These Mariners kind of confuse me. I'm all ready to call it quits on the season after they lose six in a row at the end of May. Suddenly they rip off nine wins out of their next 11 games, propelling them back into the hunt in the AL West. Then they play the A's, and, predictably, they fold like a wet newspaper. But when they got that A('s)lbatross behind them, they take the first two games from the Giants, including today's 8-1 victory.

So, are they a good team or not? When you subtract the Mariners' 1-9 record against the A's from their won-loss record, the M's are a .533 team (32-28). If the M's played against the A's as they did the rest of the league, it would translate into five more wins, with the M's record ending up at 37-33, an exact mirror image of the team's actual current record of 33-37. In this fantasy world in which the Mariners were actually able to compete against the A's, they would be atop the divison, a game above Texas, with Oakland at a sub-.500 record (32-34).

But they're not, and the A's are ripping off their usual summer hot streak. I have pointed out that the A's have not been able to translate their dominance over the Mariners the past few years into division titles. If they win the AL West this year, the M's impotence versus the team from East Bay will explain why.

But looking at the M's season in this perspective got me thinking: perhaps this team isn't such a bad one after all? I know, I know- this blog is intended to kick the Mariners as they continually disappoint, taking the sting off an otherwise frustrating season. But the Marienrs are winning at a .667 clip so far in June- not much to kick at or find frustrating from a team playing like that. Before the season I thought the M's and the A's were the two weakest teams in the Al West, and would be battling each other for last place. However, obviously the Angels are much weaker than in years past and I don't quite trust Texas just yet. Could I have got it wrong? Could the A's and the M's possibly be the two best teams in the division? Would they be battling out for the title come the last week of the season? (And if that's the case, my money is Joe Blanton wrapping the title up with a solid two-hit shutout against the M's at the Safe in the last week of September.)

Anyways, today's game. The M's continued with their dominating interleague ways, having won 12 of their last 13 games against the NL at the Safe. They schooled Jason Schmidt, who grew up a few hours south of Seattle and imploded in front of 300 friends and family members. Will, maybe not 'imploded.' But he defintiely served up some long-balls, including a two-run homerun to Richie Sexson in the second inning and Jeremy Reed following with another homer an out later. The six earned runs Jason Schmidt gave up were a season high for him, and, defying my expectations, he only struck out six batters, which was one less than Gil Meche.

Speaking of Gil Meche, what does a brother have to do to win some love? The much-maligned right-hander has allowed all of four runs in his past three starts since serving up that grand slam to Texas May 30. His lines since the Texas game:

6/5 v. KC: 7 4 1 1 2 6 96 pitches, 60 strikes
6/10 v. LAA: 5 7 2 2 4 3 102 pitches, 59 strikes
6/17 v. SF: 9 5 1 1 1 7 112 pitches, 78 strikes

Though Meche may not have been that economical versus the Angels, he made the pitches he needed to as he kept those he walked from scoring. If you're not a fan of Meche, then I sympathize, as you need to get used to seeing his face. His recent stretch brings up the following questions: what team will Joel Pineiro be traded to, and for who? Seriously, Meche must be seeking to pitch himself into an extension, and I'd be all about having the team grant one to him.

Being as this is a blog about Beltre, it deserves to be noted that AB got in on the offensive action today, going 1-for-5, and knocking in Yuniesky Betancourt with a ground-rule double in the seventh. Beltre's double knocked Schmidt out the game, as that was Jason's last pitch. Beltre eventually got around to score on Raul Ibanez's three-run home-run, and ended the game batting .236. Both Sexson and Beltre got a hit, the Mariners win. It's as simple as that.

Tomorrow the M's face Jamey Wright, a barely serviceable replacement-level pitcher. Adrian Beltre owns Wright, to a tune of a .368 average and a .921 OPS. Let's just hope Ichiro can get on base plenty of times so that AB can have plenty of RBIs in what should be a laugher of a win for the M's- a great way to spend a Father's Day. (Of course, every time I say that- see Rodrigo Lopez- the M's are on the receiving end of yet another shut-out.)

If the M's do finish the sweep versus the Giants, it just makes their inability to compete against the A's all the more frustrating. Because if a sweep is secured we just might have to admit that, yes, they're a good team. Against everybody but Oakland.