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.
Showing posts with label James Paxton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Paxton. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2016
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.
Friday, March 13, 2015
Mariners 25 man Opening Day roster projection
So far this Mariners spring training has shown us a lot of good things to come. Not just with Nelson Cruz but with players you didn't see coming. Players like David Rollins and Tyler Olson are making some noise, both are two pitchers nobody saw coming.
Both pitchers have been on fire this spring. Rollins has appeared in 4 games 4 innings with 4 strikeouts and Olson has been just as impressive going 5 innings in 3 games with 8 strikeouts in 3 games!
Both of these young pitchers could make the Mariners Opening Day 25 man roster, but they may not which is why I'm ready to give my projection for the M's Opening Day roster. And yes I know that Opening Day is a little over 4 weeks away but I still believe that these 25 guys will be the key for the Mariners to make a charge this season towards getting back to the postseason for the first time since their 116 win season. I also believe that this year's Mariners team will make a push towards winning the team's first World Series ever!
Lets begin with my projected pitchers shall I? I know your answer and its yes so I'll start off with my 5 man rotation.
1. Felix Hernandez
2. Hisashi Iwakuma
3. J.A. Happ
4. Taijuan Walker
5. James Paxton
There's your starting 5 rotation. Now I think most people would be saying right now "Yeah out of 4 of those guys I think your right but Walker come on dude!" Well here's the thing.....Walker is ready to show all you jerky haters out there what he's made of! Seriously Walker has been impressive this spring, yes again I effing know its spring training and don't give the old "look at Brad Miller last year" crap on me.
Walker has made a big impact this spring training in his 2 starts he's gone 5 innings and struck out 6 batters. His changeup and breaking ball have shown that he's ready to prove he was worth not trading as so many people wanted Jack Z to do with Walker. I truly believe that Walker will have a season worth remembering, including 10+ wins!
Now for our bullpen guys.
Danny Farqhuar
Charlie Furbush
Dominic Leone (setup guy)
Fernando Rodney (closer)
David Rollins
Tyler Olson
Carson Smith
Tom Wilhelmsen
There so far that's 13 spots filled. Now you see that Olson and Rollins are on my projected roster and I've already given my thoughts on why they should make the team so there's no point in discussing that. Although there is something I should interject about the bullpen. Let's say Olson or Rollins doesn't make the team, I actually have Danny Hultzen as a wild card to make the ball club. The Mariners may not use him as a starter but they could use him or Roenis Elias as a long innings reliever so there's my thoughts on that.
And now lets move onto my final 12 spots on the roster.
Catchers
Mike Zunino
Jesus Sucre
Infielders
Robinson Cano
Kyle Seager
Logan Morrison
Chris Taylor
Brad Miller
Rickie Weeks (OF)
Outfielders
Dustin Ackley
Nelson Cruz
Austin Jackson
Seth Smith
There's my starting 25! Now I will give my wild card players who will be in the call ups/injury replacement categories. Now D.J. Peterson may get the call up early in the season so we might see him in late June or early/late July.
Endy Chavez, James Jones, Justin Ruggiano, Stefen Romero, Willie Bloomquist, Jesus Montero, John Hicks, Patrick Kivlehan, and Franklin Guiterrez all will be in the same category as Peterson. Now, most people may not agree with my projected lineup but I would say about 22-23 of the players I picked will make the team but I do believe that all 25 will make the cut.
Both pitchers have been on fire this spring. Rollins has appeared in 4 games 4 innings with 4 strikeouts and Olson has been just as impressive going 5 innings in 3 games with 8 strikeouts in 3 games!
Both of these young pitchers could make the Mariners Opening Day 25 man roster, but they may not which is why I'm ready to give my projection for the M's Opening Day roster. And yes I know that Opening Day is a little over 4 weeks away but I still believe that these 25 guys will be the key for the Mariners to make a charge this season towards getting back to the postseason for the first time since their 116 win season. I also believe that this year's Mariners team will make a push towards winning the team's first World Series ever!
Lets begin with my projected pitchers shall I? I know your answer and its yes so I'll start off with my 5 man rotation.
1. Felix Hernandez
2. Hisashi Iwakuma
3. J.A. Happ
4. Taijuan Walker
5. James Paxton
There's your starting 5 rotation. Now I think most people would be saying right now "Yeah out of 4 of those guys I think your right but Walker come on dude!" Well here's the thing.....Walker is ready to show all you jerky haters out there what he's made of! Seriously Walker has been impressive this spring, yes again I effing know its spring training and don't give the old "look at Brad Miller last year" crap on me.
Walker has made a big impact this spring training in his 2 starts he's gone 5 innings and struck out 6 batters. His changeup and breaking ball have shown that he's ready to prove he was worth not trading as so many people wanted Jack Z to do with Walker. I truly believe that Walker will have a season worth remembering, including 10+ wins!
Now for our bullpen guys.
Danny Farqhuar
Charlie Furbush
Dominic Leone (setup guy)
Fernando Rodney (closer)
David Rollins
Tyler Olson
Carson Smith
Tom Wilhelmsen
There so far that's 13 spots filled. Now you see that Olson and Rollins are on my projected roster and I've already given my thoughts on why they should make the team so there's no point in discussing that. Although there is something I should interject about the bullpen. Let's say Olson or Rollins doesn't make the team, I actually have Danny Hultzen as a wild card to make the ball club. The Mariners may not use him as a starter but they could use him or Roenis Elias as a long innings reliever so there's my thoughts on that.
And now lets move onto my final 12 spots on the roster.
Catchers
Mike Zunino
Jesus Sucre
Infielders
Robinson Cano
Kyle Seager
Logan Morrison
Chris Taylor
Brad Miller
Rickie Weeks (OF)
Outfielders
Dustin Ackley
Nelson Cruz
Austin Jackson
Seth Smith
There's my starting 25! Now I will give my wild card players who will be in the call ups/injury replacement categories. Now D.J. Peterson may get the call up early in the season so we might see him in late June or early/late July.
Endy Chavez, James Jones, Justin Ruggiano, Stefen Romero, Willie Bloomquist, Jesus Montero, John Hicks, Patrick Kivlehan, and Franklin Guiterrez all will be in the same category as Peterson. Now, most people may not agree with my projected lineup but I would say about 22-23 of the players I picked will make the team but I do believe that all 25 will make the cut.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
M's rally to win home opener
45,661 packed Safeco Field to watch one helluva home opener for the Mariners. The M's improved their record to 5-2 with a 5-3 win over the Angels and are now 4-0 against the Angels this season. The Mariners home opener got off to both a great and rough start, as the introduction of the players and the Seahawks making an appearance pumped up the crowd. Though Albert Pujols and David Freese decided to take the crowd out of the game with back-to-back home runs.
James Paxton took the mound for the Mariners last night and became the first Mariners rookie to start a home opening game, the Angels jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Pujols hit a 2-run bomb to left and Freese followed with a solo shot to center. After that first inning Paxton though would settle down and retire the next 14 batters he would face.
In the first game the Mariners face Hector Santiago they were able to get to him early in the first and make him throw 26 pitches, this time it the M's three innings to finally get to Santiago. After the first two batters got out Brad Miller was able to get on first after a wild pitch third strike, following that Robinson Cano was able to walk on four straight pitches.
Justin Smoak then came up and hit laser shot up the gut which allowed Miller to score with ease and the M's were on the board for the first time at home this season. Corey Hart decided to give the Mariners some more runs but in a loud fashion as he drilled one into Edgar's Cantina to put the Mariners up 4-3.
In the top of the sixth inning a scary moment popped up as Paxton was taken out of the game after experiencing some tightness in his throwing arm. Paxton left the game with what would be diagnosed as a strained lat muscle in his left shoulder. Yoervis Medina was brought in to finish the sixth inning for Paxton. Medina struggled to locate his pitches but was able to strike out Mike Trout and get Freese to ground into an inning ending double play.
Paxton though is scheduled to have an MRI done on his shoulder this Wednesday, Paxton said that "It's just a little strain. I'm going to get an MRI to see what exactly is going on in there, but I just want to be careful right now. My strength is good, they said, so I just want to get it checked out."
If M's fans remember last year Stephen Pryor missed almost the entire 2013 season with a partially torn lat muscle, then had complications when he tried to return. Thankfully Paxton's injury is just a strain and if lucky could miss 1-2 starts but for now we can only hope that his injury isn't too serious.
Getting back to the recap of last night's win Hart added one more home run to his impressive night and added his 4th RBI of the game to boot with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hart now leads the team in home runs.
Manager Lloyd McClendon was now counting on his bullpen to keep the Angels hitters at bay. Danny Farqhuar came into the top of the seventh and would pitch 1.1 innings worth of work. Tom Wilhelmsen came in to relieve Farqhuar in the top of the eighth with two outs and got Trout out on strikes. Fernando Rodney was then summoned in the ninth to take aim and shoot his first arrow as a Mariner in Safeco. Rodney would give the fans a scare as he walked the first two batters he saw but settled down and was able to strike out two and get former Mariner Raul Ibanez to fly out to end the game and seal the M's victory.
Tomorrow night the M's have shot to get a two sweep on the Angels, as Roenis Elias takes the mound against Garrett Richards. Elias gave up just one run in his MLB debut but came away with a no decision, this time though I think the umpire will have a different strike zone that will be more consistent then Sean Barber.
Players of the Game: Corey Hart 2-4 2 HR 4 RBI 2 R
Justin Smoak 2-4 RBI R 2B
James Paxton took the mound for the Mariners last night and became the first Mariners rookie to start a home opening game, the Angels jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Pujols hit a 2-run bomb to left and Freese followed with a solo shot to center. After that first inning Paxton though would settle down and retire the next 14 batters he would face.
In the first game the Mariners face Hector Santiago they were able to get to him early in the first and make him throw 26 pitches, this time it the M's three innings to finally get to Santiago. After the first two batters got out Brad Miller was able to get on first after a wild pitch third strike, following that Robinson Cano was able to walk on four straight pitches.
Justin Smoak then came up and hit laser shot up the gut which allowed Miller to score with ease and the M's were on the board for the first time at home this season. Corey Hart decided to give the Mariners some more runs but in a loud fashion as he drilled one into Edgar's Cantina to put the Mariners up 4-3.
In the top of the sixth inning a scary moment popped up as Paxton was taken out of the game after experiencing some tightness in his throwing arm. Paxton left the game with what would be diagnosed as a strained lat muscle in his left shoulder. Yoervis Medina was brought in to finish the sixth inning for Paxton. Medina struggled to locate his pitches but was able to strike out Mike Trout and get Freese to ground into an inning ending double play.
Paxton though is scheduled to have an MRI done on his shoulder this Wednesday, Paxton said that "It's just a little strain. I'm going to get an MRI to see what exactly is going on in there, but I just want to be careful right now. My strength is good, they said, so I just want to get it checked out."
If M's fans remember last year Stephen Pryor missed almost the entire 2013 season with a partially torn lat muscle, then had complications when he tried to return. Thankfully Paxton's injury is just a strain and if lucky could miss 1-2 starts but for now we can only hope that his injury isn't too serious.
Getting back to the recap of last night's win Hart added one more home run to his impressive night and added his 4th RBI of the game to boot with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hart now leads the team in home runs.
Manager Lloyd McClendon was now counting on his bullpen to keep the Angels hitters at bay. Danny Farqhuar came into the top of the seventh and would pitch 1.1 innings worth of work. Tom Wilhelmsen came in to relieve Farqhuar in the top of the eighth with two outs and got Trout out on strikes. Fernando Rodney was then summoned in the ninth to take aim and shoot his first arrow as a Mariner in Safeco. Rodney would give the fans a scare as he walked the first two batters he saw but settled down and was able to strike out two and get former Mariner Raul Ibanez to fly out to end the game and seal the M's victory.
Tomorrow night the M's have shot to get a two sweep on the Angels, as Roenis Elias takes the mound against Garrett Richards. Elias gave up just one run in his MLB debut but came away with a no decision, this time though I think the umpire will have a different strike zone that will be more consistent then Sean Barber.
Players of the Game: Corey Hart 2-4 2 HR 4 RBI 2 R
Justin Smoak 2-4 RBI R 2B
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Mariners tee off to sweep the Angels
The Mariners were unable to take batting practice today because of the weather, so they decided to take their batting practice during the game. The Mariners finished off their first sweep of the season of the Angels with an 8-2 win thanks to the strength of 3 home runs and a spectacular pitching performance by James Paxton. Justin Smoak added his second home run of the season late in the game and Corey Hart hit his first Mariner home run of the season right after Smoak. Stefen Romero added his first hit and RBI in the majors as he went 2-3 tonight. The Mariners also added 4 more 2-out RBIs giving them 18 for the season.
The game got off to a rough start for both starting pitchers. Hector Santiago made his Angels debut, but he began his night off by having difficulty locating his pitches as he walked Abraham Almonte and Robinson Cano. Although the Mariners would not score in the inning, Santiago managed to strike out Brad Miller and Smoak and got Hart to fly out to end the threat.
Paxton also had difficulty locating his pitches in the bottom of the first. Thankfully after giving up a lead off double to Kole Calhoun and walking Mike Trout, he got Albert Pujols to ground into a double play and then got David Freese to line out to Almonte to end the threat.
The Mariners would strike first in the top of the third inning. With two out Miller got things started with a hustling double, after that Cano singled up the middle and Miller hustled around to score to give Cano his first RBI as a Mariner. Things would be quiet for both teams for a couple innings. Paxton stole the show though. After a rough first inning he would strikeout 5 batters through the next 4 innings, and even though the home plate umpire had an inconsistent strike zone Paxton still found a way to strike guys out.
In the top of the fifth inning the Mariners would add another run to the box score. After Zunino lead off with a single and Willie Bloomquist walked Almonte grounded into a double play but Miller hit soft line drive to left which allowed Bloomquist to score. So the M's took a 2-0 lead after 5 innings.
The sixth inning was the big inning for the Mariners. After back-to-back singles by Smoak and Hart Angels manager Mike Scioscia came out to end Santiago's night. Fernando Salas was brought in to face Romero, who got his first MLB hit 2 innings ago, this time Romero decided to hit a laser down the left field line that scored Smoak and so the M's now had a 3-0 lead. After Ackley grounded out Zunino came up and blasted his first home run of the season and put the Mariners up 6-0.
Mariners would get two more runs in the top of the ninth inning with two outs. Smoak and Hart went back-to-back and the Mariners cushion on the Angels was now 8-0. Hector Noesi was brought in to finish the game for the M's, though his one inning of work wouldn't be easy as he gave up two runs but managed to get the last three outs to secure the Mariners first sweep of the season and their first sweep against the Angels since 2006.
The Mariners begin the season 3-0 for the first time since their "Refuse To Lose" 1995 season, they now will make the trip to Oakland for a four game match up against the defending AL West Champs.
Roenis Elias is set to make his major league debut in the series opener against the Athletics, he will face Jesse Chavez who is making his first start in the majors since June 24, 2012. The Mariners will look to continue their hot start in Oakland by continuing to drive in runs with two outs but the last time a Mariner pitcher made his MLB debut against the A's, Brandon Maurer got rocked for six runs so Elias will look to have a better outing than Maurer did.
Players of the Game: James Paxton 7 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 9 Ks
Mike Zunino 2-4 1 R HR 3 RBI
Justin Smoak 2-5 2 R HR 1 RBI
Corey Hart 2-5 2 R HR 1 RBI
NOTES: Mike Trout went 2-3 in last night's game whereas the rest of the Angels team went 1-26. Out of the 26 runs the Mariners scored in the 3 game series against the Angels 18 of them came with 2 outs. The Mariners also finished the series going 12-28 with runners in scoring position.
The game got off to a rough start for both starting pitchers. Hector Santiago made his Angels debut, but he began his night off by having difficulty locating his pitches as he walked Abraham Almonte and Robinson Cano. Although the Mariners would not score in the inning, Santiago managed to strike out Brad Miller and Smoak and got Hart to fly out to end the threat.
Paxton also had difficulty locating his pitches in the bottom of the first. Thankfully after giving up a lead off double to Kole Calhoun and walking Mike Trout, he got Albert Pujols to ground into a double play and then got David Freese to line out to Almonte to end the threat.
The Mariners would strike first in the top of the third inning. With two out Miller got things started with a hustling double, after that Cano singled up the middle and Miller hustled around to score to give Cano his first RBI as a Mariner. Things would be quiet for both teams for a couple innings. Paxton stole the show though. After a rough first inning he would strikeout 5 batters through the next 4 innings, and even though the home plate umpire had an inconsistent strike zone Paxton still found a way to strike guys out.
In the top of the fifth inning the Mariners would add another run to the box score. After Zunino lead off with a single and Willie Bloomquist walked Almonte grounded into a double play but Miller hit soft line drive to left which allowed Bloomquist to score. So the M's took a 2-0 lead after 5 innings.
The sixth inning was the big inning for the Mariners. After back-to-back singles by Smoak and Hart Angels manager Mike Scioscia came out to end Santiago's night. Fernando Salas was brought in to face Romero, who got his first MLB hit 2 innings ago, this time Romero decided to hit a laser down the left field line that scored Smoak and so the M's now had a 3-0 lead. After Ackley grounded out Zunino came up and blasted his first home run of the season and put the Mariners up 6-0.
Mariners would get two more runs in the top of the ninth inning with two outs. Smoak and Hart went back-to-back and the Mariners cushion on the Angels was now 8-0. Hector Noesi was brought in to finish the game for the M's, though his one inning of work wouldn't be easy as he gave up two runs but managed to get the last three outs to secure the Mariners first sweep of the season and their first sweep against the Angels since 2006.
The Mariners begin the season 3-0 for the first time since their "Refuse To Lose" 1995 season, they now will make the trip to Oakland for a four game match up against the defending AL West Champs.
Roenis Elias is set to make his major league debut in the series opener against the Athletics, he will face Jesse Chavez who is making his first start in the majors since June 24, 2012. The Mariners will look to continue their hot start in Oakland by continuing to drive in runs with two outs but the last time a Mariner pitcher made his MLB debut against the A's, Brandon Maurer got rocked for six runs so Elias will look to have a better outing than Maurer did.
Players of the Game: James Paxton 7 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 9 Ks
Mike Zunino 2-4 1 R HR 3 RBI
Justin Smoak 2-5 2 R HR 1 RBI
Corey Hart 2-5 2 R HR 1 RBI
NOTES: Mike Trout went 2-3 in last night's game whereas the rest of the Angels team went 1-26. Out of the 26 runs the Mariners scored in the 3 game series against the Angels 18 of them came with 2 outs. The Mariners also finished the series going 12-28 with runners in scoring position.
Friday, February 14, 2014
New 2014 Seattle Mariners Projections
The Seattle Mariners off season has been looking like a playoff maybe even a World Series one. The M's just got done signing closer Fernando Rodney to a 2 year, $14 million dollar deal. So, again the Mariners are making noise in the offseason and are trying to see if they can pull off a playoff season and maybe perhaps a World Series title. The Mariners football counterpart the Seahawks just got finished with winning their first Super Bowl title in franchise history. So the Mariners have very high expectation's this year, especially when it comes to the playoffs cause lets face it the Mariners have been going-on 13 year playoff-less drought and with the signing's they have had they will look to end that drought this year.
Here is my newest projection on the Mariners with their newest additions.
Starting players
C Mike Zunino
1B Justin Smoak
2B Robinson Cano
SS Brad Miller/Nick Franklin
3B Kyle Seager
CF Dustin Ackley
RF Abraham Almonte
LF Michael Saunders or Nick Franklin
DH Corey Hart or Logan Morrison
Bench players
Logan Morrison
Willie Bloomquist
Nick Franklin or Carlos Triunfel
John Buck
Starting Rotation
Felix Hernandez
Hisashi Iwakuma
Taijuan Walker
James Paxton
Erasmo Ramirez or Scott Baker (if he makes the Spring Training cut) or a free agent
Bullpen
Blake Beaven
Stephen Pryor
Lucas Luetge
Yoervis Medina
Charlie Furbush
SU Danny Farqhuar
CL Fernando Rodney
The first thing that is up for discussion is the Brad Miller/Nick Franklin battle that will be going on at the beginning of Spring Training. To me its a no brainier, Miller will win this position battle no doubt. I mean last year Miller played great at shortstop so why replace a good thing with a struggling hitter? It would be just like having another version of Brendan Ryan......and seriously who wants that? For some reason after the All Star Break pitcher's figured him out. Franklin batted a horrible .194, struck out 77 times, and was less patient at the plate and swung at pitches that even Vladimir Guererro wouldn't have swung at.
Depending on how both Franklin and Carlos Triunfel does during Spring Training one of them will get a spot on the 25 man roster. Both have not produced hitting wise in the major's but they need to fill the 25 man roster with someone right? Now if Franklin fails at getting the spot at shortstop there is always a possibility that the M's will give him a shot in the outfield just like Ackley last year.
Next thing I should discuss is the 5th spot in the starting rotation. If the Mariners don't sign Ervin Santana then the final spot will go to either Ramirez or the non-roster invite Scott Baker. Ramirez is the first choice of course, but again if the front office goes out and spends a little more money on a possible big pitcher free agent then Ramirez could be seen doing early inning appearances in the bullpen. Also I came close to putting tom Wilhelmsen on the roster but decided better, why you ask, do I even need a reason? Or should I remind M's fans of the game in Boston on August 1st of last year?
I thought not. Wilhelmsen last year began the season with a great start, but then all of a sudden he had control problems and had major meltdowns and blew saves left and right. Danny Farqhuar on the other hand pitch amazing once he was given the closer position he was light's out, so with Rodney being signed Farqhuar will become the setup man.
Now before I end this post I do want to get on the bench players. First Willie Bloomquist, I'm happy that he has been brought back to his Northwest roots to play with the Mariners as a utility player and a speedy late inning pinch runner. Then we have John Buck, probably my favorite signing besides Cano this off season. Buck provides the necessary veteran role that 2nd year catcher Mike Zunino needs to learn about his position and become a better catcher and hitter. Basically the M's signed a bench player who still has a great arm as a catcher and can hit for power.
This off season has seen a number of great signings and the season is less then a month away from beginning. My only hope for the Mariners is that the team can improve with their hitting with runners in scoring position to help out Cano and score to win more ball games. If they do that, I see an 87-89 win season, with a Wild Card title and hopefully a World Series berth.
Let the season BEGIN!!!
Here is my newest projection on the Mariners with their newest additions.
Starting players
C Mike Zunino
1B Justin Smoak
2B Robinson Cano
SS Brad Miller/Nick Franklin
3B Kyle Seager
CF Dustin Ackley
RF Abraham Almonte
LF Michael Saunders or Nick Franklin
DH Corey Hart or Logan Morrison
Bench players
Logan Morrison
Willie Bloomquist
Nick Franklin or Carlos Triunfel
John Buck
Starting Rotation
Felix Hernandez
Hisashi Iwakuma
Taijuan Walker
James Paxton
Erasmo Ramirez or Scott Baker (if he makes the Spring Training cut) or a free agent
Bullpen
Blake Beaven
Stephen Pryor
Lucas Luetge
Yoervis Medina
Charlie Furbush
SU Danny Farqhuar
CL Fernando Rodney
The first thing that is up for discussion is the Brad Miller/Nick Franklin battle that will be going on at the beginning of Spring Training. To me its a no brainier, Miller will win this position battle no doubt. I mean last year Miller played great at shortstop so why replace a good thing with a struggling hitter? It would be just like having another version of Brendan Ryan......and seriously who wants that? For some reason after the All Star Break pitcher's figured him out. Franklin batted a horrible .194, struck out 77 times, and was less patient at the plate and swung at pitches that even Vladimir Guererro wouldn't have swung at.
Depending on how both Franklin and Carlos Triunfel does during Spring Training one of them will get a spot on the 25 man roster. Both have not produced hitting wise in the major's but they need to fill the 25 man roster with someone right? Now if Franklin fails at getting the spot at shortstop there is always a possibility that the M's will give him a shot in the outfield just like Ackley last year.
Next thing I should discuss is the 5th spot in the starting rotation. If the Mariners don't sign Ervin Santana then the final spot will go to either Ramirez or the non-roster invite Scott Baker. Ramirez is the first choice of course, but again if the front office goes out and spends a little more money on a possible big pitcher free agent then Ramirez could be seen doing early inning appearances in the bullpen. Also I came close to putting tom Wilhelmsen on the roster but decided better, why you ask, do I even need a reason? Or should I remind M's fans of the game in Boston on August 1st of last year?
I thought not. Wilhelmsen last year began the season with a great start, but then all of a sudden he had control problems and had major meltdowns and blew saves left and right. Danny Farqhuar on the other hand pitch amazing once he was given the closer position he was light's out, so with Rodney being signed Farqhuar will become the setup man.
Now before I end this post I do want to get on the bench players. First Willie Bloomquist, I'm happy that he has been brought back to his Northwest roots to play with the Mariners as a utility player and a speedy late inning pinch runner. Then we have John Buck, probably my favorite signing besides Cano this off season. Buck provides the necessary veteran role that 2nd year catcher Mike Zunino needs to learn about his position and become a better catcher and hitter. Basically the M's signed a bench player who still has a great arm as a catcher and can hit for power.
This off season has seen a number of great signings and the season is less then a month away from beginning. My only hope for the Mariners is that the team can improve with their hitting with runners in scoring position to help out Cano and score to win more ball games. If they do that, I see an 87-89 win season, with a Wild Card title and hopefully a World Series berth.
Let the season BEGIN!!!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
New 2014 Seattle Mariners Projections
The Seattle Mariners have made headlines this off season, by signing Robinson Cano to a 10 year $240 million dollar contract. They have also added Corey Hart and Logan Morrison (@CupOfLoMo) via trade. So the question is "Just how good will the Mariners become after these signings?". With the Angels trading away Mark Trumbo to the Arizona Diamondbacks the Angels are now down to three big names; Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, and Albert Pujols. But out of those three players one produced MVP type numbers and the Angels finished in 3rd place last with a 78-84 record (their first losing season since 2003).
Now, the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers are the only competition the Mariners really have in the American League West. The Houston Astros had some success against the Mariners last year but finished with the worst record in baseball (51-111). So, really what chances do the Mariners have this year of being a playoff bound team? The answer is......I think they have a fair shot at becoming a Wild Card team if not the winners of the AL West.
Last year the Mariners finished second in baseball in home runs with 188! Cant remember the last time the Mariners were ever in the top 5 in home runs. Now the Mariners have had a couple players that will not be returning this year including Kendrys Morales, Carter Capps (traded to Miami for Morrison), Raul Ibanez, and Franklin Gutierrez.
With the current players that are on the active roster this is my projected starting lineup and starting rotation.
SS Brad Miller
CF Dustin Ackley/Nick Franklin
2B Robinson Cano
DH Corey Hart
3B Kyle Seager
1B Justin Smoak
C Mike Zunino
RF Michael Saunders
LF Abraham Almonte
Bench
Logan Morrison
Willie Bloomquist
Carlos Triunfel
Jesus Sucre
Starting Rotation
Felix Hernandez
Hisashi Iwakuma
Taijuan Walker
James Paxton
Erasmo Ramirez
Bullpen
Charlie Furbush
Blake Beaven
Lucas Luetge
Yoervis Medina
Tom Wilhelmsen (hate to say it)
Stephen Pryor
Danny Farquhar
Now, Nick Franklin im not sure if he or Dustin Ackley will be on the Opening Day roster spring training is going to see both Franklin and Ackley battle for the final roster spot. Franklin might even be traded before then, but I do believe that the M's will try the Ackley experiment on him and give him a shot out in the outfield. Seeing Wilhelmsen on the roster is not something Mariners fans want to see but who else is there?
The Mariners did make a great pickup in Willie Bloomquist, with his utility ability and veteran experience in the clubhouse the front office signed him to a 2 year $5.8 million dollar contract and again I believe the front office made a smart choice in signing Willie and not resigning Raul Ibanez. Ibanez had a great season last year but during the second half of the season went down hill.
The Mariners pitching staff though is hoping for a full and healthy season from Stephen Pryor, with his 100mph fastball he and Danny Farquhar will be battling who will be the full time closer. As you remember Farquhar had a great rookie season after The Bartender was fired from his closing duties. Farquhar saved 16 games out of the 20 attempts while appearing in 46 games. So its going to be exciting to see which one of these young men get the closing job, whoever does is going to have a great season this year.
Now let me go ahead and give my thought on the lineup I gave. First off its a no brainier that Robinson Cano is going to be batting 3rd. I mean Miller is going give a possible first run for the M's in the lead off spot, so again Cano is the logical choice as the #3 hitter. With Brad Miller and Dustin Ackley (or Nick Franklin) will give Cano the speed to drive in one or two runs even three if he hits a home run so again Cano in the 3rd spot is a no doubter.
Now Seager batting the 5-hole is the best thing Mariners manager Llyod McClenndon can do. Seager batted .356 last year while hitting in the 5-hole and had a ratio of 1 out of every 9 plate appearance where he struck out! Career wise Seager is a better hitter when he bats #5; he has a career batting average of .324 and has only struck out 42 times in 319 plate appearances.
Basically my lineup speaks for itself. Smoak and Zunino after Seager fits perfectly as they can get hit for extra bases and drive in runs and following those two are Michael Saunders and Abraham Almonte who when on base pose a threat to steal bases and get into scoring position. Seriously can this lineup I gave be anymore dangerous and can this starting rotation be anymore threatening? The answer is yes.
My prediction for this team is going to impressive at the least. 2014 will see the Seattle Mariners post 90+ wins for the first time since 2003 and will be a great threat for the both the Wild Card and the American League West title. Cano will lead the way for hitters and Felix will do his part in leading the way pitching wise. No one has yet to say just how threatening this Mariners team can and will be this upcoming season and that's great because what better way to show the baseball world how deadly this team is then by proving to the experts and the doubters.
This season will also see 3 maybe even 5 members of the team going to the All Star game including Cano being the first Mariner since Brett Boone in 03 to compete in the Homerun Derby.
Be prepared Mariners fans for a great season.
Now, the Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers are the only competition the Mariners really have in the American League West. The Houston Astros had some success against the Mariners last year but finished with the worst record in baseball (51-111). So, really what chances do the Mariners have this year of being a playoff bound team? The answer is......I think they have a fair shot at becoming a Wild Card team if not the winners of the AL West.
Last year the Mariners finished second in baseball in home runs with 188! Cant remember the last time the Mariners were ever in the top 5 in home runs. Now the Mariners have had a couple players that will not be returning this year including Kendrys Morales, Carter Capps (traded to Miami for Morrison), Raul Ibanez, and Franklin Gutierrez.
With the current players that are on the active roster this is my projected starting lineup and starting rotation.
SS Brad Miller
CF Dustin Ackley/Nick Franklin
2B Robinson Cano
DH Corey Hart
3B Kyle Seager
1B Justin Smoak
C Mike Zunino
RF Michael Saunders
LF Abraham Almonte
Bench
Logan Morrison
Willie Bloomquist
Carlos Triunfel
Jesus Sucre
Starting Rotation
Felix Hernandez
Hisashi Iwakuma
Taijuan Walker
James Paxton
Erasmo Ramirez
Bullpen
Charlie Furbush
Blake Beaven
Lucas Luetge
Yoervis Medina
Tom Wilhelmsen (hate to say it)
Stephen Pryor
Danny Farquhar
Now, Nick Franklin im not sure if he or Dustin Ackley will be on the Opening Day roster spring training is going to see both Franklin and Ackley battle for the final roster spot. Franklin might even be traded before then, but I do believe that the M's will try the Ackley experiment on him and give him a shot out in the outfield. Seeing Wilhelmsen on the roster is not something Mariners fans want to see but who else is there?
The Mariners did make a great pickup in Willie Bloomquist, with his utility ability and veteran experience in the clubhouse the front office signed him to a 2 year $5.8 million dollar contract and again I believe the front office made a smart choice in signing Willie and not resigning Raul Ibanez. Ibanez had a great season last year but during the second half of the season went down hill.
The Mariners pitching staff though is hoping for a full and healthy season from Stephen Pryor, with his 100mph fastball he and Danny Farquhar will be battling who will be the full time closer. As you remember Farquhar had a great rookie season after The Bartender was fired from his closing duties. Farquhar saved 16 games out of the 20 attempts while appearing in 46 games. So its going to be exciting to see which one of these young men get the closing job, whoever does is going to have a great season this year.
Now let me go ahead and give my thought on the lineup I gave. First off its a no brainier that Robinson Cano is going to be batting 3rd. I mean Miller is going give a possible first run for the M's in the lead off spot, so again Cano is the logical choice as the #3 hitter. With Brad Miller and Dustin Ackley (or Nick Franklin) will give Cano the speed to drive in one or two runs even three if he hits a home run so again Cano in the 3rd spot is a no doubter.
Now Seager batting the 5-hole is the best thing Mariners manager Llyod McClenndon can do. Seager batted .356 last year while hitting in the 5-hole and had a ratio of 1 out of every 9 plate appearance where he struck out! Career wise Seager is a better hitter when he bats #5; he has a career batting average of .324 and has only struck out 42 times in 319 plate appearances.
Basically my lineup speaks for itself. Smoak and Zunino after Seager fits perfectly as they can get hit for extra bases and drive in runs and following those two are Michael Saunders and Abraham Almonte who when on base pose a threat to steal bases and get into scoring position. Seriously can this lineup I gave be anymore dangerous and can this starting rotation be anymore threatening? The answer is yes.
My prediction for this team is going to impressive at the least. 2014 will see the Seattle Mariners post 90+ wins for the first time since 2003 and will be a great threat for the both the Wild Card and the American League West title. Cano will lead the way for hitters and Felix will do his part in leading the way pitching wise. No one has yet to say just how threatening this Mariners team can and will be this upcoming season and that's great because what better way to show the baseball world how deadly this team is then by proving to the experts and the doubters.
This season will also see 3 maybe even 5 members of the team going to the All Star game including Cano being the first Mariner since Brett Boone in 03 to compete in the Homerun Derby.
Be prepared Mariners fans for a great season.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Sea-Talk Intentional Podcast Episode 17
Today i interview Seahawks legend Walter Jones and i talk Mariners and the off season
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-129537/TS-810367.mp3
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-129537/TS-810367.mp3
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
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!