Game 35, Red Sox at Mariners
Jeremi Gonzalez v Joel Pineiro. 7:05, FSN for TV.
I was out biking today on my lunch hour, and it was hot and muggy. This afternoon it was hot and muggy. I have no idea what’s going to happen when the sun goes down, but we may see some weird weather at Safeco Field tonight. I’m rooting for partisan hometown whirling mini-cyclones to whisk all the Red Sox fans back to the NE, except for the ones I know.
By game time, this will be sold out, and the next two games (with Franklin and Meche pitching) will also sell out day-of.
Please heed Dave’s call tonight.
Game 34, Mariners at Yankees
LHP Moyer v RHP Pavano. 10:05 (!) broadcast on ESPN.
From the press notes, it looks like the 13-19 Mariners will sell out through the Boston series.
Brief digression:
From the MLB.com Game Preview:
“I have to find a way to keep the ball down and my fastball away from the middle of the plate. It’s pretty simple.” — Aaron Sele on what he needs to do to improve
Alternately:
“I need to invent a time machine, travel back in time to before my arm blew up, when I could pitch effectively, and then abduct myself to make my next start. But then wait… what happens to old me? Do I disappear now because the old me won’t be around?”
Game 32, Mariners at Yankees
RHP Meche v LHP Randy Freaking Johnson. 4:05 our time, FSN.
The Mariners have been bad against lefties. Randy Johnson is left-handed. He’s also really, really good.
Also, Ichiro’s been in a bit of a funk lately.
So question of the day: since it looks like only injury will ever get Beltre/Boone/Ibanez/Ichiro/Winn out of the lineup, who do you think gets injured out of those five? It’s an interesting exposure v. fragility thing — I’d pick Ibanez if he was playing left all the time, but as a DH? I’m going to go with Boone. I think he’ll get caught napping at second and take ground ball off his leg and miss a couple games with a nasty thigh bruise.
Games 30, 31, Mariners at Red Sox
Early start for the first game of this split double-header.
Game 1: RHP Pineiro v RHP Jeremi Gonzalez. 9am, FSN
Game 2: RHP Franklin v RHP Wade Miller. 2pm, KSTW-11
Continuing stories: Boone still is shy of 1,000 RBI. 5 Mariners have played in every game.
From the MLB.com preview:
“That tells me that we have guys trying too hard. That’s the thing we have been telling them, to relax and be who you are. The key is to be patient and have it happen, sooner rather than later.” — Mariners manager Mike Hargrove on his hitters having two walks over a 24-inning stretch
Ichiro has two more intentional walks than Beltre has walks.
Ichiro also has two more unintentional walks than Beltre has walks.
Game 29, Mariners at Red Sox
LHP Moyer v RHP Clement , 4:05 on FSN.
This is going to be a reaaaaal interesting couple of weeks for this team. Can Don Baylor get Beltre to lay off that pitch? Will the Mariners be the tonic the Yankees need, or will the boys in blue take advantage of New York’s woes to rebound? Or, for even more interesting flavor, will the both offenses feast? Will Jeff Nelson get in trouble in Fenway again, and will he come home from NY or be traded to the Yankees while we’re there?
Also, if you have the chance, again I highly recommend heading down to Tacoma to go see King Felix pitch at 6:05 (as detailed in this fine post). See him and Doyle and a host of others (but not Leone, who I hear is injured again).
Game 28, Angels at Mariners
RHP Byrd v RHP Sele. 3:35, no TV, radio only.
Over/under on HR: 3.5. I’d take the over.
Transactions today, from MLB.com:
Optioned OF Shin-Soo Choo to Triple-A Tacoma; Transferred INF Pokey Reese from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disable list; Selected contract of INF Dave Hansen from Triple-A Tacoma.
M’s v LHP: .204/.263/.290
M’s v RHP: .265/.335/.386
If I was facing the Mariners, I would call up any random left-handed starter in AAA to face this team.
Or, if you’re really looking for the cause of the team’s problems:
#1 .339/.393/.482 (Ichiro!)
#2 .265/.364/.353 (!?)
#3 .227/.265/.318
#4 .219/.348/.510 (no, really)
#5 .255/.300/.382
#6 .281/.373/.385
#7 .223/.299/.266
#8 .204/.250/.286
#9 .200/.214/.232
This is going to be a looooooong May. If we get out of this month within shouting distance of .500 I’ll be happy.
[update: Jeff’s convinced me to open comments. Be good.]
No comments today: it’s been a terrible couple of days for USSM commenting, and I don’t have the energy or availability to police another thread. If another of my compadres does, they’ll swing by and allow comments (and edit this, presumably). If you want to express outrage, etc over this, you can go ahead and email us.
Game 27, Angels at Mariners
RHP Lackey v RHP Meche, 7:05. KSTW-11. Listed some places as FSN, but they swapped it to KSTW, what with the Sonics game on FSN… hmm.
Continuing their consecutive-game streaks: Ichiro! Beltre Boone Ibanez Winn. Boy, Hargrove rides his regulars, doesn’t he?
Meche v Lackey… Hoooooboy. Boone continues to wait on his 1,000th career RBI.
Game 26, Angels at Mariners
LHP Washburn v RHP Franklin, 7:05, FSN
Standard lineup for the M’s even though it’s a lefty. Will the defense save Franklin again? Will Choo ever see action?
In-stadium All-Star balloting starts tonight, and Pokey Reese is on the ballot. Isn’t this a little early to start voting? I mean… really now. (Pokey note: Reese is seeking his second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, who you know from many, many other player injuries.)
From the press notes: 18,000 tickets available for Tuesday’s game, and 20,000 available for the mid-week afternoon game. And today’s predicted color bit: the Mariners didn’t give up a home run in “the past 31.2 innings”
Game 24, Mariners at Athletics
Moyer v Blanton, 1:05. FSN for TV.
Park adjusted: M’s offense is 23rd, Oakland is 28.
Moyer could become the all-time M’s win leader.
Boone could get his 1,000th RBI.
All of Moyer’s starts so far have been day games. There’s nothing interesting there, though:
2003:
Day 2.81, 80 IP, 22 BB, 48K
Night 3.53, 135 IP, 11 HR, 44 BB, 81K
2004:
Day: 6.15, 74.2 IP, 22 HR, 25 BB, 47K
Night, 4.67, 127 IP, 22 HR, 38BB, 78K
Game 23, Mariners at Athletics
Sele v Haren. Two .500 teams face off in a match of division rivals. Beltre, as the game notes tell me, is the only Mariner to have faced Haren before.
Which Mariner will get a day off first: Beltre, Boone, Ibanez, Ichiro or Winn?
I’m betting it’s Winn.
In other news, a rare DMZ @ BP appearance, second since the split, on how other sports have handled drug testing and what that means for baseball’s program and its reputation. Subscriber only.