"New Day" Mariners Showing Some "Sodo Mojo"

Remember that Mariners’ slogan back in 2002? “Sodo Mojo”? The one that never seemed to hold true for a struggling Mariner team?

Well, these “new day” Ms have shown a bit of that magic the team of old was lacking. In fact, this rediscovered “mojo” is perhaps the main reason that the Mariners somehow find themselves in the playoff picture this year.
I mean, really, just the fact that the Mariners are in contention is magical in and of itself. The team picked to finish last in the AL West now sits three games above .500 and 3.5 games out of first place.
Look beyond this, and you’ll find other ways this year’s Ms have the magic. There’s magic in Ken Griffey Junior’s nostalgic return to Seattle. In the resurgence of Jarrod Washburn. In the emergence of Felix Hernandez, Russell Branyan, and David Aardsma.
But most of all, this team has the mojo in the way it finds ways to win games. The 2009 Ms have some of the traits of the 1995 “Refuse to Lose” Ms. The magic is there in their small-ball style, the comeback wins, the late inning rallies and gutty play. These Mariners seem to always find a way to squeeze out close games.
Look at the stats. The Mariners have won 21 games decided by a single run, most in the majors. Only halfway through the season, this stat shows their grittiness: last year, San Fransisco had the most one-run wins with 31. The Mariners’ 21-13 record in one-run games is remarkably better than last year’s record of 18-30.
What could be the cause of this extraordinary turnaround? There could be many reasons.
Part of it has to do with the improved chemistry in the clubhouse. Last year’s dysfunctional clubhouse, with lots of finger-pointing and little cooperation, adversely effected the team.
Conversely, this year’s team holds a much improved chemistry brought about by the veteran presences of Griffey and Mike Sweeney. As a result, the team is likely much more willing to fight in close games and less likely to put their heads down and accept a loss.
Furthermore, new manager Don Wakamatsu has been a part of the team’s ability to win close games. He seems to have an uncanny knack for manufacturing runs in tight situations.
But for whatever reason, this year’s Mariners has been able to win the close ones. They have the “mojo”, the magic that has been missing in Seattle for years. This magic is among the main reasons for the Ms’ success this year, and the team would do well to ride it into the post season.

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