The Seattle Mariners ultimately took the three-game series from the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park this week, but not without some significant questions getting raised.

In particular, fans and media members alike were left wondering about what transpired on Tuesday night, when the Mariners deployed their "piggyback" tandem with Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo, only to see the team lose 2-1 as Castillo started the ninth inning and Andres Munoz was left in the bullpen until runners were on first and second.

And I don't want to be a hypocrite. I initially liked the idea of the piggyback situation. I thought it was a good way to keep both Miller and Castillo in play as starting pitchers and to keep their pitch counts up. I thought it was a way to possibly make Castillo more effective in shorter dosages, and I thought it was fair to give Castillo a soft landing before ultimately demoting him to the bullpen.

But after seeing it in practice, I didn't like it, and I don't think the Mariners should do it again. And I explained why on the most recent 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast.

"What I dislike most of all of this is the mixed messaging. If it was about getting the work in, then it should've been an even split, four and four (innings among Miller/Castillo), and the 9th, we'll see where we're at.

But if it was about winning the game, which I thought it became about when Bryce Miller pitched into the 6th inning, then I don't believe that the Mariners handled the situation best in order to win the game.

So that is what bothers me most about all of that, okay? That is why I'm most bothered about it, or most bothered by it: the mixed messaging.

If it had been four and four, a lot of people wouldn't have liked that either. I at least would've been more okay with that.

I am not okay with how it ultimately transpired and how the Mariners ended up losing the game, because that is, to me, one of the more frustrating losses that I can remember."

The Mariners will enter play on Friday night at 24-27 and in third place in the American League West. They'll take on the Kansas City Royals on Friday at 4:40 p.m. PT, and the Royals will give them a huge opportunity to get back into the meat of the standings.

The next piggyback opportunity is set for next week against the Athletics.

You can listen to the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast HERE or you can watch on YouTube below:

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