Well, here we are. A day before the start of the second half for the Mariners and we cant all but think "are the Mariners really one game above .500 after the first half"? First off I think the one question we should be asking ourselves is "why are the Mariners only one game above .500"? It was May 10th that the Mariners were 10 games over .500 and it would be the last time they were, since then they have gone 17-26 since then. The month of June wasn't pleasant to the Mariners as they saw themselves losing 19 games, which included losing 8 out of 10 between June 14th and June 23rd. That also saw them lose 6 straight games and I think it was at that point that not only myself but other Mariners fans began to think "how do they keep finding new ways to lose every game"?
Its true, the Mariners were finding new ways to lose or find ways to lose games during that tough stretch. Where it would come off a bad outing, one single error, or one play that defined the whole game; also at one point terrible calls by umpires but that's another story. The M's did find some light during their last home stand where they only found ways to win. They won 7 out of the 9 home games they played and took the series from the St. Louis Cardinals and swept the Baltimore Orioles in a slug fest. Though that home stand was short lived as after they left Safeco Field the misery began again, starting with getting swept in a 4 game series against the division rival Houston Astros, but the Mariners did take a 3 game series and the season series from the Kansas City Royals thus ending their first half.
So here we are, a day before the start of the second half, the Mariners are one game above .500, 8.5 out of first place in the AL West, and 5 back in the Wild Card. Didn't think the Mariners would be in this position did you? The M's only wish that June never happened that way they may have been still sitting at 10 games over .500 and still in first place in the division. So I think a lot of people are wondering what this team HAS to do, I can emphasize "has to do" enough, to make a run for the postseason and end 15 straight seasons of no meaningful baseball in October. First things first, get and stay healthy! Boy is that the biggest key for the Mariners in the second half. The M's have had both their top two pitchers Felix Hernandez and Taijuan Walker out for some time. Felix has had a calf injury and Walker has had an issue with foot tendinitis in his right foot, but both are due to return from the disable list and Felix should be making his first start in awhile against the Chicago White Sox.
Another problem the M's need to address is Wade Miley for one. Miley hasn't had the season to remember, in fact I'm a bit surprised that Miley still has a job with the Mariners. With a 6-6 record and a dreadful 5.44 ERA Miley has shown that he can't be trusted to go on the mound and give the Mariners bullpen a day of rest. In Miley's last 7 games Miley has gone 1-4 with a 6.87 ERA......not what you need in a starting pitcher. Hopefully the Mariners can take away from Mike Montgomery's last start against the Royals and make a move there. Nathan Karns has already been demoted to the bullpen due to his uncanny ability to fail to go into the 6th inning. Montgomery has been a big part to the Mariners bullpen this season, he's appeared in 31 games with a 3-3 record with a 2.06 ERA so I have the funny feeling that maybe Montgomery gets his chance to be a starter once again.
Also in the bullpen is an "8th inning specialist" who hasn't been special at all, in fact he's been nothing more than a headache to watch go out and nearly cost the M's games. I'm of course talking about Joaquin Benoit, who has a terrible 4.57 ERA in 23 games. Benoit has to go, plain in simple. The Mariners star rookie Edwin Diaz is making a great case for himself to either be the setup or closer for this team possibly during the 2nd half. Diaz has appeared in 17 games and all he's done has strikeout 34 batters and throw heat. With Steve Cishek facing some scrutiny about his role as the closer due to blowing 5 saves, though he does have 21 saves so he's not going anywhere. Though Diaz is making a pretty good effort to take either one's job.
James Paxton though has made his mark in the starting role with several impressive starts, though he really could have used some run support. Jerry Dipoto should consider making at least a move or two to help boost both either the starting rotation or the bullpen and the lineup. There was talk on Twitter yesterday about a possible trade, Paxton for Andrew Miller and Brett Gardner......interesting trade proposal huh? At first I'm thinking that its either a good/bad trade. I mean lets face it, Paxton has shown us that this year after his first bad outing that he wants to prove that he is ready to show us the hype that we have been hearing about. On the other hand though, trading Paxton for an excellent arm in the bullpen plus speed on the base paths and the outfield and a decent bat would certainly help the Mariners out in a huge way, as they are looking to make a push for the playoffs during the second half.
Adam Lind, lets talk about him shall we? I made a comparison to Richie Sexson, and I mean that Lind will strikeout and flop out most times but then comeback and hit a home run that will help us later. Lind so far this season has been a huge bust from what he did last year. By the end of the first half of last season Lind was batting .293 with 15 home runs, this season Lind has managed to hit 13 home runs but bat a very sad .232. Dae-Ho Lee on the other hand has managed to hit .288 with 12 home runs and drive in 37 while having 65 less at bats than Lind has. Lee has been getting more playing time due to his ability to consistently hit but the M's should consider looking at a possible replacement for Lind. Lind's WAR, wins above replacement, is at a very sad -0.4! The next to last in WAR for the Mariners is Nori Aoki at -0.2.
Things need to change with those two as both Lind and Aoki have been a first half bust for the Mariners, but you never know they could very well have breakout second halves. Mariners manager Scott Servias has already noted that Aoki maybe coming back to the ball club, but on the other hand who wants to see Aoki imitate George of the Jungle in the outfield again? Aoki and Lind's failures have come on both offense and defense. Aoki has been a bust defensive wise and hitting wise where as Lind has been very good defensive wise but is dismal offensive wise. In hind sight that Mark Trumbo trade that Dipoto made has truly hurt the team. Getting back though to the Lind/Aoki problem, coming from me I don't think bringing up Aoki is the best move for the Mariners. Currently the Mariners star Cuban defective Guillermo Heredia is currently in Triple-A Tacoma, and lets just say that coming up from Double-A Jackson didn't faze him a bit.
Heredia has done nothing but keep tearing the cover off the ball since he's been with the club. During his time with Double-A Jackson Heredia hit an impressive .293 with 2 home runs and 40 RBIs, not to mention that in his first 30 games in Double-A Jackson Heredia was hitting .274 with 19 RBIs and a homer to boot. During his brief time in Triple-A Tacoma Heredia hasn't cooled down one bit, as he's hit .323 in only 15 games, and to make things even better D.J. Peterson got a call up as well and has hit .341 with 3 home runs and 14 RBIs since his call up. So right now, I'm thinking that maybe both or just one maybe getting the call up very soon to replace either Lind or Aoki, only time will tell.
In the lineup currently there's not one complaint coming from me. Kyle Seager is having a career year so far and is on pace for his first 100 RBI season, Robinson Cano as well is having the best year as a Mariner, but Cruz on the other hand is having some troubles with the slider and can't seem to come up when the time is needed. Hopefully though the Mariners struggles with hitting with RISP, runners in scoring position, change now that the second half is about to start. The Big 3 for the Mariners have been nothing but huge for the Mariners this year, though Seager had a rough April but eventually picked things up, it seems that the Mariners only problem this year has been one thing and that's staying healthy as a unit. Ketel Marte and Martin both went down with injuries during May and it hurt the M's somewhat but the pitching has been the biggest concern as both the Mariners top pitchers have been having trouble avoiding the injury bug.
Again, lets just hope that the All Star break has done this team some good and that we'll see a new Mariners team, hopefully a team that doesn't fall apart, in the second half of this season. The Mariners are gonna open up the second half with a chance at redemption against the Astros, as Houston comes into Safeco for 3 games. Lets hope our boys can pay them back for that 4 game sweep. Again Felix is set to make his return on the 20th of July against the White Sox and there is a possibility that Charlie Furbush could return by August, which would indefinitely help the bullpen out. Currently I am hoping that with Felix and Taijuan coming back fully healthy they can both help this team make a huge push for the Wild Card if not the AL West. Only thing us Mariner fans can do is hope that this team and their manager can find new ways to win, comeback, and push our team into the postseason. Currently the Mariners postseason drought is the longest in MLB right now at 15 years, the last time they made it to the playoffs was during their incredible 116 win season.
Things currently don't look easy but you know the sane, where there's a will there's a way, and the Mariners need to find a way to win and I mean win a lot of games. Not looking for sweeps, which would be amazing, but right now I think Mariner fans would love to see this team take a lot of series like they were doing in May. That's the best that fans and myself can hope for at this point. As of now, in my opinion, the Mariners are even lucky that they are only 1 game over .500 and I'm honestly surprised that we didn't lose the entire last road trip. Also on another note Dipoto needs to make some serious moves to help this club. As of now the Mariners still have a chance at the postseason and if Dipoto wants to have his team playing in October then he needs to possibly trade for a pitcher, call up Heredia (but that's just what I would do), and let go a couple players who can't seem to contribute in any possible way. Let's just hope JeDi can do this and help this team make the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.
Go Mariners.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
First place never sounded so good
We're in the 4th week of the baseball season and lets look at the standings. HOLY CRAP! The Mariners are in first place! Really not a shocker to me. Thought I would be shocked huh? Nope I'm not one bit shocked that our Seattle Mariners are in first place at this point in the season. Reason why, simple, this team is postseason bound and bound to be in this spot. Sure the Mariners had a 5 game losing streak to start the season but lets face it, all postseason teams usually have that long losing streak but then they get over it. That's exactly what the Mariners have done, though some players batting average could be better but really there's very little to complain about with this team.
The Mariners are 9-3 in their last 12 games and have won their last 4 series, as of last night's 11-1 over the Houston Astros. Hey, another good thing to write about, we beat the Astros and took the first series of the season! So again, there are a couple of guys in the lineup that need to get their batting average up, especially Kyle Seager. Seager usually gets off to a slow start but this is ridiculous! Seager has a .133 average with 4 home runs and 10 RBIs. Not a bad line all except the batting average part. Not worried about Seager really, if you look at some of his at bats he's hitting the ball well its just he can't catch a break, he hits the damn thing so hard it doesn't have a chance to fall for a base hit.
Seager's gonna start picking things up soon, so don't be too hard on the guy. I mean let's face it, who would you rather have a third base? Exactly! Moving on to Ketel Marte, love saying his name! The young short stop has been hot as of late, raising his batting average by 105 points! In the last 15 games Marte has been on fire, batting a nice .273, and in his last 7 games he's batted a scorching .370! You know I actually need to admit that I was a little worried about Marte a couple weeks ago, but a couple of adjustments and possibly some time in the cage with Edgar has helped the young star in the making show off his potential and shut a couple people up in the process. Also, I want to put in that Marte is that guy who can provide the fire for the team. Have you seen him? I mean hell, pumping his fist after throwing out Carlos Gomez (douche bag) and celebrating after sliding in safely last night at home, this kid brings that necessary spark and fire the Mariners need in a player.
Lets talk about the pitching now eh? In the last 5 games all 5 starters have gone 7+ innings and has really helped give our bullpen a rest! The bullpen though needs some praise as well, cause lets face it without our bullpen helping us out during the last 12 games I don't think we are in first place. The bullpen is ranked as the best in the game so far, really hoping that trend continues throughout the season. Though I have to get on Felix Hernandez's case a little bit. First off Felix, lose the dorky hair. Felix has shown us that at 30 years old he may be losing a step, his velocity is way down this year and he can barley break 90 on his fastball, and during the Yankee game he through a ton of breaking balls and off speed pitches.....that's not Felix's game. Now here's the thing Felix maybe 1-2 but he does only have a 1.80 ERA, but his strikeout ratio is down and his walks are at a career high for this point in the season.
King Felix is going to be King Felix though, he's gone through rough starts and he usually bounces back, but I think this time if continues to pitch the way he is I think we have to consider that maybe his arm might be used up. Either way I have the up most confidence in the King. As for the Prince, Taijuan Walker, WHOA! That kid is pitching like a Felix Hernandez in his prime! Taijuan Walker is coming off an 11 strikeout night against the Astros and is now 2-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 25 innings, and get this, a 0.96 WHIP! You can't get any better than that can you? Maybe you can, but currently Taijuan Walker is pitching like the pitcher that we expected him to be. Currently I'm thinking that's what has provided his hot start, Walker knew that he had a lot of pressure on him to pitch like this last year and after dropping that notion and deciding to just go out and pitch he has shown his incredible potential. Not trying to make it sound like Taijuan basically said "I'm just going to pitch every start", no what I'm saying is that Taijuan just, wait that is what I'm saying. OK never mind.
Both Wade Miley and Nathan Karns are coming off good quality starts, Karns having his best start of the season last night and Miley coming off his 7.1 innings of work in Anaheim. Both Miley and Karns got off to very rocky starts but now it seems like both are coming into their own. Miley was expected to give the Mariners 200+ innings and so far his starts has shown it, as he has gone 6+ innings in 2 of his 3 starts. Only thing Miley needs to work on is giving up runs. Miley has given up 4+ runs in 2 of his 3 starts and in those starts he's won one of those games. Karns on the other hand went 7 innings for the first time this season last night, he has only gone 5+ in his previous 2 starts, though he does have a 2-1 record so you can't complain there. Karns has yet to give up more than 5 hits in a game but his walks need to start going down, he's walk at least 3 batters in all three of his starts, but again not going to complain when he has a winning record along with a 3.63 ERA.
Now, gotta talk about Steve Cishek. Not a good start to his season as he gave up a game winning home run against the Oakland Athletics in the Mariners home opener, but since then he has not allowed a run and has saved 5 in a row and won a game. Not bad! Not bad at all, he's way better than that arrow shooting dip wad Fernando Rodney. Funny enough Rodney, who is playing for the San Diego Padres, has a 0.00 ERA and 3 saves for the Padres.......THAT SON OF A!!!!
Don't you hate it when that happens? They leave Seattle and suddenly they can play again. Well how about Robinson Cano? Currently tied for first in the American League with 7 home runs and first in RBI's with 21! Yes he only has a .238 batting average but just wait that'll change very soon. Cano is coming off a career night for the Mariners where he drove in 6 and hit his first grand slam as a Mariner and his 10th of his career! Cano also hit a milestone last night, after his two-run double he hit the 1,000 RBI mark in his career, he currently has 1,004. Another positive note is both Nelson Cruz and Leonys Martin. Both have provided some nice pop to the lineup, Martin was acquired for his speed, and he's shown that off in the outfield, but he has also hit 4 home runs as well. Only thing Martin needs to work on is the same with Seager, that batting average. The Boomstick on the other hand leads the team in batting average with a .286 average, he has also popped 4 home runs and drove in 13.
Things are so far clicking very well for the Mariners this season, with a win in their next 3 games they will secure their first winning month of April since 2009! How about that? If you all remember 2009, that was the year Ken Griffey, Jr., made his return to Seattle and the Mariners were in the midst of a playoff run through most of the season until a losing streak in September ended that bid. Everything so far is in place for the Mariners to make a run for the postseason, first in the West right now and they have a nice 1 game lead on the A's and Angels. Yes I know its only April but hey gotta report the good stuff right? Tonight Hisashi Iwakuma will try to continue the Mariners hot streak and help push their winning streak to a season high 4 games, and maybe earn his first win of the season. First pitch is at 7:10 so be glued to the TV or if you're going to the game make sure you cheer loud and proud for our boys in northwest green and navy!
Go Mariners!!!!!
Monday, March 28, 2016
Greg Halman Remembering My Friend
It was May 31, 2011, and I attended a Tacoma Rainiers game. A friend of mine gave me a call that day and just offered me a ticket. Who turns down free tickets even if they are for a minor league game?
So before the game started, I figured I would get a couple of autographs from potential future Mariners. Over the course of two hours, I managed to get six signatures including one from a guy named Greg Halman. Halman went 1 for 6 that day with a triple.
After the game, my bud was supposed to give me a lift home, but instead I found myself sitting outside Cheney Stadium sitting on my rear with no ride. Little did I know that Halman and Mike Carp stayed an hour after the game for some extra time in the Rainiers’ batting cage.
Halman noticed that I was sitting and asked me if I needed a ride. Wasn't going to say no. Was I? Of course not. Greg though, asked if I wanted to come and hang out with him and Mike. Again, couldn't say no. So Greg drove me home and I have to say right then and there, I think Greg and I became friends.
Greg messaged me on Facebook five days later asking if I wanted to attend a Mariners game. He said that he had got the call-up and that he was starting, so I had to attend the game. I couldn’t miss his 2011 debut. And what a debut he had!
The Mariners went on to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-6, thanks to a four-run bottom of the eighth. Halman tied the game in the bottom of the 7th with a 2-run triple. Halman finished the game going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. A week later, I decided to go to another M’s game. Halman came up in the bottom of the eighth with the M’s up 2-1 and on an 0-2 pitch, Halman crushed his first major league home run, 417 feet over the center field wall. The Mariners went onto win 3-1.
After that I met up with Greg outside Safeco and we headed over to the Pyramid Brewery to celebrate him hitting his first MLB home run.
It was during this point in my life where I had a job and I was making money so I could afford to spend $100 a night at the ballpark and out on the town as well. It was also during this celebration that I met his brother Jason.
Obviously not knowing what would happen in November, I had a laugh with Greg and his brother for about an hour. It wouldn't be until September 1st and 5th that I would see Greg play again.
Both games were something to remember. The first, I witnessed Greg hit his final professional home run as he went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. I then attended Greg’s last and final professional game – I didn't know that it would also be the final time that I would both see and talk to Greg.
Greg finished off his baseball career going 3 for 5 with an RBI and he scored twice in a 12-9 Rainiers loss. After the game, Greg and I decided to go get a bite to eat. I asked him what his plans were for the off season. He told me that the following month he and several other major league ball players would be participating in the European Big League Tour. Adam Jones, Prince Fielder and Giancarlo Stanton among others, were to join him.
He then asked me what I had plans for over the next couple months, because he told me that he would be back in the Tacoma area around February to attend the Mariners Fan Fest.
I was going to be attending job corps in Oregon to study welding. I told Greg that I would try and make Fan Fest to hang out with him…..that never happened. The final words I said to Greg as we both left was “Later Greg, stay safe, and have fun in the off season. Cause come March, its time to go back to work for you.”
We gave each other a bro hug and before I got in my car he said five words to me; “No shine, no grind brotha.” I never thought that those would be the final words that Greg would say to me nor did I think that the fun times celebrating a great year, laughing, joking and having a fun time would be the last time that I saw Greg alive.
Greg’s entire baseball career, both minor league and major league, had amazing promise. Halman put up a career .207 batting average with two home runs in 44 major league games.
In the minors, he tore the cover off the ball. In 576 minor league games Halman posted a career .251 batting average with 118 home runs. Halman was also apart of the Netherlands team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Some would say that Halman had a promising career if he could learn to be more patient at the plate, but nonetheless, Halman had a bright future with the Mariners and the Mariners had big plans for him in 2012. But sadly there would be no 2012 season for Greg Halman.
On November 21, 2011 Greg’s brother Jason began acting erratically. He arrived at Greg’s apartment kicking the door demanding that Greg should let him in. Jason then began to play music very loudly, Greg came downstairs to tell his brother to turn the music down.
Jason then pulled out a butterfly knife and began coming at Greg completely out of his mind. Greg put his left arm up to defend himself, the blade of Jason’s knife went past Greg’s arm and cut the left side of his neck. Within minutes, Greg was dead and I had no idea that it had happened. With everything happening 4,879 miles away, I was 10 hours away from finding out the grim news.
About 10 hours later, I went online and I typed in the Mariners site. When I saw the news, I didn’t know what to do or say. Not wanting to believe the news I called his cell and his mother picked it up.
For 10 minutes I stood in the hallway of my job corps dorm and broke down after talking with Greg’s mother knowing that a friend that I just started to get to know was gone. My friend Devin was the first person to just give me a hug trying to control me from crying so loud, all he told me was to “let it all out, there’s no shame in crying for a friend.”
Not being able to attend his funeral was tough, but what else has been tough is three years of my friend not being out there in the outfield for the Mariners. Making plays, driving in runs, and smacking home runs over the fence.
Jason Halman was arrested and charged with manslaughter, but was provisionally released. During Jason’s trial, psychiatrists said that he was having a psychotic episode at the time of him killing Greg.
He was then acquitted of the charges and was released to his family. Every day I miss Greg and I treasure the times that we hung out. He was a talent that never reached his full potential. Knowing what Greg could have done in 2012, makes us all wonder what could have been.
Greg Halman: August 26, 1987-November 21, 2011
So before the game started, I figured I would get a couple of autographs from potential future Mariners. Over the course of two hours, I managed to get six signatures including one from a guy named Greg Halman. Halman went 1 for 6 that day with a triple.
After the game, my bud was supposed to give me a lift home, but instead I found myself sitting outside Cheney Stadium sitting on my rear with no ride. Little did I know that Halman and Mike Carp stayed an hour after the game for some extra time in the Rainiers’ batting cage.
Halman noticed that I was sitting and asked me if I needed a ride. Wasn't going to say no. Was I? Of course not. Greg though, asked if I wanted to come and hang out with him and Mike. Again, couldn't say no. So Greg drove me home and I have to say right then and there, I think Greg and I became friends.
Greg messaged me on Facebook five days later asking if I wanted to attend a Mariners game. He said that he had got the call-up and that he was starting, so I had to attend the game. I couldn’t miss his 2011 debut. And what a debut he had!
The Mariners went on to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-6, thanks to a four-run bottom of the eighth. Halman tied the game in the bottom of the 7th with a 2-run triple. Halman finished the game going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. A week later, I decided to go to another M’s game. Halman came up in the bottom of the eighth with the M’s up 2-1 and on an 0-2 pitch, Halman crushed his first major league home run, 417 feet over the center field wall. The Mariners went onto win 3-1.
After that I met up with Greg outside Safeco and we headed over to the Pyramid Brewery to celebrate him hitting his first MLB home run.
It was during this point in my life where I had a job and I was making money so I could afford to spend $100 a night at the ballpark and out on the town as well. It was also during this celebration that I met his brother Jason.
Obviously not knowing what would happen in November, I had a laugh with Greg and his brother for about an hour. It wouldn't be until September 1st and 5th that I would see Greg play again.
Both games were something to remember. The first, I witnessed Greg hit his final professional home run as he went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. I then attended Greg’s last and final professional game – I didn't know that it would also be the final time that I would both see and talk to Greg.
Greg finished off his baseball career going 3 for 5 with an RBI and he scored twice in a 12-9 Rainiers loss. After the game, Greg and I decided to go get a bite to eat. I asked him what his plans were for the off season. He told me that the following month he and several other major league ball players would be participating in the European Big League Tour. Adam Jones, Prince Fielder and Giancarlo Stanton among others, were to join him.
He then asked me what I had plans for over the next couple months, because he told me that he would be back in the Tacoma area around February to attend the Mariners Fan Fest.
I was going to be attending job corps in Oregon to study welding. I told Greg that I would try and make Fan Fest to hang out with him…..that never happened. The final words I said to Greg as we both left was “Later Greg, stay safe, and have fun in the off season. Cause come March, its time to go back to work for you.”
We gave each other a bro hug and before I got in my car he said five words to me; “No shine, no grind brotha.” I never thought that those would be the final words that Greg would say to me nor did I think that the fun times celebrating a great year, laughing, joking and having a fun time would be the last time that I saw Greg alive.
Greg’s entire baseball career, both minor league and major league, had amazing promise. Halman put up a career .207 batting average with two home runs in 44 major league games.
In the minors, he tore the cover off the ball. In 576 minor league games Halman posted a career .251 batting average with 118 home runs. Halman was also apart of the Netherlands team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
Some would say that Halman had a promising career if he could learn to be more patient at the plate, but nonetheless, Halman had a bright future with the Mariners and the Mariners had big plans for him in 2012. But sadly there would be no 2012 season for Greg Halman.
On November 21, 2011 Greg’s brother Jason began acting erratically. He arrived at Greg’s apartment kicking the door demanding that Greg should let him in. Jason then began to play music very loudly, Greg came downstairs to tell his brother to turn the music down.
Jason then pulled out a butterfly knife and began coming at Greg completely out of his mind. Greg put his left arm up to defend himself, the blade of Jason’s knife went past Greg’s arm and cut the left side of his neck. Within minutes, Greg was dead and I had no idea that it had happened. With everything happening 4,879 miles away, I was 10 hours away from finding out the grim news.
About 10 hours later, I went online and I typed in the Mariners site. When I saw the news, I didn’t know what to do or say. Not wanting to believe the news I called his cell and his mother picked it up.
For 10 minutes I stood in the hallway of my job corps dorm and broke down after talking with Greg’s mother knowing that a friend that I just started to get to know was gone. My friend Devin was the first person to just give me a hug trying to control me from crying so loud, all he told me was to “let it all out, there’s no shame in crying for a friend.”
Not being able to attend his funeral was tough, but what else has been tough is three years of my friend not being out there in the outfield for the Mariners. Making plays, driving in runs, and smacking home runs over the fence.
Jason Halman was arrested and charged with manslaughter, but was provisionally released. During Jason’s trial, psychiatrists said that he was having a psychotic episode at the time of him killing Greg.
He was then acquitted of the charges and was released to his family. Every day I miss Greg and I treasure the times that we hung out. He was a talent that never reached his full potential. Knowing what Greg could have done in 2012, makes us all wonder what could have been.
Greg Halman: August 26, 1987-November 21, 2011
The boys in teal are back with a new look!
April 4, 2016 is one week away! The Mariners come into the 2016 with a new look, a new GM, and plenty of new faces that hope to make an impact to push this team into their first postseason birth since their dramatic 116 win season back in 2001. So wait that means its been 1,2,3.....15 YEARS?! DAMMIT! Yup 15 years since the Northwest saw postseason baseball and because the stinkin Blue Jays made the postseason last year for the first time since 1993 we now have the longest postseason drought in baseball!
Yeah, that's not something I'm not going to brag about. Every year I'm always "that Mariners fan" who believes that this is the year we "finally do it", the year we finally win it all. To tell you the truth....its a possibility. With Jerry Dipoto the new GM he's done more than that bald idiot Jack Zduriencik did in his short brief time with the team.
Dipoto kicked off his Mariner GM career by making a huge splash to the season by trading Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, and Danny Farqhuar to the Tampa Bay Rays for Boog Powell, Nathan Karns, and C.J. Riefenhauser (who was traded a month later). JeDi, as I call him, then decided to go mad! He went mad! MAD I TELL YOU! Mad enough to make to sign Nori Aoki, trade for Adam Lind, trade for Leonys Martin, sign Chris Iannetta, resigned Hisashi Iwakuma, resigned Franklin Gutierrez, traded for Wade Miley, signed closer Steve Cishek, traded for Joaquin Benoit, signed Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee, and signed Cuban slugger Guillermo Heredia.
As you can see JeDi has made some incredible moves that has given the 2016 Seattle Mariners more depth pitching and hitting wise that the Mariners have a great chance to not just make the postseason but possibly be a contender for both the American League West title and the AL pennant. If you look at the Mariners right now and told me that "this team isn't going to make a splash all season long" I would say you're dead wrong!
Lets take a look at the pitching shall we? The rotation is still undecided with the number 5 starter but currently we're going to see Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Wade Miley, Taijuan Walker, and either James Paxton or Nathan Karns. So looking at the rotation to me.....I'm seeing 4 possible win right off the bat, that is if the hitting backs up the pitching. Felix is going to be Felix this year, that's for certain, he is coming off another stellar season but his strikeout rate took a dip and his ERA was the highest its been since 2011.
Felix is coming into Spring Training about to turn 30 and he has blonde hair and goatee. Felix is perhaps the player that will begin the season with one thought in his mind. and that thought is "this season is our year". Yes, I know all players have to be thinking that but Felix is coming into his 12th season without even 1 playoff game appearance. Felix has noted that as well, he's frustrated at the fact that he's about to be 30 and he's been in the league for over 10 years and never pitched in a postseason game.
Felix is not only holding himself to pitch like his career is on the line this year but he's holding himself to personally get this team to the postseason. My expectation for the King this year is this, watch him get 20 wins! Felix is pushing himself this year to perhaps pitch even better than his 2014 season, and with determination like that who can argue that he wont win 20 games this year?
Let's now talk about the Prince, the Fresh Prince of Seattle that is. Taijuan Walker is coming off his first full season in the majors and it looked like Walker was going to bomb it when he started. Walker went 1-5 with a 7.33 ERA in his first 9 starts, but after that he was a totally different pitcher. Walker went 10-3 for the rest of the season while keeping his ERA below 3 during that stretch. Walker is on my "breakout player" watch for this season. Walker will open the season at home in the Mariners home opener against the Oakland Athletics. This season I'm saying Walker is going to knockout 18 wins along with being an All Star and don't be surprised if you see a Fresh Prince no-no this year.
Kuma and Miley are even when I look at both of them. Kuma is coming off a 9-5 season where he tossed the Mariners fifth no hitter in franchise history against the Baltimore Orioles. Miley on the other hand is coming off a .500 record season with the Boston Red Sox, where he went 11-11 with a 4.46 ERA......not that impressive huh? Wrong, Miley may have lost 11 games but he was consistent, he went 6+ innings 22 times out of his 32 starts. Look you may not think that's still impressive but lets face it, last year the Mariners bullpen usually had to work 5 innings! We may have given up Carson Smith and Roenis Elias but hey if Miley can give us 6+ in 20+ starts I wont complain.
Kuma and Miley are on my radar to win around 14-15 games this year, maybe 16 with Kuma but I think 13-14 is more around Miley's reach. Now with the #5 starter you have both Paxton and Karns. Both are going to battle it out to the very end in Spring Training, that's when new manager Scott Servias will make his decision and name one of them the #5 starter. The way I look at it, whoever doesn't get the starting job is getting placed in the bullpen to be a long inning reliever in case our starter cant seem to do anything.
Paxton however is coming off another injury plagued season where a strained tendon in his left middle finger benched him in May and wouldn't see him pitch until September and he only made 3 starts in that month. Paxton finished the year with a 3-4 record with a 3.90 ERA. Paxton though is now still healthy in Spring Training and he lost 30 pounds during the off season, but Spring Training hasn't been nice to Paxton or any M's pitcher, but if Paxton gets the #5 starting role watch him win around 11-15 games, that is if he stays healthy.
Karns on the other hand hasn't had a good Spring Training either, but again like I said which Mariners pitcher has? Karns is coming off a 7-5 season with the Rays with a 3.67 ERA in 26 games started. Karns was part of the Miller/LoMo trade and currently I'm thinking Karns maybe put in the bullpen over Paxton. But Karns' strength is all there. Either way if Karns is starting or in the bullpen he has the ability to help you win a ball game. Karns struck out 145 batters in the 147 innings he pitched last season. Its going to be interesting to see who gets the job, whoever does I've got Paxton at 11-15 wins and Karns at 12-13.
Lets talk bullpen now. Charlie Furbush wont be in the bullpen to help out to start the season and don't expect him to for perhaps the first 2-3 weeks in the season. But in the bullpen we have a group of both young and experienced players pitching that will both help keep the Mariners in the ball game and help close out wins. First you have Tony Zych who's coming off his rookie year appearing in 18 games and starting 1, he had a 2.45 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 18.1 of work. While Charlie is out look for Tony to be your possible 6-8th inning man in close games.
Steve Cishek is your closer. While with the Miami Marlins he saved 88 games in 3 years and this past season he was used more as a set up guy. Lets face it, now with Carson Smith gone and that arrow shooting dip wad Rodney gone Cishek is your guy in the 9th. Before Cishek we will see Benoit to come into the 7th and 8th possibly to help keep the game within save rage for Cishek. Benoit is now coming into his 15th season and even though he's 38 he can still pitch. With age comes wisdom and Benoit has shown that, since 2010 his ERA hasn't been above 3 but one time.
The bullpen also has guys like Evan Scribner, who has one unbelievable walk to strikeout rate! Scribner in his 5 year career has 134 strikeouts and 27 walks in 147.2 innings pitched.......yeah he's that damn good! There's also Mike Montgomery who's coming off a good rookie year but struggled through the last half of the season. Montgomery will at least provide the bullpen with one of two left handed pitchers, the second is Vidal Nuno.
This year will be a whole new story for the bullpen, it'll definitely be better than last year that's for damn sure! This year watch the bullpen's ERA to hover around the 2.90-3.20 area. There doesn't seem to be any weakness in the bullpen for the Mariners, only thing that could be better is having Furbush to start the season but again I think the Mariners will be ok bullpen wise till his return.
Now, we come to the offense and this amazing group JeDi has put together. Lets first start off with our awesome second baseman Robinson Cano who is coming off an injury plagued season but did very well. Cano struggled during the first half of the season but caught fire in the second half, he finished the season with a .287 average, 21 home runs, and 79 runs batted in. Cano did strikeout a career high 107 times, it was the first time he ever struck out more than 100 times in his career. Cano though has been showing us he's fully ready for the real season to begin!
Just yesterday Cano crushed 3 home runs and drove in 7 runs. Watch out Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson cause you have some competition for the AL MVP. Yes, the AL MVP! Cano is ready to show that the Mariners aren't getting an age declining player. Be on the watch for Cano to smack 50+ doubles this season, while not only hitting 25+ home runs and driving in around 90-100 RBI's. Cano isn't just the only perennial All Star that Scott Servias's lineup has to offer. Let's not forget the "BOOMSTICK" Nelson Cruz, who is coming off his best season hitting wise in his career.
Nelson Cruz showed that even Safeco Field can be a hitter friendly ballpark. Cruz smacked a career high 44 home runs, drove in 93, and batted .302. Kyle Seager is another member of the Mariners Big 3 who is coming off a season that saw him clobber a career high 26 home runs. Cano, Cruz, and Seager are going to be the key players that really will provide the power, the hitting, and driving in runs ability for the team, not only that but now the Mariners have another power bat in Adam Lind.
Lind was acquired via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit 20 home runs and drove in 87. Lind is not just providing another necessary power bat in the lineup but he's providing his glove to the mix as well. Lind is coming off a stellar defensive season with the Brewers and is going to be the everyday first basemen for the team. Backing Lind up though is the Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee. This signing by Dipoto was highly crucial. With Jesus Montero's future with the team seeming bleak, Dipoto decided to go out and sign a guy who seems to get better the older he gets.
DHL came into the spring though weighing in at 282 pounds but has since then lost 32 pounds. Not bad huh? Lee slugged 31 home runs last year and drove in 98 for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. Lee is not just providing a player that can hit the long ball but again he's got something that Montero obviously doesn't have. A great glove. Just watching Lee in Spring Training he's made some great plays that Montero wouldn't have been able to make.
And while writing this I just found out that Paxton got optioned to Triple-A Tacoma......huh. How bout that writing and saw the news on Twitter. So looks like Nathan Karns is your #5 starter!
Getting back to both Lind and Lee look for both players to provide support in the lineup that will help provide driving in and creating runs for the team. I have Lind having another 20 homer season while with Lee could show us between 10-15 home runs.
Looking at the Mariners outfield all I can say is, what an upgrade! With Martin and Aoki getting signed and traded to the team we now have two great gloves in the outfield that the M's were lacking last season. Also Guti is still with us. Last year saw perhaps one of the greatest comeback seasons I've ever seen. With Guti possibly sharing a role with Seth Smith look to see Guti being in the lineup 3-4 times a week.
The Mariners also got faster this year. Aoki, Ketel Marte, Guti, and Shawn O'Malley (if he makes the opening day roster) will provide something that Lloyd McClendon didn't have, guys who can steal bases. That'll be something that the Mariners will need to do this season and that's steal more bases. As you saw with the Kansas City Royals stealing bases can win you games and a World Series. Also when you have speed in your lineup and on your bench......USE IT!!!
Behind the plate is Chris Iannetta, who some people didn't seem to like the signing. Come on people lets face it Iannetta is going to do something that Mike Zunino will be learning how to do in Triple-A Tacoma.......how to actually hit the ball. Yes Iannetta is coming off a season where he hit .188, so basically a Mike Z type of season, but he's still a career .231 hitter. Iannetta will also be providing a great arm behind the plate as well. Iannetta isn't Yadi Molina but hey he's definitely and upgrade to Mike Zunino.
So, I think I'm done talking about everyone who we will see this season to start the season against the Texas Rangers. Everything comes down to this final week of preparation for the Mariners, everything is counting on everyone staying healthy and injury free. In just seven days, and I can honestly say that I'm highly confident, the Mariners will begin their journey into baseball immortality. This is by far the season that I know that this team, who has struggled through out most of its franchise history, is ready to take that step to get back into the spotlight they had 15 years ago. The Mariners on paper are the team to beat! Even the Royals, who are the defending champs, have some competition with the Mariners. The M's have the pitching, defense, and offensive depth to pull off a playoff/pennant run this season.
A lot of skepticism is on this team, time for the Mariners to prove every doubter wrong and go out and PLAY BALL!!!!
Go Mariners!!!!!
Yeah, that's not something I'm not going to brag about. Every year I'm always "that Mariners fan" who believes that this is the year we "finally do it", the year we finally win it all. To tell you the truth....its a possibility. With Jerry Dipoto the new GM he's done more than that bald idiot Jack Zduriencik did in his short brief time with the team.
Dipoto kicked off his Mariner GM career by making a huge splash to the season by trading Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, and Danny Farqhuar to the Tampa Bay Rays for Boog Powell, Nathan Karns, and C.J. Riefenhauser (who was traded a month later). JeDi, as I call him, then decided to go mad! He went mad! MAD I TELL YOU! Mad enough to make to sign Nori Aoki, trade for Adam Lind, trade for Leonys Martin, sign Chris Iannetta, resigned Hisashi Iwakuma, resigned Franklin Gutierrez, traded for Wade Miley, signed closer Steve Cishek, traded for Joaquin Benoit, signed Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee, and signed Cuban slugger Guillermo Heredia.
As you can see JeDi has made some incredible moves that has given the 2016 Seattle Mariners more depth pitching and hitting wise that the Mariners have a great chance to not just make the postseason but possibly be a contender for both the American League West title and the AL pennant. If you look at the Mariners right now and told me that "this team isn't going to make a splash all season long" I would say you're dead wrong!
Lets take a look at the pitching shall we? The rotation is still undecided with the number 5 starter but currently we're going to see Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Wade Miley, Taijuan Walker, and either James Paxton or Nathan Karns. So looking at the rotation to me.....I'm seeing 4 possible win right off the bat, that is if the hitting backs up the pitching. Felix is going to be Felix this year, that's for certain, he is coming off another stellar season but his strikeout rate took a dip and his ERA was the highest its been since 2011.
Felix is coming into Spring Training about to turn 30 and he has blonde hair and goatee. Felix is perhaps the player that will begin the season with one thought in his mind. and that thought is "this season is our year". Yes, I know all players have to be thinking that but Felix is coming into his 12th season without even 1 playoff game appearance. Felix has noted that as well, he's frustrated at the fact that he's about to be 30 and he's been in the league for over 10 years and never pitched in a postseason game.
Felix is not only holding himself to pitch like his career is on the line this year but he's holding himself to personally get this team to the postseason. My expectation for the King this year is this, watch him get 20 wins! Felix is pushing himself this year to perhaps pitch even better than his 2014 season, and with determination like that who can argue that he wont win 20 games this year?
Let's now talk about the Prince, the Fresh Prince of Seattle that is. Taijuan Walker is coming off his first full season in the majors and it looked like Walker was going to bomb it when he started. Walker went 1-5 with a 7.33 ERA in his first 9 starts, but after that he was a totally different pitcher. Walker went 10-3 for the rest of the season while keeping his ERA below 3 during that stretch. Walker is on my "breakout player" watch for this season. Walker will open the season at home in the Mariners home opener against the Oakland Athletics. This season I'm saying Walker is going to knockout 18 wins along with being an All Star and don't be surprised if you see a Fresh Prince no-no this year.
Kuma and Miley are even when I look at both of them. Kuma is coming off a 9-5 season where he tossed the Mariners fifth no hitter in franchise history against the Baltimore Orioles. Miley on the other hand is coming off a .500 record season with the Boston Red Sox, where he went 11-11 with a 4.46 ERA......not that impressive huh? Wrong, Miley may have lost 11 games but he was consistent, he went 6+ innings 22 times out of his 32 starts. Look you may not think that's still impressive but lets face it, last year the Mariners bullpen usually had to work 5 innings! We may have given up Carson Smith and Roenis Elias but hey if Miley can give us 6+ in 20+ starts I wont complain.
Kuma and Miley are on my radar to win around 14-15 games this year, maybe 16 with Kuma but I think 13-14 is more around Miley's reach. Now with the #5 starter you have both Paxton and Karns. Both are going to battle it out to the very end in Spring Training, that's when new manager Scott Servias will make his decision and name one of them the #5 starter. The way I look at it, whoever doesn't get the starting job is getting placed in the bullpen to be a long inning reliever in case our starter cant seem to do anything.
Paxton however is coming off another injury plagued season where a strained tendon in his left middle finger benched him in May and wouldn't see him pitch until September and he only made 3 starts in that month. Paxton finished the year with a 3-4 record with a 3.90 ERA. Paxton though is now still healthy in Spring Training and he lost 30 pounds during the off season, but Spring Training hasn't been nice to Paxton or any M's pitcher, but if Paxton gets the #5 starting role watch him win around 11-15 games, that is if he stays healthy.
Karns on the other hand hasn't had a good Spring Training either, but again like I said which Mariners pitcher has? Karns is coming off a 7-5 season with the Rays with a 3.67 ERA in 26 games started. Karns was part of the Miller/LoMo trade and currently I'm thinking Karns maybe put in the bullpen over Paxton. But Karns' strength is all there. Either way if Karns is starting or in the bullpen he has the ability to help you win a ball game. Karns struck out 145 batters in the 147 innings he pitched last season. Its going to be interesting to see who gets the job, whoever does I've got Paxton at 11-15 wins and Karns at 12-13.
Lets talk bullpen now. Charlie Furbush wont be in the bullpen to help out to start the season and don't expect him to for perhaps the first 2-3 weeks in the season. But in the bullpen we have a group of both young and experienced players pitching that will both help keep the Mariners in the ball game and help close out wins. First you have Tony Zych who's coming off his rookie year appearing in 18 games and starting 1, he had a 2.45 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 18.1 of work. While Charlie is out look for Tony to be your possible 6-8th inning man in close games.
Steve Cishek is your closer. While with the Miami Marlins he saved 88 games in 3 years and this past season he was used more as a set up guy. Lets face it, now with Carson Smith gone and that arrow shooting dip wad Rodney gone Cishek is your guy in the 9th. Before Cishek we will see Benoit to come into the 7th and 8th possibly to help keep the game within save rage for Cishek. Benoit is now coming into his 15th season and even though he's 38 he can still pitch. With age comes wisdom and Benoit has shown that, since 2010 his ERA hasn't been above 3 but one time.
The bullpen also has guys like Evan Scribner, who has one unbelievable walk to strikeout rate! Scribner in his 5 year career has 134 strikeouts and 27 walks in 147.2 innings pitched.......yeah he's that damn good! There's also Mike Montgomery who's coming off a good rookie year but struggled through the last half of the season. Montgomery will at least provide the bullpen with one of two left handed pitchers, the second is Vidal Nuno.
This year will be a whole new story for the bullpen, it'll definitely be better than last year that's for damn sure! This year watch the bullpen's ERA to hover around the 2.90-3.20 area. There doesn't seem to be any weakness in the bullpen for the Mariners, only thing that could be better is having Furbush to start the season but again I think the Mariners will be ok bullpen wise till his return.
Now, we come to the offense and this amazing group JeDi has put together. Lets first start off with our awesome second baseman Robinson Cano who is coming off an injury plagued season but did very well. Cano struggled during the first half of the season but caught fire in the second half, he finished the season with a .287 average, 21 home runs, and 79 runs batted in. Cano did strikeout a career high 107 times, it was the first time he ever struck out more than 100 times in his career. Cano though has been showing us he's fully ready for the real season to begin!
Just yesterday Cano crushed 3 home runs and drove in 7 runs. Watch out Mike Trout and Josh Donaldson cause you have some competition for the AL MVP. Yes, the AL MVP! Cano is ready to show that the Mariners aren't getting an age declining player. Be on the watch for Cano to smack 50+ doubles this season, while not only hitting 25+ home runs and driving in around 90-100 RBI's. Cano isn't just the only perennial All Star that Scott Servias's lineup has to offer. Let's not forget the "BOOMSTICK" Nelson Cruz, who is coming off his best season hitting wise in his career.
Nelson Cruz showed that even Safeco Field can be a hitter friendly ballpark. Cruz smacked a career high 44 home runs, drove in 93, and batted .302. Kyle Seager is another member of the Mariners Big 3 who is coming off a season that saw him clobber a career high 26 home runs. Cano, Cruz, and Seager are going to be the key players that really will provide the power, the hitting, and driving in runs ability for the team, not only that but now the Mariners have another power bat in Adam Lind.
Lind was acquired via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit 20 home runs and drove in 87. Lind is not just providing another necessary power bat in the lineup but he's providing his glove to the mix as well. Lind is coming off a stellar defensive season with the Brewers and is going to be the everyday first basemen for the team. Backing Lind up though is the Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee. This signing by Dipoto was highly crucial. With Jesus Montero's future with the team seeming bleak, Dipoto decided to go out and sign a guy who seems to get better the older he gets.
DHL came into the spring though weighing in at 282 pounds but has since then lost 32 pounds. Not bad huh? Lee slugged 31 home runs last year and drove in 98 for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. Lee is not just providing a player that can hit the long ball but again he's got something that Montero obviously doesn't have. A great glove. Just watching Lee in Spring Training he's made some great plays that Montero wouldn't have been able to make.
And while writing this I just found out that Paxton got optioned to Triple-A Tacoma......huh. How bout that writing and saw the news on Twitter. So looks like Nathan Karns is your #5 starter!
Getting back to both Lind and Lee look for both players to provide support in the lineup that will help provide driving in and creating runs for the team. I have Lind having another 20 homer season while with Lee could show us between 10-15 home runs.
Looking at the Mariners outfield all I can say is, what an upgrade! With Martin and Aoki getting signed and traded to the team we now have two great gloves in the outfield that the M's were lacking last season. Also Guti is still with us. Last year saw perhaps one of the greatest comeback seasons I've ever seen. With Guti possibly sharing a role with Seth Smith look to see Guti being in the lineup 3-4 times a week.
The Mariners also got faster this year. Aoki, Ketel Marte, Guti, and Shawn O'Malley (if he makes the opening day roster) will provide something that Lloyd McClendon didn't have, guys who can steal bases. That'll be something that the Mariners will need to do this season and that's steal more bases. As you saw with the Kansas City Royals stealing bases can win you games and a World Series. Also when you have speed in your lineup and on your bench......USE IT!!!
Behind the plate is Chris Iannetta, who some people didn't seem to like the signing. Come on people lets face it Iannetta is going to do something that Mike Zunino will be learning how to do in Triple-A Tacoma.......how to actually hit the ball. Yes Iannetta is coming off a season where he hit .188, so basically a Mike Z type of season, but he's still a career .231 hitter. Iannetta will also be providing a great arm behind the plate as well. Iannetta isn't Yadi Molina but hey he's definitely and upgrade to Mike Zunino.
So, I think I'm done talking about everyone who we will see this season to start the season against the Texas Rangers. Everything comes down to this final week of preparation for the Mariners, everything is counting on everyone staying healthy and injury free. In just seven days, and I can honestly say that I'm highly confident, the Mariners will begin their journey into baseball immortality. This is by far the season that I know that this team, who has struggled through out most of its franchise history, is ready to take that step to get back into the spotlight they had 15 years ago. The Mariners on paper are the team to beat! Even the Royals, who are the defending champs, have some competition with the Mariners. The M's have the pitching, defense, and offensive depth to pull off a playoff/pennant run this season.
A lot of skepticism is on this team, time for the Mariners to prove every doubter wrong and go out and PLAY BALL!!!!
Go Mariners!!!!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
The Kid and how he changed my life
You know today at 3 PM Ken Griffey, Jr., will become the first unanimous Hall of Famer in Major League Baseball history. But you know, Jr didn't just dazzle fans with his amazing talent, his ability to catch damn near every baseball hit his way, or his beautiful swing that swatted 630 home runs, but he made me the Mariners fan and a lover of sports and a sports writer/podcaster all in one day.
Back in 1994 my family and I were just moving back to Washington after living in California for about 2 years, so my grandma decided to bring me into the living room one day and made me watch the Seattle Mariners game that was being broadcast. It changed my life. For that day I saw The Kid smack two of his 630 home runs and after watching him make a couple of dazzling plays in center field I knew then that I wanted to be like Jr.
Now back in the early 90s you would probably hear kids say that they wanted to "be like Michael Jordan", hell no! For me I "wanted to be like Ken Griffey, Jr.!". It would be a whole year till I got to see my first professional baseball game live inside, to what at the time I considered my 2nd home, the Kingdome. That night I witnessed Jr hit a towering 420 ft home run that helped the Mariners win.
During 1995 I got to enjoy not just one but several other magical games, including Game's 4 and 5 of the American League Division Series. I have my dad to thank for that, I mean come on what dad would pull his 5 year old out of kindergarten to play hooky and go watch the Mariners kick ass? THE BEST DAD THAT'S WHAT!!!
1995 came to a heart-breaking end when the Mariners lost in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series to the Cleveland Indians (I hate them forever). Imagine a 5 year old being held by his grandmother and crying more than Joey Cora did! That though wasn't the end of my heart break, the Mariners have been breaking my heart for years in the postseason, but that's not my point. My point I'm making here and also talking about is how Ken Griffey, Jr., became my idol, hero, and the reason for me being the struggling sports writer/podcaster right now and a die hard Mariners fan and sports lover.
I will say this, I may have been a Mariners fan but every time Jr stepped up to the plate I always got more and more excited. During 1997 I think I witnessed at least 20 of his historic and Mariners franchise record 56 home runs and that season was his only (really should have been his 3rd or 4th) MVP.
Then came 1999, the end of the Kingdome. Like most historic games in the Kingdome from 1995-99 I was there for the curtain call, the final game! Where Jr did not fail in giving me and 50,000+ one more final Jr Kingdome home run. And boy did that home run feel good to watch in person! Then came Safeco Field. By far the most beautiful ballpark in baseball where Jr's power seem to fade but I still got to see his first ever Safeco Field home run and 3 others I didn't think life was any better. Then came that faithful day in 2000 where I wake up and find out that Jr, my idol, has been traded to the Cincinnati Reds. As a 10 year old I started balling my little eyes out and I was this close from never cheering for the Mariners again and giving up on baseball as well.
Thankfully my dad and my mom suggested that I write a letter to Jr, what can I say? I was one desperate 10 year old trying to keep my favorite player in Seattle by simply writing a letter. 3 weeks after sending the letter off I got a response from Jr, not really but again I was 10, stupid and very easy to fool, but again getting a letter with the thought of Jr writing to me telling me not to give up on Mariners baseball and to keep supporting the team through anything made me not give up on baseball, Jr, and the Mariners. They say Griffey saved Mariners baseball for Seattle well he saved Mariners baseball for me.
So, guess what every time I saw the Reds on TV I was watching every time Jr stepped to the plate, and believe me I only watched it when Jr was at the plate and that's it. So you can imagine my surprise come 2001 when my dad tells me that me and my family are going to Atlanta to watch the Braves play, you guessed it the Reds! I got to enjoy a new ballpark and the joy of Braves baseball while watching my favorite player of all time in a different uniform.
And come on lets face it most Mariners fans somewhat like the Braves due to Braves baseball on TBS in the 90s right? RIGHT! And then came the year that Jr made his return to Seattle and who was there for those 3 games? ME! And in the final game Jr decided to really give the fans something to cheer for by hitting 2 home runs and his 2nd pushed him past Mark McGwire!
Year after year went by and I watch Jr hit his 400th, 500th, and 600th home run wearing a different uniform, till 2009 came and the news came in that Jr was coming back to Seattle! That season I attended at least 20 games, and Jr homered in 10 of those. Its funny, but in perhaps the 70 games that I have gone to where Ken Griffey, Jr., played he's hit a home run in at least 60 of those games! I will also say that I have the privilege of seeing Jr's final hit, at bat, and swing in both a Mariners uniform and for the final time in his 22 major league career.
22 years of greatest and I witnessed 18 of those great years. Come this August I will be going to Cooperstown, New York for what I am calling the final Ken Griffey, Jr., curtain call for me and watch him be inducted to the baseball Hall of Fame and come today he will be the first player in history to have 100% of the votes. Now think about this, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron never received 90% of the votes.....Jr is doing something no player in history has done! Funny even when Jr's sitting at home he's still setting records and amazing us all.
I want to take this time to thank the Seattle Mariners, who drafted the greatest baseball player of all time. Its thanks to this organization that brought so much joy to my life and to thousands of fans as well, and the Mariners and Jr not only made me a fan of baseball but made me the sports fan that I am today. I would also like to thank Jr for making millions of kids into fans of baseball and also bringing the joy of America's past time into their lives as well as mine.
Finally I want to thank Ken Griffey Jr., who made this post responsible, the man who dazzled us with Spider-Man like catches, mammoth home runs, and who brought a smile to our faces just by smiling himself. I want to thank Ken Griffey, Jr., for making me the man and sports writer/podcaster I am today. If it wasn't for you this never would have happened and I want to say thank you. Thank you Jr, I hope one day I can sit down and have a conversation with you and talk about your illustrious career.
Thank you Ken Griffey, Jr.
Back in 1994 my family and I were just moving back to Washington after living in California for about 2 years, so my grandma decided to bring me into the living room one day and made me watch the Seattle Mariners game that was being broadcast. It changed my life. For that day I saw The Kid smack two of his 630 home runs and after watching him make a couple of dazzling plays in center field I knew then that I wanted to be like Jr.
Now back in the early 90s you would probably hear kids say that they wanted to "be like Michael Jordan", hell no! For me I "wanted to be like Ken Griffey, Jr.!". It would be a whole year till I got to see my first professional baseball game live inside, to what at the time I considered my 2nd home, the Kingdome. That night I witnessed Jr hit a towering 420 ft home run that helped the Mariners win.
During 1995 I got to enjoy not just one but several other magical games, including Game's 4 and 5 of the American League Division Series. I have my dad to thank for that, I mean come on what dad would pull his 5 year old out of kindergarten to play hooky and go watch the Mariners kick ass? THE BEST DAD THAT'S WHAT!!!
1995 came to a heart-breaking end when the Mariners lost in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series to the Cleveland Indians (I hate them forever). Imagine a 5 year old being held by his grandmother and crying more than Joey Cora did! That though wasn't the end of my heart break, the Mariners have been breaking my heart for years in the postseason, but that's not my point. My point I'm making here and also talking about is how Ken Griffey, Jr., became my idol, hero, and the reason for me being the struggling sports writer/podcaster right now and a die hard Mariners fan and sports lover.
I will say this, I may have been a Mariners fan but every time Jr stepped up to the plate I always got more and more excited. During 1997 I think I witnessed at least 20 of his historic and Mariners franchise record 56 home runs and that season was his only (really should have been his 3rd or 4th) MVP.
Then came 1999, the end of the Kingdome. Like most historic games in the Kingdome from 1995-99 I was there for the curtain call, the final game! Where Jr did not fail in giving me and 50,000+ one more final Jr Kingdome home run. And boy did that home run feel good to watch in person! Then came Safeco Field. By far the most beautiful ballpark in baseball where Jr's power seem to fade but I still got to see his first ever Safeco Field home run and 3 others I didn't think life was any better. Then came that faithful day in 2000 where I wake up and find out that Jr, my idol, has been traded to the Cincinnati Reds. As a 10 year old I started balling my little eyes out and I was this close from never cheering for the Mariners again and giving up on baseball as well.
Thankfully my dad and my mom suggested that I write a letter to Jr, what can I say? I was one desperate 10 year old trying to keep my favorite player in Seattle by simply writing a letter. 3 weeks after sending the letter off I got a response from Jr, not really but again I was 10, stupid and very easy to fool, but again getting a letter with the thought of Jr writing to me telling me not to give up on Mariners baseball and to keep supporting the team through anything made me not give up on baseball, Jr, and the Mariners. They say Griffey saved Mariners baseball for Seattle well he saved Mariners baseball for me.
So, guess what every time I saw the Reds on TV I was watching every time Jr stepped to the plate, and believe me I only watched it when Jr was at the plate and that's it. So you can imagine my surprise come 2001 when my dad tells me that me and my family are going to Atlanta to watch the Braves play, you guessed it the Reds! I got to enjoy a new ballpark and the joy of Braves baseball while watching my favorite player of all time in a different uniform.
And come on lets face it most Mariners fans somewhat like the Braves due to Braves baseball on TBS in the 90s right? RIGHT! And then came the year that Jr made his return to Seattle and who was there for those 3 games? ME! And in the final game Jr decided to really give the fans something to cheer for by hitting 2 home runs and his 2nd pushed him past Mark McGwire!
Year after year went by and I watch Jr hit his 400th, 500th, and 600th home run wearing a different uniform, till 2009 came and the news came in that Jr was coming back to Seattle! That season I attended at least 20 games, and Jr homered in 10 of those. Its funny, but in perhaps the 70 games that I have gone to where Ken Griffey, Jr., played he's hit a home run in at least 60 of those games! I will also say that I have the privilege of seeing Jr's final hit, at bat, and swing in both a Mariners uniform and for the final time in his 22 major league career.
22 years of greatest and I witnessed 18 of those great years. Come this August I will be going to Cooperstown, New York for what I am calling the final Ken Griffey, Jr., curtain call for me and watch him be inducted to the baseball Hall of Fame and come today he will be the first player in history to have 100% of the votes. Now think about this, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron never received 90% of the votes.....Jr is doing something no player in history has done! Funny even when Jr's sitting at home he's still setting records and amazing us all.
I want to take this time to thank the Seattle Mariners, who drafted the greatest baseball player of all time. Its thanks to this organization that brought so much joy to my life and to thousands of fans as well, and the Mariners and Jr not only made me a fan of baseball but made me the sports fan that I am today. I would also like to thank Jr for making millions of kids into fans of baseball and also bringing the joy of America's past time into their lives as well as mine.
Finally I want to thank Ken Griffey Jr., who made this post responsible, the man who dazzled us with Spider-Man like catches, mammoth home runs, and who brought a smile to our faces just by smiling himself. I want to thank Ken Griffey, Jr., for making me the man and sports writer/podcaster I am today. If it wasn't for you this never would have happened and I want to say thank you. Thank you Jr, I hope one day I can sit down and have a conversation with you and talk about your illustrious career.
Thank you Ken Griffey, Jr.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Will Jerry Dipoto take the Mariners far?
Welcome to Seattle Jerry Dipoto! The Mariners newest general manager was introduced just this past Monday and so far I love the guy! Dipoto has noted the problems the Mariners have and has said that he is planning on making sure that each problem is taken care of. Manager Lloyd McClendon has been link to speculations that his job and him coming back next season maybe in jeopardy. ESPN's Jim Bowden noted saying that Dipoto wants to take some time to get to know McClendon before making any decisions. Dipoto was quoted saying that the Mariners OF is the position that needs to be taken care of first, with free agents like Dexter Fowler and Denard Span on the market for this upcoming off season.....not bad targets to help boost the outfield huh?
Dipoto was asked by Seattle Times writer Larry Stone if a Felix Hernandez trade or looking for other opinions besides Nelson Cruz was in the mix. Felix is coming up on 30 years old, which is the typical age that players seem to decline, and Cruz is 35 and has just come off back-to-back 40 home run seasons but Dipoto shot both notions down.
Brad Miller and James Paxton are two high trade targets, even with Paxton's injury plagued 2014-15 seasons, and could be moved possibly this off season for other targets that could help the Mariners this upcoming season. This Tuesday on Mariners Talk podcast both me and Russell will go into more details about who the Mariners could trade for and which team could use both Miller and Paxton. Ketel Marte has the shortstop position locked up possibly. But what about the first basemen position and two other possible outfield spots along with the starting pitching and bullpen? Dipoto faces a difficult off season ahead of him.
Hisashi Iwakuma is up for free agency this upcoming off season so I'm pretty sure that Dipoto will want to lock him up for a couple more years, but what about David Price or Johnny Cueto? Both Price and Cueto are perhaps the highest valued pitchers on the free agency, so is Dipoto going to try and strengthen the starting role with a big signing like Price or Cueto along with Max Scherzer? All three will go off the market quick in my opinion, but again there still leaves the bullpen, first base, and the outfield. Mark Trumbo or Jesus Monterto will take control of that role, now as for the outfield Cruz has RF locked up but CF and LF are missing. . .so who does Dipoto go after for those two spots?
Jason Heyward, Fowler, Span, and Yoenis Cespedes are all up for grabs. Heyward first off is going to be staying in St.Louis so I'll take him off the list but that leaves Fowler, Span, and Cespedes. Cespedes has done nothing but help the NY Mets get to the postseason for the first time in nine years and to be honest I'm not sure the Mets are going to be able to hold onto to him, so there's where Dipoto comes in and snags one helluva free agent pickup! So, that takes care of LF so now all that's left is CF.
Fowler and Span are the two candidates that are really the only guys that I would consider Dipoto going after. Span is having hip surgery so the question people are asking is this "will Span be the same Span after his surgery"? Good question, if he doesn't have the speed he used to then Fowler is the guy you need. Fowler is going on 30 but the guy still has the speed and the glove to help the Mariners out in a big way.
This Tuesday you can tune into Mariners Talk podcast at 7 PST and hear me and Russell talk about these topics and more.
Dipoto was asked by Seattle Times writer Larry Stone if a Felix Hernandez trade or looking for other opinions besides Nelson Cruz was in the mix. Felix is coming up on 30 years old, which is the typical age that players seem to decline, and Cruz is 35 and has just come off back-to-back 40 home run seasons but Dipoto shot both notions down.
Brad Miller and James Paxton are two high trade targets, even with Paxton's injury plagued 2014-15 seasons, and could be moved possibly this off season for other targets that could help the Mariners this upcoming season. This Tuesday on Mariners Talk podcast both me and Russell will go into more details about who the Mariners could trade for and which team could use both Miller and Paxton. Ketel Marte has the shortstop position locked up possibly. But what about the first basemen position and two other possible outfield spots along with the starting pitching and bullpen? Dipoto faces a difficult off season ahead of him.
Hisashi Iwakuma is up for free agency this upcoming off season so I'm pretty sure that Dipoto will want to lock him up for a couple more years, but what about David Price or Johnny Cueto? Both Price and Cueto are perhaps the highest valued pitchers on the free agency, so is Dipoto going to try and strengthen the starting role with a big signing like Price or Cueto along with Max Scherzer? All three will go off the market quick in my opinion, but again there still leaves the bullpen, first base, and the outfield. Mark Trumbo or Jesus Monterto will take control of that role, now as for the outfield Cruz has RF locked up but CF and LF are missing. . .so who does Dipoto go after for those two spots?
Jason Heyward, Fowler, Span, and Yoenis Cespedes are all up for grabs. Heyward first off is going to be staying in St.Louis so I'll take him off the list but that leaves Fowler, Span, and Cespedes. Cespedes has done nothing but help the NY Mets get to the postseason for the first time in nine years and to be honest I'm not sure the Mets are going to be able to hold onto to him, so there's where Dipoto comes in and snags one helluva free agent pickup! So, that takes care of LF so now all that's left is CF.
Fowler and Span are the two candidates that are really the only guys that I would consider Dipoto going after. Span is having hip surgery so the question people are asking is this "will Span be the same Span after his surgery"? Good question, if he doesn't have the speed he used to then Fowler is the guy you need. Fowler is going on 30 but the guy still has the speed and the glove to help the Mariners out in a big way.
This Tuesday you can tune into Mariners Talk podcast at 7 PST and hear me and Russell talk about these topics and more.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Lloyd is drinking stupid juice
Mariners were on the losing end of yet another heart breaker last night, as the Angels capped off comeback win after Carlos Perez hit his first major league homerun off Dominic Leone to walk the M's off. So, we all know that the Mariners pitching hasn't been the best and there are a couple players who we would like to see get the call up and players who we would like to get sent down, but there's another problem the Mariners have. . . their manager. Last night manger Lloyd McClendon said in a post game interview that he is "managing their innings", referring to both young pitchers Taijuan Walker and James Paxton.
Yeah OK Lloyd here's the thing when you have a pitcher that is clicking and isn't even over 100 pitches. . . why take him out of the game? "Managing their innings" was perhaps the most idiotic thing I've heard McClendon say during his tenure in Seattle. What is there to manage? Your pitchers are having a great game why take them out?! I mean be serious people if you were in Lloyd's shoes what would you have done? I'll tell you what I would have done, I would have kept Paxton in since he was rolling through the Angel hitters and only at 91 pitches! Also when Danny Farqhuar put two one and nobody out I would have made a change even though I'm not a fan of Charlie Furbush.
Lloyd's managing techniques are starting to get to me. By that I mean his ridiculous match up lineups and pitching changes. WHY LLOYD?! Last year Lloyd actually made great decisions but this year its like all he does is sit in the dugout with his thumb up his. . . well you get the point. Things are just going down hill for the Mariners, yes I know were only 5 games under .500 but were lucky that were not the Milwaukee Brewers for crying out loud!
Another thing, why is Seth Smith leading off? I know Austin Jackson is on the DL but come on Smith hasn't done diddly poo since Opening Day! I mean look I know I have been skeptical of Rickie Weeks but I think it will do him some good to start and maybe lead off. Thankfully though Brad Miller maybe starting in the outfield then we wont see Ackley get reps. . . which isn't a bad thing. Ackley has also been a big problem, after starting off hot he hasn't just cooled off he's frozen solid! I think its time Ackley goes down and Franklin Gutierrez gets the call up. Guti's been tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A Tacoma and I think he's ready to come back and shine like the old Guti we remember.
Another option the M's should make is send both Farq and Leone down to Tacoma and give Justin Germano a call up along with Logan Bawcom. Both are relievers and have been pitching well in Tacoma, though Germano is starting he began as a reliever and could come back as one. Another thing is that when the 8th inning comes up. . . put in Carson Smith! I mean the kid is going to be the Mariners closer after Fernando Rodney's contract is up after this year (that's just my guess).
Look all these suggestions that I have made wont hit Lloyd's ears or eyes but these are a couple things that need to be taken care of otherwise the Mariners season and playoff expectations are going to go straight down the pooper! Also, if things don't pick up after this month I think Lloyd's tenure as manager will need to come to an end. That's what I give Lloyd is til the end of the month to try and get this Mariners team back to its playoff expectations. Now, for that to happen the team needs to do its part as well, the pitching needs to get better, the bullpen needs to get their heads out of their butts, the hitting with runners in scoring position need to improve, and most important of all. . .smart decisions in key situations need to be made.
Yeah OK Lloyd here's the thing when you have a pitcher that is clicking and isn't even over 100 pitches. . . why take him out of the game? "Managing their innings" was perhaps the most idiotic thing I've heard McClendon say during his tenure in Seattle. What is there to manage? Your pitchers are having a great game why take them out?! I mean be serious people if you were in Lloyd's shoes what would you have done? I'll tell you what I would have done, I would have kept Paxton in since he was rolling through the Angel hitters and only at 91 pitches! Also when Danny Farqhuar put two one and nobody out I would have made a change even though I'm not a fan of Charlie Furbush.
Lloyd's managing techniques are starting to get to me. By that I mean his ridiculous match up lineups and pitching changes. WHY LLOYD?! Last year Lloyd actually made great decisions but this year its like all he does is sit in the dugout with his thumb up his. . . well you get the point. Things are just going down hill for the Mariners, yes I know were only 5 games under .500 but were lucky that were not the Milwaukee Brewers for crying out loud!
Another thing, why is Seth Smith leading off? I know Austin Jackson is on the DL but come on Smith hasn't done diddly poo since Opening Day! I mean look I know I have been skeptical of Rickie Weeks but I think it will do him some good to start and maybe lead off. Thankfully though Brad Miller maybe starting in the outfield then we wont see Ackley get reps. . . which isn't a bad thing. Ackley has also been a big problem, after starting off hot he hasn't just cooled off he's frozen solid! I think its time Ackley goes down and Franklin Gutierrez gets the call up. Guti's been tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A Tacoma and I think he's ready to come back and shine like the old Guti we remember.
Another option the M's should make is send both Farq and Leone down to Tacoma and give Justin Germano a call up along with Logan Bawcom. Both are relievers and have been pitching well in Tacoma, though Germano is starting he began as a reliever and could come back as one. Another thing is that when the 8th inning comes up. . . put in Carson Smith! I mean the kid is going to be the Mariners closer after Fernando Rodney's contract is up after this year (that's just my guess).
Look all these suggestions that I have made wont hit Lloyd's ears or eyes but these are a couple things that need to be taken care of otherwise the Mariners season and playoff expectations are going to go straight down the pooper! Also, if things don't pick up after this month I think Lloyd's tenure as manager will need to come to an end. That's what I give Lloyd is til the end of the month to try and get this Mariners team back to its playoff expectations. Now, for that to happen the team needs to do its part as well, the pitching needs to get better, the bullpen needs to get their heads out of their butts, the hitting with runners in scoring position need to improve, and most important of all. . .smart decisions in key situations need to be made.
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About Me
Im a huge Seattle sports nut. Thats basically about me. But im an upcoming blogger who writes only about the Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders, and when they come back the Sonics. Now if you would like me to write about something tweet me and i will write it. Now i should mark that im also Irish and have a beard that is feared above Brian Wilson's beard. His beard can kiss my beard's ass!