Many people, myself included, were shocked when the Mariners signed Russell Branyan in the offseason with the intention of having the journeyman start at first base. Everyone knew that Branyan possessed plus power, but he never made enough contact or hit for enough batting average to be a starter in the majors.But so far this season, Branyan has been a revelation for the Mariners by hitting .321 with 11 HRs, and an impressive .402 OBP. Sure Branyan still strikes out alot (47 K's in 157 ABs), but Branyan is driving the ball with authority and at 33, Branyan is putting together the best season of his career. So for the Mariners, this brings up a interesting dilemma. On one hand, the Mariners have played pretty good ball this season and currently sit just 6.5 games out of first in the AL West at 24-26. It's too early to say that the Mariners cannot make the playoffs or at least stay competitive. I'm sure it would mean the world to Mariners fans to see the team continue to p...
Found June 01, 2009 on
Jorge Says No:
Original Story:
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