st 10 | split squad 2 showcases the "big four" in rapid succession

Mariners 7 | Diamondbacks 1

While the early split squad game on the radio made for a great back-drop for my spring cleaning this afternoon, tonight's game was the one I really wanted to see!  But, had to settle for the opposition's radio broadcast and gameday tracking...

Ramirez, Hultzen, Walker and Paxton combined for...
EIGHT innings - ONE earned run - FOUR hits - THREE walks - EIGHT strikeouts

Ramirez led the charge, going THREE scoreless against mostly DBacks big league starters.
Shannon Drayer has a nice story here about the fourth of "the big four" and his baseball journey so far...

"I want to have fun and compete for one place (in the rotation). If I am here I want to show everyone what I got. If they say, alright you need to spend more time in the minor league I say okay I got it. No problem. I will go there and show them that I can learn. If they give me the chance I will show them I am working and cannot stay there. I will give everything I have got and after that they make the decision."

AP photo

Three seemed to be the number of the evening at Salt River Fields...

• Jesus had THREE RBI, including a 2-run double (and he caught 6 scoreless innings)
• Kawasaki also had THREE RBI going 3 for 5 as the lead-off guy (with plenty of comparisons to his countryman, Ichiro, by the Arizona broadcasters)
• Carp also posted THREE hits and the other RBI

Good to see some excitement brewing for M's baseball, single seat tickets went on sale today...

Mariners twitter pic

st 9 | split squad 1 ends in tie

Mariners 5 | Dodgers 5

A little better outing for Iwakuma this time....
He got through 4 innings, gave up 2 runs and a walk and struck out 2

League went 1IP and Furbush 2IP...
each have yet to give up a run this spring

't was a pretty good day for the hitters...

• All starter, except Olivo, had at least one hit
• Seager hit his second homer of the spring and Ackely had a triple
• Saunders, Ichiro and Figgins all had doubles

While the M's were clean in the field with an outfield assist by Chiang (getting Looney at the plate) and a nice DP turned, there was a little falderal on the bases...

• In the 4th inning - Ackley hit a triple but was tagged out on a FC by Ichiro and then Ichiro was picked off
• Then in the 5th - Saunders walked and Wells singled but, somehow passed Michael on the base paths so they were both out

st 8 | a rare (so far) spring loss

Mariners 5 | Diamondbacks 8

A bit of a rough outing for Jason...
as he gave up 5 runs in 4 innings but the 4 strikeouts were a good sign.  Also, he threw 55 pitches so good to see him getting stretched out, especially considering he'll be pitching the second game of the season in Japan in just 20 days.

There certainly was no lack of hitting...
one homer, one triple and FIVE doubles should add up to more than FIVE runs but, I guess the 5/12 with RISP explains it.

Report that Adam Moore's "broken wrist" may be a bone chip...
hopefully, for him, that's the case.

st 7 | good signs, bad news...

Mariners 10 | Cubs 3

First, the good....

14 hits
10 runs
2 homers (Ackley and Quiroz0
2 doubles (Smoak and Liddi)
5 walks
4 steals (Kawasaki -2-, Ford, Olivo and ... Peguero?!?)

Most of the pitchers threw pretty well today (Millwood only used 3 pitches to retire the side in the 3rd).
Tom W had a bit of a rough go - 2 unearned runs (one of the errors was his)

Now, the bad...

Adam Moore is injured.  AGAIN.

out for the spring...

Hard-luck catcher Adam Moore received another blow on Thursday when the Mariners discovered the 27-year-old has a broken bone in his right wrist, suffered during Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Reds.
Moore broke the third metacarpal on his upper hand while blocking a ball in the dirt. He saw a hand specialist Tuesday afternoon and manager Eric Wedge had no update following the Mariners' 10-3 victory over the Cubs in Mesa, but said Moore's sure to miss the rest of Spring Training.
Moore missed almost the entire 2011 season after injuring his right knee in his second regular-season game and undergoing surgery to repair a medial meniscus tear.

Man, some guys just can't catch a break (no pun intended - really)

st 6 | springtime vs. the angels at the devil

Mariners 6 | Angels 4

Ah... hearing that the M's played the Angels in Tempe today had me reminiscing once again about my trip to the desert last season and wishing I was there this spring.  Tempe Diablo Stadium was one of the venues I visited (I believe the Halos were playing the Tribe).  It was really HOT and I spent a good part of the game in the shaded concessions area.  But, it is a great stadium and 't was a fun day....

Tempe Diablo Stadium | March 2011

Getting ready for first pitch | March 2011

OK, back to current day, which was a decent one for the M's!

Especially for Blake Beavan and Charlie Furbush who combined for...

6IP - 4H - 1BB - 0ER - 4K

AP photo

AP photo

On the other side of the plate, things were nice and spread out...

• Saunders and Montero each had two hits
• Ackley and Rodriguez each had doubles
• Robinson scored twice and stole a base
• Catracala his first spring homer - a 2-run shot

st 5 | The Felix, Ichi and Adam Show AND Bye-bye Carlos!

Mariners 8 | Reds 6

Getty Images

Nice outing for Felix, as he readies for the MLB Opener in Japan vs. the A's...
3 IP - 0 H - 0 ER - 0 BB - 4K

Ichiro's best day so far in his new 3-hole spot...
3-3 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored (he did have a little mix-up on the bases though when Justin laced a line drive and Ichiro was called out at 3B, cuz Kawasaki was already there ;-) )

Adam's number for the day was TWO... 
2-2 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored


The big news of the day - Carlos calls it a career...

"My first two boys were born in Seattle, so that's why I wanted to come here," he said. "I never thought to end my career here, but I feel like I have to. I learned a lot of good things from Jay Buhner and all the players when I was here -- Edgar Martinez, Junior, A-Rod. They were fun years for me and the fans in Seattle."

I'll never forget "the bunt" "the bunt"...
I was crossing the Narrows Bridge in Tacoma on my way to my Grandfather's memorial service in Sequim when I heard Dave make that call. I cried tears of joy knowing he was cheering from above.

Seattle Times

Best Wishes in Retirement, Carlos!

st 1 | High FIVES in the Desert

Mariners 8 | Athletics 5

AP

Here are the only two things I don't line about Spring Training...

• I'm usually not there
• The typical daytime slot makes it tough to even follow the games during the week (especially when things go crazy at work - like today!)

So, I am left to wonder what it would have been like to see/hear the five bats that hit 'em long and high prior to the celebratory hand-to-hand high fives...

• 2nd inning - Michael Saunders homered after Alex Liddi doubled
• 4th inning - Carlos Peguero homered with Jesus Montero aboard
• 5th inning - Luis Rodriguez homered to lead off the inning
• 5th inning - Jesus Montero homered with Kyle Seager aboard
• 8th inning - Johermyn Chaves homered with none aboard

So much for the pitchers being ahead of the hitters in the spring! 

I haven't looked it up but, I would be shocked if the Mariners hit 5 homers in a week (heck, even a month) at any point last season, let alone one game.  Sure it's only Spring Training but what fun!

On the down side...

There were a couple of errors (Jesus with a dropped pop-up and Martinez with a bad throw)

Jesus also had a passed ball and, worst of all, was Jesus was hit in the jaw - TWICE - and was pulled from the game after the second blow.  After the game, he was said to be shaken up a bit but, no reports of any breakage.

As for the pitching...

Of course it's harder to ascertain what the pitching was really like from just the box score (especially in spring) but, the fact that most gave up only one or none in terms of ER (Jimenez the only one to give up 2) seems like a good sign.

Saunders making a strong, early case for the centerfield competition...

as Geoff Baker explains here.  And, Shannon goes into detail here, about his rather unconventional off season workout regime that seems to be paying early dividends.

AP