again last year. However, common sense and objectivity is not a forte of your average sports fan even at the best of times, never mind a fanbase scarred by so much disappointment over the years.

As such, no matter how much fun it should be that the Mariners are getting lots of respect from the mainstream media, the ever-present 'threat' of a jinx remains prevelant in the fans' minds. And in fairness to the M's fanbase, this spring hasn't exactly been a barrel of laughs for them, with the team mostly playing poorly in the Cactus League.

Every Mariners issue can be met with a logical and optimistic response ... at least in theory

It doesn't help that the Mariners might be missing Bryce Miller and J.P. Crawford to begin the season, with each being underrated for what they bring to the team. On top of this is the whole unnecessary Randy Arozarena-Cal Raleigh Handshakegate drama which, while the official word is that it's now resolved, could still potentially fester in the clubhouse.

When cooler heads prevail you realize that each of these issues can be looked at more optimistically, or at least pragmatically, beginning with the Mariners finishing bottom of the Cactus League last spring and subsequently coming closer than ever to a first World Series berth. They have enough legitimate depth at shortstop and in the rotation to cover for any absence of Crawford and Miller, while the clubhouse is full of high-character and stand-up individuals who won't allow team morale to be ripped apart.

Overall, this is a team with a great rotation, two superstars in Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez, the addition of Brendan Donovan and the prospect of a full season of the Energizer bunny that is Josh Naylor. Still, even all of this reassurance won't erase every doubt within a fanbase programmed to fear that what can go wrong will go wrong, after decades of mostly failure.