Thursday July, 10th 2008

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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The Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers combined for five home runs and 20 runs in Tuesday nights game but it was the Mariners coming out on the losing side.  The Mariners only had one of the five home runs, and only eight of the 20 runs in the game.

The Mariners made a comeback in the final three innings as they scored seven runs but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers had a huge lead.  Adrian Beltre led the Mariners with three rbi and then a slew of Mariners had one rbi in the game.  Jeremy Reed, Jose Vidro, Miguel Cairo, and Yuniesky Betancourt all had one rbi in the game.

Carlos Silva dropped to 3-3 on the season as he took the loss for the Mariners.  Silva only lasted four innings as he gave up nine hits and seven runs.  The bullpen wasn’t much better as Cha Seung Baek gave up for runs and and three home runs.  Mark Lowe pitched one inning and also gave up one run.  Ryan Rowland-Smith was finally able to come in and pitch a scoreless inning in the eighth inning but it was a little bit too late.

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The Seattle Mariners scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to take the game into extra innings but then went onto lose on a walk off home run in the tenth inning to the Texas Rangers by the score of 13-12.  Ramon Vazquez took Brandon Morrow deep to win the game for the Rangers.  Morrow took the loss and is now 0-1 on the season.

Starting pitcher Erik Bedard was roughed up in only two innings of action.  Bedard gave up seven hits and six runs as he was hit hard all night long.  Cha Seung Baek pitched the next two innings without letting in a run but then Ryan Rowland-Smith gave up two runs and Mark Lowe gave up four more runs.

The Mariners did hit three home runs in the game.  Kenji Johjima had the big three run blast in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game.  Raul Ibanez had a two run home run in the first inning and Wladimir Balentien had a two run shot as well in the eighth inning.

Johima led the the Mariners with four rbi while Ibanez wasn’t too far behind with three rbi.  Balentein had two rbi and Yuniesky Betancourt finished up the game with one rbi.

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