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You won't see the M's sweat

They've gone from a 116-win season to a 1-0 hole in the playoffs, but the Mariners are confident they'll bounce back.

[AP photo] Manager Lou Piniella knows how dangerous it would be if his Mariners fall into a 2-0 hole.

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 11, 2001

SEATTLE -- The Mariners won 116 games during a remarkable and record-tying regular season. But if they don't win one game today, they will be in serious risk of going from one of baseball's most amazing successes to one of its biggest disappointments.

"We need to go out and win (today)," Seattle manager Lou Piniella said Wednesday. "That's fairly obvious."

Basically, the Mariners are taking the attitude that all they did was lose a game, trying to ignore that potential significance of Tuesday's 5-0 defeat in the opener of the best-of-five division series.

"We can't let one game shatter our hope," centerfielder Mike Cameron said.

So they made a point before, during and after Wednesday's workout to not let anyone see them worry, insisting that even though they seemingly cruised through the season, leading the AL West from day one and finishing 70 games over .500, that they already have proven their resiliency under trying circumstances.

"And we'll show it again (today)," Mark McLemore said.

Of the 16 times the Mariners lost the first game of a series, they came back to win nine and tie two others.

"I'd rather be up 1-0 than down 1-0," outfielder Jay Buhner said, "but we've lost the first game a few times this year and been able to battle back and I don't see it being any different this time."

"I'm going to go out on a limb," Cameron said, "and say we have a pretty good chance to win (today)."

To do so, the Mariners will have to return to the fundamentals that carried them this far: consistent offense, solid pitching and slick fielding.

Tuesday, they were shackled by Cleveland's Bartolo Colon, shut out for just the fifth time all season. Today, they'll face veteran lefty Chuck Finley, who has a 19-8 career record against them.

"Offensively we need to create a little bit of spark," catcher Dan Wilson said.

The Mariners got eight men on base Tuesday, and only one got past second.

"It doesn't matter how you do it, but what we need to do is score runs," McLemore said. "More runs than them."

The Mariners will put their hopes in the left hand of Jamie Moyer, the crafty 38-year-old, who for the first time in his career, won 20 games, including two brilliant ones against Cleveland, allowing just one earned run in 14 innings.

"He got 20 wins this year with the (junk) he throws up there; it's amazing isn't it?" outfielder Jay Buhner said in admiration. "He's been unbelievable the second half. He's been pitching great for us and coming through clutch for us."

Moyer could be even more effective pitching in the afternoon shadows and pitching after hard-throwing Freddy Garcia.

The primary differences?

"Freddy's about 6-5; Jamie's about 5-11," McLemore said. "Freddy's right-handed; Jamie's left-handed. Freddy throws about 95 (mph); Jamie throws about 25. So, boom, there you have it. They're different type pitchers."

The Mariners, as you can tell, were relaxed and playing it cool. But they realize what the situation is.

"Obviously it's not a do-or-die game for us, but let's be honest here," reliever Norm Charlton said. "We'd sure feel a hell of a lot better going down there 1-1 than 0-2."

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