Game 2- Tuesday July 29, 2008

Rangers 11, Mariners 10

It sure has been tough to be a Mariner fan this season.  Tuesday night’s see roller-coaster against Texas was wild from start to finish.  This game had everything good and bad in all different aspects of the game.  It even had a little history as Ichiro Suzuki picked up his 3,000th professional hit in the first inning.  Congrats to Ichiro!

Ramon Vazquez hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Texas avoiding blowing a huge seven run lead after the 3rd inning.  Vazquez had three errors on the night and was responsible for blowing the one-run lead Texas held in the top of the 9th, but perseveered at the plate to get his team the victory.

The Good and the bad :

Texas

• The Good : The Rangers offense

Texas hammered Mariner starter Carlos Silva (who hasn’t?) for six runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings.  The game appeared as batting practice to Ranger hitters as they  pummeled his pitches all over the field.  Roy Corcoran didn’t fair much better getting hit up for three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings.  J.J. Putz surrendered two runs on three hits in 0.1 innings for the blown save and loss in the 9th.  

 CBS Sports:

• The Bad : The Rangers defense

The Rangers pitching wasn’t very good, but it was their defense that made them look even worse.  Texas committed a season-high five errors on the night as Ramon Vazquez committed three alone.  They allowed the Mariners back into a game that they trailed 7-0.  Yes the Mariners did hit well, but innings were constantly extended because of poor defensive play.

Seattle

• The Offense

Trailing 7-0, the M’s showed a lot of guts for one of the leagues worst teams fighting and scratching to get back into the game.  Good to see them packing it in yet even if the Rangers defense was trying to cover the point spread. 

Bryan LaHair and Jose Lopez both homered for the second straight night.  LaHair may have been the player of the game for Seattle.  His performance has been encouraging since his call-up.  Lopez has now hit safely in 16 games.  But overall, errors or no errors, The Mariners took advantage when they had a chance and gave their team a chance to win in the M’s best comeback of the season.

CBS Sports:

The Bad : Jim Riggleman

Can i just say “Bad Riggleman, bad!”  I give manager Jim Riggleman the dog-like nose slap for using J.J. Putz to close tonight.  I know that the M’s aren’t playing for much and maybe they want to see what they have in Putz to figure out a direction to go in the future, but give the ball to Bombtrack (Brandon Morrow) there.  Putz later or in a few weeks.  What are you saving Morrow for? You aren’t going to start him, so use him, especially against the Ranger bats. They threw Putz out there for the save when he hasn’t shown anybody he is ready yet.  This is the type of moves that get the Mariners in trouble.  Its like they feel bad that J.J. lost his job to injury so they run him out there when the kid has out performed him.  Nice guys finish last Riggleman/McLaren, and thats why you are where you are.  And spare me the J.J Putz was amazing last year line.  Eric Gagne was great once too.  The Closer spot is about performance and confidence, Putz has obviously lacked in both categories this season healthy or not.  Being a closer is a “what are you doing for me now?” postion. To win the game.  Not for charity, or to make veterans feel better. 

• The Ugly – Calros Silva

Carlos Silva still has three years remaining on his deal after this season.  I wonder if the reason that Jarrod Washburn is still a Mariner is because they are afraid of this guy being in there rotation next year (just kidding..sort of).  The M’s are still on the hook for a ton of his contract and are stuck with him.  He came into this season known as a “ground-ball pitcher”.  The only ground balls he is forcing are the ones he is throwing on the ground when he gets pulled within the first few innings of ballgames.

So much for that “Texas heat” helping Silva’s back Mariners.com.  If he is hurt DL him.  We are all getting sick of Riggleman’s/McLaren’s excuses for his poor pitching performances.  This includes Miguel Batista as well.  If they are hurt, get them out of there.

Game 3 on Wednesday will be Miguel Batista vs. Vicente Padilla at 8:05 PT.  Lets hope the M’s don’t make us cry.

Mariners Blog

Game 3, Sunday July 27, 2008

Mariners 5, Jays 1

It was a somewhat uncomfortable start for Jarrod Washburn when he took the hill on Sunday afternoon.  Before today’s game, Wash was grilled by the media, and many thought he could even possibly get the call of a deal during pre-game warm ups.  All Wash did was push aside those distractions of his supposedly pending trade to the New York Yankees and dominate the Jays lineup for his most impressive start of the season.

Washburn pitched a gem going eight innings allowing only four hits, and striking out two.  His only blemish on the day was a solo home-run by John McDonald in the 5th.  At that point Wasburn had only allowed two hits.  I’m sure this start opened some eyes and raised his value.  Look for the M’s to hold onto him a few extra days to see if another teams interest was peaked.

Believe it or not the Mariners were losing this game going into the 6th 1-0 as Shaun Marcum was dueling Washburn through the first four innings to a stalemate.  After an Ichiro Suzuki lead-off walk, Jose Vidro smashed a big two run home-run to right field, his seventh, to make it 2-1 M’s.  Kenji Johjima made it 4-1 continuing the bat around inning with a two-run double in the four-run sixth. 

In the seventh the Mariners got themselves some rare second half of the season insurance runs as Jose Lopez hit an RBI single off of Shawn Camp.  For Lopez it was his career-high 14th straight game he has hit safely. 

Side Notes:

• Ichiro tripled in the ninth giving him 2,998 hits between the major leagues and the Japanese League. He has 1,720 of those hits for Mariners.
• J.J. Putzpitched a nice bounce-back non-save 9th inning to seal the win for Seattle. Putz was roughed up yesterday so it was good to see Riggleman throw him out there so he can stay on track.
• As reported earlier in the week,  broadcaster Dave Niehaus was in Cooperstown Sunday to receive the Ford C. Frick award at Sunday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  Congrats Dave!

Seattle will travel to Texas for a four-game set against the big hitting Texas Rangers.  Felix Hernandez(7-6) will face Scott Feldman (4-3) at 5:05 PT in the series opener.

Mariners Blog

Game 1 Friday July 25, 2008

Jays 5, Mariners 4

Joe Inglett’s two-run single in the 10th inning with the bases loaded gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-4 victory Friday night.  The winning play came as a result of the ball glancing off of the golden glove of Ichiro Suzuki for the winning runs.

Kenji Johjima started off the scoring in the top of the 2nd with an RBI double off Jays starter John Parrish, scoring Miguel Cairo.  Promptly in the bottom half, Matt Stairs evened the score with a solo home-run to right field off Miguel Batista to tie the score 1-1.

In the 3rd the Mariners continued to hit Parrish hard for three hits and two runs.  An Adrian Beltre RBI double, and an RBI Jose Lopezsingle suddenly put the M’s up 3-1.  Inglett came in the bottom half with a sacrifice grounder to second base to score Adam Lind to cut the lead to 3-2.

The bats settled down from that point as it took till the 8th inning till the games next run was scored.  Lyle Overbay led off the bottom of the 8th with a double off of J.J. Putz followed by a Rob Barajas single.  The Stairs hurt the M’s again with a RBI single to tie the ballgame at three.  It was the third straight hit allowed for Putz.  Luckily Putz forced as double play, and struck out Lind to get out of the jam. 

Closer B.J. Ryan, and Brandon Morrow worked the 9th and got through with no damage done.  Are we going to see another typical Mariner extra inning marathon?  Willie Bloomquist wanted to single handedly end it fast drawing a two-out walk and then stealing second base to put himself into scoring position.  Jeremy Reed came through with a big RBI single to score Willie to give the Mariners the one run lead to try to close it out.

Enter Mark Lowe.  Lowe, who some within the M’s organization think may be the closer of the future had a shot for the save.  Gregg Zaun led off with a single.  John Mcdonald then reached on a critical Lowe throwing error to put runners at first and second with nobody out.  Scott Rolen couldn’t get the runners over as he reached on a fielder choice, but forced Zaun to get forced at third base.  Lowe then forced Lind to fly out, and suddenly he was one out away from ending it.  Then it unraveled as former Mariner Brad WIlkerson forced a crucial two-out walk to load the bases for Inglett to end it.

What a tough loss for the M’s.  It was their sixth straight loss.  Rumors continue to swirl around trade rumors and you must wonder if it is becoming a distraction.

Saturday’s contest will feature R.A. Dickey(2-6) for Seattle against David Purcey (1-1) for Toronto.

Mariners Blog

 Wednesday July 23, 2008

Red Sox 6, Mariners 3 

Red Sox 2nd Baseman Dustin Pedroia scores in the 3rd.

In the top of the 12th inning in a hard fought ballgame, Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell hit a two-run single to finish off the M’s 6-3 taking advantage of two critical outfield errors that ultimately cost the M’s the ballgame.  The sweep for the BoSox was their first sweep in Seattle in fifteen years.

The Mariner lineup had some rare second half firepower as Raul Ibanez hit his 14th bomb of the year in the 4th, and Jose Vidro added a two-run shot in the 6th off of Boston starter Clay Buchholz to tie the game at 3-3.  It was Vidro’s 6th home-run of the year. 

The score remained tied at 3-0 until the 12th as both teams got some great relief pitching. 

Felix Hernandez came out after six innings, with six hits, six strikeouts, three runs, and a season high five walks. Buchholz countered allowing seven hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. 

J.J. Putz and Brandon Morrow combined to pitch four scoreless innings of relief totalling 5 strikeouts, and only one hit. American League Games pitched leader Sean Green (2-3) picked up the loss in the 12th.  Jonathan Papelbon was forced into duty in the 11th for the third straight day and ended up picking up the win.  Craig Hansen recorded his second save of the season after finishing off Seattle in the bottom of the 12th.

It was an up and down game in the field for gold glove outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.  In a scoreless ballgame in the third, Ichiro sprinted with his back turned to the ball, running straight back towards the wall and leaped above the wall to take what would have been a three-run homer away from J.D. Drew.  A few pitches later, Boston’s Kevin Youkilis hit an RBI single to right field that Ichiro fielded then bobbled and hiccuped, scoring Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp.  It was the second error of the season fro Ichiro.  Ichiro was also picked off at first base earlier in the game.

Mariners left leader and team leader Raul Ibanez summed up the Mariners tough stretch of play after seeing his team lose it 5th straight game. “It’s tough,” Ibanez said. “But you keep battling and keep fighting. Scratch and claw all the way to the finish line, no matter what happens. Whether 22 games up or 22 games down, you go out there with same tenacity every single day, no matter what’s going on around you.”

The Mariners will have a much needed day off on Thursday before heading to Toronto for a weekend road trip against the Jays.

Is there going to be any changes to the team before Friday?

Mariners Blog

Sunday July 20, 2008

Indians 6, Mariners 2

American League All-star starter Cliff Lee picked up where he left off in the first half with his 13th victory of the season over the Mariners 6-2.  Lee gave up a season high eleven hits, but “controlled” the lineup with consistency, needing only 109 pitches for the complete game victory.  The big lefty was in control staying ahead in the count all afternoon and didn’t walk a single batter all game.  It was his fifth career complete game.

Mariners starter Carlos Silva had to leave the game in the fourth inning with back tightness.  Some might think (booing Mariner fans) that Silva just plain got yanked after he allowed a three-run home-run to Kelly Shoppach.  Either way, he is not living up to his lofty free agent contract.  Silva himself will be the first to tell you he is embarrassed with his pitching this season.

Roy Corcoran took over for SIlva and didn’t fare much better.  Corcoran allowed a double by Grady Sizemore, an RBI single by Casey Blake and a Shoppach RBI single to widen the Tribe lead to 6-1 in the fifth.

Jose Vidro and Miguel Cairo both had solid days at the plate against Lee as they both went 3-for-4 with one RBI for the M’s.  Cairo hit his first triple of the season in the 7th scoring Jose Lopez to make it 6-2.

The seventh inning marked the return of J.J. Putz back to the pitching staff and he didn’t disappoint. “Thunderstruck” retired the Indians side in order finishing with a Shin Soo Choo strikeout on some 96 mph heat.  That type of velocity alone is an improvement as Putz was barely above 90 mph before he went on the DL.

The Mariners will stay at home for a three game series against Boston.  Jarrod Washburn (4-8) will face Jon Lester (7-3) at 7:10 PT.  The Mariners have played the Red Sox tough in two series this season, winning the first series in May and losing a series in June for a 3-3 record.

Mariners Blog

Sunday July 20, 2008

In a surprise move by the organization, the Mariners optioned lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith to Tacoma to begin a minor league assignment to convert to a  full-time starting pitcher.  Rowland-Smith was obviously disappointed with the move but ultimately understood what the organization wants from him.  J.J. Putz was activated and will be available in the pen for this afternoon’s ballgame.

Mariners Blog

Sunday July 20, 2008

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.

Mariners Blog

Friday July 18, 2008

Mariners 8, Indians 2

Cleveland starter Aaron Laffey had two-outs in the bottom of the second inning with nobody on. Thats when things went bad.  A single by Jamie Burke, a hit batter (Yuniesky Betancourt), and an error by shortstop Jhonny Peralta on an Ichiro Suzuki grounder loaded up the bases suddenly for the Mariners.  Laffey then walked Willie Bloomquist on an ugly four-pitch walk to score Burke.  After the error and the four pitch walk, the crafty veteran Raul Ibanez stepped to the plate thinking fastball  all the way on the first pitch.  Ibanez deposited the 88 mph grapefruit into the right field bleachers for his sixth career grand slam to give the M’s the 5-0 lead.  Jose Lopez made it 8-1 in the 4th with a three-run jack off of Laffey for his sixth home-run of the season to give the Mariners an 8-1 lead.

On Felix Hernandez bobblehead night, Felix knew he had to perform on the mound.  The 22-year-old didn’t dissapoint striking out eight allowing just four hits and two runs in six innings.  Hernandez threw 98 pitches in his second start since returning from the DL.  Mark Lowe, Roy Corcoran, and Cesar Jimenez closed out the Tribe with three scoreless innings of relief to help the M’s pick up the win.

Yesterdays call-up Bryan LaHair got his first major league at-bat as he pinch-hit in the 8th inning.  Unfortunately for LaHair, he will never forget that he grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Former Mariners Shin-Soo Choo, and Asdrubal Cabrera where in the starting lineup for the Indians.  Choo started in right field going 0-for-4 with 2 K’s.  Cabrera started at second base going 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.  The M’s traded Choo for first baseman Ben Broussard in 2006, Cabrera was aquired by Cleveland for first baseman Eduardo Perez in the same season. 

Game 2 on Saturday was supposed to match up lefties Jarrod Washburn (4-8) and Jeremy Sowers (0-5) on the mound.  But thanks to the flu, Washburn will move his start to Sunday.  Miguel Batista will take the mound in his place.  Cleveland will try to avoid its 11th straight road loss.  Look for Bryan LaHair to get a start on Saturday or Sunday.

Reliever J.J. Putz threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of work for Tacoma.  Putz threw 17 pitches and said he had no soreness in the elbow.  Putz might be activated by Sunday.  Its going to be a tough call for the M’s to send a pitcher down since they all have pitched well in relief.  I suspect it will be Jimenez though.

July 17, 2008

The Mariners will start the second half of their season with another new face joining the squad.  Bryan LaHair will join the team for tomorrow nights game against the Cleveland Indians at Safeco. To make room for LaHair, the M’s optioned infielder Tug Hulett back down to Triple-A Tacoma.

 On July 12, Hulett made his Major League debut for the Mariners, recording his first hit going 1-for-3 batting as the team’s DH. Unfortunately for Tug, it was the only action he got to see.

LaHair is a left-handed batter who has put up good power numbers in Triple-A. Manager Jim Riggleman plans on using the 25 year old first baseman mostly against right-handed pitching, but didn’t rule out using him this weekend against the Indians’ three left-handed arms.

In some other team news, Closer J.J. Putz is scheduled to throw a relief rehab inning for Tacoma on Friday.  He has been on the DL since June 13th with a sore elbow.  Putz pitched in Double-A earlier in the week and got through with no soreness.  If all goes well, he could be back within a week.

The team also announced the signings of two young 16-year-old players.  Outfielder Julio Morban from the Dominican Republic and pitcher Francisco Valdivia from Nicaragua.

Mariners Blog

Monday July 14, 2008

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.

Mariner Blog