SEATTLE (AP) -One of the biggest among a truckload of criticisms of the Mariners this season – from within and the outside – is that the players are too indifferent.
They don’t show emotion. They aren’t bothered by being the worst team in the American League, wandering through another lost season that began so hopefully with expectations of a first playoff appearance since 2001.
Carlos Silva isn’t “they.”
Seattle’s failing right-hander went off on his position players publicly for at least the third time this season following his team’s latest loss, 5-3 Friday night to the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. The last-place Mariners dropped to 26 games under .500 and 27 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West.
“We have to play as a team and we have to win as a team,” Silva said after allowing eight hits and five runs – four earned – in six-plus innings to fall to 4-13. The man for whom Seattle paid $48 million as a free agent last winter has won just once since April 17.
That’s a lot of time to stew.
“I don’t care if we are 40 games behind, we should play better than this,” he said, speaking with controlled, almost muted anger with fellow pitchers Jarrod Washburn and Felix Hernandez watching nearby. “I can talk about the starting rotation – every time we cross the line we want to do our best – our best – no matter how many games we are behind.
“Maybe half of the team don’t have that mentality. Their only thing is to finish strong (individually) and put up numbers. That’s great, but that affects us, you know? As a team, that doesn’t work out.
“You never want to be in this position, especially for is as pitchers.”
As in the past, Silva did not name names. He didn’t have to Friday.
Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt threw a would-be ground out 10 feet over first base and into a camera well. That scored two runs – half of Tampa Bay’s total in the decisive third inning.
Silva said he is not confronting teammates in the clubhouse, as he sometimes did in his years with the Minnesota Twins, because he doesn’t want it to look like he can’t handle his own tough times.
“If I go there and be hard on somebody, I’m going to look bad,” he said. “I’m going to look bad because people are going to say, ‘He cannot when bad moments come.”’
When asked if all the starters feel this way, Silva said: “I don’t know. But Felix and Wash, we are very competitive, I can tell you. Very competitive. I don’t know if they feel the same way I do, but I’m sure they are pretty close.”
As he said that, Silva looked at both Hernandez and Washburn.
For what it may be worth, Seattle manager Jim Riggleman said he loves Silva’s competitive fire. Then again, Riggleman likely won’t be around next season. At 20-24 since taking over for the fired John McLaren on June 20, he isn’t likely to keep his job when the Mariners hire a new general manager after this season.
“With his history and competitive success, we know he is going to come around. We know it is going to get better,” Riggleman said. “We are with him for the long haul. He doesn’t hang his head. He feels terrible about the hits he’s giving up, the runs. But the way he’s getting after it is the way we want everyone to.
“We want him to be rewarded for what he gives us in competitiveness.”
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