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Article: Mariners, Red Sox among surprises in 1998 first half.(Sports)(Baseball Report)(Scenes From The Show)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- July 6, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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They can congratulate themselves on correctly predicting a record-setting offensive explosion in the first half of the season. Pats on the back are in order for those who astutely realized that expansion would further deplete pitching staffs on most major-league teams, contributing to the newfound offense, resulting in more 12-10 shootouts than recent memory and prompting at least one major league manager to refer to the situation as "arena baseball."
More than a few preseason prognosticators, however, would have blinked upon learning that the Seattle Mariners would be buried in the American League West after an 8-20 June, their vaunted offense unable to ...