As we embark on the second half of the Seattle Mariners’ season, it becomes obvious that everything from this point on will be done with an eye toward the future. But it would be impossible to overlook what ranks as one of the most disappointing first-half campaigns in team history.

The Mariners were a chic playoff pick this season, but all those hopes dissolved after a horrific May in which every single weakness was exposed like a raw nerve. We all knew that offense would be an issue for this team, but no one could have imagined this level of ineptitude.

In a year in which every division in baseball is up for grabs, the Mariners find themselves lumped with longtime short-bus riders Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Baltimore as teams with no chance of doing anything in the second half.

How did things unravel so fast? Let’s take a look…

OFFENSE
If you are going to take the tack that small ball will be your offensive identity, everyone must work in harmony to make sure runs – which are going to be at a premium - are scored. And with the exception of the always-reliable Ichiro, no one did their job.

To put it bluntly, the Mariners can’t hit for shit.

Seattle is either last or next to last in MLB in runs (298), RBI (285), batting average (.238), home runs (57), slugging percentage (.346) and OPS (.652).

The offseason acquisitions of Casey Kotchman, Milton Bradley and Chone Figgins have all been unmitigated disasters. Figgins’ failures especially sting because, hitting after Ichiro, he was supposed to be another table setter that would give the Mariners two speedy guys on the basepaths. But Figgins is hitting .235.

Kotchman was supposed to give the Mariners a lefty power bat capable of 20-25 HR. Um, yeah. He’s hitting .218 with seven dingers. Bradley? He’s felt free to hit .210 with eight homers, this after his little “escapade” earlier in the season. Let’s not even discuss what Carlos Silva is doing with the Cubs.

Only one Mariner (Ichiro) is hitting over .300, and the rest of the team is not even close to that benchmark, with Josh Wilson right behind him at a robust .256. Things got so bad, the Mariners had to bring back Russell Branyan to try and provide some kind of offensive presence – which makes one wonder why they got rid of him in the first place.

The catcher spot has been an absolute black hole, with Rob Johnson, Adam Moore, Josh Bard and Eliezer Alfonso combining to produce squat – just 25 RBI between the four of them and a sub-.200 average.

The deal for Justin Smoak is positive in that it gives the Mariners the left-handed slugger they’ve never really had at Safeco, but it would have been nice to deal Lee to the Yankees or Twins for a stud catcher.

GRADE: F

PITCHING
As bad as the Mariners’ offense has been, the pitching has been good enough to keep them in the majority of their contests, although a lot of that had to do with the departed Lee.

The M’s are ninth in the majors in both ERA (3.89) and WHIP (1.30), but those numbers have simply gone up in smoke since the offense can’t do anything.

Lee was dominant during his Mariners tenure, and it’s a shame Seattle didn’t do enough to make keeping him justifiable. Felix Hernandez slides back into the ace slot, and he’s had a solid, if not spectacular year. Jason Vargas and Doug Fister have both been nice surprises, while Ryan Rowland-Smith has been a disaster. You can’t keep a guy with a 1-9 record in the rotation.

Erik Bedard should come back at some point, but I don’t think any Mariner fan is holding out much hope for the oft-injured lefty to make much of an impact. If he does, it’s a nice surprise.

While the starters have been strong, the relief corps has been a serious Achilles heel, with the worst ERA in the AL and 13 blown saves. I don’t think it would be fair to expect David Aardsma to replicate his breakout season, but he’s been shaky at best and flammable at worst. Brandon League’s been OK, I guess, but nothing special, and everyone else has been lackluster. Expect to see some new faces in the second half.

GRADE: C

EVERYTHING ELSE
The Mariners have always been a solid defensive squad, and adding Kotchman was supposed to make them better. Instead, they rank 10th in the majors with 61 errors, another demerit when you are trying to win close games. … Don Wakamatsu has had some challenges in his second year – the Milton Bradley leave of absence, the Ken Griffey Jr. Napgate and subsequent retirement - but it seems he has managed to keep a somewhat-cohesive clubhouse (minus the two young players who opened the whole Griffey can of worms). … GM Jack Zduriencik looked as if he could do no wrong with his moves in the offseason, but many of them have not panned out, and now he’s had to deal Lee. He also had to admit he was wrong in bringing back Branyan.

GRADE: C-