Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog
Week 2 = Mariners Fan Apathy Already?
I’m packing for a weeklong trip to London in a minute but thought I would put together a quick post about my thoughts from week 2 of the 2013 Seattle Mariners season. What strikes me most so far is not only the cold start we have gotten off to, or the cold weather but the blatant fan apathy as evidenced by the low turnout this past week. The Mariners set, and then reset the all-time low record for attendance this week in games 2 and 3 of the ill – fated Houston Astros series. Things weren’t much better when Felix Hernandez took the mound for the opener against the Texas Rangers when despite the hoopla of the Kings court etc. only 22,000 braved the cold weather to make it down to Safeco Field to watch that bitter loss. Last night Hisashi Iwakuma threw another nice game to beat the Rangers Ace Yu Darvish and yet was backed by only15, 000 fans on a Friday night. And I’m going to bet that with the Hail and thunderstorms we are having today here in Seattle there won’t be more than 12 o 13 thousand “ True to The Blue” Mariners fans in the stands tonight which doesn’t bode well for the marketing folks and bean counters who are frantically trying to fill seats in 2013.
So one can only speculate that if fewer and fewer fans are actually make it down to Safeco Field than probably even fewer are watching the game on TV, and still fewer are reading Mariners Blogs like Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog! Of course you might want to read this blog a little more if I were to write a little more, but I’m thinking that after the last three years of demoralizing Mariners seasons I’m at best going to be a part-time Mariners Fan blog writer this year. And of course once again I welcome anyone out there in the cyber world who feels they have something to say about this ballclub to get a hold of me and we can arrange a way for you to write once or twice a week. If not it will be hit and miss as far as production here, sort of like our offense with this year’s Mariners.
I’m not even sure where to start as far as a recap for week two except to say that is has been predominantly dismal, coupled with a rash of injuries but as they say it is still really early. If somehow we could win this Texas series and the Detroit series (I know this is a tall order), we may weather the early part of this season all right and the fair weather –fans will start coming out to the ballpark, if not it could get real ugly if we’re seeing home games with only 7 or 8 thousand fans down at the Safe.
Now I’m not going to subject you go on my usual tirade against the Mariners ownership or Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley, or Jesus Montero. Instead I’m just trying to test the waters and see what the rest of you out there feel about this franchise, our chance of winning, and what it’s going to take to keep you actively involved in this 2013 season? It’s amazing that just a few weeks ago we were all holding our heads high anticipating a .500 season after that great spring, which we know now really does mean nothing, but reality is here in what I would considered to be a make or break season for both Eric Wedge and Jack Zduriencik. As most of you know by now I’ve been following this team for most of the past 36 years through good times and bad, but I think finally the Mariners so-called ownership group has wasted the chance to bring in almost a full generation of potential Mariners fans by giving us such a weak product for the past 10 years. This really is a pity as I know how much people in Seattle like to support their teams, one only has to look over to the Seahawks this year to see the zaniness and enthusiasm are residents exude once our teams start winning. So time will tell, I will be out of the country until the 22nd so won’t be posting anything, for all I know I may not even keep track of the standings, which to be something new for me but I will probably at least check my twitter account and keep track of what’s going on here in the Mariners world. Go Mariners! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Early 2013, hisashi iwakuma, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners Fan apathy
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Mariners Week One in Review
The Seattle Mariners are flying back home tonight after dropping the final game of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox 4 to 3 in the bottom of the 10th inning after Cameron Lowe served up a walkoff home run to Viciedo in what was almost an expected outcome in the Wind City. I have watched parts or all of this week’s games and have mixed emotions about our prospects for 2013. The bright spots are Michael Morse who has five home runs already, Kendrys Morales, who had three hits today including a home run and Hisashi Iwakuma who has pitched two great games, including today’s eight inning outing. Michael Saunders and Franklin Gutierrez are both ready to contribute with their bats along with a resurgent Brendon Ryan who is contributing not only with his glove as usual but with his stick so far this year too.
But despite the power surge provided by Morse and Morales, Mariners still stranded seven base runners in both today’s and in yesterday’s losses to the White Sox. This looks so much like what we have seen for the past three years that it’s grown commonplace around here which is unacceptable. However I do have faith that Eric Wedge and Jack Zdurierncik, along with the Mariners ownership group understand that we Mariners fans are ready to compete now, and won’t be rushing down to Safeco Field after Opening Night to spend our hard-earned entertainment dollars and a losing team anymore. I could be wrong but I doubt Justin Smoak or Dustin Ackley or anyone else for that matter, will get a free pass to flounder in the Major Leagues indefinitely like they have in the past when we have so much talent in the minors itching to come up. In the pitching area alone we have the big three: Hultzen, Paxton, and Walker down in the minors as well as Jeremy Bonderman and Erasamo Ramirez all close to being ready to go, and after watching the back three of our rotation all looking shaky this first week I would imagine they won’t be given more than four or five starts before someone is called up.
It gets a little more interesting with Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak, especially Ackley who had a rough sophomore season and so far is only one for 20 with his new batting stance that looks even more awkward than what he was using last year. Somehow it seemed that Dustin Ackley was considered untouchable no matter what he did but now with Nick Franklin and Brad Miller down in the Minors looking good I think that mentality may be shifting. As for Smoak Initially it seemed he had a new approach at the plate, but the past few games he’s look awkward, nervous and just sort of “Rookie Like” which we have been watching for three years now and it’s getting really old. I saw him today in the seventh inning try to stretch a single into a double and get thrown out by 5 feet and then follow that up later in the game swinging at a third strike that was way outside of the strike zone in a key situation, this sort of looks like the same old Justin Smoak of the past so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kendrys Morales get a few more days starting at first base especially in light of his big offensive outing today.
But having said all that it will be nice to have our boys back home here at Safeco taking on the hapless Houston Astros for three games starting Monday night. I have been to opening-night before and enjoy all the pomp and excitement, but I will be taking a pass this year and instead I am planning on head down to the Safe on either Tuesday or Wednesday night to catch a game. With the soggy weather outside it really doesn’t feel much like baseball season here in Seattle but I needed to put a post on this Mariners Blog for my few loyal fans out there who read me on a regular basis. As usual there is an open invitation for any of you fans of: Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog to post articles yourself. If you feel like writing here, send me an email or a comment and we can work something out. Because after all this is the Mariners blog where the Fans call the Plays! Go Mariners! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Early 2013, Hisashi Iwakuma good start, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners Blog, Michael Morse five home runs, Safeco Opening Night Monday, seattle mariners
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Rituals of Spring unfolding once again
Spring Training 1932 in St. Petersburg Florida L-R Lou Mc Evoy, Hank Johnson Gordon ” Dusty” Rhodes,George Miner
It has been a rough weekend for me as I attended a couple of memorials for friends of mine who passed away recently. On the way to the second one for Jack Brenner today I did manage to listen to the radio broadcast of today’s Mariners- Padres game featuring the soothing voice of young Aaron Goldsmith recently brought up from Triple A Pawtucket to call games this year with Rick Rizzs. Jack was a great baseball fan and like myself was a former jock, if he were still with us he would appreciate the photo above which includes my grandfather Gordon Rhodes in St. Petersburg Florida in the early going of spring training 1932
Life has its rhythm, birth and death, winter and eventually spring which heralds the advent of a new season of baseball our national pastime and with it the battles for jobs featuring rookies and aging veterans plays out in front of the lucky few who make the pilgrimage to Spring Training each year. As you can guess I usually root for the veterans to hang on for one more season as I gradually move into my Golden Years! So I was glad to hear that Raul Ibanez hit a three-run home run off former teammate Freddy Garcia in the first inning today in the Mariners a to three victory over the Padres. Garcia made his debut with the Mariners in 1999 when Ibanez was enjoying his first stint with the Mariners, and the old warhorse is struggling to find a home with the Padres, sadly today’s outing didn’t help his case much as he gave up five runs four of them earned and also hit a batter. But at lbanez had a good day going two for three as he like veteran Jason Bay who homered this weekend try to rekindle the magic in their swings in order to make the 25 man roster. Young right-hander Erasmo Ramirez made his first start of the spring, throwing one inning of one-hit ball; Ramirez saw limited action and only threw 15 pitches today.
Left-hander James Paxton also gave up a lone single his one inning of work in the second. Closer Tom Wilhelmsen topped out it 96 mph on the radar gun when he threw a hitless third inning. The Mariners ended up taken two of three from the Padres and will play the Angels tomorrow at 12:05 PM Peoria in a game that will feature veteran right-hander Jeremy Bonderman who hasn’t pitched since 2010 when he was with the Tigers, Bonderman is coming back from shoulder and elbow injuries and is another interesting guy to watch as he tries to make the club.
In other news apparently the Seattle Times is going to begin charging for online news beginning next month. As we all know with the advent of the Internet lots of newspapers have either gone under or like the Times begun to charge for subscriptions. It is kind of sad to watch Seattle go from a two newspaper town down to one, and now we will have to pay to read about the Mariners on Geoff Baker’s Blog. I suppose on the upside it may drive a little traffic my way to Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog, where in this case creating and publishing this blog may cost me a few bucks but it is certainly a labor of love. Thanks for the memories Jack…. Go Mariners!http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Aaron Goldsmith Mariners announcer, Freddy Garicia Padres, Gordon Rhodes Yankees, Historical Baseball, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Raul Ibanez Home run, Seattle Times Geoff Baker, Spring 2013, Yankees St. Petersburg Spring Training
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Which Justin Smoak will We get in 2013?
Alvin Davis in Peoria” src=”http://jeffsmariners.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/smoak-alvindavis.jpg” width=”555″ height=”354″ /> Justin Smoak talking to Alvin Davis in Peoria
Like many of you in the cold dreary Pacific Northwest my thoughts today drifted down to Peoria Arizona wondering what’s going on as the Seattle Mariners start camp for the 2013 season. There are quite a few questions lingering in the air this year as Eric Wedge tries to put together a starting lineup that will compete in the tough AL West.
One of the biggest questions on the minds of fans here in Seattle is which Justin Smoak will show up for 2013, will it be the Justin Smoak who looks slow and awkward, or will it be just the Justin Smoak that ended the 2012 campaign on a roll? Manager Eric Wedge said today: “Of course, playing against Morales, I know what he’s all about. Right here, sitting here today, we’re lined up where Smoak is going to get the bulk of the time at first base and Kendrys is going to get the bulk of the time DHing. But we’ve got enough flexibility and versatility where we can change off that if we need to.”
So it looks like first base is Justin Smaok’s to lose so to speak, and frankly I would love to see the kid finally break loose and hit 25 or 30 homers in 2013, if not Wedge has some options at first including Kendrys Morales or possibly Michael Morse or even Jesus Montero. Though the media and fans around Seattle like to refer to guys like Justin Smaok, Dustin Ackley, Kyle Seager and Michael Saunders as “Kids” the truth is it’s time to put up or shut up for these guys, especially Justin Smoak who came over in the Cliff Lee deal in 2010.
In other news apparently Kendrys Morales, Raul Ibanez, Jason Bay and Mike Morse put on quite a show at the batting cage on Sunday. If these four guys can produce like they are capable of, coupled with the fences at Safeco Field being moved in, we may just have something to cheer about in 2013 after all. Of course camp is just opening up and we have a long way to go before we get down to the 25 man opening day roster, I look for some surprises and wish I was down there again this year to see the players both young and old competing for jobs with the Seattle Mariners. In other news today :
PHOENIX — Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said Monday he was engaged with a “good number” of teams about Mike Carp, the outfielder-first baseman designated for assignment last week, and was closing in on a trade.
“I would say there’s a good chance we get something done in the next 24-48 hours,” Zduriencik said
So there it stands as we speak, things are looking up and with the addition of the Houston Astros into the tough AL West I’m hoping we can at least stay out of the cellar, and if things come together right maybe even finishing the year with a .500 record. That’s not too much to ask for all of us long – suffering Mariners fans, stay tuned folks lots of baseball to come at Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog “Where the fans call the plays” Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Eric Wedge on Justin Smoak, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Jutin Smoak 2013 Mariners, Safeco Field fences, seattle mariners, Spring 2013
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Welcome to Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog 2013
Safeco Field is calling…
Well the Super Bowl is over and with it another long NFL season will come to an end. This can mean only one thing, that’s right baseball season is just around the corner. The 2013 Seattle mariners have already sent a few trucks loaded with gear down to Peoria Arizona and the pitchers and catchers will be reporting in about a week.
This site will be up and running soon as we prepare for the 2013 campaign. We have added some offense this winter, as well as finally moving in the fences so hopefully this year we will see it turn around and perhaps even compete.
In the meantime please follow me on Facebook and Twitter at: Jeff’s Mariners on Facebook and @Jeffs Mariners on twitter. You may also subscribe to every post on this exciting upcoming season by clicking the orange icon in the right-hand column in order to subscribe to my blog and receive email updates every time I publish a new article.
I look forward to season number four with Jeff’s Mariners fan blog and as usual welcome not only comments but any articles my loyal readers want to have published here. Let me know if you are interested in being a part-time writer on Jeff’s Mariners fan blog “Where the fans call the plays”. Go Mariners!
Tags: Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Peoria Arizona, seattle mariners, Spring 2013
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2011 Voyage over for Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog
I managed to watch part of tonight’s game while I was packing for my flight to Italy in the morning and was not even fazed by the 7-0 trouncing at the hands of The Oakland A’s as I was focusing on my thoughts for my farewell Mariners Blog for 2011. I guess to sum it up this long season which began for me in Peoria was slightly better than 2010 and a little less painful to watch and write about. I did pick the Mariners to finish third this year and for awhile it looked like we were going to do that or better until the melt-down in the ninth to the Nationals when my gut told me this whole competing thing was over. It was fun watching our guys play over their heads for a couple of months and if Jack Z. can find the elusive big bat to add to this lineup this winter we may get to compete longer than two months next year.
I started this season as a last place sort of Blog again this year behind the corporate media and more established sabermetrics type sites here in the Mariners Blogoshere. And for a minute during our hot-streak my numbers really began to pick-up but alas the 17-game losing streak came and all the fair weather fans stopped paying attention to the Mariners. So once again after my second year in the Mariners Blogoshere I find myself just like the Mariners at the bottom of the heap. But of course I don’t care as after 30 years as a Mariners fan I have learned to take the long view. I continue to operate this site without the cheesey advertisments that many of my fellow bloggers seem to chase in order to make a few bucks to offset the costs associated with producing and maintaining a website to host a Mariners Blog. Yes you guessed it I do this for the love of the game and do appreciate all my loyal readers from around the world who have stuck with me over this long voyage.
I also want to thank the Seattle PI and the other sites who have carried my posts on a regular basis along with my regular commenters ie Mike and Scott who actually contributed several great article this year. For what it is worth I realize that my grammar and punctuation are not always perfect but for an old Merchant Mariner who hunts and pecks out each post I think I am making some slight progress after my second year on a job that pays nothing!
I will be out of the country for the next 11 days and though I won’t be to upset to miss Anthony Vasquez’s final start of the year for the 2011 Mariners, I will be wondering who wins the AL and NL wild card spots while I am in transit to Genoa. By the time I get back first round of the playoffs will be over and I hope to write some postseason Blogs once I pick my bandwagon teams!
But for now this will be the final regular season post on the 2011 Seattle Mariners. I again want to thank all of my loyal readers and look forward to picking things back up again in Peoria next spring. I love Baseball and as bad as this year was I do see some hope for the future, remember “Hope Floats” Go Mariners http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 2011 Mariners voyage over, Is it over yet?, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners Blog, Mariners Blogosphere, Merchant Mariner, seattle mariners
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Mariners Blogger diagnosed with Mariners-Poisoning, put on DL
I am sorry to inform all of my loyal readers (The fab 40!) that I have been feeling under the weather for the past several days and thus have not felt up to posting here. I forced myself to get out of bed to watch the game today and it is 8-2 Blue Jays in the 4th inning so I am going back to bed. My symptoms include chills, sweating and occasional rashes that are quite similar to symptoms from Food-Poisoning but I think in this case it is Mariners-Poisoning.
It is clear to me by now that we are probably heading to another 100-loss season at this rate and I cannot justify spending time watching the games ,doing research, rewrites etc. for team that is finding a new way to lose every day. In the event I start feeling better or the Mariners win two games in a row I will resume activity here at Jeff”s Mariners Fan Blog. Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
P.S. If you want to help me recover please do not leave any comments with the words : Rebuilding, Jack Z’s plan, 2014 is the year, bobble-heads etc. I am literally sick of these phrases and will delete any reference to said contraband.
Tags: Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners-Poisoning, seattle mariners, With Jack Z. we Bust
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Practical Tips for Mariners Fans on a budget
As you all should know by now Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog is not an official publication for the Seattle Mariners, nor is it part of any official mainstream media outlet or part of some Blog network. This site is an independent voice for the fans of the Mariners and thus we have the ability to say what we want, though I don’t lie and try not to swear. Having said that I feel it is my civic duty as a long time Mariners fan to pass-on a few tips on how to save money on your trips to Safeco Field this summer as our boys continue to battle away in the AL West.
First off if you live in the city limits like I do there are not many free spots to park around Safeco Field and paying $20 to park is a bummer. You can occasionally find spots under the viaduct or along Alaskan Way but you need to get there early. You may also find spots right on First Ave. if you keep your eyes peeled. I have developed a better system on game day which entails taking a bus down to the game then grabbing a cab after the game for a $15 fare back to Fremont. This way I avoid both the $20 tab for parking and if I leave a tad early (unless it is close) you can usually grab a cab out front and avoid getting stuck in the slow traffic lines leaving the game (sort of a double play).
Second tip, you may not realize it but we are not in Boston or St. Louis and thus most games do not sell-out so tickets are always available outside the stadium if you are smart and patient, and usually at around half price if you can follow one simple trick: wait until the first pitch is thrown before taking to scalpers. As you know there are always several groups of scalpers hovering around the outskirts of the Safe looking to hustle some easy cash. And of course there is the occasional fan from the suburbs who got stuck with a few extra tickets and will try to sell them before the game. If you can just wait till after the game starts you can usually get box seats for around $20-25 from the scalpers who get desperate after the first pitch is thrown out.
Don’t be afraid to simply state you are willing to pay only $20 and then walk away from the scalpers as they try to push you towards full price. They almost always come down, but make sure you are familiar with what a ticket looks like and be aware of what section you are buying. Of course there are also cheap sets that can be had for $5-10 on any given night as well, and you can receive an automatic upgrade once you get in if you are slick and scope-out better seats that are not taken and move into them after a couple innings. The staff at Safeco is mostly sweet older folks who are used to Fans who are so polite that they would never swap seats and thus if you use discretion you can sit in good seats every night for less than $25. I have been using these plays for years and have only been asked to move once in 30 years of my career as a Mariners fan.
Now for a few more obvious but important tips, always remember to get your peanuts outside the stadium and bring them in as you can save up to $3 per bag. In addition if you bring your own $.012 empty bottle of water you can save about $4 per bottle as you fill your bottle between innings at the drinking fountain. Now don’t get me wrong I support this club but if you are going to go to 15-20 games a year like I do it is important to not get stuck with a huge bill for doing what we do best ie: cheering for our home team. With as many deadbeat fans who go to the games to watch the hydros and don’t really care about the finer points of the game, I have no guilt about cutting a few corners and letting the casual fans make up the difference. Ok That’s it for now I hope you can apply a few of these tips, see you at the Safe…Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Cheap tickets Safeco, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners AL West, Mariners Blog, Mariners Fan on a Budget
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Gutierrez Homers as Mariners beat Twins 3-0
Guti Homers in 3-0 M's Win
Franklin Gutierrez took a giant leap in his comeback from stomach issues today knocking a 385-foot leadoff home run in the fourth to help the Mariners win the final game of the series with the Twins 3-0. Gutierrez had two of the Mariners five hits today and also scored after walking on a screaming double down the right field line by Adam Kennedy to put the M’s up 1-0 in the Second. Kennedy then scored on a single by red-hot shortstop Brendan Ryan who had a triple later in the game and is now batting .260 after going 12-21 on the road trip.
Erik Bedard went six scoreless innings to extend his scoreless innings pitched streak total to 15, using all of his pitches and getting some help from his defense when the Twins threatened in the fourth and fifth innings. Bedard now moves to 3-4 on the year and is a big reason that the Mariners will be coming home to face the Yankees this weekend with a 23-24 record after a fabulous 5-1 road trip. But as good as the starting pitching has been let’s not forget that the bullpen has been fantastic as well lately and today was no exception as David Pauley pitched a couple of scoreless frames before handing the ball to the closer
Texas won as well today so the Mariners remain a game and a half back in the AL West awaiting the results of the A’s-Angels game tonight to see if they will move into second place. It has been so fun to be able to watch not only the games, but the scoreboard in the past week during this improbable surge by our sailors for the who fly home for a little R&R Thursday before the big weekend series with the Yankees.
I just got the call today to go play a softball tournament in Tri-Cities this weekend and thus won’t be able to make it down to the Safe this Memorial Day weekend as planned, but since I turn 53 Tuesday anytime I get asked to play myself these days I need to jump on it as my playing career is definitely waning! I will try to watch the games on ROOT over there when possible, and hopefully my partner Scott can fill-in here at Jeff”s Mariners Fan Blog “Where the Fans Call the Plays” Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Brendan Ryan red-hot, David Pauley Bullpen, Erik Bedard comeback, Franklin Gutierrez home run, Is this really happening?, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners AL West
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Felix Hernandez and Erik Bedard the “Odd Couple”
Just thought I would give you something light on this grey Monday morning to try and cheer you up as you slog through your week. This fun video clip was put together by another quirky fan like myself named Rob R. whom I met while I was down in Peoria. FYI I am always open to contributions from you the readers in keeping with my slogan of Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog “Where the fans call the plays”. Go M’s http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: erik bedard, Felix Hernandez, Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Mariners Spring Training Peoria, Spring Training 2011
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Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog is Peoria bound come rain or shine
The Peoria Sports Complex winter haven for the Mariners
In preparation for my upcoming voyage to beautiful Peoria Arizona I took the time to review the upcoming weather for the next 10 days this morning. I was a little disturbed to see that the state known for bad politics and rednecks was not going to produce the only thing this West Coast Sailor is looking for this time of year ie: sunshine and 70 degree weather. Now of course when looking at the local 10 day forecast which includes not only the usual rain, but a chance of snow next weekend I was much more enthusiastic about jumping on a plane Wednesday.
This season the Seattle Mariners are quite possibly the most under-hyped team going into the 2011 season so it is fitting that my trip to Peoria will more resemble a camping trip than an exciting extravaganza like I thought was going to happen last year. The actual city of Peoria around the complex is not much more than strip malls and restaurants catering to the tourists like me heading down south for the winter to join-up with the flocks of aging snowbirds who are already there. As much as I like sun and am looking forward to collecting my pension from my years on the waterfront, I have no intention of ending up in a place like Peoria in 10 years.
The best part about going down to Peoria this early despite the chance of rain, is that there will only be a few fans at the practice fields making it easier for me to try and get closer to the players and coaches and thus hopefully get a first-hand feel for this team in the new Eric Wedge Era. Last year I spoke to several of the players both at the facility, and in my hotel lobby as well as at the local restaurants. I am hoping this year to bring you fans a few live video clips of our team as well as the hardy fans who happen to be hanging around like myself, along with the usual photos and quirky insights and observations.
Like many of you at this point, it is all I can do to try and remember all of the names of the new rookies and various cast-offs who are going to be in camp this year. However I am not to stressed, as I know full well that only 25 guys will be heading north once camp breaks. Along with the hosehold names, there are several intersting young players in camp this year including pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen, young outfielder Johermyn Chavez, and SS Nick Franklin to name a few, who I will be keeping an eye on. And the battle for starting roles in the infield and left field should be fun to watch, along with the intrigues around the starting rotation and bullpen slots.
There is one thing for sure about the game of baseball, and that is the fact that the cream will always rise to the top no matter what the media hype says. It seems for the first time in a long time this Spring Training for the Mariners will actually be a wide-open affair featuring some real competition which will hopefully give us fans a few surprise names to root for in this re-building year.
This of course is sort of early Spring Training for Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog and I am hoping to provide a better product than I did last year during my rookie season. I know there are several Mariners Blogs you can choose from, some of which have a much higher standing in the eyes of our esteemed local reporter Geoff Baker at the Times, but I don’t think you will find a Mariners Blog that will be as candid and fun as the one you are reading now. I hope you will take a moment to subscribe via email and follow me on Twitter and Facebook at jeffsmariners.
Well thats it for Sunday Feb. 20th as I need to start packing my Seabag for the voyage to Peoria Wednesday, I think I may need to bring my foul-weather gear…….http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Jeff's Mariners Fan Blog, Nick Franklin Tom Wilhelmsen Johermyn Chavez rookies in camp, rain in Peoria, Seattle Mariners Eric Wedge, Spring is in the Air, Spring training Mariners Peoria Arizona
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Spring Training on Deck
As the bitter winter cold takes over most of the country and the poor folks down-under in Australia get slammed by more devastating weather, my mind is starting to dream of Spring Training in Peoria Arizona. I told myself last season that I was not going back to Peoria this year after the awful results from 2010. And with all the anguish in the world, especially in Egypt where pro-Government Thugs are attacking peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators, I almost feel guilty for doing it but yes I’m heading back to Peoria!
To be honest it was the positive impression that the Mariners new Manager Eric Wedge made on me last Saturday at the SABR meeting that happened at Safeco during FanFest. Yes I know we are not going to the World Series this year, but I have a feeling this Spring Training is going to be a lot different from last year’s under Don Wakamatsu. Last year it was apparent that the veterans did not respect Wakamatsu as I observed a lot of lolly-gagging and a general lack of hustle and intensity during drills and the early games.
I have decided to fly down on the 23rd so I can observe with my own eyes and ears the new Mariners Skipper as he takes charge and tries to light a fire underneath some of these guys. Wedge has said for the record that there will be genuine competition for positions this year in Peoria, as it should be. This should be an interesting and exciting Spring Training as Eric Wedge gets his chance to lift anchor and begin the long voyage towards getting the Mariners back on course.
Of course it isn’t just Wedge that has inspired me to shell-out the cash for this trip, it is also out of respect for Dave Niehaus knowing full well he wouldn’t want me to jump ship now. And frankly I am looking forward to getting some sun for a week in the desert.
Of course this will not be simply a vacation for me as I intend to be posting on here daily not only my written reports, but also video and audio clips that I get from Peoria as I push into my sophomore year on Jeff’s Mariners Fan Blog. I am going to be doing an overhaul to the face of my Blog in order to bring it up to snuff and provide all of my readers a better experience. It is possible my Blog could be down for a few days during the reconstruction , but rest assured I am not going anywhere, except beautiful Peoria Arizona and the wonderful Peoria Sports Complex where our boys will start gathering on Feb. 13th!
I also want to remind all of you to subscribe directly to my Blog via e-mail or RSS feed so you don’t miss out on any juicy Spring Training happenings. I am also on Twitter at : jeffsmariners and I will be sending random tweets from Peoria along with the video clips of the Mariners and any of you fans who make the annual voyage to Peoria like spawning salmon. http://jeffsmariners.com
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