In the past few days in Mariner Land, we saw a major league record tying four wild-pitches in one inning by R.A. Dickey, the shaky debut of Ryan Feierabend, and three-game sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins.  Raul Ibanez continues to give us something to cheer about, and really is strengthening his case for a extension.  And struggling, whining, over-paid Mariner Carlos Silva has been placed on the 15-day DL.

In the first game of the series against Minnesota, the M’s had the unfortunate task of facing a rejuvenated Francisco Lariano.  Lariano (3-3) pitched seven frames allowing only two hits while striking out five batters.  Silva’s performance was embarrassing to say the least, especially against his former team.  Silva was shelled (again) for nine runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings, and now owns the major league lead for losses with 14.  Jason Kubel went 3-for-4 with a home-run and 3 RBIs to pace the Twins to the 9-3 victory.

The M’s dropped Game 2 in a hard fought game 7-6 on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th by Brian Buscher scoring Joe Mauer.  Losing 5-0, Seattle put together a six-run sixth inning to actually take back the lead before losing it late.  Mauer also homered in the game.  Ryan Rowland-Smith was hit hard for his second straight start allowing five runs on ten hits, in five innings. Ichiro Suzuki and Jeff Clement picked up two RBIs on the day to lead the Mariner offense. 

In Game 3, it was the Jason Kubel show again as he went off with a 4-for-5 day with two doubles, totalling four runs and two RBIs.  The game was a slug-fest much like the recent series in Seattle and runs definitely weren’t at a premium, but Minnesota came out on top 11-8.  Ibanez continued to massacre Twins pitching as he went 5-for-5 with two doubles, one run and one RBI.  Adrian Beltre, Wladimir Balentien, and Kenji Johjima went yard for Seattle, but the Feierabend and Dickey before mentioned pitching performance ultimately let them down.

The Mariners begin a three-game set in the South Side of Chicago against Ken Griffey Jr. and the Chicago White Sox. Jarrod Washburn vs. Mark Buehrle will be the Game 1 match-up.

Earlier in the season, the Mariner offense was wasting a strong number of quality pitching outings especially from the relief staff, now it appears the offense has heated up with the Summer sun, and the pitching is awful.  I guess that is what makes you a last place team.

M’s Manager Jim Riggleman: “”If it’s not one thing, it’s another” 

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On Saturday the Mariners got Ryan Rowland-Smith back into the rotation and optioned Jared Wells back to Tacoma.  Rowland-Smith wasn’t great, but wasn’t bad either pitching 5.2 innings allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out five.  A bad sixth inning and bullpen woes got him a no decision before good old Miguel Batista got the loss.  It was the result of an 11th inning Dioner Navarro sacrifice fly scoring Ben Zobrist to win it for Tampa 8-7.  Ichiro Suzuki had a great day at the plate going 4-for-6 with a home-run and 3 RBIs.  It appears in this ballgame that the M’s lost Willie Bloomquist to a potentially season ending hamstring injury to make matters worse.

Sunday’s contest was a 11-3 bashing by Tampa over the M’s.  For Tampa it was their franchise-record 71st win of the season.  Jose Lopez hit his 10th home-run of the season on the day.  Tampa got great days at the dish by Willy Aybar (2-for-5, 4 RBIs), Eric Hinske (3-for-5, 3 Runs), and Cliff Floyd (3-for-4, 2 runs, RBI).  Catcher Shawn Riggans hit a three run home-run as well.  R.A. Dickey got lit up for eight runs in five innings of work.  The M’s recalled Tug Hulett from Tacoma as they placed Bloomquist on the 15-day DL.

The last bit of Mariner news to report from over the weekend was the Saturday start by Brandon Morrow for Tacoma.  Morrow got hit hard throwing 51 pitches over 2.2 innings.  Brandon allowed three runs on five hits walking two and striking out two.  Lets not overreact to his rough outing, he pitched in a hitters haven and he is still adjusting to pitching as a starter.

Some Rumors not confirmed by Seattle, but confirmed by others….

Peter Gammons of ESPN reported that the Mariners placed Raul Ibanez on waivers over the weekend.  Nobody else is reporting this but I feel Gammons is more than a reliable source.  There is talk the Rays would pick up the claim, but that the Red Sox would block it much like they did as with Brian Giles.

There also was a report by the Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that Jarrod Washburn has already cleared through waivers.  Problem is nobody else is reporting it.  Other sources are saying that he is still in the process and we should find out if any team made a claim sometime in the next 24-hours.  An interesting thing to think about is that if Washburn is traded to an American League squad, they have first crack at any player coming back through waivers to them in a trade because they own the worst record in the AL.

There is much going on in Mariner Land…too bad there is no focus left on the team in the field.

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Red Sox 4, Mariners 2

Patience at the plate is something the Mariners have seriously lacked this season.  Tonight was much of the same as Daisuke Matsusaka took the hill Tuesday night. The league knows to make “Dice-K” throw an abundance of pitches and force him to throw strikes .  Somebody forgot to tell Seattle.  The Mariners came out swinging at everything (just like last night) and constantly got behind in the count. The M’s lineup scraped together just five hits as Boston beat Seattle 4-2.  Dice-K was ahead in the count for most of the night as he struck out six on his way to his 11th victory of the season.  Matsusaka did walk three, but only threw 99 pitches in 7 1/3 innings.

Watching the Red Sox batters at the plate is the complete opposite.  Boston’s lineup will make you work for everything as they drew six walks and constantly waited on pitches from M’s starter R.A. Dickey.  All-star game MVP J.D. Drew displayed his patience at the plate in the first inning as he sat on the knuckleballers mid 80’s fastball.  Drew laid off the knuckler and slammed a second straight Dickey fastball over the right field wall for his 18th home-run of the season.  Dickey threw six innings of work, surrendering four runs on nine hits, walking three and failing to record a strikeout.

Boston scored three runs off Dickey in the top of the fifth. Drew and rookie shortstop Jed Lowrie added sacrifice flies in the inning and got some extra insurance on a Mike Lowell RBI double.

The Mariners managed to make it interesting off Matsusaka in the 8th.  Rookie first baseman Bryan LaHair led off the inning with his first big league hit, and later scored on a Ichiro Suzuki RBI double to make it 4-1.  Jose Lopez singled to center field on next pitch to score Ichiro to make it 4-2 with one out.  Dice-K got the yank for lefty Hideki Okajima who got the final two outs of the inning.  Jonathan Papelbon nailed down the M’s in order in the 9th for his 30th save of the season.

It was another solid outing from the Mariner bullpen as Roy Corcoran pitched a scoreless seventh, Arthur Rhodes struck out the side in the eighth, and Cesar Jimenez continued his successful call-up stint allowing a goose egg in the ninth.  Kudos to the Mariner bullpen as they have been by far the biggest bright spot in a rough season.

Mariners rookie catcher Jeff Clement had to leave the ballgame as he injured his right thumb in the netting try to catch a foul ball.  Apparently Clement lost the nail.  He had the finger wrapped and stayed in the game, but eventually gave way to Kenji Johjima.  I’m sure we will learn more tomorrow if Clement will miss any time.

Tomorrow afternoon’s 1:40 PT contest will mark the 5,000th game in Mariner history.  Its going to be a solid pitching match-up as Mariner ace Felix Hernandez (7-6) will toe the rubber against Boston’s Clay Buchholz (2-5).

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The Seattle Mariners announced that Lefty Erik Bedard was unable to throw during the recent all-star break because of lingering pain in his shoulder.  This will come as bad news for some Mariner fans as he will not be available to pitch before the July 31st trade deadline.  Bedard may be able to pitch again in early August.  This could be a blessing in disguise for Seattle as it may be in the teams best interests to keep Bedard.  I think the plan all along was to keep Bedard, but the team “might” have changed their minds if someone jumped in with a desperate deadline deal.  Lets face it, if Seattle traded Bedard, they head into 2009 with the same problem as 2008, the need of a solid 1 or 2 starter to compliment Felix Hernandez.  By keeping Bedard in 2009, it gives them a few options:

A) A “chance” to contend in 09′

B) One more year to get prized prospect Phillipe Aumont ready.

C) If Bedard walks after 2009, The M’s recieve two late first round choices as compensation.

D) A chance to trade Bedard in 2009 with a greater value then he currently holds.

E) A chance to obtain positonal players of need in free agency over pitching.

Ultimately the chioce as to what to do with Bedard will be up to the next general manager.  Just don’t screw it up, it could cost you your job.  Ask Bill Bavasi.

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2007 All-Star closer J.J. Putzis expected to be activated for today’s 1:10 PT game against the Cleveland Indians.  Manager Jim Riggleman said he was personally not sure of the plan for Putz but said it was likely he could be activated.  Putz was with the team on Saturday.  Riggleman mentioned that Putz would get middle to late inning relief work initially until they feel he may be ready to close.  It will be a tough call to see who the M’s option back to Tacoma.  The team has a banged up staff, and may not want to move down pitching. 

Without any knowledge of the situation, I would move Miguel Batista to the 15-day DL when they activate Putz.  Batista needs the rest, and Roy Corcoran, and Cesar Jimenez have been doing a great job in the pen.  I guess we will find out Sunday afternoon.

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Closer (Closer?) J.J. Putz threw a simulated game on Sunday at the M’s training complex in Peoria Arizona.  Putz threw 30 pitches and apparently felt no discomfort in the elbow that has shelved him on the DL over the past month.  The hard throwing reliever is expected to toss for Peoria in a relief appearance on Tuesday.  If all goes well Thunderstruck will then pitch for Triple-A Tacoma in the following days and possibly be activated after the All-Star break.

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Its a busy day for the Mariners roster as the team finally has decided to grant 1st Baseman Richie Sexson his release.  Sexson has to wait through the waiver period till Monday and can be signed by another big league club for roughly $200,000.  The M’s are left holding the bag for the rest of his $64 million contract, which he is owed around $7 Million.  Manager Jim Riggleman said the team will platoon Miguel Cairo, and Jose Vidro for the series with the Royals before heading to the All-Star break. 

Sexson’s bat has showed a little promise of late, but it still wasn’t good enough as his struggles at the plate have reached almost a two-year span.  It appears the M’s ran out of patience.  Lefty first baseman Bryan LaHair remains a possibility in the second half if they decide to promote him from Triple-A Tacoma.  LaHair is considered by some as a younger version of Sexson, and packs a nice power stroke.

As well Seattle placed Erik Bedard on the 15-day DL.  The move will be retroactive to July 5th.  This move was needed as the bullpen needs another arm after all of the recent work they have been getting.  Promoted from Tacoma was righty Jared Wells, who the team acquired earlier in the season from the Padres for pitcher Cha Seung Baek.  Also called up was infielder Tug Hulett.

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Seattle Lefty Erik Bedard will miss his next scheduled start against the A’s on Wednesday with a sore throwing shoulder.  Bedard has been sidelined this season with back and hip injuries as well.  Manager Jim Riggleman mentioned over the weekend that Bedard has been toughing it out of late.  He also said that the nagging injuries have been the reason for his pitch count be monitored so closely.  Bedard has not been talking to the media.  Miguel Batista is tentatively is scheduled to start in his place

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Mariners fans can breathe a sigh of relief as X-Rays for the 22 year old ace came back negative.  Mets Shortstop Jose Reyes slid into his ankle as he was covering the plate on a wild pitch in the dirt.  The injury is being called a “mild sprain”.  

Felix Hernandez himself has stated he will not miss a start, but the team may have to hold him back a few extra days.  But all in all this is good news for a team that can’t afford any bad news at this point.

In other injury news, manager Jim Riggleman said he doesn’t expect closer J.J. Putz back until late July with still lingering elbow problems.  This is good and bad in my opinion for Seattle.  Good that we get to see Brandon Morrow close games for the next month.  Bad because it may reduce J.J.’s value on the trade market with the July 31st deadline approaching right around his scheduled return.

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GO Mariners!