THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Many things to fix before the fever hits

For a few months, the Mariners couldn't hit.

Cal Raleigh was the poster child for that campaign, swinging hopelessly at balls in the dirt, sweepers that grazed the dugout railing, passing butterflies and heaven knows what else — this, after walloping 60 home runs in 2025 and finishing a (close) second to Aaron Judge in a battle for the American League's MVP.

There were plenty more culprits.

It's just that Raleigh, who also put on a massive display to win the league's Home Run Derby, was tumbling further and faster than Niagara Falls, and that's going to get people's attention.

Julio Rodriguez hit some balls hard, but mostly on the ground. 

And NOBODY could make critical contact with runners in scoring position.

Well, except for Cole Young, who wasn't even ticketed for a spot on the major league roster — and is the M's most outstanding player by miles and miles.

Despite Young's 13 homers, 48 RBIs and outstanding play at second base, the Mariners were mostly sleep-walkers as the dreadful AL West crept past halfway into the season.

They were dead last in hitting with runners in scoring position, and have since advanced to 29th (in, ah, a 30-team league).

Amazingly, they began last weekend with a legitimate shot at grabbing top spot in the AL West with a four-game stop in Texas on the menu.

SO, DO we feel pennant fever?

Seattle lost three of four, and now are off to visit the Dodgers — who have won something like 40 games in a row.

It's a mess, and the goofiest part of the whole thing is that now the Mariners have forgotten how to pitch.

Bryan Woo, fresh off last season's All-Star appearance, got shelled again.

Likewise, George Kirby.

That 7-3 loss on Monday was the series finale, and massively disappointing because the Rangers haven't hit a ball hard off Kirby in ... well, ever.

That was prior to four quick homers this time around.

Kirby had allowed 11 homers in his first 19 starts this season, and just four in his previous nine starts — none by Texas.

George was 9-1 in his career against the Rangers, and it gave the Mariners hope that they could get to Los Angeles within touching distance of first place.

The tip-off that things might not work out came when the Rangers' Joc Pederson hammered a ball off the premises to start the first inning.

Randy Arozarena matched that homer in the second, so were we really going to have a ballgame?

Nope.

Seven runs later, Kirby was gone and so were the Mariners.

OK, WITH Chavez Ravine next up on the traveler's guide, two things stuck with me as the Mariners quietly departed Arlington.

Let's start with the trade deadline, which comes up next Monday.

There have been rumors, almost from opening day, that the M's would swing a logical deal — shipping out one of their EIGHT starting pitchers for a right-handed bat.

(Someone to swing it might help, as well.)

Yes, I'm counting untested rookies Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan, who will be in Seattle for more than radio interviews very, very soon.

Lefty Anderson has dominated Double-A for Arkansas, carrying a 1.27 ERA and — if it's possible — looking even better than that.

Sometime in less than a week, Mariners boss Jerry Dipoto will make some sort of move to give his floundering team a different look.

Maybe that will help, along with the return of injured all-purpose hitter Brendan Donovan (although Donovan's minor-league rehab hasn't exactly lit up organized baseball, a 2-for-30 fiasco played out mostly at Single-A Everett.

The guy is a professional hitter, though, and he'll find his stroke -- assuming the Mariners haven't drifted all the way to the San Juan Islands by then.

The second thing on my mind is whether or not Dipoto will finally fire the hapless Dan Wilson.

Even without his endless bullpen blunders, Wilson needs to go.

He brings ZERO energy to the club, and that's no good when you're trying to rally from months of dozing.

Wilson isn't going to wake up, so Dipoto has to do it.

Among other changes, the Mariners need to get damn excited if there's going to be something fun over the next couple of months.

In the good old days of MLB, one of the Mariners would start a brawl in L.A.

Just as a door-opener.

Benches would empty, and the M's would announce that they refuse to be taken for granted.

You know, maybe that would still work.

Longtime journalist Steve Cameron writes "The Cheap Seats" column for The Press three times each week.