Mariners

Davis will represent Mariners at ’13 Draft

Mariners Hall of Famer Alvin Davis has been selected to represent the club at the 2013 First-Year Player Draft on June 6 at MLB Network's Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J.

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Pregame news and notes, Angels 5/21

After pretty much the worst possible result in a four-game set in Cleveland, the 20-25 Mariners return west to play two games in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels (17-27) have struggled mightily in 2013, and lost three of four at Safeco Field a few weeks ago. Before the game, here are some news and notes to digest.

Harang back on the mound

Aaron Harang will toe the rubber tonight for the first time since May 7, after he missed his last start with back stiffness. Harang had strung together consecutive quality starts for the first time in 2013 in his two previous starts. Hector Noesi made the start for him in New York last Thursday and helped the Mariners to a victory. It was the Mariners most recent win. Harang, 1-4 with a 7.30 ERA, is still seeking his first road win of 2013.

Smoak quietly surging

With so many other offensive weapons garnering attention for the Mariners this year, Justin Smoak has flown under the radar. His .252 batting average with three homers and eight RBI don’t jump off the page, but he’s been hot lately. He has a five-game hittting streak, has reached base in 14 consecutive contests and hit two home runs this weekend, both in late game situations. His on-base percentage is solid as well (.366) and he has a 2-t0-3 walks to strikeouts ratio, way up from his sub-1-to-2 ratio from 2012. The Mariners have to stick with Smoak as their future at first.

Quick facts

Here are some interesting numbers from the Mariners’ game notes press release today:

  • Tom Wilhelmsen has not allowed a hit to a right-handed batter in 2013. Righties are 0-for-31 against the Bartender.
  • Raul Ibanez has six home runs in the last eight games he’s played. Because, you know, he’s Raul.
  • The Mariners rotation is tied for the American League lead in quality starts with 26, despite having just one this weekend (Brandon Maurer).
  • Brendan Ryan has raised his batting average 66 points to .178 with a 9-for-25 clip on the current road trip. He hit his first home run on Saturday.
  • The Mariners rank last in the league with a .213 batting average with runners in scoring position in 2013. They hit .190 with RISP on the road.

Brandon Maurer takes on Jerome Williams at 7:05 PT.

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Smoak on fire over past month

Over the past 30 days, Justin Smoak ranks second among American League first baseman in on-base percentage (.422), fourth in batting average (.297), sixth in OPS (.922) and eighth in slugging percentage (.500).

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Endy contributing when name is called

Endy Chavez has seen his playing time dip since Michael Saunders returned from the disabled list, but the veteran outfielder has still found ways to contribute.

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Afternoon Links, 5/21

It’s been a rough few days for the Mariners, as their once-promising rise to possibly getting above .500 has tailspinned into a hapless 20-25. Is there hope for the M’s? I scoured to the blogosphere to try and find some.

  • Lookout NW’s Jon Shields found some in Justin Smoak’s huge tenth inning dinger yesterday. Or did he? I think he did. Well, read the article and decide for yourself.
  • The same blog’s Scott Weber pointed out something that Anthony Davis immediately alerted me to after Jesus Montero didn’t stay on home plate in the final play of Saturday’s loss: he used the wrong foot. I’m frankly done with Montero as a catcher, since he does screw up so much and cannot throw out a base runner to save his life.
  • Geoff Baker’s latest post is all about trying to find optimism in the difficult series. He discounts the losses since the Indians are one of the best teams in baseball right now.
  • Kelly Shoppach loved his time in Cleveland, and that’s probably why he decided to join up with his old manager Eric Wedge.
  • MLB’s Anthony Castrovince says that the Mariners have reasons to stay optimistic even after the series. He says that the Mariners are close to contending, but aren’t there yet as the series showed.
  • Jeff Sullivan focused on “moments of worth” in Monday’s loss. He enjoyed Endy Chavez’s and Justin Smoak’s late homers.

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By the numbers: Mariners swept by Indians

The Indians thoroughly enjoyed the Mariners’ visit. David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball, more than any other sport, is all about numbers. This was the case even before the sabermetric craze that divides analysts today and inspires numerous a JJ Keller column on this website. In this new segment, I take a look at the numbers that shaped a series, beginning with the disastrous sweep in Cleveland this past weekend.

75 – Percent of the games that ended in Cleveland walkoffs. Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes all delivered game-ending hits against Mariner relievers in the series. This brutal stretch of three paintful defeats in four actually isn’t unprecedented for Seattle, who suffered a similar feat at the hands of the Orioles and Indians back in May of 2011. Avoid Cleveland in May is good advice for Seattlelites. Actually, just avoid Cleveland in general.

5 – Earned runs allowed by both Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma in their Sunday-Monday starts. Felix took his third loss of 2013 while the Mariners continued to hit for Iwakuma, and he earned a no decision. The Mariners cannot win wiht their one-two punch leaking runs like both did this weekend.

3 – Home runs Mariners hit off of Chris Perez in his two appearances in the series. When Perez came in with a two run lead and quickly retired the first two Mariners he faced, the game was assumed over. But back-to-back jacks from Raul Ibanez and Justin Smoak gave the Mariners new life (which they would soon extinguish). In Monday’s ninth inning, Perez served up a lead-off, pinch-hit homer to Endy Chavez of all people.

11 – Hits allowed in 5.1 innings by Joe Saunders Saturday in what Root Sports analysts were calling “a good start” from the veteran lefty. No! That was a terrible start! Are you crazy? The wind knocked down a home run and gifted him a double play and he still gave up a home run to the next batter he faced! No more road Joe please.

430 – Pitches thrown by Mariners starters, in appearances that ranged between five and six innings in length. Only Brandon Maurer produced a quality start of the four. All four threw over 100 pitches.

2 (but really 3) – Errors committed by pitchers in Monday morning’s horrendous 10-8 loss. Iwakuma made an early error and Charlie Furbush screwed up a late sacrifice bunt play but the error was charge to Smoak. But none was more glaring or costly than Tom Wilhelmsen’s clank job as he stepped on first for the game’s final out. That error marked Wilhelmsen’s first blown save of 2013 in 12 chances.

7 – Batters retired consecutively by Danny Farquhar in his first appearance with the Mariners. He struck out five of them, but his great performance will be lost in the shuffle of an overall terrible series.

1 – Home run on the season for Brendan Ryan, who turned the corner in Cleveland. He went 5-for-13 with his first two extra base hits of 2013. Will he go on a tear and fight his way over the Mendoza line now? Who knows?

The Mariners play at 7:05 PT in Anaheim tonight and will try and snap the four-game skid this horrific series put them on.

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Baseball dignitaries will represent at ’13 Draft

A star-studded cast of accomplished baseball legends will be on hand for the first day of the First-Year Player Draft on June 6, as the league welcomes its next crop of top prospects.

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Today’s MLB starting lineups: May 21

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

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Struggling Mariners have reasons to stay optimistic

While the Mariners have struggled, their crop of young players give them reason to be optimistic. If hitters like Jesus Montero and Dustin Ackley get on track, they can help support a young group of pitchers waiting to come up from the Minors.

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Mariners looking to flip script at Angel Stadium

Seattle has won only nine of its last 33 games in Anaheim, where the Angels will send Jerome Williams to the mound Tuesday night against Mariners right-hander Aaron Harang.

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Mariners can’t hold leads, fall on walk-off HR in 10th

An Indians team that has the best record in the Majors since April 20 found yet another way to win Monday at Progressive Field, completing a four-game sweep of the Mariners with an improbable 10-8 comeback for their third walk-off win of the series.

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After workout, Harang ready to make next start

Veteran right-hander Aaron Harang did some running and tests on Monday, and the Mariners plan on starting him Tuesday in Anaheim after he missed his last outing in New York due to lower back stiffness.

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Mariners need to hit better with men in scoring position

In three losses in Cleveland over the weekend, the Mariners were just 1-for-20 (.050) with runners in scoring position. Given the walk-off losses on Friday and Saturday, a clutch hit or two could have changed the complexion of the weekend dramatically.

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Maurer excited for SoCal homecoming

Mariners right-hander Brandon Maurer grew up in Costa Mesa, Calif., about 12 miles from Angel Stadium, where he'll start on Wednesday, and says he attended about 10 or more Angels games a year as a youngster.

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Today’s MLB starting lineups: May 20

Every lineup, every day, as they are made public by the clubs.

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