A song for Hyphen and other M's notes....

In honor of his start today, thought I'd post this fun little ditty (originally found on
Larry Stone's blog) about our "wonder from down under"...

Number 18 - Ryan Rowland-Smith song

In other news....

Shannon reports that Cliff Lee's simulated game went VERY well yesterday and he'll throw another on Tuesday and likely have a minor league rehab start after that before returning to action with the big club in early May.  Suspension appeal still pending...

No definitive word, but various reports have Erik Bedard only about 2 weeks behind Cliff.  Wouldn't THAT be cool?!?

Wak says no walks....

Now there's a man after my own heart!

The M's skipper obviously feels the way I do about pitcher's walks (NOT a good thing) and is willing to scrape a little to come up with a positive from a somewhat less than stellar performance.

Actually, looks like Lowe, Pauley and Cordero faired pretty well in relief (only one earned run in 5 innings) and Milton laid down a bunt single AND didn's get thrown out (well, not by the umpire at least)

OK - that's all the rosiness I can muster tonight ... been a long day.

Oh, just a couple other things...

• Cliff Lee will throw tomorrow and be reevaluated
• Erik Bedard has some stiffness, M's say it's OK, they're just being cautious
• Time for someone, anyone, to step up....
• Junior knows he's needed for more than Kangaroo Court Judge...

They have reported...

Mariners.com

Seems all pitchers and catchers were present and accounted for in Peoria yesterday, where lockers were assigned/selected and physicals were taken. As Shannon blogs about here, some gear is even preceding its owners and everyone is revved up and ready to go. The first official Spring Training workout will happen today (still mostly pitchers and catchers - all others will report by Monday, if not before).

Health is always a major concern and this season is no different, with several M's still recovering/rehabbing from surgery - everything from Erik Bedard's labrum surgery last season, to Rob Johnson's THREE surgeries (both hips and a wrist) to Cliff Lee's minor foot surgery. Here's to full and speedy recoveries for all.

Wak is anxious to see what Jack Z has assembled for him...

“I visited with the staff yesterday and I told them there’s so many things we have to find out,” Wakamatsu said Wednesday. “Do we go with an 11-man pitching staff? If we’re going to go with an 11-man staff, who are the long-man candidates? With the lack of roster spots, are we going to be able to see everybody and give everybody a legitimate shot? There’s all kinds of stuff we have to find out in the spring.”

And, Jack Z is confident in his staff as well as the players...

“I have expectations. I have optimism. I trust our players. I trust the staff,” Zduriencik said. “And I know from my experiences from watching them last year that I know the kind of effort that they’re going to give. It is about a four-letter word called TEAM. It’s that simple. From that standpoint, they experienced what that means and what can be accomplished. Knowing that you do the things you have to do on a day-to-day basis, and when you left Seattle a year ago you were a part of that parade that went around the field. Many of these guys want to experience that again, and beyond.

“It’s going to be fun to watch them compete. Where it takes us, it’s going to depend on the outcomes, but the journey is fun.”

Yes indeed, baseball is in the air. And, if you're like me, you don't even have to be in Arizona to smell it (although I certainly wish I were!)

Random quote that gave me a chuckle (Greg Halman on his 14th tattoo) ...

“People say that when I get older it’ll look bad,” he said. “But when I’m 60, women won’t be interested in me anyway.”

Gotta think a bit more positively than that, Greg ;-)

No need for arb .... yes to Bedard?

The M's were able once again to settle with all their arb-eligible players, avoiding the whole messy arbitration process. They haven't had to go to arbitration since 2003 and it's understandable why it's to be avoided at all costs, as from what I've heard, the process is contentious at best and down right acrimonious at worst. Both sides must submit a number and make a case for it and the arbitrator has to pick one - not split the difference (which is often what happens in settlement). Some ex-players have said that the hearings can be pretty brutal, with the teams doing everything possible to tear the player down in order to "win" and pay the lower figure. Anyhoo, Franklin and Felix obviously settled and signed extensions, but Aardsma, Lowe, League and Kotchman all signed one-year deals (with David and Mark getting significant raises due to their stellar performance last season).

Speaking of one-year deals....

JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Rumors have been for a couple of days about the possibility of Erik Bedard re-signing with the M's. Still no confirmation from the M's. But there was this from Erik himself...

Free-agent pitcher Erik Bedard confirmed to a Canadian newspaper that he has agreed to terms with the Mariners on a one-year contract for 2010.

Bedard, who turns 31 on March 5, was in Seattle undergoing a physical examination on Friday. The Mariners' medical staff was believed to be still evaluating test results on Friday, but an announcement of the deal could come as soon as Saturday, barring unforeseen issues.

According to Le Droit, a Canadian French-language newspaper in Ottawa — Bedard is from Navan, Ontario — the left-hander said he accepted a one-year deal with a base salary of $1.5 million. He can earn considerably more with incentives, likely based on how much he pitches and time spent on the active roster.

The paper quoted Bedard saying he "hopefully" could make "roughly the same" as the $7.5 million he earned last year if he hit all his incentives.

"I am truly happy. It was my first choice to return to Seattle," he told the newspaper in French. "I think the team will be really good this season. I very much like the direction the team is going."

Likely, we won't hear anything for certain until Jack Z and staff return from the Dominican Republic (sometime Saturday, I believe).

But, if there IS a deal and it IS as rumored ...

sure seems like a low risk-HIGH reward one to me. There are those who have grown weary of Erik's, shall we say, surliness. Granted, listening to and/or watching interviews with him can be a bit uncomfortable. His dislike of the media (or, more likely, the whole "process" of the media) is apparent but, I've never heard any reports of complaints about Erik as a teammate.

So, here's to your health Erik - if you can get it back and keep it back, M's fans will be drooling at the thought of that 1-2-3 punch.

G97 | a lost series ... hopefully not a lost cause

M's 3 | Indians 10


I out of town for the day and wasn't able to see/hear the game (and boy, that was just as well)

Another rocky outing (one of his worst as a Mariner) for Erik - only 3 innings. Now some speculation that he may still be hurt - which would explain a lot. But, is it good that he's been battling through it or bad that he didn't fess up earlier? If true, not good timing with the trade deadline looming...

A bit of roster movement, as Michael Saunders was called up from Tacoma and Wlad was DFA.

Hopefully, they can put this one out of their minds quickly and get back to their winning ways (especially since it appears that the Halos will never lose again)

Disappointment and Progress | Home Highlights

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1-3 vs. the Orioles
3-1 vs. the Rangers



Bright Sights...

~ Jarrod! a one-hitter at the O's and a nice start vs. the Rangers
~ One of the greatest moments so far this season was Franklin's 8th inning 3-run homer that ended up winning the 1st game against Texas (Felix's reaction in the dugout was absolutely priceless)
~ Speaking of Felix - super, super performance - becoming and ACE before our eyes
~ Erik seems to be getting better - didn't quite get through 6, but progress made
~ Jason actually did well vs. the O's (a point forgotten in the despair of the loss) he was in trouble every inning but battled and battled (and battled himself right down to AAA)
~ Definitely some clutch hits and great defense enjoyed on the home stand



Bleak peeks...

The bullpen virtually imploded in the 2nd and 3rd games against the O's - here's hoping it was just one of those "blips" that pens go through (as they did end up rebounding nicely vs. the Rangers) and that with a little rest over the ASB they will come back with a vengeance

And, maybe add to their helmet collection helmet collection...

And the brigade of Spartan helmets above the bullpen bench did their job to perfection.

Spartan helmets?

The Mariners’ often-goofy band of relief pitchers has acquired an assortment of props for the pomp and ceremony that takes place nightly in the bullpen. Among them are three Spartan helmets.

When Johnson’s long fly carried over the fence to break a 1-1 tie, the ball bounced off the roof of the bullpen bench, which in turn caused one of the helmets to fall.

Crisis? Hardly.

“Nothing hurt,” reliever Chris Jakubauskas said. “That’s what it’s there for.”

Come again?

Basically, the helmets are placed in a spot on the roof over the bullpen bench so they overlook the field. In a symbolic way, they attract all that’s good for the Mariners and repel evil.

Fun Group :-)

Mariner M*A*S*H Unit

They're baaaaack. Adrian's bone spurs....

The issue isn’t “if” Beltre will need an operation to remove bone spurs that have regrown in the same place, it’s “when.”

“It’s the same thing I had last year, bone spurs, only it’s worse. I had X-rays (Tuesday) and they’ve grown back, in the same place,” Beltre said. “I think they’re worse this year.

“I’m going to need surgery, now or later. It’s a matter of how long I can play with the pain.”

Team trainer Rick Griffin acknowledged the inevitability of taking care of the spurs.

“If he had surgery today, he wouldn’t miss the whole season,” Griffin said, “but it wouldn’t be a short rehab, either. Can he play through it? He couldn’t the other day. We’ll have to see.

“It’s Adrian’s call.”

The Gold Glove infielder, in the final year of his contract and considered a valuable entity as the trade deadline approaches, may now be untradable.

“If I lift my arm, it’s there. If I raise my arm over my head, it’s there. If my swing raises my arm, it’s there,” Beltre said. “Any time I dive for a ball, the pain is there.

“I want to keep playing. I’m going to keep playing and see what happens.”

Hurting heart. Jose didn't make it home in time...

Mariners second baseman Jose Lopez's older sister passed away late last week after a lengthy battle with cancer.

The team did not actually find out the details until his agent contacted GM Jack Zduriencik on Monday. It turns out Lopez's sister actually passed away before he could make it down to Venezuela to see her. But he did make it down in time for her funeral.

Hammy whammy. Yuni on the DL...

The Seattle Mariners placed starting shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt on the 15-day disabled list Thursday after he pulled his hamstring running out a ground ball the previous night.

Betancourt injured the lower part of his right hamstring after hitting a ground ball in the eighth inning in Wednesday night's 4-3 win over San Diego. Betancourt was on crutches in the Mariners' clubhouse before Thursday's game and manager Don Wakamatsu said it will be at least 15 days before Betancourt is recovered.

He won't be eligible to come off the DL until July 10, just three games before the All-Star break.

Shoulder still not ready. Erik's return delayed...

The Mariners are also delaying the return of Bedard. Expected to return in New York next week, Wakamatsu said it's now likely Bedard won't start again until July 4 in Boston.

Bedard was placed on the DL on June 17, retroactive to June 8, with inflammation in his left shoulder.

Collision in the outfield. Endy's season ended...

Mariners left fielder Endy Chavez is done for the rest of this season and possibly part of 2010 after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), as well as his medial collateral ligament (MCL). He also tore part of his lateral meniscus, which acts as a protective coating to the knee itself. There were no fractures, but he does have a deep bone bruise.

Chavez was injured in the fifth inning Friday when he collided with teammate Yuniesky Betancourt trying to catch a shallow pop fly.

Mariners medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan's preliminary guess is that Chavez will be out nine to 12 months, which means he might not be ready to start 2010 on time. Khalfayan said Chavez "would be limited to what he could do" in spring training.

"It's not just a simple, straightforward ACL tear that doesn't have any other damage," he said. "He has a very severe injury to the MCL. And those can be Grade 1, 2, and 3 sprains and his is a Grade 3 sprain which is a complete tear."

Surgery won't be performed for two to three weeks until the swelling subsides and Chavez gets some range-of-motion back. After that, it will be four months before he can try running again.

SeeSaw on a roller-coster with a yo-yo!

So much for Brandon's first start of 2009 coming in the comfy confines of Cheeney Stadium as a Tacoma Rainier....

Instead it will be as a Seattle Mariner at Coors Field in Colorado.

Morrow was called into the manager's office and asked if he would like to start tomorrow. I am told he said sure, and thought it would be for the Rainiers. "How about here in Colorado?" Wak then asked him. Even better. Shortly after I saw Brandon with a bat heading to the cages. Got to be ready to hit in the NL parks...
Wak made a curious statement when telling us the news today. "It's a situation where we can take him to 60 (pitches) and maybe build him here," he said. "He has been getting work up here. We feel that's the direction we're heading right now with him.''

Apparently, Erik has come up with a shoulder problem...

.....the shoulder problem cropped up in Bedard's last start, June 7 (last Sunday) against the Twins. The Mariners won 4-2, and Bedard got the victory, but he lasted just five innings (101 pitches). He gave up four hits, two runs, walked four and struck out four.
Wakamatsu said the decision to scratch Bedard tomorrow was "precautionary." He said, "It was a matter of how close he was to being where he felt it wasn't going to jeopardize anything. He could probably pitch, but we felt it safest not to.''
Bedard didn't pitch after July 4 of last year because of shoulder problems, and underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery on Sept. 26. Dr. Lewis Yocum removed a cyst and performed a minor labral debridement (which is removal of non-healthy tissue). The point is, he has a history with that shoulder, so, yes, this is something to worry about. But if he's back out there on Friday against the Diamondbacks, as the Mariners plan, that would be obviously encouraging. No doubt teams thinking about trading for Bedard will be watching him even more closely.
As for Brandon Morrow, he gets to stay in the majors a bit longer -- maybe more than a bit -- as he transitions to the rotation.

Never a dull moment :-)

In tune in June | Home Highlights

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Home Sweet Home

2 of 3 from the Orioles
2 of 3 from the Twins

I'm not sure if having the best record in one-run games (15-12) is a GOOD thing or a BAD thing. All I know is that with the amount of Tums I've consumed in the late innings recently, I've surely compensated for any calcium deficiency I might have had :-)

When one ponders upon the multitude of times that just a couple more runs would have been the difference between W and L, it is indeed exasperating. But, but this rosy one also sees it as hopeful ~ for as bad as the offense has been, it only needs to be a little bit better to make a HUGE difference. (provided that the pitching can stay the course - and that may be a tall order)



Bright Sights...

• After losing 6 of 9 series in May, the M's are off to a winning start in June, having won their first 2 series of the month and posting the 2nd highest BA and SLG so far in June.
  
• Overall team ERA of 3.74 is good enough for #1 in the league
• FEWEST runs ALLOWED in the league
• 2 pitchers in the top ten in the league in strikeouts (Felix #5, Erik tied at #9)
• 2 players in the top ten in the league in average (Ichiro at #1, Russell at #9)

Bleak peeks...

• In April, the M's had the highest BA w/RISP in the AL - it is now the lowest (.234)
• FEWEST runs SCORED in the league
• The ERRORS continue to mount - 45 is the MOST in the AL

Win some, lose some | Road Reflections

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Oaktown and Disneyland (3-3)

They came OH SO close to 4-2


Two total heart-breakers...

The second game in Oakland that would have sealed the SERIES win...
Jarrod FINALLY get a tad bit of run support (3-0) and Miggy and Mark blow it in the 7th giving up four runs and that's all they would need.

The third game in Anaheim that would have meant SWEEP...
The offense FINALLY scores early and often and adds on (8-1 after top 6th) with enough to overcome the struggles that would eventually find Garrett. But, the D.A. (who has been awesome since assuming the closer's role) blows it in epic fashion in the ninth, yielding two hits, four walks and three runs (M's lose 8-9)

Here's hoping it is true what they say ...

"What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

Bright Sights...

• Averaged 5.75 runs per game through the last four
• Adrian starting to come 'round ~ 4-multi-hit games
• Ichiro not only extended his hitting streak to 24 games - he collected 15 hits on the trip (including a homer and 3 doubles)
• Felix and Jason and Erik - oh Yeah!
• Jose late inning magic!

Bleak peeks...

• Jaku just never seems to have it vs. the A's ... go figure - he beats the Halos and the BoSox
• Same old, same old for Jarrod the past few years ... nearly non existent run support
• The bullpen has been the strength ... it was just a matter of time and over-use that weakened it

First losing homstand proves exciting but costly | Home Highlights

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A's and R's (2-3)


ROSY RAPTURE

A+ for excitement...
~ 4 out of 5 games decided by one run
~ wins in the 9th are fun (especially when the winning run scores on a single after a 14 pitch AB)
~ wins in the 15th are pretty exciting too (especially when the tie is broken three times!)

Some of the positive pitching numbers...
~ second best ERA in the AL (3.79)
~ fourth highest number of K's in the AL (184 - 14 above league avg)
~ fourth fewest number of BB's in the AL (86 - 7 below league avg)

Some of the positive batting numbers...
~ leading the AL in BA w/RISP (.312)
~ second lowest strikeout total in the AL (148 - 29 below league avg)


PALLID PONDERINGS

Bats need to get a little battier...
~ 25 runs isn't bad, but just a couple more runs and it's easily a 4-1 home stand As for the pitching
~ third lowest BA in the AL (.261)
~ last in the AL in BB (73 - 24 below league avg)

DL stints all too common...
See previous post - let it not be a trend



color me perplexed...
~ Jarrod and Erik have AWESOME outings each going 7IP w/ at least 6 K's and only 1ER) yet in both cases the team came away with the loss
~ Silva, Jaku and Felix all struggled in varying degrees from mightily to just not quite right, yet the team won 2 of those games

G2 | all was rosy ~ until that elusive 3rd out in the 9th

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AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid

M's 5 | Twins 6

There were SO many great things in this ballgame ~ it's hard to believe they lost :-(

EriKKKKKKKK
He appeared to be the pitcher everyone thought he was. He was absolutely dominant, allowing only two singles through four (and at one point, retiring 10 -in-row) and recording five strikeouts. It was looking like Erik would cruise to his first ever win against the Twins (the only AL club he has beat) but then came the 5th. Despite eventually striking out the side, a lead-off triple, a hit batsman, a steal and a couple singles were enough to get three Twins runs on the board.

manufacturing plant
~single, double, sac-fly (1)
~single, steal, walk, single (1)
~single, single, single (2)
~single, sac, single (1)
Endy is certainly filling in well for Ichiro ... 3 more hits and 2rbi tonight. Joh, Jr and Jose the were the only batters w/o hits, althought they did combine for 3 BB

no dp's
But the defense was solid including an awesome snare by Yuni ~ definite WebGem!

bullpen
Roy and David combined for 3.0 scoreless, hitless innings with 3 strikeouts and all was looking splendid ... then came the ninth. Brandon recorded 2 fairly quick outs (and was hitting 97 on the gun) and then walked the bases loaded. Miggy came in after Brandon was gassed from throwing so many pitches and promptly gave up two singles, the lead and the game.

ON THE MOUND

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courtesy Kirby Arnold | HeraldNet


FELIXhernandez
RIGHT-HANDER
Last season: 9-11, 3.45 ERA
If Hernandez meets his prime goal, to stay healthy all year, he'll eclipse what was a pretty good season in 2008 despite the record. He made 30 starts for the third straight year and reached the 200-inning mark for the first time. How good was he on a bad team? Hernandez made nine starts when he went at least seven innings and allowed less than two earned runs. He went 3-2 in those games.



ERIKbedard
LEFT-HANDER
Last season: 6-4, 3.57
If the conditions were ever ripe for a comeback year, this is it for Bedard. Unlike last year when he squirmed under the scrutiny of being The Guy who would help turn around the Mariners, Bedard is flying under the radar now. He can thank the arrival of Ken Griffey Jr. for that, along with the fact that Hernandez is the likely opening-day starter. Good health is essential, because Bedard was solid when he was pitching last year. He's not a guy you can count on pitching deep into games, so keep the bullpen ready. But when he's on the mound, Bedard will keep the score down.



CARLOSsilva
RIGHT-HANDER
Last season: 4-15, 6.46
If there's a pitcher who needs to make a complete turnaround from 2008, it's Silva. He came to the Mariners a year ago on a four-year, $48 million free-agent contract with the promise that his sinker would be effective at Safeco Field. He was anything but that, suffering through injuries, weight gain and a 0-6 record over his final 11 starts.

This is supposed to be a new year, and Silva reported to spring training as a truly changed man. He lost 30 pounds after a winter of better eating choices and rigorous workouts that included yoga. But is he a changed pitcher? The spring training results are incomplete at best.

Silva worked with pitching coach Rick Adair on mechanical changes designed to create more downward plane and better movement on his pitches. It has been a chore, although Silva has struggled not so much with his mechanics as he has with his mental state. He was torched in his most recent exhibition start, blaming it on his desire to throw too hard, too perfectly even in the relatively relaxed setting of spring training.

"I want to do so good, I want to pitch so well and I screwed up everything," he said. "In the bullpen, I throw as good as anybody. I am so calm and relaxed that I can do what I want to do. In the game, when there is a hitter at home plate, I want to do more than I probably am capable of doing." The Mariners need a completely changed Silva this year, not a guy searching for his confidence.



JARRODwashburn
LEFT-HANDER
Last season: 5-14, 4.69
It's a surprise to some that Washburn is even on this team. The Mariners had a deal in place to trade him to the Twins late last season but team president Chuck Armstrong blocked it. So the Mariners still have a pitcher they'll pay $10.35 million this year, and he's trying to do what he can to earn it _ namely, by tweaking his repertoire. Washburn, who has relied on location and movement with his fastball to get hitters out, is mixing in more offspeed pitches, particularly a changeup.



RYANrowland-smith
LEFT-HANDER
Last season: 5-3, 3.42
Interestingly, Rowland-Smith is a converted reliever who would have started this season in the bullpen had Morrow remained a starter. Rowland-Smith made 12 starts late last season and made eight straight quality starts. He's a big Australian with a fiery aggressiveness and isn't afraid to challenge any hitter at any time. The Mariners want Rowland-Smith to define his pitching style and build a game plan around it.