Mariners Blog
Mariners lose Game and Olivo while Life goes on
After 35 years as a Mariners fan I have implemented a new strategy in order to keep my sanity. I decided this year I would only write my Mariners Blog when I felt like it, and instead of setting my schedule around the games I would go ahead and watch or listen to games as long as I didn’t have anything else better to do. So tonight I clicked off the game in the top of the ninth with runners on first and third and one out in a 1-1 tie in order to go to a meeting followed by a dinner.
As it turns out I did the right thing as I had a productive meeting followed by some great Chinese food at Louie’s in Ballard and the Mariners went on to lose not only the game 3-2 in 12 innings but also Miguel Olivo who came out with a groin injury right when his bat was coming to life. You can say what you want about Miguel Olivo but he is one tough fortune cookie and I doubt any of his vicious detractors in the Blogosphere or on Facebook would dare to say half the stuff they write about him to his face.
No tonight the haters will probably have to settle for new targets such as Michael Saunders who made the decision on his own to try and bunt Kawasaki home in the ninth rather than swing away, or Brandon League who wasted a homer from Jesus Montero in the 11th and blew another save tonight. While just like Eric Wedge I don’t agree with Saunders decision to bunt in that situation I am not going to turn on Saunders so close to his big night in Toronto recently, and though I’m worried about Brandon League I have faith he will find his killer splitter soon and get back on track.
The first eighth innings tonight was a re-run of the all to familiar movie where Felix Hernandez pitches his heart out and his team only gives him one or two runs to work with.Tonight it was only one run a solo shot by Olivo in the second off Tampa’s Jeremy Hellickson who is no slacker himself picking-up right where he left off last year when he was the AL Rookie of the year . Hellickson had the Mariners under control all night and it is no wonder that with his stuff that he has allowed only two runs over the last 23 innings. Brendan Ryan had another bad night fanning three times and now finds himself hitting only .136 and looking worse every night. But Ryan isn’t the only Mariner struggling on offense as the club is now 0-25 with runners in scoring position after going 4-0 to start this road trip.
At long last the untimely groin injury to Olivo is going to bring about a couple of things, 1: John Jaso will get some starts at catchers and 2: Mike Carp will be joining the club to fill Olivo’s spot on the roster while he is on the DL. As for the shortstop situation we may see Kawasaki get a few starts in a row there to see if he can produce or possibly even Kyle Seager there if Wedge decides to start Carp in left and move Figgins to third. We still are 4-3 on this road trip and it would be nice to win one or two of the remaining games so as to not negate all the positives from the first four games.
Either way since tomorrow is May 1st otherwise known as May-day or International Workers Day I may join my fellow workers in a rally or march downtown tomorrow and thus get on with my life no matter what happens with the Mariners, it takes a while for things to sink in for this old Merchant Mariner but once I get something it usually sticks.Go M’s!http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Mariners Blog, May Day and beyond, May Day International workers Day, Michael Saunder bunt, Michael Saunders Condor, Miguel Olivo injury DL, Mike Carp roster
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Condor Crushes Fellow Canucks With Grand Salami!
Great Game Condor eh?
As we all know Canadians love to brag about their healthcare, hockey teams, solid economy and anything else to let us Yanks know they really exist and they don’t think much of us. I’ve grown used to it over the years and still have a soft spot in my heart for our friendly neighbors to the North, at least when they are sober. But tonight I just watched a game in Toronto where the people are quite a bit more intense and more like East Coast folks than our neighbors in B.C. and they showed their true colors when the booed there Toronto Blue Jays after what has to be the biggest choke in recent history for them. And of course what made it even sweeter was that the main hero of the game was from Victoria Canada ie: the “Condor” himself Michael Saunders!
Any of you who read my Mariners Blog will recall how down I was on the “Condor” last season though I have since come around, and after tonight I may be quite possibly “Cuckoo for Condor”. Saunders hit a solo homer in the ninth tonight that closed the gap to 5-4 and at the time I remember saying to myself “Well at least they fought back tonight” little did I know that the humble Canuck wasn’t done yet. Of course Michael Saunders would have never got the chance to be a hero tonight were it not for his fellow Canadian Brett Lawrie who threw away the third out in the ninth on a routine play allowing Kyle Seager to reach first before being replaced by pinch runner Munenori Kawasaki who went a little cuckoo himself tonight. Kawasaki is a strange bird himself though not quite a Condor, more like a Hummingbird with his little antics on base which eventually irritated the Blue Jays so much that they tried to pick him off and instead threw a ball into the right field corner allowing the pesky Kawasaki after being screamed at by Mike Brumbley to scoot all the way to third. I’d like to think the “Hummingbird” created that situation with his huge leads, fake steals and other irritating gimmicks straight out of my Little League days!
But enough with the Hummingbird and the Condor for now as there was another hero tonight that seems to have gotten lost in the drama, and that would John Jaso the lonesome one….Jayso came in to hit for a struggling Brendan Ryan in the ninth after Ackley walked and came up with a clutch 2-out, 2-strike single to center that tied the game at 5-5 and darn near scored Dustin Ackley all the way from first in another dramatic moment. Tom Wilhelmsen and Charlie Furbush dispatched the Blue Jays handily in the ninth extending this surreal battle into extra frames which I’m still not sure if I’ve come to terms with.
You see being a 35-year Mariners fan I have gotten so used to disappointment that I usually expect the worst lately, but somehow our big lumberjacks in the person of Smoak, Montero and Liddi all hit back-to-back singles in the top of the tenth after Ichiro made the first out setting the table for the “Condor”. Now though I have forgiven Saunders for his past sins he still hasn’t hit a clutch homer for a long time so when he did somehow lift one out of the park to right and clear the sacks as Rick Rizzs was doing his Dave Niehaus imitation of the famous ” Grand Salami” call, I was stunned. As a matter of fact I think I still am after watching this thrilling comeback for the Mariners fourth win in a row.
I know this has been a rather rambling, incoherent post (Whats new you say) but something is stirring inside me after this one. It may be the long forgotten memories of the magical “95″ season, or just a ghost of that epoch run. Whatever is happening with our boys I hope it keeps happening, this is fun! GoM’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Are These Youngsters for real?, John Jayso clucth hit, Mariners Blog, Mariners comeback Blue Jays, Michael Saunders Condor, Michael Saunders Grand Salami, Munenori Kawasaki Hummingbird
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Monday Morning Blues in Mariners Nation
The Mariners are on their way back East to face the Detroit Tigers still reeling from a homestand that started out ok and ended-up being a blur of disappointment that has left may of us fans at a familiar place emotionally with this club. I did somehow manage to make it to the infamous game where the Mariners won 4-1 over the Indians yet drew the fewest fans in Safeco history last week which as it turns out was sort of a perverse high point of the homestand! From there of course it got worse with blown save by League in the ninth last Thursday after a valiant effort by King Felix, a couple of usual dull losses including yesterday”s game, and another stupid bobblehead night that didn’t even draw enough fans to give away the toys to the casual fans. And of course how can we forget the infamous “Perfect Game” that was thrown against us Saturday to mix into the smoldering stew of ineptitude.
I suppose you can see why I have not been posting on this Mariners Blog for a few days as just when I think I have gotten over one nightmare another one seems to surface even harder on the collective psyche of those of us who are true fans, or maybe true masochist’s.
Not much sense in reviewing who is doing bad vs. who is doing terrible this year as outside Felix and Ichiro none of our guys have been to impressive thus far. So what now? Is it going to be another long painful 100-loss season, or will Eric Wedge and his crew be able to manage some sort of miracle resurgence like they did last year to keep the natives interested until October? I have some hope, but judging from the people I talk to here in Seattle most folks simply don’t even care anymore. We are perhaps in the final stages of the grieving process so to speak where we all move to acceptance and stop fighting it anymore. But how do you listen or watch games every day during the only days of the year when the weather is nice knowing you are wasting your time and you should be out kayaking or swimming or whatever normal non-Mariners fans do in the NW summer? This next road trip could be the answer for many of us, stay tuned. Go Away Chuck and Howard! http;//jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 2012 Early Going, eric wedge, Mariners Blog, Mariners Nation, Perfect Game Mariners
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Noesi and Montero Carry the Mariners Past the A’s 4-0
Hector Noesi and Jesus Montero who came over from the Yankees in the controversial Michael Pineda trade.Noesi who was coming off a disappointing outing against the Rangers last week threw mostly fastballs and change-ups tonight, but he hit his spots and looked a lot more relaxed in his eight innings of work.Noesi gave up five hits tonight and really was in control the entire game with the exception of the eighth but manged to escape a jam there as well in this promising performance tonight.
Jesus Montero showed why he was the Yankees top prospect tonight looking like a legitimate clean-up hitter for an offense that has been anything but electric so far. Montero had the Mariners only hit for much of the game with his solo homer in the second off Tomaso Milone, but then provided the knockout punch with his 2-out 2-run double down the right field line in the Mariners big sixth inning rally.
Sadly only 21,071 were on hand to see tonight’s game after last nights disappointing Opener. By comparison last year’s second game drew 30,307. The win puts the Mariners back at .500 on the season with another game left in the series with the A’s in an afternoon affair tomorrow before the Indians come to town Tuesday.
Honestly I am having enough trouble convincing myself it’s worth it to write this Mariners Blog this season let alone worry about the fickle Seattle fans and whether or not they are going to continue to support this club in 2012. On another good note Chone Figgins had a big hit in the sixth and drove a ball hard in the ninth giving an indication he may be ready for another big game Sunday at the Safe.Go M’s!http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 2012 Early Going, Hector Noesi win, Jesus Montero homer second, Mariners Blog, Montero Pineda trade, seattle mariners
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Mariners Overcome Another Cuban Missile Crisis to Beat the A’s 8-7
The Mariners completed a sweep of the Oakland Athletics in a two game mini-series tonight by holding on to a 8-7 lead in a game that looked like it was going to be a blow-out, but developed in to a nail-biter thanks to another long ”Cuban Missile” homer by Yoenis Cespedes. Felix Hernandez managed to get through six and a third innings before leaving in the seventh with a couple of runners on did not look his usual over-powering self on the eve of his 26th birthday. King Felix appears to be pacing himself this year relying more on finesse and the movement on his pitches much like the aging veteran Bortolo Colon who got the start for the A’s tonight.
However unlike Colon who is also a Cy Young winner, Hernandez received a ton of run support early from his shipmates who collected 13 hits again tonight. None other than Chone Figgins lead things off with a triple in the first and scored on a grounder to second by Ackley to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead which held up until they exploded for six runs in the fourth inning. Ichiro had a pair of hits tonight as well, including a triple in the fourth inning on a ball that Yoenis Cespedes misplayed badly though he seems to make up for his iffy defense at the plate. It was also nice to see Munenori Kawasaki get his MLB debut tonight at short due to Brendan Ryan‘s sore neck. Kawasaki looked good in the field and also had a RBI single himself in the fourth. Apparently Kawasaki bowed to the third base umpire when he took the field out of respect! He is definitely a refreshing and fun addition to this club of no-names that is playing the game like it is intended to be played so far and having fun doing it!
Before the night was over Chone Figgins had three hits and now is batting .412 to lead the club. While I realize it is super early in the year I am just happy for Figgins after the last two dismal seasons he has had, forcing almost everyone in town including myself to turn on him. I suppose in honor of Easter you could say Chone Figgins is being resurrected from the dead right in front of our eyes and it is a real Miracle!
Speaking of miracles it is also nice to see another guy Michael Saunders who I have been down on at this Mariners Blog over the past couple seasons come back to life as well. Saunders looks much more aggressive at the plate and confident as well. Tonight Saunders delivered a solo homer in the top of the sixth that at the time didn’t seem that important but ended up being the difference in the game. Hats off to you Michael Saunders! I was wrong and I’m sorry for disrespecting you…..
Of Course the pesky Athletics playing in front of 16,612 of their loyal fans had no intention of going down without a fight tonight and once Yoenis Cespedes slammed his third homer in four games against us in the seventh to cut our lead to 1-run things didn’t look so great. But thanks to great relief work from our set-up man Tom Wilhelmsen, and a big out by Lucas Luetge who came into get one batter the Mariners were able to get to their closer League in the ninth who shut down the A’s to preserve the win.
So the Mariners are now 3-1 and will enjoy Easter Sunday off tomorrow before opening up a 4 four game series against a much tougher opponent in the Texas Rangers. This next series will be the real test to see if we can keep scoring runs and not revert to the anemic offense that has been on display for the past couple years. I’m still not sure whether I’m going to battle the crowds and head down to Safeco next Friday for our third ” Opening Day” of 2012, but I plan on hitting a couple of games of the home stand, hope to see you there! GoM’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 2012 Early Going, Chone Figgins Hitting, Ichiro triple, Mariners Blog, Michael Saunders homer sixth, Oakland Athletics, seattle mariners, Yoenis Cespedes Cuban Missile
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Mariners Overcome Jet-Lag and a 4 run deficit to beat the Royals 6-4
The Skipper Eric Wedge put a lineup together today that was more reflective of the actual guys who will be starting the 2012 season for us today, and our sailors manged to overcome the lingering effects of the jet-lag from their jaunt to Japan as well as a four run deficit to come back and win 6-4 over the young hot-hitting Kansas City Royals. There was a nice crowd of 5,400 on hand in the sun down in Peoria as they watched the Mariners improve to 14-8 in Cactus League play
Blake Beavan looked good early but left the game down 4-0 before the Mariners exploded for six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Miguel Olivo had a big three-run shot to highlight the rally followed by a solo homer off the bat of Kyle Seager. Seager looks more comfortable at the plate this year and seems to be shifting his body weight better as he swings which has been a big reason for his four homers this year. Chone Figgins looked his usual dismal self going 0-4 today as the clock begins to click on him as far as staying with the club this season with youngsters like Seager hot on his tail.
Munenori Kawasaki got the start today at short and delivered with a 3-4 outing at the plate showing why the Mariners have chosen him to be their utility infielder this year over Luis Rodriguez. I was also happy to see Casper Wells stroke a nice ground-rule double in the eighth inning to give him a little confidence going into the regular season. Often times it takes the hitters a little longer than the pitchers to get up to regular season form, and it appeared today as if Wells may be starting to catch-up with the fastball.
The rhythm for this years Spring Training has been thrown-off a bit by the trip to Japan for the series with the Oakland A’s, so it was nice to see most of the regulars looking on-track for the second “Season Opener” with the A’s later in the week. Of course due to the genius of the Mariners marketing folks we will be hyped about another “Season Opener” when the Mariners get home from their first road trip and play the same Oakland A’s on April 13th. So this year we get a total of three ” Season Openers” against the same team!
I’m still working hard to get all the bugs ironed out of my Mariners Blog and I hope to be ready to role for the second “Season Opener” down in Oakland! If you haven’t already subscribed to my e-mail alert system please do so now so,it’s easy to do and that way you won’t have to wait around for the latest rants from my bunker here in Wallingford! Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 2012 Early Going, Kyle Seager solo homer, Mariners Blog, Mariners Jet-lag, Mariners Season Openers, miguel olivo
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Mariners Sail Back Across the Pacific after Japan Odyssey
Mariners Begin their Voyage back to Peoria
As you read this the Mariners are probably flying across the Pacific Ocean to the their temporary Home Port of Peoria after splitting a two-game series with division rival Oakland. Unlike my early voyages across the Pacific which on average lasted nine-12 days depending on the season, our boys will be in the air 12-13 hours. Long enough to relish the moments and experiences they had in Japan for the past week.
There will be good and not so good memories for Eric Wedge and his crew to mull over during the long plane trip before resuming Spring Training for five more games down in the lonely desert. I stayed up and watched part of both games and was struck with the impression that the 2012 team looked eerily similar to the clubs from the past two seasons. Once again we had great starting pitching first from Felix Hernandez then Jason Vargas coupled with a pretty anemic offense. Somehow our guys seem to be set on sabotaging themselves at key junctures of the game either with some dumb base running mistake, chokes by relievers or just not having the killer-instinct and collecting the “Clutch” hits when the game is on the line.
In some ways they remind me of a lot of the current general population here in Seattle ie brainy, self obsessed and lacking the true NW “go for broke spirit”. Rarely have I seen any emotion on the field from the Mariners players in the past couple years but rather just a sort of cool nonchalant approach to the game. I know Eric Wedge must be frustrated with this as he exudes a real passion for the game that so far has not been contagious here in the rainy city.
But of course it is early and it was nice to see Justin Smoak poke that solo dinger last night into the crowd at Tokyo stadium. I will also take away from this series a good feeling knowing the fans in Japan got to finally see their hero Ichiro Suzuki who gave them something to cheer about in the first game when he went 4-5.
I have read some odd comments online from fans across the Nation who wondered why this MLB Season Opener was being played while Spring Training was still in progress and why there was no National TV coverage. Heck even here in Seattle we had to settle for a relayed broadcast from Bellevue by Dave Sims and Mike Blowers from a studio as ROOT Sports tried to do this thing on the cheap. But in another week or so all will be forgotten and this voyage as unique as it was will fade into the memories of our sailors and their water-logged fans in the NW. Go M’s!http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 2012 Early Going, Felix Hernandez Japan, Ichiro Suzuki Japan Fans, Justin Smoak Dinger, Mariners Blog, ROOT Sports Cheap, Seattle Mariners fly home
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Mariners Ashore in Japan
Jeff's first ship the "Sealand Mariner" Far East Run 1980
As I write this it is Sunday afternoon in Japan and the Mariners are getting ready for an exhibition game against the Hanshin Tigers after spending some time ashore taking in the sights. This whole affair has brought back memories of my early career as a Merchant Mariner and my first big ship the Sealand Mariner pictured above that I joined when she was brand new and coming out of the shipyard in Japan on her maiden voyage in 1980. Though I had sailed on a few tug boats before signing on as an Ordinary Seamen aboard the Mariner, the adventures and memories from the 5 months I spent on her sailing on the Far East run as a young lad of 21 years, helped shape my life and my perspective on the world
Now I’m sure that today’s Seattle Mariners will not be enjoying such a carefree life in between games as I did while my ship was in Port, but I’m sure that they to will come away from this experience with a broader perspective on the world we live in. In the early 80′s I was till drinking and carrying on like a good sailor and I certainly had some fun in Kobe and Yokohama in the red light districts. I also recall finding a batting cage in Yokohama on a sunny day while I was ashore and I went in and took a few cuts! To this day I remember an older Japanese man with his son watching me put on my display of American-style hitting then hurrying up and getting in the cage themselves to take some hacks in a methodical and hyper-focused manner that let me know they took great pride in their baseball skills in Japan.
The rest of my Sea Stories are best left to the imagination of you readers as many are either to bizarre to print our otherwise unsavory. Anyway as far as the other Mariners go I’m looking forward to staying up late and watching our guys open the season later in the week with the Oakland A’s. It should be quite a spectacle as the Japanese people finally get to see their prodigal son Ichiro returning to Japan to play as a Major Leaguer in what could be his curtain call depending on how he performs this season. The Japanes Fans are very organized with their cherers and I’m hoping they have something special for this unique series.
Speaking of curtain calls I read yesterday that Chipper Jones from the Braves has announced 2012 will be his last year as a player. I want to tip my hat to Chipper who has been a rock in that Braves lineup for so many years and has produced at the plate consistently making him a sure first-ballot Hall of Famer. I’m glad to be back on the beat now that the season is getting ready to open up and want to thank everyone for their patience while I was doing some repairs on my Mariners Blog. Go M’s ! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Chipper Jones, Ichiro Curtain call, Mariners Blog, Mariners Hanshin Tigers, Mariners in Japan, Mariners season opener A's
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Reporting on Mariners Intrasquad Games is Boring
Hello Mariners fans. Just thought I would check in on this gloomy and cold winter day here in the NW. And no this will not be another pathetic attempt to try to excite you with some details about the Mariners Intrasquad game today down in Peoria as I will leave that to the actual reporters that are paid to follow this club and are more experienced in hyping irrelevant events.
Like a lot of you I am actually still busy trying to figure out “Who’s Who in the Zoo” this year in camp, which as we all know is sort of a waste of time in that by the time the Mariners head to Japan for the Season Opener only 25 players will be with the club and the rest will be sent down or be forced to hang-up their spikes for good. It is fun though to try to track a few of the guys who are “On the Bubble” as they say and I have a particular fascination with Carlos Guillen, Carlos Peguero, and the ever-present Michael Saunders. All three of these guys have a shot at making the 25-man roster if they can produce in the next month, if not it is on to Tacoma or in Guillen’s case maybe retirement. Also Kevin Millwood, Blake Beavan and Charlie Furbush are battling for spots at the bottom of the rotation and face the same sort of scenario as the first group I mentioned. I like the drama around ”Bubble Guys” who are battling to make a club either at the end of their careers or trying to finally make the leap to the Majors.
Besides my ” Bubble babble” I am starting to get a little excited about the prospect of a healthy Chone Figgins making a real contribution this year which would totally throw all the Figgins Haters into a whirlwind of confusion. Though I’m sure like all good passive-aggresive Seattleites they will find a new focus for their unresolved personal issues to project that unique sort of venom on, this odd sort of hatred seems to be created after 7 months with no sun and-or an inability release anger on the appropriate source at the time of the infraction like our more verbose East Coast countrymen do on a regular basis.
One other odd thing I’d like to comment on while I have you hear on this ‘Single A” Mariners Blog is the creation of another Blog called ” From the Corner of Edgar and Dave”. At first glance one might think that this was just another creation of a long time frustrated Mariners Fan like myself, or another smarty-pants site from the “Stat-Geek” community. But surprisingly this Mariners Blog is the creation of the Seattle Mariners themselves, which to me is quite odd. I mean the organization already has an official team page, they control the radio and TV outlets who support whatever spin the PR folks want to spew as well as a host of hacks placed all over internet and in most newspapers (Geoff Baker does speak his own mind most of the time though) and thus don’t really need an amateurish type Blog.
My hunch is the PR folks with the Mariners organization are a bit freaked-out by the whole concept of independent and non-commercial social media platforms like this Mariners Blog and the facebook crowd. Maybe they are trying to be sneaky and pretend they are really just like us or they are trying to get into the act with a Rah-Rah site of their own to compete with free-thinkers who might actually be critical of the product the Top Brass has been giving us over the years. It seems a bit absurd to me and really shows that they are afraid that the masses are beginning to realize that the 1% who profit from this team are worried us lowly fans are hip to their hustle. Perhaps I could be wrong on this and if so I would gladly switch places with the Mariners PR dept. and let them provide the content on this independent Mariners Blog if they will let me go on the air or take the mike away from Dave Sims this year! Oh well it probably isn’t going to happen so I will just soldier on along with you guys as we head into the 2012 campaign. Go M’s ! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: carlos Guillen, Chone Figgins contribution, Dave Sims, From the Corner of Edgar and Dave, Mariners Blog, Mariners Intrasquad game boring, Spring Training 2012
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Mariners heading to Peoria without Prince Fielder
Well the suspense is finally over as Prince Fielder and his agent Scott Boras have reportedly just reached a deal with the Detroit Tigers for $214 million bucks over nine years. The Tigers already had a powerful offense and now will be favorites to win the AL Central again. On the bright side Fielder did not sign with Texas and more importantly the whole “Fielder Watch” thing is finally over here in Seattle so we can begin to focus on our slightly improved Mariners as they get ready to head to Peoria next month for Spring Training.
I never really thought we had a chance at landing Fielder up here in “Mayberry with Skyscrapers” and am somewhat relieved with the news. However I am still stuck with the decision of whether to head down to Peoria for my third Spring Training in a row despite the fact that we are probably looking at another mediocre team that is a long-shot in the AL West. Sure we have Jesus Montero now along with Kevin Millwood and a handful of other interesting but not to dynamic offseason pick-ups, but it still will cost me a couple of grand for a week in the desert and I am on the bubble right now as far as pulling the trigger for the trip.
As some of you may remember I started this Mariners Blog a couple of years ago when I got caught-up in the hysteria of the winter signings of Cliff Lee and Chone Figgins before the 2010 season, and frankly it has been brutal writing about this club ever since not to mention the money I’ve spent on Spring Training junkets. Actually I’m not sure if I’m going to even be able to muster-up the energy and committment to write about the Mariners this season unless Jack Z. makes one more move with the reported $16 million in available payroll that he has to work with.
I’m ok with the pitching situation this year knowing we have some young guys including Hultzen that may be up with the big club soon. But I just get the nagging feeling that unless we somehow get an amazing comeback by Chone Figgins or better yet an upgrade at third via trade soon, we will still languish under .500 this year.
So this next week or so will be important not only for me as a Mariners Blogger/Fan, but for the future of the whole organization. Many hardcore fans like myself have completely run out of patience with the front office types with the possible exceptions of Jack Z. and Eric Wedge. I am ready to pull the trigger and spend some money and energy to support this team starting with another trip to Peoria, if Howard Lincoln and the unaccountable corporate owners group is. We shall see who blinks first……Go M’s http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Chone Figgins, Howard Lincoln, Mariners Blog, Offseason moves, Peoria Spring Training, Prince Fielder Tigers
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Mariners Trade Pineda for Jesus Montero
Just when you thought I was probably done with writing about baseball forever (me to), the Seattle Mariners woke me up tonight by sending the young flame-throwing Michael Pineda and pitching prospect Jose Campas across the country to the New York Yankees in exchange for Jeseus Montero and Hector Noesi. As much as I hate to see Pineda go I’m glad we got Jesus Montero this time though it remains to be seen exactly where he will play due to his weak defensive skills.
Montero as you recall almost came this way in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes and of course this deal isn’t for sure as everyone has to pass their physicals, but it looks like a fair swap for now. Campas has never pitched at a level higher than Everett, but lots of folks were high on him. As for the 24 year-old Hector Noesi he made 30 appearances for the Yankees last year all but two of them out of the bullpen, but he is indeed Major League ready as they say and could possibly end-up at the back of the rotation.
The Mariners will probably need to go out and get another veteran starter for sure now and Roy Oswalt at around $8 million a year sounds like the kind of guy I would like to see Jack Z. grab, but who knows what is happening out there in the wheeling and dealing world of the offseason GM’s.
This trade does pose some other interesting questions like where does Mike Carp fit into things now that the M’s have a power-hitting catcher that may be more suited for DH, does Carp go to camp trying to prove he can play left? Or is he going to shuffle around between first, DH, and left? Of course there is the question of the sudden glut of catchers with Montero, Olivo, Moore and our other catcher, whats his name from the Rays. Oh and don’t forget Casper Wells who I had penciled in to play left next year barring some other upgrade, where does he go if Carp moves to left? In short this trade sets off a chain reaction that will give the other full time Mariners Blogs and facebook journalists lots to talk about for the next week or so, as if any of us can predict or control the future with endless rants and projections of our own without all the information.
Of course this trade probably means the whole Prince Fielder discussion will end with a thud, which isn’t a bad thing either unless he ends-up playing for the Rangers. I look for Jack Z. to make another move probably sooner than later that will hopefully address the need for another quality starter and maybe even solve the third-base puzzle. Until then I’m going back to my off-season pursuits like NFL Football and dreaming about places where the sun is shining, who knows if Jack Z. makes a couple moves to fill the hole in the rotation and does something at third I may return to Peoria next month after all….Go M’s! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Jesus Montero traded, Mariners Blog, Michael Pineda, New York Yankees Mariners, Offseason moves
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A Quiet Sunday for Occupy Seattle (So far)…
Well it is 10 pm on Sunday night and I just returned from another day down at Occupy Seattle where things were a bit quieter and mellower than Saturday’s festive scene. Not as many people today but the hardcore are still down there with their tents up despite the fact that the police are close by and rumors are in the air regarding the potential of some sort of sweep or harassment coming later in the night.
It is hard to keep track of everything that is going on down there but there is certainly a lot of interesting people from all walks of life constantly milling around, planning, meeting, talking laughing etc. Spent the day observing and talking to some new and old friends in the town square currently known as Westlake Park (though there is rumor of changing the name to something more reflective of the movement) while those consumers who still have money or room on their credit cards did the usual shopping thing as if in a daze.
The General assembly was lively as usual though as a Trade Unionist I am used to a little tighter form of running a meeting, but this is the new generation’s turn to try and make things work so I mostly sit back and observe in my fold-out chair. From time to time people come by and chat, but mostly I just watch this fledgling movement grapple with issues lending a hand when asked. I suppose these folks will be the ones to insure I am able to live out my retirement days when they come with some sort of security, so learning to detach now despite my concerns around randomness and chaos for the movement is probably my best bet.
We should have a couple of fairly nice days coming up so if you have not made it downtown yet to join the 99%ers this may be the time to move from online activism to the real thing. Once again I know this is rather obscure to be writing about this insurgent movement on a Mariners Blog but after spending two years writing about an underdog team that seemed to be constantly pitted in David vs. Goliath match-ups, the Occupy Seattle movement seems to be a natural transition! Go 99%! http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: 99%, Mariners Blog, Occupy Seattle, Tents at Westlake, Westlake Park
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Great Day for the 99% and Occupy Seattle on Oct. 15th
I joined five thousand people from all walks of life yesterday here in Seattle in a rally and march in support of the Occupy Seattle movement down at Westlake yesterday. Around the world other members of the 99% gathered to express their collective outrage at the 1% who control the worlds wealth and the politicians who enable them to rape and pillage the earth as part of the neo-liberal model of the unbridled free market economy.
I ran into a lot of old friends and comrades from the WTO protests here in Seattle as well as made new friends with young people from a new generation of activists for a better more sustainable world. The march itself wound its way from Westlake Park down to the Pike Place market then back to the park as the great spirit provided a little window of sun as we took to the streets.
After the General Assembly where direct democracy is practiced to discuss matters and set direction for the group, the park turned into a sort of festival of revolt as we enjoyed a day of freedom that we provided for each other with our solidarity and creativity. I met teachers and students, plumbers and housewives with kids, Democrats and non-aligned, hippies and good old boys, all gathered to say enough is enough in the hopes that the politicians and the rest of the 99% would here our voice and take a look at where the present model of civilization is heading.
My spirit was lifted seeing the new generation take back their First amendment right to assemble on the town square to discuss their grievances as our founding fathers had in mind when this nation was born. Hope was in the air in Seattle and around the world on Oct. 15th as the Occupy Wall Street movement continues to grow and expand in the fall of 2011. When I left around midnight over 150 tents were filled with protesters camped in the park in defiance of orders from the mayor enforced by SPD to not allow camping in the public space as part of the effort to squash the peoples independent movement against corporate greed.We shall see what today brings, come on down….Go 99%! http:jeffsmariners.com
Please note: This Mariners Blog is being temporarily Occupied by the writer in solidarity with the Occupy Seattle movement, please feel free to go to a more conventional Mariners Blog for baseball news.
Tags: 99%, Mariners Blog, Occupy Seattle, Occupy Wall street, Oct. 15th March Seattle, Westlake protestors
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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 Win 4-2 over A’s on my Final Visit to the Safe in 2011
I made my final trek of the year from Fremont down to Safeco Field tonight and was rewarded with a pitching gem by Jason Vargas combined with a couple of timely homers by Miguel Olivo and Justin Smoak in the 4-2 win. I usually attend about 15 games a year so I can experience the sensation of watching Major League baseball live even though I invariably spend $75 each time when I could probably just watch all the games on TV. But there is something about the sound of the ball off the bat and the smells and energy of a home game that is comforting to me and tonight it did the trick.
I grabbed a $3o seat outside the park as usual then began my migration around the stadium resting in six different spots including the Hit it Here Cafe for dinner as well as a couple innings in the bullpen area. I usually don’t interact much with the other fans and prefer to roam around checking things out as if I owned the Safe. And why not after all these years of following this club through thick and thin not to mention all the money I have spent I kind of feel entitled.
I showed up earlier than usual and watched the A’s take BP down with a swarm of Japanese tourists who still fly over here year after year to catch a glimpse of their hero Ichiro. I was kind of in awe as I noticed how big and graceful the players looked from the ground level and maybe for the first time in my life watched a game as if I wasn’t in it and was just observing a game played by a group of men who I will never speak to. It was kind of sad watching this game with the cool damp air and empty seats reminding me that again it is time to settle in for another long wet winter in Seattle after another long losing season.
Jason Vargas used his new delivery with the added twist to his advantage tonight and fanned 10 A’s only allowing 5 hits and 1 run in the first inning to finish strong in 2011. Miguel Olivo also had a nice night belting a solo shot to tie the game in the fifth off A’s starter Brandon McCarthy and adding a double in the sixth. With his 19th homer Olivo passes Dan Wilson and Kenji Johjima to set the record for home runs by a catcher since the Mariners came to Seattle in 1977. Oliva has played with heart all season and barring an offseason trade deserves to come into camp next year as the starting catcher for this club.
The big blow in the game came in the sixth when Justin Smoak smashed a 2-out 3-run bomb to right for his 15th homer of his injury plagued season. Smoak should be able to hit 25 home runs next year if he can stay healthy and is another guy who comes into camp as a starter in 2012. The real question marks in my mind are left and third where things are up in the air and possibly the spots where we could add a more seasoned player with a proven history of producing at the plate this winter. We shall see what Jack Z. comes up this winter but for now I am emotionally detaching from this season and preparing for what looks to be an exciting postseason in baseball.
With the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays now tied for the AL wild card there is still some suspense left and I was watching the scoreboard all night at the Safe including the Cardinals Astros game which ended up going to Houston denying the Cards the chance to catch the Braves who lost tonight. Also of note our old friend Doug Fister won his 7th straight game since being traded to Detroit and is billed as their #2 starter going forward which is hard to believe after watching him pitch here the past couple of seasons. Fister is a nice enough guy and never complained while pitching here about his lack of run support so I am happy for him.
I will be writing my final Mariners Blog post of 2011 Tuesday night as I am flying to Italy Wednesday for a business/pleasure trip and won’t be around for the final game of the season. I hope to put together a more comprehensive season overview with thoughts on 2012 when I get back on Oct. 11th along with some postseason Sea-stories once I finally pick my bandwagon team for 2011. See you next year Safeco Field. Go M’s http://jeffsmariners.com
Tags: Doug Fister, Is it over yet?, Jason Vargas, justin smoak, Mariners Blog, miguel olivo, Safeco Field
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