So I promised myself that when I started this blog that I would not neglect it. Clearly I HAVE neglected it. But you know baseball season just left me with a bad taste in my mouth that I had no desire to write about anything sports related. And then the Seahawks season started and boy have they sure stunk it up. BUT that is okay because hockey season is in full swing and there is plenty more to talk about than the suckage of any and all teams from Seattle. So stay tuned...

Laid to Rest

Stay tuned in the next couple of days for a recap of the Mariners disastrous season. Mariners fans around the world will FINALLY be put out of their misery today as the Mariners play their last game of the season. THANK GOD! Time to close this chapter in Mariners history and hope to God we never have to endure a season quite this painful ever again. YUCK!

Our Trip To Cooperstown--My Oh My! Part 1

Its funny. Six years ago I would have been the last person you would have seen in Cooperstown, New York, visiting the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. I would have laughed at you if you had told me that one day I would end up there and would spend hours walking around and looking at baseball's past and present as it is captured within the walls of the Hall. I would have told you that you were crazy if you had told me that I would spend hours standing on a street waiting to catch a glimpse of the stars that have made the game of baseball what it is today. If you had told me I would attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies and have a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes, and goosebumps from head to toe as they introduced the 56 living Hall of Famers I would have shook my head in disbelief. If you had told me that when they announced Hank Aaron and Willie Mays back to back that as they walked upon the stage I would have been moved to my feet and joined the thousands in thunderous applause for two of the greatest to ever play the game I would have told you to get your head checked. Me, love baseball and all it means? Not a chance. But you know, just when you think you have it all figured out, you find a passion for something you never imagined could exist.

You would think Chris would be the one to blame for this love and passion I have for the game of baseball and the Seattle Mariners. But all the credit goes to my mother in law Linda. When I spent weekend at their house when Chris and I were first dating it seemed all they watched was baseball all weekend long. Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. At first I fought it. I swore up and down I would never watch such a boring excuse for a sport. Being Canadian and a passionate hockey fan the thought of watching baseball was nauseating. But slowly I got sucked in. I would sit with Linda and watch the games and before too long I was asking questions, and I was learning the players names and positions. I don't think we will ever forget the day I tried to say the name of the player who became my favorite Mariner. RP pitcher #17 Shigetoshi Hasegawa. I tried and tried but over and over his name came out in all sorts of odd sounds. We laughed and laughed. Shigersnooki Hashegowi. But I learned his name and with each game I was eager to learn more about different things. What a bunt was, what a double play was, what a ground rule double was. Before long I found myself fascinated with the pitchers and how complicated the art of pitching really is. The different grips, release points, the pitches. I couldn't get enough.

My mother in law may have introduced me to baseball and planted the seeds that would turn my into the baseball fan I am today. But it is Dave Niehaus that made baseball real to me. Night after night it was Dave who made me feel like I was at the ballpark sitting in the front row. It is Dave who gives me goosebumps when he utters the words he is so well known for. None better than his grand slam call--"Get out the rye bread and mustard Grandma it is grand salami time!"
There is nothing like it when a ball is crushed out of the ball park and Dave makes you feel as though you are right there--"that ball is belted to deep right field and that ball is going to Fly Away, My oh My!"

Click HERE and HERE for 2 classic Niehaus calls. The first probably being the greatest one in Mariners history. There is nothing like it. And even though I was not a Mariners fan back in 1995, listening to that gives me goosebumps every single time.

Dave Niehaus for those of you reading this and don't know who Dave is, he is the play by play announcer for the Seattle Mariners and has been since their inaugural game in back in 1977. In 32 years Dave has missed only 82 games. Quite the feat considering baseball has 162 game seasons. Through all the bad times in Seattle Dave has always been the constant. Game after game he has always been there. What makes Dave so special is how much he truly loves the game of baseball. He has a passion for the game that is heard in every word he speaks. If a broadcaster does not have a passion and love for the game he is calling then there is no substance to his words. They are merely that, words. With Dave you know it is more than a job to him. He has been living his dream for 32 years calling a game that he is passionate about and a baseball team he truly loves. Being able to be there and see Dave receive the Ford C Frick award and honored by the Hall of Fame was truly a special experience for me, one I won't soon forget. Dave is an honorable and gracious man who deserves all recognition in this world for what he does day in and out. At the end of Dave's speech he said--

" I know there are several bigger names who have preceded me in winning this award. There will be several bigger names after me to win this award, but no one will ever be more appreciative."

Dave is right that no one will ever be more appreciative but in my opinion he is the greatest there is. His name is much bigger and much more important to baseball and the Seattle Mariners that I think he realizes. Living in a city where people seem to move to and immediately desert the team the grew up cheering for just to cheer for the Boston Red Sox makes me sick. There is no loyalty in that and I think it's sad. Dave said it best when he said--

"Millions of fans from the northwest stand here with me today. Believe me, without them, I wouldn't be here today. Over the years, they have been my biggest supporters and they've been loyal to the Mariners through thick and thin, and there was never a doubt in my mind about Seattle being big league territory from the first pitch Diego Segui threw to Jerry Remy 32 years ago, it's been quite a ride and it's not over yet. Believe me, the best is yet to come."

Win or lose my heart is in Seattle with the Mariners. You will never see me cheering for another baseball team with the passion I have for Seattle. I thank Dave Niehaus for that. And he is right, the BEST is yet to come. And when that time comes it will be worth every moment of heartache. It will be worth every loss and it will be worth every season the Mariners have let Seattle down. My only wish is that Dave Niehaus will be around for that, I wouldn't want to hear anyone but him calling the final play in a Seattle Mariners World Series clinching game.

Dave Niehaus will forever be in the hearts of Mariners fans. Long after he has retired from baseball he will be in our hearts and he will always be the greatest there is in my eyes.

Congrats Dave, and thank you for sharing you love and passion for baseball with all of us. My oh My!

Patience...

A new post is coming, I promise. Hopefully this weekend once we are all moved to our new place I will be able to take some time at the computer to blog all about our trip to Cooperstown as well as everything else going on with the Mariners and in baseball this week. Some hockey news and football news coming your way as well. Both the NFL and NHL season are right around the corner. It could get crazy in here.

My, Oh My!!

Chris and I are off to Cooperstown, NY this morning to take in the Hall of Fame festivities. We will tour the Hall today and then spend tomorrow at the induction ceremonies where we will get to see Seattle's own Dave Niehaus recieve the Ford C. Frick award for excellence in broadcasting. It should be fun, and hopefully not too hot, since the ceremony is held outdoors. Pictures to follow--hopefully one will be of us with Dave!

Seattle Mariners Game 101: Red Sox 6 Mariners 3

Ichiro robs J.D Drew of a 3 run HR. This game could have been much uglier otherwise. Felix didn't have his best stuff in this one. The team can't expect him to be perfect, they have to help out. The Mariners had their chance to win this one but as usual they could not bring a run home when it mattered the most. They had 2 on with 1 out and Johjima hit into a double play to get Papelbon out of trouble. Then in the bottom of the 12th after the Red Sox had scored 3 in the top of the 12th the Mariners loaded the bases but Vidro was up and ended up making the final out of the game. Who cares that Ibanez and Vidro both hit HR's earlier in the game? They end up being HR's that mean nothing. Sure it looks good beside your name, but at the end of the day if it didn't help the TEAM win then who really gives a crap.

The boys are in Toronto for a 3 game set this weekend. Batista *GROAN* takes the hill tonight. Any guess on how many runs he gives up in the first couple of innings? I say 6 runs and 4 walks. Don't worry folks, only 61 more games of this torture to endure:)

Seattle Mariners Game 100: Red Sox 4 Mariners 2

It would be nice if on the nights our pitchers actually pitch well that our offense would feel like helping even a little. Another decent outing from Dickey. Another dismal outing by the offense.

The only thing worth mention from the offensive side of the game is that Bryan LaHair had his first major league hit. How exciting for him to get it against the team he grew up cheering for. Bryan is from Worcester, MA. He will never forget his first hit and the fact it was against the Red Sox only makes it that much more memorable.

Seattle Mariners Game 99: Red Sox 4 Mariners 0

Ichiro is looking at that ball like he is trying to use some Japanese Ninja mind trick to help him hit it. It is like he is willing the ball to his bat. Well it didn't work cause he went 0-4.

Washburn pitched well. But as usual who cares. It doesn't matter with this team anymore. They just can't put it together. We continue to see Batista pitch. We continue to watch Cairo, Vidro and Johjima take up space on our roster. 3 guys who are barely hitting above 200. This season is OVER for the M's and has been since they got swept by Baltimore back in April. So why keep these guys in the lineup? Why let them take away from guys like Lahair and Clement, even Balentien? Same old M's. Even when the season is totally in the crapper, they still feel the need to try and prove something, instead of making the right decisions and start worrying about the future and stop worrying about winning games this season. *SIGH*

The Mariners Team Motto

Seattle Mariners Game 98: Cleveland 6 Mariners 2

No words needed, the pathetic look on his face says it all.

Seattle Mariners Game 97:Cleveland 9 Mariners 6

2 innings pitched, 8 earned runs. You know what that is? Another terrible excuse of a "start" by a major league pitcher. If Batista takes the mound for one more start this season I may lose my mind. It is sad in a way because last year Batista was outstanding for us. He won 16 games and we could rely on him to go deep into the game each start. Now we are lucky if he makes it past an inning or two. If medical reasons really are the reason for his struggles then they shouldn't be trotting him out there except for out of the bullpen in a pinch.

The offense tried to claw their way back into this one but as usual it was too little too late. Ichiro made it interesting in the 9th inning with a 2 run HR but in the end it didn't matter.

I won't get used to this anytime soon....

Now that's a weird thing to see. Richie in pin stripes and wearing the number 39. Not a bad debut for him tonight in the Big Apple going 1-3 with a RBI single in his first plate appearence.

Seattle Mariners Game 96: Seattle 8 Cleveland 2

Well that is one way to get the second half started. The was a well played game by the Mariners, pitching, defense and offense. Patience and discipline at the plate led to runs. Funny how that happens isn't it?

Every time he takes the mound I realize more and more the special talent that is Felix Hernandez. Not only does he have some of the best stuff in all of baseball but he has a drive and desire to be the best at what he does. Considering where he is at only 22 years old it isn't too far of a stretch to believe Felix could become the next great pitcher of our generation, he is well on his way. It would have been nice to see him go at least 7 innings tonight, but regardless he was outstanding. Attacking the hitters from the start and not getting frustrated when he walked someone or when he didn't get a pitch call in his favor. 8 strikeouts, 4 hits and 2 earned runs. As good as Bedard can be when he is healthy, Felix is the true ace of this pitching staff and he continues to show us why each time he takes the mound.

The guys sure had their hitting shoes on tonight. They were patient at the plate, forcing Laffey to throw a lot of pitches early. 13 hits in this one. The only hit the Mariners really needed though was from Raul Ibanez. In the 2nd inning Ibanez hit a grand slam to break open the Mariners 1-0 lead. 5 runs in the second and with the way Felix was pitching I felt pretty confident about this one early. Jose Lopez added a 3 run HR in the 4th inning to pretty much put this one away.

Good start to the second half for the team as a whole. Now if only they could win every game for the rest of the season they just might make the playoffs. 66-0, what do you think? HA! Honestly I would just like to see these guys finish this season with a little consistency in the win column and end with some dignity still in tact.

Richie Sexson

We all knew it was only a matter of time. For some Mariners fans it came way too late. Richie Sexson was finally released by the Mariners last week. It was bittersweet for me. Richie has been my favorite Mariner since the day they signed him. He has always been a great defensive 1st baseman. a lot of that has to do with his height. He is able to dig balls out of the dirt or reach errant throws that would normally fly far over a regular guys head. If you throw a ball too far over Richie's head you know it was a BAD throw. Sexson has always been the guy who could change the entire game with one swing. For whatever reason this year and last he has lost that ability. But first lets look at his stats over his career.

1999 - 134 games/31 HR's/116 RBI/.255 avg - Cleveland Indians

2000 - 148 games/30 HR's/91 RBI/.256/.296 avg - Cleveland Indians/Milwaukee Brewers

2001 - 158 games/45 HR's/125 RBI/.271 - Milwaukee Brewers

2002 - 157 games/29 HR's/102 RBI/.279 - Milwaukee Brewers

2003 - 162 games/45 HR's/124 RBI/.272 - Milwaukee Brewers

2004 - 23 games/9 HR's/23 RBI's/.233 - Arizona Diamondbacks

2005 - 156 games/39 HR's/121 RBI/.263 - Seattle Mariners

2006 - 158 games/34 HR's/107 RBI/.264 - Seattle Mariners

2007 - 121 games/21 HR's/63 RBI's/.205 - Seattle Mariners

2008 - 74 games/11 HR's/30 RBI/.218 - Seattle Mariners

2008 is far from over for Richie. But it is clear to see that the last season and a half in Seattle have been atrocious for him. The Mariners signed Richie for the numbers he put up consistently from 1999 through 2004. He lived up to those numbers his first two season in Seattle. If only we had had pitching those years who knows what his bat could have done for us in the playoffs.
In 2007 Richie battled leg issues all season long. I am not making excuses for him but I imagine bad legs will make it tough to get the proper power and follow through that a power hitter like Sexson needs. He missed 43 games and by his numbers it was clear he was not himself. I had a lot of hope for Richie going into this season. I really believed he would bounce back from 2007 and regain the form he was known for. But it never happened. I know a lot of baseball is mental and honestly I think Richie just tried to hard. I think he hated getting booed and I think he tried to so hard to hit it out of the park every at bat that it hurt him more than it helped him. The booing bothered me a lot. I realize he is getting paid a lot of money to do what he does, but he is also human. How would you perform at your job on a daily basis if you had 30 000 people booing you? Something tells me it would seriously affect your confidence and your job performance. I don't believe it is any different for athletes. It is sad for me to have seen Richie leave Seattle on such a sour note. I feel he deserved a much better fate than what he got. A lot was made of Richie's "attitude" in the days leading up to his release. Yet the media failed to make anything of how much Richie had a good attitude most of this season. He worked his butt off in the cages trying to regain his swing, he supported his team mates and barely complained when he was benched in favor of Miguel Cairo. But no one cares about that part. No one wants to here about the Richie that has tried harder than anyone, and who cares and wanted to help Seattle win. I suppose in sports there is always that one guy people villanize and make the whipping boy. Some of it was deserved for Sexson and some of it wasn't. Richie has needed a change for a long time now. Although I am not sure the bright lights of New York City and Yankee Stadium is the place for him to overcome his struggles. Only time will tell for Richie. I wish him nothing but the best in New York and wherever he may play after this season. I know I will be watching the Yankees box score on a daily basis to see if Richie is playing and what he did. I hope the change is all he needed and he can find at least some of the form and be a little of the old Richie.

Seattle Mariners Game 95: Mariners 4 Royals 3

Quick recap:

- Silva was decent, he pitched 6 innings giving up only 2 earned runs
- The bullpen was solid giving up only 1 run in their 3 innings of work
- Jeff Clement blasted a 2 run HR in the 7th inning
- Mariners actually only won because of a fluky error in the 9th inning by the Royals

And now is the All Star break. Will the Mariners actually find a way to come back in the second half and finish this season with a little dignity? Or will they force me to cancel my MLB.TV subscription because I just can't stand to watch anymore?

Seattle Mariners Game 94: Royals 5 Mariners 4

Another good outing by lefty Jarrod Washburn. 6 innings pitched and only 1 earned run. Not bad. It wouldn't matter though because in the bottom of the 9th inning with a 4-3 lead Brandon Morrow gave up a 2 run HR to David DeJesus for his second blown save of the season. Morrow has been lights out, he was due for a couple bad outings. Just unfortunate they had to come so close together.

Seattle Mariners Game 93: Royals 3 Mariners 1

Felix returned from the DL and looked on fire to start this game. It was one of those games where it looked like he was going to be un hittable. He didn't give up a hit until the 4th inning, but then it all came apart in the 5th. He completely ran out of gas and ended up give up 3 earned runs in the inning. The bullpen came in and did a great job of holding the Royals to only those 3 runs but it didn't matter. As usual our pathetic offense made a mediocre below average pitcher look like an all star.

Seattle Mariners Game 92: Oakland 3 Mariners 2

R.A. Dickey was outstanding. His best start of the season. 7 innings pitched, 4 hits, 4 walks and 4 strikeouts. The important number of the day though was his ZERO earned runs. It felt good to see him pitch so well. It felt good to know there was know way we were going to lose that game even though as usual the offense didn't show up.

They headed into the bottom of the 9th inning with a 2-0 lead. All we needed was for Brandon Morrow who has been outstanding in J.J. Putz's absence to come in and shut things down. Morrow gave up not 1 but 2 solo HR's to Jack Cust and Kurt Suzuki that tied the ball game. The game went to extra innings and in the bottom of the 11th Emil Brown hit a solo HR off Jimenez to seal the victory for the A's. What a crappy way to lose.

Seattle Mariners Game 91: Seattle 6 Oakland 4

Batista's return to the rotation lasted barely 3 innings as he had to leave the game with a groin strain. We somehow managed to score 5 runs in the 5th inning. We barely score that in a game, never mind an inning. The biggest hit in that inning was probably off the bat of Jose Lopez who had a 3 run double.

Seattle Mariners Game 90: Oakland 2 Seattle 0

Silva pitched well but who really cares anymore. This team can't win with any consistency and they certainly can't win when he is on the mound. Pitching has been the least of the Mariners issues. It is that whole HITTING thing and the fact they cannot do it when it matters the most. Richie Sexson hit a 3 run HR in the first inning yesterday to give the team and early lead. But instead of lighting a fire under them they just layed down and took a nap.

Seattle Mariners Game 89: Oakland 4 Mariners 3

This one in a nutshell....Beltre was 4-4 going into his final at bat. The tying and go ahead runs were on base. But when it mattered the most he could not get a hit and made the final out of the game.

Seattle Mariners Game 88: Tigers 2 Mariners 1

Where to start? Well I guess first up should be the performance of Ryan Rowland-Smith in his second start of the season. He definitely pitched better than his first time around and made it through 5 innings giving up only 1 earned run, a solo HR to Raburn in the 4th. He gave up 5 hits, walked 3 and struck out 2. Not a bad night for a guy making only the second start of his career. After him the bullpen was outstanding. Lowe, Corcoran, Batista, Green and Jimenez held the Tigers to only 2 hits the next 9 innings. That's right I said 9 innings, after the 5 RRS already pitched. It seemed like this game would never end.

Heading into the top of the 15th inning it seemed the Mariners were out of pitchers. Some were injured, others not available due to recent outings. Riggleman's mistake in my opinion was Not using Green or Batista for more than 1 inning a piece. Either one of them throws one more inning then Riggleman might have not been in the predicament he found himself in. Catcher Jamie Burke made his way out to the mound. I had to take a double look. Only in the Mariners season could this be happening.

He actually did a pretty decent job. He gave up only 1 hit and one earned run. The hit he gave up was a double and then the runner advanced to third on a wild pitch. The next batter hit a sac fly and the run scored. That wild pitch never happens and Jamie likely gets out of that inning unscathed. Too funny. Of course our offense was in able to tie or win the game in the bottom of the inning.

15 innings of baseball, wow. The Mariners had so many chances to put this one away that it never should have come down to our backup catcher having to pitch. Richie Sexson had 2 glorious opportunities to put runs on the board, but failed as usual. I am shocked he hasn't been cut yet. Let's not just blame Richie though. No one got the job done. The only people that deserve any credit in this one is the pitching staff on both teams. That was a long one.

Seattle Mariners Game 87: Mariners 3 Tigers 2

Another excellent start for RA Dickey. He was solid for 6 innings giving up only 2 earned runs. His final line was 6 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts. His only 2 blemishes on two separate solo HR's. One by Guillen in the first and one by Miguel Cabrera in the 4th. His walk total was a little high but that is too be expected with a knuckle ball pitcher. He ended up with the no decision since the Mariners didn't get the go ahead run until the 8th inning. All the Mariners runs in this one game by way of the HR. Jeff Clement hit a solo shot in the 6th inning and a 2 run shot in the 8th to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead. Clement has looked more comfortable at the plate as of late and I am excited about his future with this team and in baseball in general. Tell me again why we extended Johjima for 3 years when we have this kid?

With this win the M's have a chance to win their 4th series in a row. Even if they lose tomorrow, taking 2 of 4 against the Tigers is not a bad thing.

Seattle Mariners Game 86: Mariners 4 Tigers 1

I have said it all season long and I stick by my thought that Erik Bedard is not pitching healthy and I don't think he has been since the season started. He was not a 5 inning guy in Baltimore and he certainly wouldn't be in Seattle if he was healthy. You can't convince me otherwise. I think he has had an assortment of things ailing him since spring training. His line on the day was 5 innings pitched, 5 hits, 1 earned run, 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. Not bad for only 5 innings of work. The Bedard trade talk has me groaning. We gave up a lot to get him and half a season is not enough in my opinion. Wait until he is healthy before you write him off.

Ibanez, Lopez and Betancourt had the 4 RBI's for the M's. Ibanez got his off his 10th HR of the season. Lopez had a 3 run double in the 8th inning to put this one in the bag.

Seattle Mariners Game 85: Tigers 8 Mariners 4

Carlos Carlos Carlos!!! Apparently it was donut competition day and therefore Carlos was not able to pitch well since he was overloaded on donuts. 5 innings, 9 hits, 5 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts. Same old story here. One day he looks great out there and the next he looks like can't stop about thinking about the donuts awaiting him in his locker. Come on Carlos, get it together man.

Another typical night for our offense. Guys getting on base but no one bringing them home. Ichiro however was 3-5 and had his 1700th hit of his MLB career. Congrats to you Ichiro! Ichiro is the 30th active player in baseball to reach that milestone.

Seattle Mariners Game 84: Mariners 4 Blue Jays 2

Another solid outing by Washburn for his second win in a row. 6 innings pitched, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 4 strikeouts. His only blemish in this one was a HR in the 5th inning which got the Blue Jays their only 2 runs of the game. Washburn has really battled hard in his last 7 or so starts and certainly deserves credit for turning his season around.

Miguel Cairo was pretty much the only offense the Mariners needed in this one. Cairo of all people provided 3 of the 4 Mariner runs. He had 2 doubles and 3 RBI's. Nice to see a guy like that contributing to the team effort.

Oh and with this win the Mariners have now won 3 series in a row. Never thought I would say that this season.

Seattle Mariners Game 83: Mariners 7 Blue Jays 6

Everyone on the team had a least one hit except for Lopez who was 0-5. But at the end of the night the only hit that mattered was the one Willie had in the bottom of the 9th. With 2 on Willie smacked the ball into the center field gap for the game winning RBI.

Let us not forget the HR Beltre hit that had him wondering just how the heck he hit it. Considering he practically had to swing above his head to make contact it is no wonder he was confused. He definitely keeps it interesting. Richie also hit a HR which was his first in over a month.

Aussie Ryan Rowland-Smith got his first start of the season. He was cruising through the first 3 innings giving up only one hit. But then it all fell apart for him in the 4th. His night ended in the 4th when he gave up 3 earned runs. He definitely deserves another start, I really think he just needs a good 3 or 4 starts to extend his stamina and get his arm used to throwing that many pitches as opposed to just 1 or 2 innings out of the bullpen.

Seattle Mariners Game 82: Blue Jays 2 Mariners 0

Well I called it. I said I didn't think they could make it 4 in a row. The team has definitely been playing better baseball as of late but Roy Halladay is just flat out good. So good in fact that before this game he already had 3 complete games. 9 innings pitched, 4 hits. Now normally I would rip on our offense for not hitting well and not being patient at the plate. But this game was different. Halladay was untouchable. Sometimes you just have to give credit where credit was due. No one was going to hit Halladay tonight. Kudos to him.Let's not forget Dickey. He was pretty good himself going 6.1 innings giving up only 2 earned runs. He gave his team a chance to win and that is all you can ask.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

This just in...

Seattle Mariners SWEEP the San Diego Padres!!

First sweep of the season. Can you believe it? I know I sure can't. I know it is only the Padres, but STILL that is THREE wins in a row. I didn't think I would see this happen this season. I am almost speechless. It makes me want to do a jig, sort of like this...

Can they make it 4 in a row? My guess is no but then again who knows. Tune in tomorrow night to see. Blue Jays will be in town for 3 game set. Dickey will look to do what he did last time out as he takes the mound for the M's vs Roy Halladay for the Blue Jays. Halladay is the main reason I am not so sure we can pull out 4 in a row. The guy is good.

The Sexson/Vidro watch is on. If I was a betting woman I would say Richie has played his last game as a Mariner. We shall see. Stayed tuned folks, things could get interesting.

Seattle Mariners Game 81: Mariners 9 Padres 2

Beltre really loves playing the Padres. He went 7 for 14 with 8 RBI's and 1 HR. Love it. Beltre is hitting the ball so well right now he was able to hit a 2 run HR today from his knees while blowing a bubble with his bubble gum...


The Mariners as a whole hit the ball well today. 18 hits is always a good thing. Ichiro was unstoppable today going 5-5 . Ibanez was 2-4 with 2 RBI's and added in a nice sliding catch for good measure. Jeff Clement hit his second HR of the season with a solo shot in the 9th inning. Let's hope that this is another sign his bat is settling down and he will hit MLB pitching with a little more consistency. Betancourt was the only starter in the lineup to go hit less today. He was 0-5 with a strikeout and hit into a double play. Ouch, not a good day at the ballpark.I am still waiting for Erik Bedard to break out and have a 8 or 9 inning dominating start. We all know he is more than capable of being one of the best. I don't think he is 100% healthy and haven't since the season began. And all this trade talk surrounding him is just stupid in my opinion. For starters we gave up an awful lot to get him. That and pitching is what helps you win in this league, especially in the playoffs. Left handers as talented as Erik do not come along everyday and trading him will only come back to haunt this team for many years to come. It is my hope he ends up with a decent extension and is around to help this team going forward. Today was a better day for him on the mound. Only 5.2 innings but he did give the team a chance to win. He tired earlier than I think most would have liked but I really think that goes along with the whole not being healthy thing. We shall see how things play out going forward. For now I am happy he got the win.

Seattle Mariners Game 80: Mariners 4 Padres 2

I liked the Silva signing from the very beginning. I have always thought the money to be a little much but I stand by my opinion that I thought that this was a good signing. Silva is a workhorse that will generally give you 7 hard innings on any given night. To start the season Silva looked like a man on a mission to prove to everyone that he was worth every penny of the contract he had signed. He started the season at 3-0 giving up only 9 earned runs in his first 4 starts. But then something happened and it looked like the only thing Silva was trying to prove was how many donuts he could eat on any given day. Looking heavier than his normal heavy self Silva went on to lose 9 of his next 12 starts and. Going into this game he had not won a game since April 17th. In 7 of those starts he failed to make it past the 6th inning. NOT good times.

Tonight however the Carlos Silva that I advocated showed up. The Carlos Silva that I still think was a good signing regardless of the cost. I'm not paying him so why do I care what he is making. Tonight was more of the Silva I expect to see on a consistent basis regardless of how many donuts he ate that day. 7 innings pitched, 8 hits, 2 earned runs, ZERO walks. MUCH much better. Let us all hope THIS Silva takes the mound next time around and not the Fatty McButterpants who ate too many donuts for lunch.

I bet Adrian Beltre wishes we could play the Padres every night. So far in this series he is 5 for 9 with 5 RBI's. I have been waiting for Beltre to break out all season long. Maybe this is his time.

Seattle Mariners Game 79: Mariners 5 Padres 2

Kicking it old skool! How sweet were those jerseys? I bet Jarrod Washburn wishes we could wear those jerseys everyday. Washburn has been solid for his past 7 starts. But in all of those we had weak offense or the bullpen gave it up after he left the game. He was solid in this one. 7.2 innings, 7 hits, 2 earned runs. Good for him. Nice to see him finally get a win for all his hard work the last month.

Lets not even talk about the offense. Yes they scored 5 runs but they also managed to set a new franchise record by stranding EIGHTEEN runners on base. No that is not a typo. 18 runners left on base? Are you kidding me? If that isn't a sign of a team that has serious issues from the offensive side of the ball I don't know what is.

I really do love these uniforms.

Seattle Mariners Game 78: Mets 8 Mariners 2

Oh Miguel why must you hurt us so? 3 weeks in the bullpen clearly did you NO good cause you sucked just as bad in your first start back as you did before you were banished to the bullpen. You claim that it is because you aren't healthy. Well if this is true then why do you feel the need to allow them to trot you out there as if you are going to pitch well. I think this game proved more than ever that until you are healthy you should not be allowed to step foot on the pitching mound. 2.2 innings pitched, 5 hits, 8 runs, 4 earned runs, FIVE walks, 3 K's. FIVE walks in just over two innings of work? It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out your command is completely gone. Yet there you were, starting yet another game and digging a huge hole for your team and giving them virtually no chance. You said you were embarrassed and you should be.

Nothing else to say about this one. The offense wasn't there tonight. The bullpen shut things down after Batista was pulled but it didn't matter. This one was over long before the first pitch was thrown. This one was over the minute it was announced that Batista would be starting.

It is off to San Diego now for a weekend series before heading back home on Monday. It is my feeling that Richie Sexson and Jose Vidro will be playing their last games in Mariners uniforms over the weekend. I imagine one or both of them will be released once the team is back home in Seattle. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Seattle Mariners Game 77: Mariners 11 Mets 0

R.A Dickey made a phone call to the only other pitcher in baseball who throws the knuckle ball. That pitcher was Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox. Whatever Tim had to say it worked because Dickey threw one heck of a ball game. 7 innings pitched, 6 hits, 0 earned runs, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. He was outstanding. I hope he builds off this start and we can see more of this Dickey than the Dickey we have seen.

The offense certainly showed up for this game. Kenji Johjima and Ibanez both had HR's and even Richie Sexson had a 2 hit night with 3 RBI's.

Now if only our offense could find a way to do this consistently...

Seattle Mariners Game 76: Mariners 5 Mets 2

JOY

THEN PAINLet me paint a picture for you. You have two uber talented pitchers facing off against one another in one of the best pitching match ups of the season. One is a 2 time Cy Young award winner while the other is a Cy Young winner in the making. Both hail from Venezuela, one is 29 years old and the other is 22. Both are very likely to end up the Baseball Hall of Fame one day.

Let us skip to the top of the second inning. The Mariners have the bases loaded with 2 outs. The batter walking up to the plate is none other than Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez. His first at bat of the season is against perhaps the best pitcher in all of baseball, Johan Santana. I am pretty sure all Mariners fans had accepted the fact the top of the second inning was going to end with the bases being left loaded. Felix had other plans. The first pitch he saw he crushed to deep right center field for a GRAND SLAM!! FELIX! Are you kidding me? What are the chances? I am not even sure Felix looked at the ball as it was being thrown toward him. He just swung with all his might and probably was hoping it might sneak through for a single. In a season that has been a complete train wreck for the Mariners it is nice to see guys like Felix have success. It is nice to see him work so hard and be rewarded. Maybe this was the baseball God's way of patting him on the back and rewarding him for his hard work this season. Just how special was Felix's slam...

1. First grand slam by a pitcher in inter league history

2. First HR EVER by a Mariners pitcher

3. First time in 37 years an American league pitcher has hit a grand slam

Pretty impressive. When asked what his approach was going into his at bat he replied by saying “My approach? Just swing. I closed my eyes, I was happy and I was thinking that’s all I need — four runs.”Sadly his night didn't end with the joy it should have. In the 5th inning Felix went to the plate to cover a play and was run into and his ankle rolled. He tried to stay in the game but couldn't put pressure on his foot and they took him out of the game. Fortunately it was only a mild sprain and he isn't expected to miss any time, just have his next start pushed back a few days. PHEW! Regardless of how his night ended, he will never forget what he accomplished in the top of the second inning. I know I won't soon forget.

The bullpen did a great job of shutting the Mets down after Felix left the game giving up only 1 earned run. Thank goodness because it would have been a shame for us to lose this one after what Felix did. The guy is a fighter, he wanted to so badly to stay in this one. Glad the guys could pull together the win.