Seattle Mariners: Through 61 Games

After a quick 61 games played by the Mariners, they stand at an incredible 38-23 (.623 win %) and are holding down 1^st place in the AL West with a one game lead on last years World Series Champions, the Houston Astros. They also have MLB’s third best record trailing only the Red Sox (.694) and Yankees (.690). There is a lot of criticism about our current run differential being so low at a +21, contrary to the Astros and Red Sox who are both over 100 already. The reason for this is all the 1 run and extra inning games they have played already. We have played a league high 27 one run games where we won 18 of those and we are currently 6-0 in extra inning games.

Another criticism we are getting is that our schedule is not tough enough. To argue that I would present that we are 14-10 against teams currently over .500 which is second best behind the Yankees who are 17-7 while the Red Sox are only 12-10.

One of the biggest surprises in our great season so far has been the pitching *gasp*. The leader of the pack being James “Big Maple” Paxton who has been ripping up the league with a 2.95 ERA, 101 K and only 25 BB in a team best 82.1 innings pitched. With the recent pick up of Alex Colome from the Rays, the back end of our bull pen is, dare I say, the leagues best with Colome, Nicasio and Edwin Diaz all pitching lights out this year.

(Photo: James Paxton celebrates after a complete game no hitter against the Blue Jays in Toronto on 08MAY2018. The first Canadian to do so in Canada.)

On the offense, Jean Segura is leading the club in hits, doubles, triples (tied with Dee), batting average, and OBP. He has been hitting every single day and coming through in really clutch moments. Dee Gordon saw the DL for 10 games with a foot injury but has made a nice recovery and has been holding down 2^nd base since the suspension of Robinson Cano.

(Photo: Jean “Jean Jean Hitting Machine” Segura continues to be one of the best hitters in base ball with 83 hits (2nd in MLB) and a .339 BA (2nd in the AL)

There is a long hard road ahead for the Mariners to make the playoffs. It seems like I find myself holding my breath every game, but they some how pull out a win night after night and at some point you have to stop doubting the fact that the Mariners are a legitimate ball team and could make some noise if they make the playoffs this year. This team has more character and charisma than any other team I have witnessed since the 2016 Cubs and we know how that team fared in 2016.

(Photo: Nelson “BOOMSTICK” Cruz celebrates after another one of his iconic towering Home Runs.)

With 101 games remaining, the name of the game is staying healthy. The players seem to be taking good care of their bodies so far and honestly it could never get as bad as it did last year.

The Mariners have a 4 game series in Tampa than it’s home for a tough 4 games against the Angels followed by the leagues best Red Sox and Yankees. If we can make it through the next 2 weeks still on top, people might start to give the Mariners the recognition they deserve.

(Quick Ichiro Update: Still in uniform to include cleats and batting gloves every single game and he has even started throwing BP. Ichiro Forever.)

-CS

Robinson Cano Tests Positive For Illegal Substance: Suspended 80 Games

Fan favorite Robinson Cano has tested positive for an illegal substance. His punishment is set at 80 games. This news breaks just 1 day after being placed on the 10 day disabled list for breaking his hand. This is not an easy article to write and I don’t even know what to think of this yet, but I need to get these emotions out. Robinson is one of my favorite players in the game. He is a great team player that always has the biggest smile on his face and seems to be everyone’s friend. He is always the first out of the dugout to congratulate a teammate for a good hit or great play.

I am not going to share my opinion on steroid use in the MLB because it is an unpopular one, and quite frankly it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is that it’s illegal and everyone knows it. Robinson broke the rules and the punishment fits the crime. I will however share my theory about why Robinson would risk the Mariner’s season with this seemingly selfish act.

Last year was an extremely aggravating year for Robinson Cano. He saw the disabled list multiple times, with most of the issues coming from muscles strains to his legs. He was moving slow. He could barely run to 1^stbase and wasn’t covering his position as well. It wasn’t the same Robbie we had seen in the past. It had looked as if the end was nearing for Robinson at 2^ndbase and he would play out his time as a DH in the very near future. Fast-forward to this season and Robinson is a new man. He is running better than he has in years and covering second base like the All-Star he is. Could it be possible that Robinson turned to steroids in the off-season to try to get back to 100%? We have heard of many athletes turning to steroids, not for bigger muscles and an edge, but to simply deal with injuries. Being a professional athlete can cause a lot of stress on your body and you don’t always have the proper time to recover.

Missing the next 80 games almost guarantees Robinson will not hit 30 doubles this year. When he would have hit 30 this year, it would have passed Stan Musial’s previous record of 12 consecutive seasons of 30 doubles or more. It looks like the record will stay at 12 seasons tied between Cano and Musial. I also have to believe this is going to put a damper on his Hall of Fame bids when the time comes. He currently has 10 which was well ahead of pace

I am disappointed, angry, concerned and confused. This is going to be a rough time for Mariner’s fans, but we will get through these 80 games, and welcome Robbie back to the lineup when he has paid his dues.

In the mean time who will fill his position? I don’t think Andrew Romine, Gordon Beckham or Taylor Motter will be able to fill this void and Dipoto already said Dee Gordon would be staying in center field. We may need to make a trade soon if we want to stay in the playoff hunt.

:::::UPDATE:::::

Cano just released this statement:

 

If this is all true and I sure it is, this is a huge bummer and miss communication. Cano seems to not be fighting this “technicality” at all because he is not denying the fact that he took this substance. he is however pleading ignorant to the fact that it was illegal when the doctor prescribed it. As a professional athlete I fell like you have to be a little more cautious about what you are taking.

Robinson, we are not mad at you, just slightly disappointed and upset at the situation. Get better and we will see you soon.

-CS

Seattle Mariners: 30 Games In

Mariners have played 30 games (Only 132 to go)

The last time I wrote about the Mariners was April 8^thand they were 4-3 and the outlook was promising. Fast forward a few weeks and they currently stand at 18-12. We are a half game back from the Astros and Angels as we start our home stand against the Angels tonight (look for Albert Pujols to hit number 3000 tonight). Our run differential is at a +6. Through 30 games, this is the 4^thbest start in the team’s history. A quick glimpse at the team’s top 6 starts:

2001: 23-7, Season: 116-46

2002: 21-9, Season: 93-69

2003: 19-11, Season: 93-69

2018: 18-12, Season: TBD

1997: 18-12, Season: 90-72

2016: 18-12, Season: 86-76

Ok that was fun. Who doesn’t love meaningless stats?

Let’s jump into how some of our individual players are doing.

Offense: Robinson Cano. Mitch Haniger. Dee Gordon. I don’t know where to begin because they are all playing out of their minds. Let’s start with our veteran 2^ndbaseman, Robbie Cano. The man that makes everything looks so smooth and effortless. The man who hits home runs while he is blowing a bubble with his gum. He can make striking out look like the coolest thing since Billy Madison peed his pants. Constantly making the cleanest double plays while shooting a wink to his shortstop as they jog back to the dugout. Robbie has been in the zone for all 30 games this year. He is seeing the ball so well resulting in less strikeouts, more walks and more base hits to every part of the stadium. I could list a bunch of sweet stats to back this up, but I don’t feel like it. I’d rather talk about what he looks like and how he is really playing. Last year he was haunted with constant quad problems where he could barely jog to first base or cover his position on defense. It looked as if the end was near. This year he is beating out base hits, extending singles to doubles and covering more ground at 2^ndthan he has in years. I don’t know what he did this winter, but he needs to continue it because he is intoxicating to watch.

(Picture: Robinson Cano hypes the dugout up after another successful At-Bat)

Mitch Haniger. An early contender to win the AL MVP.  Mitch Haniger. An early contender to win the AL MVP. Not a typo. Just wanted to make sure you read that correctly. Last year, Mitch was leading all rookies early on until he went down with a nasty oblique injury that took him out for a few months. This year has started even better. He was batting clean up for a few games while Nelly nursed his ankle back. During that time, you would have thought he was a natural every day clean up batter. He has already logged 10 HRs (now tied for second in the league) and 27 RBIs (also 2^ndin the league). Boo stats. Every at bat for Haniger is meaningful. He is a nightmare for opposing pitchers because he is not going to go down with out a fight. He has the power to go deep in any ballpark or can get you a base hit all day. Oh by the way, he can steal on you too. He is like a really cheap knock off of Mike Trout and that is a huge compliment. He recently pushed Kyle Seager to the 6^thspot in the line up now batting 5^th.  If you haven’t noticed, the difference between Robbie and Mitch last year and this year is health. Let’s hope it stays that way.

(Picture: Mitch Haniger admires another long Home Run he lets rip out to center field, credit:Icon Sportswire)

Dee Gordon. Flash. Our leadoff hitter. Our center fielder. Our base stealing, infield single, bunting, energetic, fan favorite player. He is currently leading the league in stolen bases. He has had sixteen (16!) hits in the last 5 games, 9 of those coming in two days. The last time anyone has done that was 2008 (Melvin Mora, BAL).  He has been so fun to watch. He has a chance to beat out any ball he hits and pitchers and catchers hate when he is on the base paths, taking pressure off the batter.  He is unstoppable. His catch phrase has turned into “Dee is going to do Dee things”. He is the catalyst to this offense.

(Picture: Dee Gordon continuing the dominate opposing pitchers.)

A few other quick notes: Ryon Healy is back from injury and is starting to see the ball really well. Mike Zunino is back and his presence is being felt behind the plate immediately. Ben Gamel is platooning LF with Heridia and Kyle Seager has been struggling a little at the plate. Jean Segura is another key player that has been doing great in the 2 spot in the line up. Nelson Cruz still hits the ball so hard, I am afraid for the spectators in the stands.

Pitching:

I could write another page about Edwin Diaz. He has a league leading 12 saves on 12 attempts. He has given up 4 hits in 17.1 innings with 30 strikeouts. He is clearly far and away the best closer in the game right now, earning Reliever of the month for April. Juan Nicasio has been coming in to pitch the 8^thand sometimes 7^tha lot and has been a very strong set up man. James Paxton set a league record 16Ks his last start, but unfortunately got a no decision and the Mariners gave that game up. Paxton hasn’t quite looked as dominate as last year until that start. King Felix is holding his rotation spot down. He has the most wins on the team (4), and the lowest BAA. His velocity has continued to decrease, but he still has his command with the slider and change up. The pitching is still the weakness on the team. Our bullpen has been very good but we still do not have that shut down dominate number one pitcher. Paxton could get there if he continues to pitch like last game.

Apr 8, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton (65) pitches to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

(Picture: Left- James Paxton (Big Maple) on the mound. Right- Edwin Diaz is met on the mound by Mike Zunino after another shutout ninth inning save.)

If the Mariners want to take a run at a playoff spot this year, they will need to acquire a pitcher before the deadline for sure. I think the Astros will win the AL West because they are still really good and the Mariners will need to compete with the Yankees, Angels, and Blue Jays for a Wild Card spot.

Well that’s about all the news for the Mariners for now, nothing else big to note. No big roster moves. No futures Hall of Famers retiring in the middle of the season or anything like that. Oh wait. (Sorry that was lame)……

Ichiro Suzuki has made a switch to be a “Special Assistant Advisor to the Mariners”. He will continue to take batting practice. He will work with the out fielders and base runners as well as help with batting tips. He will remain in the dugout in uniform during games, but he is not on the roster. Some are saying he is retired, but I do not think we have seen Ichiro’s last at bat. It was just announced that the Mariners would open the season in Japan next year. I would bet money that Ichiro will be in uniform for a game or two as the MLB plays its first game in Japan, where Ichiro played for 9 years before coming to America in 2001.  I really hope this is what happens at least. I don’t care if he doesn’t deserve a spot on the roster at the moment. He deserves that respect and the Mariners will not be hurt letting the best batter of all time back in their line up in the beginning of the season. Also, if we lose a few outfielders to injury this year, he could be reactivated.

(Picture: Ichiro Suzuki. Heros get remembered, but Legends never die.)

I love the Mariners and apparently I love writing about them. Thanks for reading.

-CS

Mariners’ Opening Week in Review

It has been ten days since opening day, and I have to say, it has been an absolute pleasure watching the Mariners play some solid ball this year. Their record currently stands at 4-3 (there is a 1:10 CT game today GAME POSTPONED DUE TO SNOW). Through these first seven games, we have suffered one abysmal loss to the Giants (10-1), one loss to the Indians (6-5) and one loss to the Twins (4-2). Our current run differential is -1 and we are sitting at third place in the AL East (Everyone else has at least three or four more games than we do currently).

(Picture: At 44, Ichiro can still hold down LF defensively as he robs a Home Run ball at home, ultimately protecting the Indians bull pen as they all watch in fear.)

Pitching

The biggest story in my opinion has been James Paxton’s slow start. He has two starts with zero wins and one loss. He has lasted 9.2 innings with a 7.45 ERA.  His first outing was against the Indians were he gave up 6 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks. His next outing against the Twins was a little bit better, however he still gave up two runs on four hits, striking out 7. I think he is still finding his groove and will be back to the Big Maple we love in a few starts.

(Picture: Although an Eagle landed on James Paxton before his second start, it would not result in the good luck expected as the Mariners would go on to lose this game, maybe because he is Canadian?)

The only other pitcher I want to mention is (King) Felix Hernandez. He was our opening day starter for the 10^thstraight year, and he came out slicing and dicing, lasting 5.1 innings, giving up zero runs on two hits, 2 BB and 4 Ks. He would go on to pick up the W. His second start did not pan out as well. Lasting 4 innings against the Giants, giving up 8 runs on 6 hits and 5 BB. I’m really hoping to see King Felix have a great bounce back game this week.

(Picture: Mike Marjama visits a struggling Felix Hernandez on the mound during his loss to the Giants.)

Offense

Offensively the Mariners, for the most part, are putting together a good year. Their front-runner is our veteran leader Robinson Cano, leading the team and the entire league with a BA of .440. He also leads the team in runs, OBP, hits (tied w/ 3 players) and doubles (tied w/Segura). The other shining star early on has been Mitch Haniger who is batting .333 with 2 HR, and leading the team in RBIs, SLG% and OPS. Dee Gordon and Jean Segura are leading off the line up getting base hits and stealing bases just as expected. I think it is important to note future hall of famer, Ichiro Suzuki, currently has 5 hits and has been putting together some great at-bats.

(Picture: Mitch Haniger admires one of his Home Run balls vs the Indians at home.)

Injuries

Ah yes, the injury section. This section would have been by far the longest part of the article in years past, but that doesn’t hold true at the moment. Ben Gamel, Nelson Cruz and Mike Zunino could potentially all start by Friday. Adding these three bats to the lineup would be a huge help. Ben Gamel would take LF back from Ichiro who will more than likely stay on to be the back up outfielder. Nelson Cruz will fall back into his DH position, forcing Taylor Motter back to AAA. This move is also interesting because it take Dan Vogelbach out of the DH position that could push the struggling Ryon Healy to start sharing his 1B duties a lot more.  And finally, Zunino will move back to C, pushing David Freitas back to AAA. Mariners’ fans should be very excited to get these guys back in the line up. Pitchers Erasmo Ramirez and Hisashi Iwakuma have both been pitching bullpen sessions and are poised for a return within a month as well.

(Picture: Mariners look forward to Mike Zunino returning to his duties behind the plate.)

Looking ahead

The Mariners have a road trip to KC for three games and then will return home for a series against the A’s and Astros before hitting the road again against the Rangers and White Sox. I’m excited to get our team healthy and have our guys continue to build on the momentum they have going forward.

Baseball is here and I couldn’t be happier having the Mariners on my TV again.

(Picture: Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz look to have great seasons this year for the Mariners.)

 

Ichiro is Coming Home

After last year when I heard Ichiro was looking for a team in the MLB and would consider going back to Japan to play, I felt a sense of unfinished business. As a Mariners fan, Ichiro is the best hitter our generation has seen. To go ten years straight with over 200 hits, breaking records and our hearts along the way, he has been a real life super hero. I still found myself turning on the Marlins games every time he was at back to get the chance to see one more hit. I wasn’t ready for him to go back to Japan. I don’t think anyone was. I was expecting a big retirement announcement, and a good bye tour where every stadium would applaud his final at bat and recognize the greatness that would be leaving their stadium for the last time.

Then a notification showed up on my phone while I was at work about a week ago “Ms close to a one year deal with Ichiro”. My jaw hit the floor as I reread those words over and over. I thought it was a prank or a dream or a mistake. This seems way to good to be true. Than reality sunk in. The reality of how old Ichiro is and what he can still do for this ball club, and more importantly what he cannot do. The 44 year old is on his 18^th season in the MLB. His numbers have declined in the past few years as he was mostly used as a PH in the NL the last two years. The last thing I wanted was for him to come to the Ms and tarnish his reputation. I was afraid people were going to expect him to come to us and hit over 100 base hits this year and make amazing acrobatic catches in the outfield. This simply won’t happen and that’s not what GM Jerry Dipoto is bringing him back to do. So what his he doing back?

I think that answer is 3 fold. First of all, I think his role in the clubhouse will be a leadership role amongst a very young roster. He is one of the smartest and most patient players that I have ever seen and his knowledge and experience will be respected highly in the clubhouse. Secondly, he will fill a backup outfield position. The man may be 44, but he is still good enough to be on a roster and produce a couple games a night. Ben Gamel, the expected starting LF, is out 4-6 weeks with an oblique strain. Mitch Haniger (RF) is battling an injury at the moment and found himself on the DL twice last year for some considerable time. The 4^th outfielder is currently Guillermo Heredia. He recently returned from the DL with a bad shoulder injury. Dee Gordon is our every day center fielder, however, this is his first year in the new position and Ichiro can definitely provide some veteran advice to him. Although our outfield is very young and strong, there is a lot of history of injuries and inconsistencies. This is where Ichiro fits in. Dipoto said he expects to have Ichiro playing 4-6 times a week, especially while Gamel is out. I assume he will be sharing time with Heridia, but this still seemed very high to me. Dipoto expressed that he doesn’t expect to bring a Mariners icon in to ride the bench. The third reason for resigning Ichiro is for the good-bye tour. This might be a one-year situation. He isn’t costing the club very much money and we are supposedly getting rid of a reliever to fit Ichiro on the roster. We aren’t necessarily making a WS run either, so what’s the harm here? The club will sell a ton of tickets, jerseys, bubbleheads and more. Hopefully, if this is his last year or two, he gets the goodbye every Hall of Famer deserves.

After analyzing it and feeling out the fan base, the feeling is mutual, we don’t expect much out of Ichiro, but we can’t wait to watch him every night, even if it’s from the dugout. If he has a few good games, that would be awesome. Every hit he gets will be electric, and every routine outfield catch he makes will be remembered. Standing ovations will be normal with every home game at bat. We will truly be watching a legend play at Safeco Field. The Mariners all time leader in hits, singles, batting average, triples and stolen bases has nothing to prove.

Welcome home, Ichiro.

All photos courtesy of Getty Images and the MLB.

Meet Dee Gordon

Who is Dee Gordon and why should we all be excited about him donning that beautiful Mariners jersey this year? Let’s take a look back, before we look to next year.

The 2x All-Star second basemen is going into his 8^th season, and will turn 30 this season. Coming off one of his best seasons, Dee looks to continue on last season as a hitting machine and base-stealing maniac. Last year, Dee was tied for third in the majors with 201 hits. Can you name the THREE Mariner players to ever hit for 200+ in a season? Let me take you back to 1996 when (the best baseball player ever) Alex Rodriguez was the first Mariner to break this milestone with 215 hits. Two years later he did it again with 213. In 2001 the other two Mariners reached this feat. Brett Boone hit for 206 and the Rookie of the Year, Ichiro Suzuki, broke an MLB record with 242 hits. From there, Ichiro would go on a tear of 9 consecutive seasons with the Mariners, hitting for over 200 every year with the last year being 2009. I think it is pretty safe to say, the Mariners would love to have another man at the plate that we can count on every single game to produce.

Last year, Dee stole 60 bases! The last Mariner to steal 60 bases was Harold Reynolds in 1987. WHO!? The most Ichiro ever stole was 45, his rookie season (Stop it, i’m not comparing the two, I’m just giving you a reference point). On top of these two very exciting stats is Dee still managed to bat .308 last year which would have lead the team (Segura .300).

What I’m trying to say here is, Dee Gordon brings a lot to the Mariners that make the game of baseball very fun to watch. Hits and stolen bases are some of the most exciting plays to watch on a diamond, and they can really rattle a team in a pinch.

Now on to next year. Dee Gordon is a lifetime middle infielder (mostly 2B). Our middle infield is pretty set in stone with Jean Segura holding down a very strong SS and our franchise player Robbie at 2B. So Jerry Dipoto and Scott Servais have made the executive decision to move this All-Star to CF. The Commander of the outfield. As many of us remember, this position was once held down by the greatest CF to ever play, Ken Griffey Jr. Now don’t jump on me too quickly. I am not not comparing Dee Gordon to ‘The Kid’ because that is outrageous, HOWEVA, I do like the idea of having a leader in CF again. A charismatic, team player that every one looks to and everyone loves.

Goose Bumps…

September 26, 2016. On this date, the Marlins played their first game after the absolutely tragic death to Ace pitcher, Jose Fernandez. Dee and Jose were very close friends so this was a very tough and emotional game for Dee. On his first at bat after his best friends death he…well just watch the video…

VIDEO LINK

Sign me up right now! Give me that number 9 jersey today! This is a man I want in my lineup! This is the attitude and compassion I need in my clubhouse. This is the leadership we need on the Mariners. Look, don’t get me wrong, Robbie, Nelly, and Felix are amazing leaders and players, but I think Dee has a little more fire in him that might relate to more of our younger players.

Dee Gordon. Welcome to the Seattle Mariners. We are all happy to have you.

Is it baseball season yet?

Edgar Martinez looks to continue HoF run in 2019

In his 9^th year on the ballot, Edgar Martinez fell merely 20 votes short of being forever remembered in the MLB Hall of Fame. Edgar ended with his highest voting percentage of 70.4%. That is up from 58.6% in 2017, 43.4% in 2016, and 27% in 2015. With the odds in his favor, Mariners fans everywhere have high hopes he will be inducted into the Hall on his 10^th and final year on the ballot.

If Edgar is inducted next year he will be only the second Mariner elected into the Hall of Fame behind none other than Ken Griffey Jr.  in 2016.

Mariner’s offseason in review

After a disappointing 2017 season (78-84, 3^rd in the American West), Mariner fans were hoping for an offseason that bolstered their bullpen to support their already competitive offense. Sadly, they did not make as many changes as some would hope.

Perhaps the biggest addition to the club was ex-Marlins 2B, Dee Gordon (12/07/17). As the Marlins continue to clear house, the Mariners were able to trade a few minor leaguers and future options for Gordon. Gordon was one of the best 2B in the NL last year, however we already have a lock down franchise 2B (Robinson Cano) with a couple of good years on his legs. GM Jerry Dipoto has decided to move Gordon to be the new starting CF and possible leadoff hitter.

The other notable addition to the ball club came when Dipoto signed veteran RHP Juan Nicasio to a 2-year deal, worth $17m from the Cardinals. Juan will look to add strength to their bullpen as a long reliever.

Other moves include: Acquired INF Ryon Healy from Oakland for RHP Emilio Pagan and SS Alexander Campos. Reassigned third base coach Manny Acta to bench coach, assistant coach Scott Brosius to third base coach, special projects coach Chris Prieto to first base coach. Bench coach Tim Bogar and first base coach Casey Candaele will not return.

Hopes are high heading into the 2018 season, however we know time is running out on the 37 year old Nelson Cruz and 34 year old Robinson Cano. On top of that, our long time ace, Felix Hernandez, has declined more than people would have thought in the last two seasons. If the Mariners can’t make the playoffs this year, we might see a lot more changes next offseason.