Originally published Monday, July 18, 2011 at 9:38 PM

How low can they go? Mariners offense, by the numbers

The Mariners are having another historically bad offensive season.

Really shouldn't use NL stats with the term DH era because they still aren't in the DH... (July 19, 2011, by Marty Aalto) Read more

M-E-N-D-O-Z-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! I can't bear it. I simply cannot bear it. (July 19, 2011, by Hawkfan67) Read more

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Dubious distinctions

• The Mariners are hitting .221 as a team. The worst team batting average since the designated hitter era began in 1973 is .229 by the 1974 San Diego Padres.

• The Mariners, though they're on pace for 517 now, would seem to have a shot at scoring fewer than 513 runs, Seattle's 2010 total, which was the worst of the DH era.

• Good news, though: Even if the Mariners don't hit another home run the rest of the season — and the way they're going, maybe they won't — they won't touch the DH-era worst number there. The Houston Astros hit 49 home runs in 1979.


Bringing up the rear
The Mariners rank last in the major leagues in most offensive categories.
Rank	Category	M's
30th	Runs scored	303
30th	Batting average	.221
30th	On-base pct.	.286
30th	Slugging pct.	.325
30th	Hits	692
28th	Doubles	135
T-25th	Triples	12
27th	Home runs	55


2010 vs. 2011
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the Mariners have worse numbers in almost every offensive category than the weak-hitting 2010 team. Last year's Mariners were better in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, hits and home runs. The only major category where this year's team is doing better — barely — is runs scored.
Category	2010	2011
* Runs	513	517
Batting average	.236	.221
On-base pct.	.298	.286
Slugging pct.	.339	.325
* Hits	1,274	1,180
* Home runs	101	94
* 2011 statistics projected