The Mariners, by virtue of their 12-3 loss to Texas on Thursday, fell to 23-37 -- a .383 winning percentage.

To put that into gruesome perspective:

The Cleveland Indians, who have the worst attendance in the major leagues, who in recent years have traded away CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez , among others, and who have had losing streaks of 5, 6, and 7 games this season, and who lost 97 games last year, have a better record at 23-36 (.390).

The Arizona Diamondbacks, who have the worst ERA in the majors, 5.52, and are on pace to give up 244 home runs, a major league record, and to strike out on offense 1,513 times, another major league record, and whose relievers have the worst ERA as a group in baseball at 7.19, and who tied a record this month with four consecutive walkoff losses in the midst of a 10-game losing streak, have a better record at 24-37 (.393).

The Kansas City Royals, who have become the embodiment of poorly conceived teams, who fired their manager, Trey Hillman, on May 13, who have averaged 98 losses over the past six seasons, who have Yuniesky Betancourt playing shortstop, have a better record at 25-36 (.410).

The Houston Astros, who started the season by losing their first eight games, and then began another eight-game losing streak in late April (eventually losing 11 of 12), and then ran off a five-game losing streak from May 14-18, and lost six of seven from May 22 to May 29, and whose OPS of .631 is 29 points lower than even the Mariners, have a better record at 25-36 (.410).

The Milwaukee Brewers, who have a 5.27 team ERA, including a 6.03 ERA by the bullpen, and who lost nine in a row (11 of 12) in May, and whose manager, Ken Macha, is said to be hanging by a thread, have a better record at 23-35 (.417).

The Chicago White Sox, whose GM, Kenny Williams, is so fed up with his team's ragged performance that he announced this week that he is ready to essentially wave the white flag and trade away veterans, have a better record at 26-33 (.441).

The Washington Nationals, who have garnered the No. 1 pick in the last two drafts by virtue of losing 103 and 102 games, and who have made 55 errors this season, more than any team in baseball, have a better record at 30-31 (.492).

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who have the longest streak of losing seasons in the history of major team sports - 17 and counting - and who have scored fewer runs this season (194) than any team in baseball (16 fewer than even the Mariners), and who have a 5.30 team ERA to boot (5.80 by their starters), have the same record at 23-37 (.383).

In fact, only the Baltimore Orioles, who started the season 1-11 and 2-16, who fired manager Dave Trembley on June 4, who have lost 90-plus games four straight years and who haven't had a winning season since 1997, have a worse record than the Mariners, at 17-43 (.283).

But check back in a month.