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Seattle Mariners
Overall: 78
Title track: 115
Ownership: 85
Coaching: 88
Players: 95
Fan relations: 73
Affordability: 86
Stadium experience: 14
Bang for the buck: 65
Change from last year: +26
Another year, another October without a postseason for Mariners fans. But at least 2016, under new general manager Jerry Dipoto and new manager Scott Servais, provided a winning season with real playoff possibility into the final weekend. Of course, it looks like the fans who bumped the Mariners up 26 spots in the standings this year have short memories: The past three times Seattle just missed the postseason, it completely collapsed the next year.
What's good
Safeco Field is still one of the best parks in the game (14th in stadium experience), with Lookout Landing in particular providing some of the most picturesque views in the game. While Seattle's promotional schedule is great -- this year included a beard hat, BBQ tongs and a moose bank -- the best souvenirs at Safeco come from the likes of Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano (the roster combined for 223 home runs this season, third in MLB). This year, hitting coach and beloved former Mariner Edgar Martinez provided a boost to the offense and helped the Mariners go from an average of fewer than 3.4 runs per game when he took over midway through 2015 to nearly five runs per game this year.
What's bad
The Mariners have the dubious honor of holding MLB's longest active postseason drought, currently at 15 seasons (which explains that title track ranking of 115th, second-worst in MLB). Although they came close to ending that frustrating streak this year, the challenge might not get any easier as their best players age. Cano and Cruz had great seasons in 2016, but they turn 34 and 36 years old, respectively, next season. Ace Felix Hernandez will be (relatively) younger, at 31, but his pitching has been in decline. Hernandez is still one of the best in the game, but having spent his entire career in Seattle, he has never been to the postseason. To end that drought -- and help improve a 95th-place ranking for the roster -- the King and his Court need to be in top form in 2017.
What's new
A 20-point jump in ownership might seem odd since Nintendo, which bought the Mariners in 1992 and likely saved them from leaving the city, actually sold its majority ownership this summer. The buyers? Seventeen local owners, making them the first ownership group since 1981 that actually lives in Seattle. That's important. While Nintendo did good things for the Mariners (such as signing team legend Ichiro Suzuki), the new local owners will care much more about winning -- because they will want to avoid taking considerable heat for losing. New CEO John Stanton, who recalls crying when the Seattle Pilots left in 1970, will be far superior to former CEO Howard Lincoln.
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