Mariners limp out of Denver

Funny how the outlook can change in three days. The Mariners came to Denver riding high. They had pulled back to .500 and caught the Angels. It looked like a real, live pennant race was brewing., And now, after three horrid games against the Rockies, it's hard to figure out why anyone thought this team could possibly contend. It's not that bad, of course. Poor games always cause an over-reaction, and three poor games in a row tend to lead to outright panic, mixed with equal parts outrage and disgust. But these games here exposed this team's weaknesses. The offense, despite some signs of awakening, is still pulling them down. The starting pitching, a strength most of the season, is in a bit of a shambles now, with Jarrod Washburn hobbled by a sore back, Erik Bedard nursing a sore shoulder, Jason Vargas regressing to mean, Brandon Morrow getting on the job rotation augmentation, and Garrett Olson being Garrett Olson. It's still too early to pull the plug on the seaso...