Seattle Mariners earn high grades at MLB season's quarter mark



Robinson Cano

Second base | Age: 33 | 12th MLB season

2016 stats (167 at bats): .299/.343/.587, 12 doubles, 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, 10 walks, 26 strikeouts

Grade: A+



Notes: Cano was expected to bounce back after stomach pains and a death in his family plagued a big chunk of his 2015 season. The pricy second baseman was undoubtedly peeved over offseason comments from former coach Andy Van Slyke blaming him for the team's disappointing 2015. He's responded by garnering some early consideration for the AL MVP award. less

Robinson Cano

Second base | Age: 33 | 12th MLB season

2016 stats (167 at bats): .299/.343/.587, 12 doubles, 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, 10 walks, 26 strikeouts

Grade: A+



Notes: Cano was expected to bounce back after ... more Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close Seattle Mariners earn high grades at MLB season's quarter mark 1 / 38 Back to Gallery

After a 2015 season as disappointing as any in recent memory, the Seattle Mariners have exceeded middling expectations through the first quarter of their 2016 campaign.

With Thursday's 7-2 win over the Orioles in Baltimore, they improved to 18-9 in their last 27 games and clung to their precarious lead over the Texas Rangers in the American League West. They also handed the Orioles their first home series loss of the season and improved their road record to an AL-best 15-7.

The Mariners have showed few, if any, glaring weaknesses -- other than the occasional offensive malaise at Safeco Field. As of Thursday afternoon, they were fourth in the American League with a .740 OPS, third in the AL in homers with 55 and seventh in on-base percentage (.320). They began the day fourth in the AL with 4.54 runs per game.

As expected, the pitching staff has been solid, posting a 3.28 ERA and 1.18 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) that ranked second in the AL. Even the bullpen has avoided an implosion despite a rash of injuries.

After an offseason spent making the roster more athletic and adding depth to the lineup, general manager Jerry Dipoto was apparently right when he said the Mariners weren't primed for a rebuild.

Late Detroit Tigers manager Sparky Anderson deemed the 40-game mark an appropriate time to begin evaluating a club. Anderson also famously said, "I only had a high school education and believe me, I had to cheat to get that."

But Anderson also won three World Series titles -- two with the Cincinnati Reds and one with the Tigers -- and had a .618 winning percentage over a 26-year managing career. So he must have known something.

The above gallery lays out first-quarter grades for the 2016 Mariners.

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Mariners news. Contact sports reporter Adam Lewis at adam lewis@seattlepi.com or @AdamLewisPI.