g1 | extra early start, extra innings end

Mariners 3 | Athletics 1

Of course the most important first was the WIN but, lots of other notable season firsts...

• First extra inning game
• Ichiro first hit in his first AB in the 3-hole (and first since KGJ to record 4 hits in an opener)
• Ackley first homer, first RBI, first run scored, first error
• Saunders first put out, first stolen base, first GDIP
• Ryan first double, first CS
• Miggy first runner thrown out
• Figgy first sac bunt
• Felix first K, first ND, first HBP
• Tom threw the first relief innings - both of the scoreless variety, resulting in his first win
• Brandon first save

And then there were a couple of rarities...

• Apparently a Japanese tradition, so only different for the players - the awarding of an MVP after every game - and this game's deserving recipient ~ Dustin Ackley ~ was awarded with a check for 1 million yen (about $12k)
• And, there were ZERO walks in the entire game

Brandon McCarthy and the A's 'pen was pretty solid... 
he retired 6 of the first 7 batters he faced (5 ground outs and a strikeout). Michael Saunders seemed to get things going in the 3rd with a single on the first pitch he saw and then he swiped 2B - but, the good will was erased when he erred on the base paths - thrown out a 3B when the ball was hit in front of him.  Not to be left out, Brendon Ryan made a base-running blunder of his own when he got a bit too aggressive after a getting on base with a single and then got caught stealing 2B. Figgy was 0-2 in his first AB's as lead-off guy but, recorded a hit and a sac bunt in his last two ABs. Dustin's homer and the first run of the game came in the 4th but Ichiro was left stranded after his second hit and McCarthy and the A's bullpen would leave the M's hitless until the 11th

As for Felix...
after allowing a lead-off hit to Weeks (who seems to be as annoying to the M's as a A as Figgy was as an Angel) he went on to retire 9 in-a-row before allowing 2 doubles in the 4th - Carp made a nice diving try for the second one (off Suzuki's bat - another one of those pesky A's) but, to no avail and the run scored to tie the game. Speaking of Carp, he was a pretty busy man, especially in the later innings when he recorded a total of 5 put-outs. Over the next 4 innings, it was a bit of a mixed bag for Felix - a couple HBP, a single, a double and a stolen base - but no runs, so he did his job. And, as per usual, a shame he didn't get the win - thought he would be the first to say what matters is the TEAM win.

And then there was the Bartender...
Tom was GREAT! In his 2 innings of work, in which he would ultimately earn the win (still think that's a bizarre rule), he allowed one hit but the runner was erased on Miggy's throw and recorded 3 K's

Get 'em on, get 'em over, get 'em in...
Brendon led off the 11th with a double, Figgy bunted him to 3B and Dustin singled him home to give the M's the lead 2-1. With Ichi batting, Ackley stole 2B and Ichiro singled him home for the third run - and was promptly thrown out trying to take 2B

Brandon came in and quickly recorded a fly out and a strike out...
but, the single he gave up was a bit breath-taking - in that it whizzed right between is glove and his face! But, he was none the worse for wear and a K later, he was shaking Miggy's hand.

Bottom line good...
Felix was Felix, the bullpen was stellar, the defense was solid, the offense did j u s t enough

Bottom line NOT so good...
the offense is going to have to show more ~ especially the  4-7 hitters ~ who were 0-17

Bottom line obvious...
Japan LOVES their native son (and the Ichi-meter travels!)...

Getty Images

Geoff Baker captured some of Ichiro's emotion of the evening...

And in the end, his most enjoyable moment came when teammates told him how much they apreciated the crowd here. Members of the A's told him the same thing on the field the many times he reached base.
"Our teammates said that about our fans,'' he said. "They said they like the fans here, the atmosphere, the way they approach it that about the atmosphere. And even the players on the other side, the opponents, the A's, said that, too. So, it's a good experience.''
Actually, it was something more than that to him.
"To see the fans and how they react and how they welcomed the players, they're very warm-hearted,'' Ichiro said.
"It makes you cry.''

woot! woot!

game post later ...

I'm going back to bed :-)

Opening Morning ...

choneFIGGINS third


dustinACKLEY second


ichiroSUZUKI right


justinSMOAK first


jesusMONTERO hitter


mikeCARP left


miguelOLIVO catcher


michaelSAUNDERS center


brendonRYAN short


felixHERNANDEZ king


vs.


Weeks 2B
Pennington SS
Crisp LF
Smith DH
Suzuki C
Reddick RF
Cespedes CF
Allen 1B
Sogard 3B
McCarthy SP


pLaY baLL!!!

four and a half hours till first pitch....

I really want to take a nap, so I will be all fresh and rested for every pitch, every at bat.  Trouble is ... I'm not tired!  Not at the moment anyway.  Hoping I'll be able to doze for an hour or so at some point prior to first pitch.

In the meantime, here are some links with news and notes of the last couple of days - in Japan and here at home...

Guti and Moore start the season on the 15-day DL

Shannon Drayer shares the "clinic trip" with photos

Larry' Stone talks about young hitters who hold promise but wonders if the pitching can hold out

Greg Johns says Felix still looking to improve



Carp and Ackley at the US Embassy...
(thanks, Shannon Drayer!)

This one is worth re-posting - it's such a great shot!

(thanks, M's twit pic)

and, some pre-game tweets...

CarpusMaximus20

Opening Day Japan just a few short hours away. Here we go 2012! Wishing all my teammates good health and best of luck this year.

TheDA53

@shawnkelley23 @BrandonLeague43 good luck today. Pulling for y'all

Mariners

Ladies and gentlemen, we're 12 hours away from the first pitch of the #OpeningSeries. How are you planning to watch the game?

CompassRosy

@Mariners I will try to nap around 11pm and have the alarm and coffee pot set for 2am. Can nap after the game too, since I took the day off!


Mariners
@CompassRosy A fan with a plan. We like it.

• Cl

g7 | fabulous pomp, disastrous circumstance

Mariners 3 | Indians 12


It started out so well.  All of the events and ceremony leading up to the game seemed destined to leave an indelible mark upon the collective Mariner memory.  It was a little odd, being the first Mariner Opening Day held at night since 2001 (which I chose to take as a good omen, little did I know that the bad omen would over-shadow the good when my phone battery died prior to the 4th inning).

I didn't abide with my tradition of taking the day off and spending the morning at a spa.  Instead, I went to work a couple hours earlier than usual so I could leave in time to get to the corner of Royal Brougham and the "new street" to be witness to the unveiling ceremony.  I arrived just as just as the crew was finishing the audio setup.  A huge crowd was gathered at "The Glove" awaiting the final unveiling (the veil was a sign in itself that read "My Oh My!").

I was tapped on the shoulder by Chuck Armstrong as he parted the crowd, clearing the way for the entire Niehaus family.  Several city and county politicians took turns reading portions of the proclamation and giving credit to the citizens who started the grassroots campaign.  And then....

I had a couple of hours before my "date" would arrive (my mom-in-law was planning to meet me at 6:15pm) so I decided to meander through the Team Store and, of course, couldn't escape without purchasing a couple of items.  Then, my stomach was talking to me, so decided I'd head up to the 300 level where I knew I could get a gyro.  I enjoyed said gyro from my regular seat (had to buy other tix for the evening, since I only have one season seat these days) while watching the Indians take batting practice and listening to the pre-game show ... a lot of talk about the Jack Wilson controversy - more on that later.  Then, got a call from my mom-in-law - she was here!  So went down to meet her so we could make our way to our seats for the evening (section 306 - right center field) and we were good and settled in with plenty of time to spare before the festivities.

It started, as every home opener since 1999 (when Safeco Field opened) with a Make-A-Wish kid being the first to "touch 'em all!".  Eleven year-old Kamrin Cramer soaked up every minute of his trot around the bases, stopping at each one to wave to the crowd.

Then it was time for the introductions - the visiting Tribe first, of course.  Then the red carpet was rolled out and the 2011 Mariners ran in one-by-one from the centerfield gate to the first base line as they were introduced.  Felix, of course, received the loudest ovation, followed closely by Ichiro and Michael Pineada (yay!).  A huge flag was carried onto the field and the Navy Band Northwest performed the National Anthem.

Next, the awards for the 2010 season were presented.  Guti (who is still rehabbing in Arizona) and Ichiro received their Gold Gloves and Felix his Cy Young (what a birthday gift - Happy 25th, Felix!).  Then, a little extra something - Edgar was there to present a framed photo commemorating the new Mariner hit-king (Ichiro surpassed Gar in that category during the second game of the season).  They embraced and exchanged words (would have loved to hear that conversation!).  It was a very nice moment.

Then came the tough but touching part.  Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed the fabulous "My Oh My" song.  Even those who are not rap fans (like me) had to be moved to tears by his sincere emotion.  Add to that the video highlights and Dave's calls interspersed, it was a quite perfect tribute.

Marilyn Niehaus made her way out to the mound and threw a strike to Felix with her entire family standing behind her.  Another "what a moment" moment.  Then, all the Niehaus grandchildren signaled the start of the game with a hearty "PLAY BALL!"  It was 7:20pm and 53 degrees.

Okay - that's about all I have for you.  From that point on, it's a bit of a blur.  Seems my cell phone battery wasn't the only thing that died and I'm relatively sure that the real Jason Vargas was abducted by aliens - or at least the ghost of Chief Wahoo found a way to extract Jason's command.  I mean, we are used to offensive woes ... we are not used to the pitching being offensive.

It's a shame that the fabulous pomp had to be over-shadowed by the disastrous circumstance but, I've no doubt that, from above, Dave was singing the Wabash Cannonball.  And, that he truly appreciated the love and respect that over-flowed from Safeco Field last night.

Better days ahead...

In anticipation....

 

from knowyourvenue.com

 
of green grass and blue sky and yellow mustard on hot dogs.
 of strikeouts and home runs and oh, those base-on-balls.
of garlic fries and lemonade and dippin' dots.of stolen bases and home-run-robbing catches.
of popcorn, peanuts and cracker jack.

of outfield assists and home plate slides.
of infield singles and sacrifice flies.
of sparkling, crisp double-plays.

of eyes that well with tears when it finally hits - "the voice" is gone but never forgotten.

Not sure how we are going to do it without you, Dave.
But, we know that you would want us all to carry on...
with rye bread and mustard and white shoes and a love for the game that is pure and true.

Go Mariners!

Make Dave proud.

G8 | bunting (around the park and at the plate) the order of the day

.

Clifford DesPeaux/seattlepi.com

M's 3 Angels 2

WAY to GO ~ Carlos!

Whodathunk, after last season and his first start? But, he showed that (as Wak has contended all along) he cares... “It is a big step for me,” Silva said. “We’ve been working so hard. Two weeks after the (2008) season, I started working toward this.”

Wakamatsu hopes the fans will take Silva’s effort as well.

“I don’t think fans understand how much this guy really cares and how much he wants to pitch well in this park and pitch well for the Mariners,” Wakamatsu said. “He showed that tonight.” “A lot of people talked to me,” Silva chuckled, mentioning Wakamatsu, pitching coach Rick Adair, and “our mental guy” (Steve Hecht). “That’s one of the things we needed last year, especially in the hard moments. When everything is good, you don’t need anybody. When the stuff is hard is when you need people next to you. And these people here have been great to me. They want me to do good and have success.”

Endy not only continues his hot streak, tutors Yuni on bunting...

"He's been a little shy about making the decisions (on when to bunt)," said Chavez, a 31-year-old veteran who has kept himself in the bigs by thinking little. "I've been trying to help him get confidence because I know he's not used to it. Last year I believe he only bunted once all season, so I'm just trying to get him to feel comfortable to do it. It's taken a little while."

Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com

And boy did it pay off BIG! Not only was it a beautiful bunt that easily moved Franklin to 3rd ... the throwing error by Shields allowed him to score and the M's to win the game in the 10th!

Clifford DesPeaux/seattlepi.com

All-in-all a grand day that could hardly have been scripted better.

He who built "the house" returns...

.
all roads to Safeco Field welcome Junior...
There were trucks passing by with "Hit it Here, Griffey!", hand held "We've missed you, Junior!" banners and this creative embellishment among road construction materials...




the tradition continues...
My mother-in-law and I have lost count, or can't pinpoint the actual "first date"...
but we know we shared at least one Opening Day date in the Kingdome.




in our seats in plenty of time to take in the ceremonies...
From a dance troop dancing with the moose, to the WBC flag procession, to a moment of silence in remembrance of those passed, to the Gold Glove presentation, to the Make-a-Wish boy who christened the base-paths of the 2009 season, to HoF broadcaster Dave Niehaus reciting an 'ode to Safeco Field poem to commemorate our summer home's 10th anniversary ~ we enjoyed all the pomp and circumstance.




the love fest was loud, it was long and it was often...
Anticipation built, as the announcements were made - first the coaches, trainers, etc. as they stood on the first baseline, then one-by-one the players ran out of the tunnel onto the red carpet. Junior would bat third as the DH ~ and the place erupted. It would happen again the first time he stepped to the plate, after he collected his first hit and in each subsequent at bat.






just a catchy slogan, or a concise description of reality?
So far, so good. Looking forward to see if it can be sustained.




ceremony under an extended roof, baseball under blue skies...
A bit chilly (48 degrees at first pitch) but the sun was out and the Emerald City simply sparkled.




how long will the current flag order remain?
Mariners
Angels
Athletics
Rangers



Blue Jays
Orioles
Rays
Yankees
Red Sox





Finally, LET's ....

ahhhh ~ so good to be back at 1st and Edgar!

.
the tradition continues...
I have attended the past 11 or so Mariner home openers with my wonderful mother-in-law, and this year is no different.

A more recent tradition, is to take the entire day off (at near insistance from my boss no less, who is also pretty special ;-) and spend the morning at a spa for a facial and other various pampering. That is my plan again today (though I do have to stop in at work for a meeting).

another opening day is dawning ...
Our beloved M's are off to an unepectedly great start. There's bound to be some bumps along the way and the 'experts' really don't expect them to contend. But, funny things happen in baseball - as long as they have their health and continue to exude confidence in their competance - anything is possible.

Back this evening for a recap of the Opening Day experience in general and the game in particular....

PLAY BALL!!!