Given a long view the collapse of this Mariners team, following the cruel dreams inspired by their 13 and 2 start, it's possible to see what's happened.
First, the bullpen fell apart. Despite some good hitting and decent starting pitching, the team started losing games by blowing leads from the sixth inning.
Then the starting pitching, even with the novel use of openers, began to stumble. These games started with ugly three-four-five run deficits through the first couple of innings. For awhile the Ms offense would claw back, once again to have their efforts cancelled out by non-existent relief pitching.
Then the hitting started to dry up and in the games since the AllStar break, the power has disappeared. A total collapse. That's how you get four successive bleak losses of 2-9, 3-6, 2-9, 2-10.
What next? Well, it appears we've reached the full extent of the step back. Sometime, somewhere we should see new team. Until then the slow-motion nightmare unfolds.
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