NEW YORK -- Mariners president Chuck Armstrong said on Saturday that general manager Bill Bavasi and manager John McLaren are in no danger of losing their jobs.

"Their positions are secure," Armstrong told MLB.com from his Bellevue, Wash., home. "They are not to be blamed for what's going on."

After Saturday afternoon's 12-6 loss against the Yankees, the Mariners fell to an American League-worst 18-32 record, now riding a five-game losing streak.

"In my 23 years, I have never ever seen anything like this," Armstrong said. "We saw it the other way in 2001. I mean, you have to ask yourself, 'How did the Mariners win 116 games that season with that roster, compared to this roster?' This is just as inexplicable the other way."

Armstrong said that he doesn't blame the fans or the media for being so disgruntled about the way the Mariners have played this season, especially during the past week.

"I understand, believe me," he said. "It does get discouraging."

But he quickly added that McLaren and his coaching staff and Bavasi and his front-office staff are doing all they can to get this team turned around, saying it's clearly up to the players to perform to their capabilities.

That was the same message that Bavasi delivered on Saturday during an 18-minute conference call with Seattle-based media covering the team on its current road trip, mentioning that he was hoping for a player or several players to step forward and lead the team out of its doldrums.

"From our point of view, this is not a field-managerial issue, and I want to make that clear," Bavasi said. "John is doing the job, and the team's performance is not related to his work. It's purely related to player performance and underachieving.

"The best teams take care of the stuff in the clubhouse. They make demands of each other, and I'm not sure we have that going on. I know the popular refrain during a period like this ... the manager becomes a topic. But it's not a topic for us.

"We're looking for the players to step up and play like they can, not like they want to."

Bolstered with a revamped starting rotation, a mixture of youth and experience and a franchise-record $115 million payroll, the Mariners were expected to challenge the Angels for the AL West title this season.

"I don't take it personally, but I take it to heart," Bavasi said. "The buck stops here. We all had a lot of high expectations for this team. The key is that the year is not over. It's time for somebody to step up and for us to get us back in striking distance by the All-Star break.

"I feel responsible for this."

Breakdowns in virtually every aspect of the game have kept the Mariners in last place since May 7.

"We are not in position to be talking about wins and losses," Bavasi said. "Unfortunately, we don't have on this club, or so far haven't had, that player or players who has it in his gut to take care of himself and have enough left over to help somebody else do the job, or demand it. We don't get a runner over from second or in from third, and the players tolerate it.

"Good teams just don't tolerate it. Sometimes, that is making demands on each other, and good teams do that. They point things out that are being done wrong and demand they do them right."

"I think [Bavasi's] right," Carlos Silva said after Saturday's start against the Yankees. "I don't want to say anything negative. ... I'm not going to point fingers at anybody. If people played hard no matter what, you're going to see a different game. If you strike out or miss a play and you keep playing the game, you're going to see a different game.

"It's like guys in here have a bad game or whatever, it's great that you stay positive and stay with a good attitude, but man, I feel embarrassed, too. I'd feel embarrassed."

Silva has been reluctant to say anything, public or otherwise, but that could soon change.

"Somebody needs to do it, [and] I'm very close," Silva said. "I have a responsibility here. It's like when I pitched in Detroit. I had a bad game, I don't even want to see my teammates face the next day, because I care so much about my team. If you don't feel embarrassed in this game when you're struggling bad like this, it's because you don't care about this game."

Left fielder Raul Ibanez had a slightly different take, saying there are veteran players speaking out.

"I know there are guys that get pulled aside in here when one of the veteran guys sees it necessary," Ibanez said. "I can tell you from first-hand experience that it does happen. I think everybody is doing the best they can, there's no question about that. It's not a lack of effort. Everyone in here is busting their tails, doing everything in their power to get this turned around.

"Nobody's suffering more than the guys in this room and the guys out on that field. I believe we're the ones suffering the most."

Armstrong said management has done what it can to give Bavasi and McLaren all the support they need. The organization took a $3 million hit by releasing outfielder Brad Wilkerson last month and might lose right-handed pitcher Cha Seung Baek, who was designated for assignment on Wednesday and must clear waivers to remain in the organization.

Bavasi and his staff are constantly talking to other clubs for potential trades, but nothing is imminent.

"We would be hard pressed to make deals this far before the [July 31] deadline for anybody that would be better than what we have," Bavasi said.

In the meantime, Bavasi agonizes along with everyone else who is associated with the team.

"This is beyond frustration, and it's hard to fathom," he said. "It's not that we are giving in, because we're not. Luckily, nobody has blasted away in our division, and I think there is hope there.

"We're not devastated to the point where we are giving in, but it's a very, very, very frustrating time right now. They are no fun to watch and are playing bad, bad, bad baseball. But they do care and they're playing hard.

"This interview is not an attack on the players. You can't send out a memo asking them to play better, but they need to put their effort in a little different, more intelligent way and play the game right."

And until that happens, climbing out of the AL West cellar, and into a pennant race almost every preseason prediction had them involved in, has very little chance of materializing.