THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: M's seek return of pitching, offense and cheese

Feeling good about the Mariners’ playoff chances?

Nah.

Me, neither.

Momentum has somehow drained away from our heroes, just when it seemed they’d matched a toughened lineup with a healthy pitching rotation.

Instead of Seattle locking down a wild-card spot and mounting a charge to overhaul Houston in the AL West, though, things have begun to fall apart.

The offense?

Pffft.

Cal Raleigh either hits a home run or makes little contact at all, with both those outcomes helping determine Tuesday night’s 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay.

The Dumper poked No. 51 in this frustrating defeat, starting a crazy inning that saw the Mariners hit three solo homers — Cal, Julio Rodriguez and Jorge Polanco.

Unfortunately, that was all the lads could muster until the fateful seventh, which they entered down 4-3.

Manager Dan Wilson used the sacrifice bunt again, sticking with the “small ball” strategy that has fans flocking to talk shows and screaming from rooftops.

This time, Luke Raley bunted Polanco and Eugenio Suarez to third and second, respectively.

After a walk loaded the bases, Cole Young managed a sacrifice fly.

The game was suddenly 4-4 and the Mariners apparently were involved in their rarest event – a rally.

BUT, NO.

After a walk loaded the bases again, Randy Arozarena popped out and Raleigh struck out.

Guh!

Then, maybe a nanosecond later, cue Gabe Speier giving up a two-run double to Junior Caminero in the bottom half of the inning.

Poof, it was 6-4 and the M’s were drowning again.

This was the fourth loss in five games to start what appears to be another ghastly road trip.

You’re going to think I’m making up this next item, but I swear it’s true.

The Mariners are STILL in possession of a wild card playoff spot.

That situation, however, may not last long with Texas hurtling upward.

So, what’s gone wrong here?

Well, Raleigh’s homer was his first since Aug. 25, which doesn’t exactly qualify as a drought.

It just SEEMS like a long time ago because the Mariners have depended on Cal’s bombs to keep them above water.

The problem is that Cal waits for fastballs, mainly because he generally wallops them.

It reminds me of a scene in the classic baseball movie “Bull Durham.”

Kevin Costner is a veteran catcher stuck in the low minor leagues, and when he steps up to hit, you hear him think: “Come on. You ain’t getting that cheese by me.”

Cheese is one of many players’ terms for a fastball — along with heat, gas and so on.

Anyhow, Costner’s character Crash Davis gets his “cheese” in the movie and launches a home run.

It appears that major league pitchers have watched this current “Bull Durham” — and grown tired of Raleigh jogging around the bases.

Time to cut down on the cheese.

Change the diet.

Now, Cal is seeing almost all slow breaking stuff, if he even gets a strike at all.

You could almost predict that whiff to end the seventh inning Tuesday night.

IT’S NOT fair to blame the Mariners’ recent struggles on Raleigh, obviously.

Or even on the offense.

Not entirely.

Sure, it would be nice (and basically clinch a postseason spot) if the hitters could tee off more often.

This team, though, was built on pitching.

Baseball vice president Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander have been quoted endlessly about having a generational starting rotation in Seattle right now, with explosive high-leverage relievers Matt Brash and Andres Munoz wrapping up games.

With the exception of Bryan Woo, though, the starters currently range from staggering (Luis Castillo) to inconsistent (Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Bryce Miller).

The Mariners are also in one of those funks where they can’t score on nights their own pitchers are the sharpest.

The scariest situation involves Castillo, who is nicknamed La Piedra (The Rock) because teammates have counted on him as a sure thing for years.

But here’s present reality, from Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.

“The Mariners are 1-3 in Castillo’s last four starts, none of which lasted more than five innings. 

“Over that span, he’s pitched a combined 17 innings, allowing 19 runs on 30 hits with seven walks and 18 strikeouts. 

“That’s a 10.06 ERA. Opponents are batting .390 against Castillo over those games with 30 hits in 77 at-bats.”

Whew!

The truth: If Castillo can’t rediscover his cheese, the Mariners will have to scrap their plans to put Miller in the bullpen for the stretch run and beyond.

In fact, it will tough to imagine a “beyond.” 

Except.

How ’bout them Seahawks?

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”