If anyone is wondering where the Mariners fell short in 2014, look no further than this.

The Seattle Mariners lost 17 games in which the other team scored two runs or less.  Of those 17 losses, the Mariners were shut out 11 times.  Of those 11 shut outs, the Mariners lost five games where the opposing team scored just once.

Those numbers should haunt GM Jack Zduriencik all off season.  They should cause Zduriencik to wake up in the middle of the night, covered in a cold sweat, wondering what could have been had he constructed a mere below average offense rather than the horrid one that took the field game in and game out.  The haunt of a “what if” had Zduriencik addressed, say, the teams need in center field rather than handing the position on a silver platter to rookie Abraham Almonte.   Or, perhaps, acquired one more productive bat to be inserted into a corner outfield position.   Maybe played a healthy Michael Saunders every day during the first part of the season rather than relegating him to fifth outfielder duties.  Or – and this one hurts the most – had Zduriencik not allowed ownership to squash the Nelson Cruz deal?

Ok, that last one probably was out of Zduriencik’s control, but you get the idea.

Ostensibly, any one of the above-mentioned could have resulted in just one more run scored, and thus one more win.  Feasibly, any one of the above-mentioned could have resulted in the Mariners first playoff appearance since 2001.

With the off season now upon us, clearly offense is the priority.  And from all accounts, this time around, Zduriencik, manager Lloyd McClendon, and team President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Mathers all understand the importance of acquiring middle of the order run producers.

At least they say they do.

Zduriencik and McClendon are already on record stating two bats will be sought in the off season.  And Mathers is on record stating payroll will be increased.  So far, all the right things are being said by all the right people.  But how do we know this isn’t just more hot air being exhausted like in seasons past?  We don’t.

Except, consider this.

The other week I was frequenting my friend’s bar where, low and behold, Mariners’ “majority” minority owner Chris Larson happened to be taking in a few drinks.  Long story short, my buddy asked Larson straight up, “What are the Mariners going to do to address the offense?”

Reciprocating the candor of the question posed, Larson responded, “Don’t worry, ownership is prepared to bring in two big bats.”

That’s right, not one, but two big bats.

I don’t know about you, but hearing this straight from an owner’s mouth not only brought about a jolt of adrenaline and excitement for the upcoming season, but seemingly legitimized everything that’s been reported concerning the Mariners’ off season plans.

I mean, you have the general manager and manager both saying they want two bats to hit in the middle of the order.  You have the team’s President and Chief Operating Office saying the organization is going to raise payroll to accommodate the off season needs.  And now you have a majority owner saying the ownership group is prepared to spend the necessary means to carry out the Zduriencik’s off season wish list.

If my math skills are still up to par, all the players necessary to landing two big bats seem to be in-sync and on the same page.  And that bodes well heading into the off season.  Because whether two bats are acquired via free agency or trade, the Mariners will need to act quickly considering the dearth of quality hitters available in this year’s free agent class coupled with the number of teams looking to upgrade offensively.  And acting quickly during the off season has been something Zduriencik and the Mariners have not been very good at.  Rather, their modus operandi has been to proceed with caution, leisurely measuring each and every possibility to the point where when a decision is finally ready to be made, all that is left are the free agent bar flys.

If the Mariners are indeed planning on being major players in the off season, then they will be tied to such free agents as Victor Martinez, Melky Cabrera, Nick Markakis, and Yasmany Tomas.  Possible trades for players like Matt Kemp, Adam Lind, Starling Marte, Billy Butler or Justin Upton will also fill the rumor mill.

These are all distinct possibilities, and we will discuss these options in the days to follow.  But for now, the wheels seem to be in motion  for a consequential off season.