Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Mariner Matters | 3.31

.
51 + 24 = 1 fun summer!


mYstIqUe



aUrA

A playful Griffey and a reserved Ichrio seem to have a very mutual respect for each other as people and as baseball players. Early in his career in Japan, Ichiro idolized Griffey. And Junior? Well, he's got Ichiro's back when it comes to reporters :-)

In any case,
it should prove to be an interesting mix...
the mystique of Ichiro's disciplined routine and the aura of Junior's superstar presence combined with their vast and varied experience and unparalleled talent should make for some unique chemistry in the clubhouse.






Yo! (says Adrian) Marniners could surprise this season...
"A lot of people might not expect much from us, especially after what happened last year," Beltre said, "but if we do the little things, get guys on the right track, stay healthy and we play as a team, we can do things people don't expect us to do."

When the Mariners begin the regular season against the Twins on April 6, there will be a new first baseman, a new left fielder, a new center fielder, an almost all-new bullpen, a new designated hitter and definitely a new attitude.

"I take my job seriously," Beltre said, "but I like to have fun. When you have fun, it makes your game better. You don't put as much stress on yourself. We have had fun this spring, and at the same time, we have worked hard."



Photo courtesy Larry LaRue

Does Roy need a routine?
Pitching coach Rick Adair thinks so...
"It's what time you get up, what time you come to the ballpark, knowing exactly what you're going to do and knowing that it's going to prepare you for the outing," Adair said. "Whatever the results are, you can handle that. Then come back the next day and do the same things over again because you're doing things the right way."
"It's something that's imperative not only for Roy, but for everybody else. There's nothing wrong with having adrenaline, but how do you use it?"


ST33 | Jak-Russell Show!

M's 12 | Indians 4

Yowsa - What a hit parade!
  • 5 doubles
  • 3 homeruns ~ including two by Russ and a grand slam by Ronnie!
And then there's that Jakubauskus guy...
Chris's ST numbers are sterling ~ 2-0 with a 2.08ERA in 21.2IP and a WHIP under one (0.97)
How do they NOT take him north?
"That was my whole goal, to come in here and show them I can pitch at the highest level and make their decision tough. I think I have done that," Jakubauskas said. "(I) try not to think about that and just pitch, but I am sure human nature will take over a little bit and am sure I will start thinking about what's going to happen."

Perhaps most impressive was Jakubauskas' ability to shut down the left-handers in the Indians' lineup. Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez, Shin-soo Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera combined to go 1-for-8 with three strikeouts against him. That performance could be a significant plus for Jakubauskas, as no left-hander in Seattle's potential bullpen has stepped forward to prove himself a specialist at shutting down lefty hitters.

Monday, March 30, 2009

ST32 | Hyphenator looking ready!

.

CHARLIE RIEDEL / AP

M's 7 | Brewers 9

RRS has a solid outing and earns high praise from the Skipper...
"It's a decision we're going to have to make, but he has impressed us," Wakamatsu said. "To me, you're looking at the progression through spring and how he ended the season last year. We were waiting to see what he was going to do today. He impressed us in that aspect. He definitely helped his chances today."
  • RRS's day included five shutout innings ~ 6.0IP - 5H - 2ER - 1BB - 2K
  • Wilson with 2 homers
  • Jose and Endy with a double and a triple respectively

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Mariner Matters | 3.29

.
Pretty big news day today!

As some had speculated...

Jeff Clement was sent down to minor leagues. He's just not ready for prime time behind the dish (even his hitting hasn't be any great shakes this spring) and with the new emphasis on defense, he didn't really have a chance.

I've always had special respect for those who don the tools of ignorance and are able to do them justice. I guess that's because catching is, by far, the most physically demanding and mentally challenging position on the field. In other words, it ain't easy.

Best of luck figuring it all out, Jeff.



Then there was the rather unexpected news...

Brandon Morrow will not only start the season in the pen, it will be his permanent home. Apparently, after much soul-searching, research and basically gauging what his own body could handle (he is diabetic) he went to the M's to let them know that he feels he is much better suited to the bullpen. Brandon says it is much easier to regulate his blood sugar on a daily basis, for short stints than to try to get it just right every five days and sustain it for 100+ pitches.

While it is a big disappointment for most (who were looking forward to Brandon in the starting rotation) the logic of the decision can hardly be argued with. He knows his body better than anyone and the organization has his health and his ability to contribute his best effort to the team as top priorities. So, we go with it.


I, for one, thought it was pretty darned exciting last season when Brandon came out of the pen in the 8th or 9th inning and blew batters away. And, with a solid, designated role, who's to say that he won't get even better this season? There seems to be something about those bullpen guys, they just seem to perform better when the roles are set. I seem to remember that JJ only started to excel once he was actually named the replacement to Eddie (as opposed to just the 'fill-in closer').


Good on ya, Brandon ~ for being honest with yourself and the team as to your capabilities.

Here's some rather lively discussion on the topic over at Mariner Central (my favorite hangout :-)


Apparently, Brandon isn't the only diabetic in the pen..

Mark Lowe was diagnosed last season with type-2 diabetes and his "co-worker" was an invaluable resource and support for him.

"It was not fun knowing it's something you'll have to do the rest of your life, poking yourself with a needle forever," he said. "But you get over it and know it could be way, way worse. In the longrun, it's something that will help you -- staying in shape, eating right. You have to look at it in the big picture, and I think it's going to be a very positive thing."

That's the mindset both Lowe and Morrow hope all diabetics take in treating their conditions.

"Take it serious. It's a big deal and it's your livelihood," Lowe said. "As you get older, a lot of things can change and you've got to take care of it for the longrun."

"But," added Morrow. "Don' t let it hold you back. It's a serious condition but if you take care of yourself and monitor it, you can be as healthy as anybody else."

New Skipper asserting his power...


Some new rules in town ~ you will wear ties on the plane.

“The big issue in camp the last few days has been ties,” Wakamatsu said. “We’re going to wear them on team flights. Some guys have never worn them before, and they’re not happy. I’m not trying to be a hard-ass – I’d rather wear a sweat suit when we fly.
“Players used to have to wear suits. I’m just going with ties, and I’ve told the guys who’ve asked about it, ‘I’ll have a few extra ties on the plane in case you forget yours.’ ”
:::
“It’s discipline. We’re trying to establish something here. In some organizations, like the Yankees, there’s no facial hair allowed. When I was a player in the Reds organization, everyone had to wear their uniform a certain way. Those teams establish something throughout their system.
“In our clubhouse, there aren’t many players who have come up through the Seattle system. We’re starting something this spring, from how we play the game to how we represent the team.”

I think I like it.


ST31 | royally rocked

.

M's 12 | Royals 17


OK, I must say I'm getting a bit tired of using adverbs like: hammered, rocked, etc. when it comes describing M's on the ST mound. It's getting late gentlemen. Here's hoping that you are just working on a pitch, tweaking a particular delivery or experimenting with an arm angle ... something, anything to give me hope that this is not a precursor to the regular season.

That being said, you know those pesky Royals are doing darn well this spring. They were at least top three in the Cactus League in many of the offensive categories (such as: RBI, Runs and HR) even before this crazy game (with it's 40 hits and 29 runs).

Saturday, March 28, 2009

ST30 | hammered by the halos

.
M's 9 | Angels 16

Well, not much rosiness to report as Carlos was Carlos, Messenger was a mess and the Halos just kept rolling along in ST (now 22-5) ....
  • good to see the 13 hits, including 4 for extra bases
  • also liking the D today - 2 DP's and an OF assist

Mariner Matters | 3.28

.



WBC leaves Kenji with a little "catching up" to do...
Changing signs and various adjustments that were made in his absence in early spring have left Joh with his work cut out for him.




No one seems to be stepping up to grab the closer's role...
Some are returning from injury (Walker, Corcoran), some have been hit hard (Lowe, Messenger) and others have pleasantly, unexpectedly, surprised (Ardsma and Kelley). Then there's the old vet Miggy who is trying to make his case by experience and health (that he lacked last season).




The praise just keeps on coming for Lopey....
He was named to the All Tournament Team from the WBC and gets high praise from his fellow Venezuelan Mariner teammate, Felix...
Last year with the Mariners was a banner season offensively for Lopez, even as he did it in relative anonymity. He batted .297, hit 17 homers and drove in 89 runs. He then went and played 28 games in his home country over the winter, hitting .349 and driving in 34 runs.

"He's so mature now. He knows what he's doing and he's going to have a good year," said pitcher Felix Hernandez, his teammate in Seattle and on the Venezuelan team. "He's got more confidence and he knows what he has to do. He knows what he can do."




RRS (aka "the Hyphenator) - rotation or relief?
One of the bright spots late last season, Ryan just working to improve.
"Every start I learned something new about myself," Rowland-Smith said. "I'm slowly learning what kind of pitcher I am and maybe the end of this season I can come back and say this is the kind of pitcher I am.

Friday, March 27, 2009

ST29 | Erik and Brandon ... oh my

.


M's 3 | Rockies 8

Time is running out for tuning up....
Erik and Brandon roughed up pretty good (7 walks and 8 runs in 4 innings combined :-( but according to both of them, they felt great physically and aren't concerned since spring training is the time to work on things (Brandon was working on his curve) and get the pitch count up (Erik is on schedule with that).

The good news ...
  • THREE double plays!
  • ELEVEN hits, including two doubles, one by Joh (who seems to be picking up where he left off in the WBC)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Mariner Matters | 3.26

.


How cool is it that these two are now BOTH in Mariner blue?!?!?
And, from all accounts, not only are they going to get along splendidly, but there has been a strong and significant shift in attitude in the clubhouse AND on the field...

News Tribune...

“When you go to sleep at night, you still hear Junior and (Mike) Sweeney,” pitcher Brandon Morrow said, laughing. “You can hear them no matter what practice field you’re on. You always hear them in the clubhouse and in the dugout. You always know where they are. It’s awesome.”

There’s a far more important difference in camp than sound level. Wakamatsu and his all-new staff have done more than work on fundamentals in practice this spring – they’ve pushed those fundamentals into the Seattle playbook.

The Mariners have bunted runners along, and bunted for base hits. They’ve used hit-and-run plays, squeeze bunts and straight steals, and not just with the No. 9 hitter.

First baseman Russell Branyan has two stolen bases.

Veterans such as Jarrod Washburn see a profound change in the way this team plays the game.

“When a team can play small ball, it puts pressure on the opposing pitching staff, not just their infield,” Washburn said. “If you’re pitching against a team with more than one dimension, a team you know can manufacture runs, it’s a far tougher team to stop. You give up a leadoff double, for instance, and they’re liable to score a run that inning with nothing more than outs.

“It’s more fun to play for a team that has that kind of game.”



TONY GUTIERREZ / AP

Then there was this interesting little tidbit from Shannon's blog...

Ichiro met with us in the clubhouse in the 7th inning of the game. The questions to start out were about returning to the team, the WBC experience, and the atmosphere. He was asked about the bad clubhouse situation last year and told us that he didn't want to talk about it.

"I think you are more of an expert, next question."

Later in the interview, Ichiro was told of what JJ Putz told Larry Stone earlier this spring about not thinking that Ichiro did everything he could to help the team win. As Ichiro asked for clarification, I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye start to walk in behind and around the media group listening closely.

Junior.

The reporter pressed on and Ichiro continued to question the question through translator Ken Barron.

Noises of disgust could be heard behind us.

"Could you give me specific answers of what I was supposed to do?" Barron said for Ichiro.

"What is he trying to get too? I swear to God! That was last year, come on!" Junior said quietly of the line of questioning.

While he was disruptive to the interview process, and for the record, I do not think the subject should have been pushed at this time, if at all, I was happy to see what he did. He was being a good teammate. He was looking out for Ichiro.

It is an old clubhouse technique. If the heat is being turned up on a player, perhaps too much, another player will stand behind the media group and say something about it, usually under his breath. It is always pointed, sometimes it is obnoxious, sometimes it is called for, sometimes it is somewhere in between.

On Ichiro's first day back it was a strong signal, not to us the media, but to Ichiro that Jr had his back. When was the last time he felt that in this clubhouse?

The flipside is, I do believe that if Jr. sees something he doesn't like in Ichiro's behavior or play, he will let him know. In private. This is the way these things should work.

I believe there is a good chance that Ichiro will at least listen. He (who normally refuses to talk about other players) spoke of Griffey with complete reverence.

"It's been ten years now since I practiced with him for the first time together here in Peoria. He is the exact same guy now as he was back then and that makes me very happy. Just like 10 years ago he is like a kid. His personality, his character, something about it, he has the ability to change the atmosphere. And also today, when I was on second base he came up to bat and that view of watching him in the batters box from second base was a view I really enjoyed."


Yes indeed, this season could prove to be always interesting, sometimes delightful, hopefully fun!

:-)

ST28 | Felix and Ichi, back where they belong

.
M's 10 | Royals 9

Neither Felix or Ponson fared too well in their first Spring starts since returning from the WBC...
  • although Sir Sidney was a bit better (surrendering 4 runs in 5.1IP compared to Felix's 7 runs in 6IP) but Ardsma continued to make his "closer case", lowering his ERA to 2.45 and recording another 2K's
  • Russell hit his 5th homer and Yuni, Ronnie, Reegie and Endy all logged doubles
  • 2 more DP's!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Mariner Matters | 3.25

.



Spring stats don't mean squat according to Junior....

"One day, I watched Aaron Harang get his ass handed to him. But I also watched what he was doing. He threw a fastball up and away, curve up and away, slider. He threw all his pitches up and away. Then he went to the inside part of the plate, then he went down. He worked the corners. He didn't care about his ERA and what they were doing. That wasn't what he was worried about. We may have felt like that, because we were chasing the balls they were blasting.

"I asked him, 'What were you thinking, what was going on?' He said, 'I was just working spots.' I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'Think about what I did to such and such.' Then I started going through all the batters and what he was doing, and I said, 'Never mind,' and walked away."

The upshot is that Harang went on that year to 16-11 and lead the National League in strikeouts (216) and complete games (six). That leads into Professor Griffey's main point about spring stats being particularly unrevealing -- not exactly groundbreaking, but meaningful coming from someone who has been in 20-plus spring trainings. Jamie Moyer was another one who would use early spring games to work on certain pitches, often getting blasted in the process. But by the end of camp, he would be sharp and ready to go.

More from Griffey on the topic, speaking about eight days ago:

"At some point in spring, you just don't play well, and then you get that second wind. At some point, everybody is going to play bad. Then all of a sudden, it's close to the end of spring training, and you say, 'All right, let's go.' "




With Jackie Z, it appears,
character is job 1 and Mike Sweeney agrees...
"The main thing is accountability," Sweeney said. "You hold guys accountable. If guys are not adhering to the rules or guidelines of this clubhouse, you point it out. It's simple. There are no official rules, but if you're doing things that are detrimental to the team, then you're going to get called out on it, whether you're a 10-year veteran or a rookie.

"It's called accountability," he added. "If you don't have that, then you're not going to have, No. 1, a team. You're not going to have unity. The days of, if you blow a game, hiding in the trainer's room, those are over. It's being held accountable."

:::

"I saw it playing against these guys last year," Sweeney said. "I thought, "they don't seem like a team'. It didn't seem like they had any unity or togetherness. I could see that just from seeing guys communicate on the field, guys not picking each other up. I could sense that from the other dugout."


Tuesday, March 24, 2009

ss ST 26 & 27 | a tie and a win


Baker's blog

M's 7 | Rangers 7

Jr = deuces for the day...
2 doubles / 2 RBI

Jarrod = so-so...
6.0IP with only one walk but no strikeouts and 3 runs

Randy = no-no...
also gave up 3 runs, but in only 1.0IP

M's 8 | Dodgers 6

M's finally face Dodger blue w/Manny...
and he was being Manny w/ a moonshot, but M's still take the game

RRS and Morrow still have their work cut out...
and Miggy was Miggy, but Corky and Kelley are looking good

RBI spread up and down the lineup...
Endy and Yuni w/nice nights at the plate - Wlad and Chris both w/triples

Mariner Matters | 3.24



Adrian resting sore shoulder...
Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre has sat out a fifth consecutive game while resting a sore left shoulder but Mariners' manager Don Wakamatsu says the move is only precautionary.

"It's nothing serious but we'd rather take it now than later," Wakamatsu said Tuesday. "Our whole goal with him is to be where he feels good and doesn't have any aches or pains prior to the season."

Beltre underwent thumb and shoulder surgeries last September and missed the final two weeks of the season. The Mariners have closely monitored his workouts in spring training and kept him on a regimented schedule.

Jose learning the little things can be big...

For all the bigger things that happened to him, like being named to the WBC all-tournament team on Tuesday, or leading all regulars on his star-studded Venezuelan squad with a .417 batting average and 1.398 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, he'll remember something else even more. It's the way even the most feared home-run hitters on that squad were willing to put big hits aside and give up outs in order to do the little things needed to win.

"In that situation, when you're playing for your country, you play as a team," he said. "You do the little things. That's what we do in Venezuela, we do the little things, like when it's 1-0, 2-0, or 2-1, the little things to win the game. It doesn't matter what. I try to do that all the time, but this was different. This team had a lot of guys with 100 RBI and they were doing it."

Lopez was already doing plenty of this for the Mariners last season, leading the team in sacrifice flies and getting bunts down when he had to. But seeing bigger names, like Bobby Abreu, Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen and Melvin Mora do it on a world stage is something bound to leave a lasting impression that Lopez can relay to other young Mariners.

There are quiet hopes, within the organization, that the WBC served as a coming-out party of sorts for a second baseman who seems ready to take his power game to a new level. And with it are more hopes that a player once the subject of good-natured locker-room teasing not long ago will emerge as one of the future leaders of this younger Mariners corps.



Gutierrez part of the manufacturing...

The key here is Gutierrez, who one scout this week called an enigma. There is no question he is among the elite defensively, but offensively, he is lacking, and maddeningly so. He sees a ton of pitches but he doesn't reach base. Wak has had him batting leadoff in Ichiro's absence in order for him to learn the intricacies of the position where he will never will play in Seattle. He is fast, so why not bunt him more if the bat is not going to come around as some thought it would earlier in his career? It is one way he can help manufacture runs.

He has been given a good look higher in the order and according to Wak has been hot and cold. The important thing is however, when I spoke to him this morning it sounded to me like he has bought into the system. When I asked him about doing the little things versus swinging for the fences, something we have seen other young Mariners try to do he answered,

"That's not part of my game. When you come up to the big leagues you should know what your job is going to be. You have to figure it out, that the only thing important up here is to get on base, try to see some pitches and have good at bats because if you get on base you are going to score a lot of runs and that is how your team is going to win games."

As for his teammates, Wak said it is coming along.

"Everybody is buying into how we can possibly manufacture some runs. It is our job to get guys to look at options on how we can get some runs across. It's part of giving these guys weapons, making them more complete players."

The players are doing this on their own for the most part right now.

Monday, March 23, 2009

WBC | Congrats to Team Japan!


Ichiro hits a two-run single in the top of the 10th (Matt Sayles/AP)

Japan takes 2nd WBC Crown ~ 5-3 in 10 innings over Korea

It took awhile for Ichiro to get rollin', but there was no stopping him tonight...
4/6 including a 2-run double in the 10th

He always did have a flair for the dramatic :-)



World Baseball Classic.com



M's WBC stats
Kenji Johjima (JPN) .333BA - 1D - 1HR - 4RBI - 4R - 1BB - 1SB
Ichiro Susuki (JPN) .278BA - 2D - 1T - 5RBI - 7R - 1SB
Endy Chavez (VEN) .348BA - 2D - 2T - 2RBI - 3R
Jose Lopez (VEN) .417BA - 6D - 2HR - 4RBI - 8R - 3BB
Carlos Silva (VEN) 5.11ERA - 12.2IP - 10H - 7ER - 2BB - 6K
Felix Hernandez (VEN) 0.00ERA - 8.2IP - 5H - 0ER - 6BB - 11K

Eliminated in Round 1/2

Alex Liddi (ITL) .375BA - 1D - 2RBI 1R
Anthony Phillips (RSA) .222BA - 1RBI - 1R
Greg Halman (NED) .182BA - 1R - 1D
Phillippe Aumont (CAN) 0.00ERA - 1.0IP - 2H - 0ER - 1BB - 2K

exM's of note...
JJ Putz (USA) 3.0ERA - 3.0IP - 1ER - 0BB - 2K
Matt Thornton (USA) 7.71ERA - 4.2IP - 4ER - 1BB - 5K
Carlos Guillen (VEN) .231BA - 1D - 2HR - 4RBI - 4R - 1BB
Shin-Soo Choo (KOR) .167BA - 2HR - 4RBI - 5R - 3BB

Mariner Matters | 3.23



Welcome home Venezuelans!
Wakamatsu said he hoped the four could bring some of the passion he saw on the field and in the stands at the WBC to the Mariners. Hernandez thought that was a good idea.

“We’re going to bring that to the clubhouse. We have to pitch the way we pitched there. That’s all we have to do, our thing,” he said. “We have to do the little things and play baseball.”

Lopez waxed almost poetic when asked about playing for Team Venezuela.

“It was beautiful. You come to the stadium to do a job for your country. The fans are there and you want to do your job better for them,” he said. “The fans are unbelievable for every country. It was beautiful.”

Chavez was just as happy.

“I just felt like a little kid in a big competition,” he said. “It was a feeling that I’ll never forget.”

Much as he enjoyed playing with other Venezuelans, Chavez said he was anxious to get back on the field and in the clubhouse with the Mariners.

”I’ve got good teammates here, too,” Chavez said. “The only difference is you’ve got to mix the languages - English, Japanese, Spanish. It’s great. I feel comfortable over here.”


Battle at backup receiver...
Johnson's ability to work with pitchers, block the plate and throw runners out as part of an all-around defensive package has now vaulted him into the picture when it comes to making this Mariners team.

"If you don't know a guy, I think it's really wise to get with them before the game," Johnson, 25, said. "Talk to them during batting practice. Maybe their start isn't for three or four days, but you start getting in their ear a little bit about stuff they like to do. And then after the game, you ask: 'How'd it go? What'd you think about this pitch? What'd you think about this situation? What could we have done differently in your eyes?'

"You just to try to get a good feel, and then the tempo of the game just goes and goes."

Heading into camp, it appeared Jeff Clement was a shoo-in to make the squad and possibly supplant Kenji Johjima as the No. 1 catcher. But that's been changed by the signing of left-handed slugger Ken Griffey Jr. — who would take potential designated-hitter at-bats away from Clement on days the latter isn't catching — and the emphasis on defense by the team's new coaching staff.

Clement's defense remains a work-in-progress and his bat — despite a single in an 8-5 win by the Mariners over Oakland on Saturday — has yet to take off. Johnson's bat has never been touted as his meal ticket, but his defense appears more polished than Clement's.

"I think he's pretty close," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said of Johnson being major-league ready. "I wouldn't have probably said that about him the first couple of days I saw him."

Wakamatsu, a former professional catcher, liked how involved Johnson was with pitchers in a Seattle loss Friday. Johnson was also involved in three separate tag plays at home plate in that same game.

"I feel a lot stronger about him than I did earlier," Wakamatsu said. "And that's not a knock on him. It's just watching guys play."


Wlad, the more patient

"That's a mistake I made last year," said Balentien, who had two singles in a 5-3 loss for the Mariners to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. "I tried to do more than I could do and I didn't get results."

Balentien stumbled through his rookie season, got sent back down to the minors for a prolonged stint, then finished the year with a terrible .202 average and .592 on-base-plus slugging percentage. The holes in his swing that had previously plagued him in the minors were evident in Seattle and he spent months trying new techniques with former hitting consultant Lee Elia behind the scenes.

This spring, he's trying different drills with hitting coach Alan Cockrell and appears to be having some success. Balentien came out of Sunday's game with 14 hits in his first 36 at-bats this spring, a .389 average.

Inflated spring stats don't mean all that much, but the team is breathing easier now that Balentien is making contact. The Mariners know they might have to pinch-hit for Chavez late in games and need an outfielder who can come off the bench and play solid defense.

Balentien is versatile enough to play all three outfield positions without being a defensive liability. But the ticket to his sticking with the club was always going to involve showing improvement at the plate.

"Just about anybody will swing at a ball in the dirt a couple of times," he said. "It's kind of hard, but if I put a little more concentration on my hitting when I'm up there, I think I can do a better job with that."

Granddaddy of Stat Geeks gives take on 2009 M's
James' new book, "The Bill James' 2009 Gold Mine,'' published by Acta Sports. The press release includes five of his observations on the Mariners:
  • "Although he's often overlooked, Adrian Beltreis one of the best third basemen in baseball. He is at the top of the list in fielding and below average in only one category, plate discipline. He has also been very durable, and his skill set is actually very similar to one of baseball's saints: Brooks Robinson."
  • "The Mariners in 2006 drafted Brandon Morrow with the #5 pick in the draft, rather than local favorite Tim Lincecum, who went to San Francisco with the tenth pick. This is something that people talk about, but--just my opinion--in the long run, I don't think anybody is going to regret drafting Brandon Morrow. I think he's tremendous. Morrow had a 3.34 ERA last year, but there are several signals that he may be a better pitcher even than that. Batters hit .174 against him, which is Randy Johnsonterritory. He made a mid-season conversion from relief to starting, which probably didn't help his numbers any, and he gave up 10 home runs with just 47 fly outs. A ratio like that is probably a fluke, since the pitcher doesn't really control the percentage of flyballs against him that become home runs. He may not be a starting pitcher. In five starts in September he walked 19 men, which is too many; even Randy couldn't succeed as a starter issuing that many free passes. He may have to go back to the bullpen. And I'm not saying he is Tim Lincecum, but...I think he's a guy who has Cy Young ability."
  • "What happened toYuniesky Betancourt's glove? His fielding plus/minus figures (the number of plays he makes above or below what an average defender at his position would have made) have dropped each of the past two years, and he was last among all major league shortstops in 2008. He has particularly lost range on groundballs up the middle."
  • "Last year, we mentioned that Felix Hernandez threw his slider more often in 2007. In 2008, he changed his pattern again, throwing fastballs more often than anytime in his major league career, and de-emphasizing the slider and curveball."
  • "The Seattle Mariners last year had a man on second base, no one out 116 times, and scored only 111 runs in those innings. They were the only major league team to score less than one run an inning when they had a leadoff hitter at second base. "

ST25 | my Jakubauskas against your Johnson



M's 5 | Giants 1

Jose picks up right where he left off in the WBC...
2 for 4 with a double and 2 runs scored

Wlad with another home run...
off RJ, no less!

Jakubauskas goes 5 giving up only 3 hits, 1 run, 2 walks and 3K's...
The rest of the pen (Ardsma, Stark, Delgado) combined for 3 more hits and zero runs

Sunday, March 22, 2009

WBC | thoughts....



Some love it, some hate it, some don't even give it the time of day...
To be fair, the World Baseball Classic is what it is - a collection of very good baseball players engaged in international competition, tournament style. I couldn't find a "mission statement" per se, but this seemed to be the next best thing...
Q: Why conduct the World Baseball Classic?
A: The World Baseball Classic was created to provide a platform that will increase worldwide exposure of the game of baseball and further promote grassroots development in traditional and non-traditional baseball nations. The tournament's primary objectives are to increase global interest and introduce new fans and players to the game. The World Baseball Classic acknowledges and pays tribute to the tremendous growth and internationalization of the game.
Some have questioned various players and or teams motivation or lack thereof...
I have never been one to claim to know a players heart or drive - different players have different motivations - some, maybe most, are playing for national pride. Others for the love of the game, still others may find it a more intense, complete way to prepare for their professional season.

Still others don't seem to be too sure how seriously to take it...
While it is evident that most pro-athletes are very competitive by nature, I don't know that any of the players, no matter the country they play for, has any grand illusions that if they win this tournament that they are "the best in the world". If they win this tournament, they performed the best in this tournament. Just like the team who wins the gold medal in the Olympics performed the best in the Olympics and the team that wins the NCAA Tournament performed the best in that tournament. I'd even go so far as to say that the World Series winners are the ones that performed the best in that particular series (or three). Granted, to get to the WS a team has to perform at a very high level all season long, but I'm sure many would agree that it's not necessarily always the best team that wins the WS - it's a good team that gets hot at the right time.

As for the timing, likely the thing that has been criticized most...
I think it's good just where it sits. I'm not sure how it could possible work in the middle or at the end of the MLB season. What player is going to want to leave a team in the middle of a pennant race to play in a tournament? The break in concentration and/or momentum wouldn't be fair to their professional team OR their WBC team. How many players would be able to adequately represent their country in November when they are physically and mentally spent after a marathon season?

As for those who call "bogus" due to the fact that not all the best participate...
I would argue that, no matter what time of year they play, they will NEVER be able to assemble each and every "best" player. Various things, including team situations, personal circumstance and injuries, makes that an impossible task.

As a side benefit, while some of the best are representing their countries, it actually provides more playing time for those back at camp. Managers and coaches (and fans) get a better look at those who are vying for jobs than they might have had otherwise.

Are there improvements to be made? Certainly...
To be expected since this thing is only in it's infancy. Here are some topics likely to be discussed for the next go 'round in four years....
  • schedule exhibition games, especially in the earlier rounds, so players are constantly engaged and staying loose
  • schedule tournament pools in places with domes and/or retractable roofs (do I hear a vote for Safeco Field?!?!?) to reduce the risk of delays, postponements - not to mention injury
  • ensure that the players who participate are adequately prepared, not only to reduce their risk of injury, but to prove to the team they are playing for that they are ready, willing and able to give their best effort - mentally, physically and emotionally
It's a splendid idea in need of some tweaks, but overall seems to be serving it's purpose.

You go, WBC.

WBC | Semi-Finals


Semi-Finals


Shin-Soo Choo and his teammate celebrate (Getty)


Yu Darvish celebrates after finishing off Team USA
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images


Final ~ 6PM PDT Monday



vs.




M's WBC stats-to-date
Kenji Johjima (JPN) .400BA - 1D - 1HR - 4RBI - 4R - 1BB - 1SB
Ichiro Susuki (JPN) .211BA - 1D - 1T - 3RBI - 7R - 1SB
Endy Chavez (VEN) .348BA - 2D - 2T - 2RBI - 3R
Jose Lopez (VEN) .417BA - 6D - 2HR - 4RBI - 8R - 3BB
Carlos Silva (VEN) 5.11ERA - 12.2IP - 10H - 7ER - 2BB - 6K
Felix Hernandez (VEN) 0.00ERA - 8.2IP - 5H - 0ER - 6BB - 11K

Eliminated in Round 1/2

Alex Liddi (ITL) .375BA - 1D - 2RBI 1R
Anthony Phillips (RSA) .222BA - 1RBI - 1R
Greg Halman (NED) .182BA - 1R - 1D
Phillippe Aumont (CAN) 0.00ERA - 1.0IP - 2H - 0ER - 1BB - 2K

exM's of note...
JJ Putz (USA) 3.0ERA - 3.0IP - 1ER - 0BB - 2K
Matt Thornton (USA) 7.71ERA - 4.2IP - 4ER - 1BB - 5K
Carlos Guillen (VEN) .231BA - 1D - 2HR - 4RBI - 4R - 1BB
Shin-Soo Choo (KOR) .167BA - 3RBI - 4R - 3BB

ST24 | 4th spring loss to Lou's Crew

M's 3 | Cubs 5

Erik didn't show a lot of control in his 2.2IP ( 3 walks) but didn't allow a run and worked up to 47 pitches.

Other than that, it appeared to be the Chris Woodward show ;-)
a double, a home run, 2RBI and part of 2 double plays!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

ST23 | Even up



Ken Griffey Jr. follows through on a double (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

M's 8 | A's 5

Back to .500 :-)

And Roy is back! I'm pulling for him to get a shot at closer. He seems so genuine.

Olson struggled a bit, but wasn't helped by some "bloopers" that landed beyond the reach of fielders. Miggy actually recorded a scoreless 1.1IP and Frankie hit one out, his first HR of the spring.

Friday, March 20, 2009

ST22 | Brewers bash

M's 5 | Brewers 6

Wow - you'd think 9 hits (4 of which went for extra bases), including Jr's first home run of the spring, would be enough to get the "W" .... until you look at the box score and see that the Brewers had 15 hits, NINE for extra bases (which actually should have yielded more than 6 runs). The Brew Crew also tallied FOUR DP's

It was bound to happen .... both Ardsma and Messenger finally have an ERA :(

Seattle shows their scarves | Sounders FC


Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

What a night! Wish I could have been there. My husband and son were (having signed up for season tickets via their Seahawk seats the minute the opportunity was presented). Even my BFF (you know, the one who hates sports) was there...

The energy and passion certainly came through on TV and it was evident even to the national broadcasters that the fans in the Emerald City were totally captivated by their new sports darlings. Kudos to the ownership group for getting this whole thing off to such a rousing start - here's to more great games and good times to come now that "the world" has come to Seattle.


Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer



Joshua Trujillo/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Having spent my whole career in Europe, I was worried about being let down -- why come home for this?" said a beaming Kasey Keller, the goalie from Olympia who stepped down to Major League Soccer. "But there's probably not a better atmosphere for soccer in America."

Sounders coach Sigi Schmid reported that midfielder Brad Evans suggested that the team develop hand signals because of the crowd noise.

"I've never heard of that," he said, "in any MLS city."

For a rookie outfit in its debutante ball, the night was about as glorious a stimulus package as could have been federally devised. The Sounders became only the second expansion franchise to win its opener.

"A lot of the players on the New York team are extremely envious of what we have here," said Keller, who didn't have to deal with a shot on goal in the first half, then made a couple of dramatic saves in the second half.

In fact, it appears the Sounders did the game and the production so well that they have become almost instantly the template for the rest of the league.

"This team is raising the bar for what our teams could achieve," Don Garber, MLS commissioner, gushed at halftime in the press box. "There's a belief by some that the sport has to base itself in cities with large Hispanic communities. But Seattle is an active international city, with a diverse population and large youth soccer base and a little less (sports market) competition than in other cities.

"We have to learn from this."

Looks like they will get the opportunity to do just that. Prior to the game, it was announced that Vancouver will have a team in 2011 and later today a similar announcement is expected from Portland.

You go Soccer.

And oh btw ~ Sounders 3 | Red Bulls nil

Thursday, March 19, 2009

WBC Round 2 | update...

POOL 1 ~ San Diego, California


Saturday's starter Suk Min Yoon has not allowed a run in

9 2/3 innings of Classic play. (Getty Images)


Toshiya Sugiuchi celebrates after the final out of Japan's 5-0

win over Cuba on Wednesday. (AP)

POOL 2 ~ Miami, Florida
Felix Hernandez tips his cap to the fans after hurling 4 2/3
strong innings on Monday. (Alan Diaz/AP)


Teammates mob David Wright after his game-winning hit on
Tuesday. (Doug Benc/Getty Images)

M's WBC stats through 2nd round
Kenji Johjima (JPN) .375BA - 1D - 1HR - 2RBI - 4R - 1BB
Ichiro Susuki (JPN) .212BA - 1D - 1T - 2RBI - 5R - 1SB
Greg Halman (NED) .182BA - 1R - 1D
Endy Chavez (VEN) .368BA - 2D - 2T - 2RBI - 3R
Jose Lopez (VEN) .500BA - 6D - 2HR - 4RBI - 8R - 3BB
Carlos Silva (VEN) 11.0IP - 10H - 1ER - 1BB - 6K
Felix Hernandez (VEN) 8.2IP - 5H - 0ER - 6BB - 11K

Eliminated in Round 1
Alex Liddi (ITL) .375BA - 1D - 2RBI 1R
Anthony Phillips (RSA) .222BA - 1RBI - 1R
Phillippe Aumont (CAN) 1.0IP - 2H - 0ER - 1BB - 2K

exM's of note...
JJ Putz 3.0IP - 1ER - 0BB - 2K
Matt Thornton 3.2IP - 4ER - 1BB - 2K
Carlos Guillen .231BA - 1D - 2HR - 4RBI - 4R - 1BB
Shin-Soo Choo .127BA - 3R - 1BB

ss ST20 & 21 | RRS settles, hits keep comin'


M's 2 | Cubs 9


M's 10 | Padres 8

Not much to say about the first game - after a great start (retiring 6 of the first 7 batters) Gaby struggled mightily surrendering 6 runs in one inning. And the bats, while collecting 11 hits, couldn't make 'em count.

The second game also featured 11 hits, but most of them counted (including another home run by Wilson). RRS seemed to have the opposite outing from Gaby - gave up a lot early, settled down later.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

ST19 | Hit Parade in Surprise

M's 9 | Royals 3

17 hits...
  • 8 of the extra base variety
  • a triple and homer by Yuni
  • 2 home runs by Wilson
arms not too shabby either...
  • Jarrod has his longest outing of the spring 5.2IP - 7H - 3ER - 1BB - 5K
  • Ardsma and Messenger continue along the 0.00ERA road

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Goodbye PI....

I don't mind admitting that I caught a breath here and there and shed a few tears as I thumbed through the last print edition this morning....



I remember the days when the PI was delivered in the morning and the Times in the afternoon. Now, I'm lucky to get through the 'combined' Sunday edition by Tuesday. I guess that makes me part of the problem :-(

Thank you for making us who we were David McCumber
We probably didn't tell you enough how proud we were to be part of you.We love your saw-toothed Klondiked Boeing-proud past. It's our past, too.We even love your nervous overcaffeinated undercapitalized Sonics-free present. And we're sure you'll still be pretty fetching in the future as abored-tunnel light-railed one-paper joint (or paper-free zone, as the regrettable case may be).

Monday, March 16, 2009

ss ST17 & 18 | split the split

M's 4 Dodgers 3

M's 1 Indians 4

Not a whole lot rosy to report in either game...
  • 6 DPs total
  • some decent pitching in the Tribe game: Jakubauskas 5.0IP - 5H -1ER and Thorpe, Thomas and Lugo each added scoreless/hitless innings ('t wasn't until the ninth, when Pena gave up 3 in 0.2IP that things went south on the mound)
  • Branyan continued his power show - 3rd HR in two games (4th of the spring)

Good news...

Erik was back on the mound for the first time since March 5th (hip stiffness)

Bad news...

Erik was rather erratic - 10 of 19 pitches out of the zone (also gave up his first run of the spring)


Sunday, March 15, 2009

ST16 | Is there a mercy rule for ST games?

M's 5 White Sox 15

The Good
  • Branyan continues his hot hitting - the M's only two xbh's were both home runs (one by Russell, one by Mike Morse)
  • Ardsma and Messenger added to their stellar spring tallies
The Bad
  • Poor Mr. Olson couldn't find the plate ~ 7ER in 1.2IP isn't surprising considering the 5BB
The Ugly
  • 4 errors (2 by Yuni, one each Corona and Truinfel) yikes!

It's still spring, it's still spring, it's still spring.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

ST15 | RRS for DH :-)

"When I went out there, some guys were sort of talking smack to me in here, so I was like, 'I've got to get a hit,' " Ryan Rowland-Smith said after his 2-for-2 performance Saturday.

Friday, March 13, 2009

ss ST13 & 14 | it's only spring, it's only spring...


M's 6 | Diamondbacks 14


M's 1 | Cubs 8

Not a lot of positives from these two games...

Ardsma still looking good to contend for a bullpen slot
Tui still showing well this spring - 2 more doubles, an RBI and 2 walks

At least the pitchers who struggled mightily aren't slated for the big league club (Vargas, Thomas, Seddon, Walker and Gaby Hernandez)


Thursday, March 12, 2009

WBC Round 1 | including M's contributions

POOL A
  • Japan defeated China (4-0)
  • Korea defeated Chinese Taipei (9-0)
  • China elimnated Chinese Taipei (4-1)
  • Japan defeated Korea (14-2)
  • Korea eliminated China (14-0)
  • Korea defeated Japan (1-0) to earn the #1 seed in Round 2 in SanDiego

Ichiro (JPN) 4/11 - 1BB - 1 SB
Kenji (JPN) 5/10 - 1 HR - 2 RBI - 1 BB


Ichiro Suzuki has collected four hits in his last two games
for Team Japan. (Shizuo Kambayashi/AP)



Of the players on Team Korea, Cha Seung Baek said, "I
played with some of them when I was younger, back when
I was in high school." (Ed Andrieski/AP)


POOL B

  • Cuba defeated South Africa (8-1)
  • Australia defeated Mexico (17 - 7)
  • Mexico eliminated South Africa (14-3)
  • Cuba plays Australia on Tuesday
  • Mexico eliminated Australia (16-1)
  • Cuba defeated Mexico (16-4 in 7) to earn the #1 seed in Round 2 in SanDiego

Anthony Phillips (RSA) 2/9 - 1RBI


Adrian (left) and Edgar Gonzalez grew up in San Diegoand
played for the Padres. (K.C. Alfred/AP)



Cuba's Luis Miguel Nava and Yoennis Cespedes celebrate
after scoring in the fourth. (AP)


POOL C

  • USA defeated Canada (6-5)
  • Venezuela defeated Italy (7-0)
  • USA defeated Venezuela 15-6)
  • Italy eliminated Canada (6-2)
  • Venezuela eliminated Italy (10-1)
  • Venezuela defeated USA (5-3) to earn the #1 seed in Round 2 in Miami
Phillippe Aumont (CAN) 1IP - 1 H - 1BB - 2K - 0ER
Felix (VEN) 4IP - 1H - 2BB - 4K - 0ER
Carlos Silva (VEN)4IP - 6H - 1BB - 2K - 0ER
Jose Lopez (VEN) 7/10 - 1HR - 2RBI - 5D - 6RS
-2BB

Endy Chavez (VEN) 6/10 2RBI - 2D - 1T - 2RS
Alex Liddi (ITL) 3/8 - 2RBI - 1RS



The Venezuelan team runs out of the dugout after beating
Team USA in the Pool C finale. (Frank Gunn/AP)



Between them, Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter have 15
All-Star berths and five World Series titles. (Getty)



POOL D

  • Netherlands upset DR (3-2)
  • Puerto Rico defeated Panama (7-0)
  • DR eliminated Panama (9-0)
  • Puerto Rico defeated Netherlands (3-1)
  • Netherlands eliminated DR in 11! (2-1)
  • Puerto Rico defeated Netherlands (5-0) to earn the #1 seed in Round 2 in Miami
Greg Halman (NED) 1/7 - 1RS (the lone run in the loss to Puerto Rico!)


Netherlands players' Dirk Van 't Klooster (18), pitcher Michiel Van Kampen
and Berry Van Driel celebrate their victory over the Dominican Republic
after a World Baseball Classic game in San Juan.
Netherlands won 2-1 in extra innings. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)



Carlos Beltran (left) and Pool D Most Valuable Player Ivan
Rodriguez celebrate after Puerto Rico's win over The Netherlands
on Wednesday. (Al Bello/Getty)


exM's of note...

Matt Thornton (USA) 2IP - 1K - 0ER
JJ Putz (USA) 1IP - 2H - 1ER - SAVE
Carlos Guillen (VEN) 3/11 2HR - 3RBI - 4RS - 1BB
Chris Snelling (AUS) 3/7 - 2HR - 3RBI - 3RS - 1BB