Dan Wilson stays focused instead of thinking what could have been

The final homestand does not carry the implications Dan Wilson was hoping for to end the regular season, but he remains committed to winning.

Burdened by years (actually, decades) of Seattle’s professional sports teams seemingly being jinxed and usually finding a way to cause heartache, the average fan was thoroughly convinced about how this Mariners season was going to play out. With Dan Wilson taking over from Scott Servais and having rejuvenated the club, they were going to make a strong push for the playoffs, but ultimately come up just short right at the last hurdle.

Well, such has been this unpredictable, up-and-down 2024 season for the Mariners, their fans didn’t even get the opportunity to experience the agonizing frustration of barely missing out. Instead, despite winning their last series in Houston, they were eliminated from playoff contention before beginning the final homestand of the regular season versus the Athletics.

This is undoubtedly tough for Wilson, who has done so much to turn the offense around and give the Mariners a chance to qualify for the postseason. Speaking to the media on Friday prior to the Athletics opener, about missing out, he said:

“Yesterday was certainly disappointing news, obviously. You know we have been really focused over these last 30-something games (about) getting ourselves into the postseason. The effort, the fight, how much these guys have put into it, has been unbelievable. It’s been awesome, and I think that’s what makes yesterday stink so much. It’s been such a strong push to get back to the postseason, so it’s disappointing, there’s no question about it.”

With an 18-13 record entering the Athletics series, Wilson’s positive impact in Seattle is pretty evident. As mentioned already, specifically on the offense, which is ranked as one of top lineups in the Majors during September after previously being among the very worst this year.

Wilson remains focused on winning

Despite the playoffs no longer being on the table, the 55-year-old is going to make sure the Mariners remain focused and play out the season in the correct manner. He said:

“We’ve got three games left here (and) the focus remains on those three games. We’re playing well, looking to win these three and end the season on a good, strong note and (then) take a minute to think a little bit about what lies ahead. But for now we’re focused on this and getting these three games.”

Wilson was asked about how the focus now shifts with the playoffs no longer a possibility, and what he wants to accomplish in these last three games? He said:

“I don’t think anything shifts all that much. I think our focus is to win, and these three games are just as important as the other ones. I mean it doesn’t have the playoff carrot at the end of it, but this is what we’re about. We want to win and these three are about finishing the season off strong.”

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What might have been if given more time

Given just how well the Mariners have rebounded since the Mariners Hall of Famer became manager, does he have any regrets about not getting the chance to take over earlier? After taking a pause to contemplate the question, he said:

“It’s tough to look back and say woulda, coulda, shoulda. All I can say is that this group over the past 30 days has really pushed hard. So again, between the players, the staff, everyone, it’s been a really strong (push). It was a tough one to swallow yesterday, but we have a task in front of us now.”

It’s this type of focus which clearly served Wilson very well during a long Major League playing career, and now seemingly as a manager. And the players certainly appear to have taken this mindset on board, evidenced by then going out to win 2-0 on Friday night versus the Athletics in a game with no playoff implications.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s still extremely early in Wilson’s career as a Major League manager. However, pretty much everything about his reign up to this point has been positive, with fans hoping this bodes well for the future.

What’s your opinion of the job Dan Wilson has done with the Mariners since taking over? Are you confident about him being the manager moving forward next year in Seattle, preferring to take a wait-and-see approach, or not convinced he is the long-term answer? Let us know in the comments section below.