Jack Zduriencik expresses concern with struggling Mariners

SEATTLE – How early is too late?

That question gnaws at Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik as he watches his club, a trendy preseason pick as a World Series contender, free-fall its way through the season’s opening weeks.

Zduriencik doesn’t hold to the game’s long-held protocol that a club must play 40 or 50 games to make any legitimate overall assessment.

“I just think it’s an ongoing evaluation,” he said. “I’ll look at 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 games. It’s always ongoing to figure out exactly where you’re at, and what your club is doing.”

Zduriencik has concerns after watching a club he still views as having postseason-level talent lurch along at 11-17 while settling into last place in the American League West Division.

What’s gone wrong?

“I even said in the wintertime,” Zduriencik said, “that as high as the expectations were, it’s really all about players producing. So no matter what your history is, you have to come out and live up to your potential.”

It’s hard to identify anyone beyond long-time staff ace Felix Hernandez and right fielder Nelson Cruz, the club’s big off-season acquisition, playing at or above anticipated levels. The Mariners, despite adding Cruz, rank 13th among the 15 American League clubs in scoring. A pitching staff that led the league last year with a 3.17 ERA ranks 10th with a 4.31 mark.

A bullpen that last season protected slim leads with fierce tenacity is cratering with three walk-off losses in the last seven games.

The growing debate is this: Are the Mariners simply laboring through a tough stretch? Or are they experiencing a very mean regression to the norm after last season’s surprising success.

“We’ve proved that we can perform,” Zduriencik said. “A year ago, our pitching was very good. Some of those guys aren’t performing to that level.

“We’ve added to our offense (in the off-season), but some guys have started a little bit slow. All right. That’s understandable. I think you have to be patient and understand that happens.”

The Mariners shook up their underperforming bullpen earlier in the week by demoting Yoervis Medina and Tyler Olson (Gonzaga University/University High) to Triple-A Tacoma. They also recalled Chris Taylor to replace Brad Miller as the starting shortstop.

“We made a couple of moves the other day,” Zduriencik said, “because we thought they were the right thing to do at the time.”