The online MLB betting season is kicking off and so far the biggest story we´ve seen is the Seattle Mariners´ plight to keep their fans full of grasshoppers. Even though they´re not commonly associated with baseball game´s snacks, the Seattle Mariners have been offering grasshoppers that were toasted in a chili lime salt in a four-ounce cup for $4, in an effort to add a little panache to their concessions. Seattle allowed Poquitos – the name of the restaurant that offers this bizarre snack, and other local restaurants to set up concessions in the ballpark to help promote the local flair. But what the Mariners weren’t expecting is the massive craze that the insect snack would create.

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“We’ve sold roughly 18,000 grasshoppers,” Rebecca Hale, the Mariners’ spokeswoman, told ESPN. “That’s more than the restaurant, Poquitos, sells in a year.”

Aesthetically speaking, the grasshoppers are completely unappealing. They’re brown, squishy looking, and resemble a cockroach more than a grasshopper. Nevertheless, the new age of social media, where people want to try wild, crazy, new things only to be able to share it on a social media platform. In fact, sales have gotten so out of control that Seattle has had to make an emergency order and place a sales restriction on their latest fad. Luckily enough for the Mariners, they won’t be playing at home this Thursday. Ergo, they won’t have to worry about running out of grasshoppers.

Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics – Game 1 – April 20, 2017

When: 10:05 pm ET

Where: Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, California

TV: MLBN

Series: Game 1 of 4-game Series

Online MLB Betting Odds:

Seattle Mariners -1 ½ (+110) 7 ½ (-105) -144

Oakland Athletics +1 ½ (-130) 7 ½ (-115) +134

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners haven’t been winning as much as they’re grasshopper snack and actually swim into this matchup sporting a rather disappointing 7-9 record. That less than adequate record ties Seattle with the Angels for a penultimate ranking in the American League West. The Mariners have been absent from the postseason for the last 15 years and the way they’re starting this year makes it seem like Seattle will be extending that drought to 16 years. The Mariners come into this contest with the league’s 21^st worst earned run average (4.21), 19^th worst WHIP (1.32), but the 8^th most quality starts (8). Those who bet on baseball should know that the Mariners will be sending James Paxton to the mound, who sports a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA.

Oakland Athletics

The Athletics haven’t made the postseason in two years and they’ll be looking to snap that streak in 2017. So far, they’re not in the worst position to do so, but they’re not in the best either. -Oakland comes into this contest with a 7-8 record that ranks them second in the AL West. Oakland will be sending Cesar Valdez to the mound for the first time this season.