MLB: Seattle Mariners Blog for Fans

2008-11-26T07:16:00.000-08:00

Don Wakamatsu named Mariners manager--he's the 1st Asian-American manager in MLB history! Full story here.

2008-10-30T11:26:00.001-07:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Seattle!

2008-10-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

Ichiro's going to Japan! But he'll be back. Click here for full story on how he's representing at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

2008-08-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

Wow. I just turned the game on halfway through, thinking I wouldn't have missed much yet. And in a way I was right, because the Mariners seem to be asleep. 10-1 by the 4th inning? That is just too sad. I'm turning it back off. A root canal would be less painful than this.

2008-04-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

There's a headline today on the Mariner's site about Washburn braving the "frigid" 50 degree weather in Cleveland for today's game. I'm not saying 50 degrees is warm or anything, but who wrote that? Have they ever been to Seattle? It's not like our guys are usually playing in the tropics or something.

Vote if you care!

2008-04-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

I've never cared too much about the All-Star game since it doesn't really count for much. So I hadn't even realized that anyone can vote for their favorite players. I'm not sure how I thought they were chosen. Maybe it's like the Academy Awards or something? I just didn't think about it at all, I guess.

But yes, we can all vote, and now's the time. If you go to MLB.com, you can cast your vote. I'd like to see Beltre make it. Then again, with it being way over at Yankee Stadium, it's not likely I'll be buying MLB All Star Game tickets. And if I'm going to be honest, I might not even watch it. It's a fun event, but to me it's not much more than a cutesy promotion.

Next year will belong to Seattle! Who's with me?

2007-10-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

Five straight seasons now, the MLB playoffs with no Mariners in sight. Sigh. Will 2008 be better? There seem to be plenty of reasons to think so, according to some of the Q&A found here:

Mailboag: Looking ahead to 2008

If reality won't work, maybe a game will?

2007-06-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

My mariners thought for the day... (Okay, for the year thus far. I've been remiss.)

According to Wikipedia, the Seattle Mariners are majority owned by Nintendo, the video game company from Japan. And... they haven't been in a World Series, in... like... ever. So maybe if there's a virtual World Series, we could at least virtually win it? Or something? I'd buy tickets to that.

2007-01-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Seattle Mariners expected to keep 1st baseman Richie Sexson for '07 season. Insiders say a pre-Spring Training trade is highly unlikely, especially in light of his $14 million contract this year.

Mariners Snag a Starter

2006-12-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Mariners finalized a trade last week with the Atlanta Braves bringing starting pitcher Horacio Ramirez to the Mariners and sending reliever Rafael Soriano to Atlanta. Ramirez has shown that he has talent, but he seems to be injured often, spending 3 separate stints on the disabled list last season. But if he stays health in 2007, Ramirez could really become a solid starter for the Mariners.

Guillen Signs One Year Deal

2006-12-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Mariners have agreed to a one year deal with rightfielder Jose Guillen for $5 million. Guillen played for the Washington Nationals last season. Last season wasn't great for Guillen, he only played 62 games and hit 9 home runs. Guillen looks to solidify the Mariners outfield and hopefully have better luck with injuries.

See Our Seattle Mariners Up Close

2006-11-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

I’ve been reading about two ways to see the Mariners up close and personal, although not for a few months. They just announced their schedule for spring training, which will again be in Peoria, Arizona. First game will be a traditional fundraiser for children’s charities, Mariners against the San Diego Padres, who practice in the same facility there, slated for March 2^nd. Seattle will play 32 “real” Cactus League games as well. I’ve spent some time in the Valley of the Sun – around July, you’d swear you were on the sun, but in March it’s perfect baseball weather. At preseason games, things feel more relaxed, you sit closer to the players, the whole experience seems much more personal.

If you can’t make it down to Arizona, though, you can at least watch the Mariners on high-definition TV again, on FSN Northwest Channel 664. Pretty amazing technology, let’s you zero in on more spitting and scratching than you can from right there in the stands! Y’know, maybe I’ll get tickets and watch from the way out in left field.

The World Series -- True Fans Are Watching

2006-10-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

I've been watching the games at Detroit and St. Louis, and I've been looking at the fans braving the rain, snow, and ... bonehead errors by the Tiger pitchers. Then I hear radio discussions of how they should put the World Series in some neutral (read, warmer-than-the-Midwest) spot like they do with the Super Bowl. The people leading the discussion seemed to think that baseball fans could just make the Sun Belt venue a "vacation destination" and go fly off there, again like NFL fans do for the Super Bowl.

Somehow I don't picture most of the people with the balloons on their heads as jet-setters. Plus, you know how long the Super Bowl lasts: one Sunday. It's harder to plan a vacation around an event that can last from four to seven games, any of which is subject to weather problems even in sunny Florida or California.

The World Series doesn't get Super Bowl TV ratings -- what does? But it needs to be played where the people who have cheered their guys on all year can get their hands on World Series tickets.

Best Wishes to the Detroit Tigers!

2006-10-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

The Detroit Tigers have been so bad for so long that it is nice to see them back in the World Series after 22 years. I give a lot of credit to Manager Jim Leyland, but of course the guys out on the field are the ones who have to give the performance, and they've been doing that msot of this year.

If Oakland would have won, I could conceivably gotten World Series tickets online or somewhere and made the trek down the coast. But that would never have been as satisfying as seeing our Mariners do it. I'd rather hold out for that. Hey, if it could happen for the Tigers, we can all hang on to the dream!

The Mariners Wishing Well

2006-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

Every fan donation to the Wishing Well at Safeco Field during the 2006 season will benefit Pacific Northwest patients and families at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. If your headed that way any time soon, dont forget to bring your donation.

…It Has To Be Good.

2006-10-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

With a name like Putz, he’s got a lot to live up to. If we can do as well against teams in our division as we’ve done outside the division, we’ll avoid having to sadly watch our team anchor the bottom of the AL West again next season.

Mariners have a good chance to advance.

2006-06-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

June has been a good month for the Seattle Mariners. Despite allowing the Oakland Raiders to sweep us on the road in mid-June, the Mariners are winning some important games and showing definite signs of the strength and drive necessary to achieve a winning record in the very near future. We are fast approaching the Texas Rangers in the AL West and face the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels in the next weeks. The three series have the potential to be relatively challenging, yet judging by the stats, the odds are in the Mariners favor in many areas.

Capitalizing on an opportunity like this can make a big difference in the long and short run. The Seattle Mariners have shown they can win; now they just have to keep it up and fight a little harder every series to protect their edge, ensure victory and get much needed practice for more strategically challenging matches to come. Go Mariners!

Might be out last chance…

2006-05-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

May is the Seattle Mariners’ last chance to show they have the stuff to get into the playoffs. They cannot be satisfied to be middle of the road anymore. Felix Hernandez is going to get his chance to lead the Seattle out f mediocrity on Tuesday night against the Oakland A’s. Go Mariners!

Not Bad So Far

2006-04-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Mariners really stopped the Chicago White Sox dead in their tracks on Monday. Yuniesky Betancourt hit a homer in the 11th inning and brought the White Sox’s eight-game winning streak to an end. It was only the Mariners second win in seven games but they are showing promise on the field. This is the kind of win they’ll have to get more often.

Can the Mariners pull out of their slump?

2006-04-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

Could this be a turn around year for the Seattle Mariners? I am really hoping so. We will see come Monday. The Mariners are playing the Los Angeles Angels on opening day. That will surely be a challenging game for this struggling ball club. I believe that if we come out strong we can end our two year slump and win some games.

Do they have medicine for this?

2006-03-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

I am so tempted to make a trip down to Arizona to catch a glimpse of some baseball. It has been way too long and it is another month before Opening Day. I bought my tickets to the game and every time I look at them sitting there on the refrigerator I start to drool and space out. Oh wow! I’ve got Spring Fever.

Waiting for Felix Hernandez

2006-02-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

I’ve had enough of games involving ice and snow, and I’m ready for some baseball. I was a little bummed that we won’t be seeing the Mariners’ fantastic teenage pitcher in the first ever World Baseball Classic, but it makes sense to be make sure his young arm is handled with care. Besides, between watching Felix Hernandez play for

Venezuela

on TV and getting tickets to see him in person playing for Seattle…okay, I can wait an extra month.

Into Retirement for Mariners Pitcher

2006-01-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

Shigetoshi Hasegawa has announced his retirement from the Seattle Mariners. We are really sad to see him go but still have high hopes for the 2006 season. Don’t forget to cheer for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in their first ever Super Bowl appearance.

Hamstring

2005-06-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

A hamstring pull is probably one of the most annoying injuries an athlete can have. That is the case for Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre. Beltre has not even been cleared to run by team doctors. He has although, been allowed to take batting practice and has been in the batting cage recently. It is likely for him to miss five games at the most.

The Missing Link

2005-06-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

It is times like this one has to question the person in charge of player personnel. At this point in the season the Mariners are really regretting sending Carlos Guillen to the Tigers this past off-season. Now it seems like the Mariners have a void at short stop. Since Guillen left the Mariners have had 8 different players at shortstop. The short stop at the current time is Mike Morse who no more than a back up.

Good Job

2005-05-31T18:03:00.000-07:00

The Mariners’ have something special in right-handed-pitcher Jamie Moyer. Moyer last night pitched against the Blue Jays allowing only one run in six innings pitched. Did I mention he got the win, but not only did he get the win he got his 131st career win which makes him the franchises all-time win leader. Good Job Moyer!

Should be Setting and Example Instead

2005-05-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Professional athletes are people just like you and me and people will make mistakes. No one is perfect, but the eyes of the public will always be on professional athletes. And these athletes should know better than to get caught for drinking and driving. It just seems like every other week some athlete is getting arrested for drinking and driving. Well, Richie Sexson was one of those athletes, and pleaded guilty to a second-degree negligent driving charge after being charged with drunk driving in February. Come on guys you should be setting the example not the problem.

Next Please

2005-05-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have been noticing that Raul Ibanez should stay as designator hitter and leave the left field postion to some one who knows how to play outfield, Randy Winn for example. In my opinion I think Winn should be the Mariners everyday left fielder. It is not that Ibanez can’t play the out field; it is just that his awareness out there isn't the best. He tends to have late jumps on the ball, which cause them to drop.

Back to the Minors

2005-05-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

G.M. Bill Bavasi is adamant about keeping RHP Felix Hernandez, 19, at Class AAA Tacoma for now. Bavasi doesn't want to put too much of a burden on the team's future ace. Besides, one pitcher is not going to take this team from last place to first place.

The club sent RHP Joel Pineiro, who had a 6.52 ERA in his first six starts, to Tacoma to fix his mechanics. Pineiro will work out with the minor league club and then rejoin the Mariners next week.

Through a Rookie's Eyes

2005-05-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

Rookie CF Jeremy Reed appears to be putting too much pressure on himself batting second behind RF Ichiro Suzuki. Reed is swinging at too many pitches early in the count, often landing himself in a hole. That enables pitchers to go at him with their best offerings. Reed must show better patience, looking for pitches that he can drive either to right- or left-center. That's something Reed regularly did last season, when he hit .397 as a late-season call-up.

Bullpen Blues

2005-05-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

RHP Ryan Franklin needs to maintain his confidence in the face of poor run support. The Mariners scored seven runs in his first start of the season, then scored one run total in his next three starts. Franklin began the season in the bullpen, but then joined the rotation when LHP Bobby Madritsch (shoulder) went on the D.L. in mid-April. Franklin pitched at least eight innings in three straight outings, then was shelled by the Rangers last week. With Madritsch's return uncertain, the team needs big things from Franklin.

Mariners miss chances vs. Angels

2005-04-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

By Doug Miller / MLB.com

Aaron Sele has pitched in the Major Leagues for 13 years and has been there and done that so many times that first starts against former teams don't make him very emotional.

Then again, hanging curveballs that turn into five runs' worth of homers faze him quite a bit.

Sele gave up game-deciding blasts to Vladimir Guerrero and Darin Erstad that led to a 6-1 Mariners loss to the Angels on Monday night in Sele's first outing in Angel Stadium since he left the Angels over the winter and signed with Seattle.

Both homers -- a two-run shot by Guerrero in the third and a three-run blast by Erstad in the fourth -- came with two out and led to Sele's shortest stint of the season, a four-inning outing that ballooned his season ERA to 6.19.

"It came down to two pitches," Sele said. "Two hanging curveballs with two outs. They're good hitters here and they hit them out of the ballpark."

But according to Sele's teammates and manager, the real story of the game was the fact that the Mariners' hitters missed out on major opportunities to break through against the Angels' soft-tossing right-hander, Paul Byrd.

The Mariners rapped out 12 hits in all, and 11 of them came against Byrd, who signed with the Angels over the winter once they decided not to offer Sele a contract.

In the second inning, Raul Ibanez doubled and Randy Winn singled him to third, but Miguel Olivo hit into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

And in the sixth, the Mariners loaded the bases with one out but Winn swung at the first pitch and hit a soft lineout to third. The next batter, Olivo, popped out to first to end the threat.

The Mariners finally broke through in the eighth on an RBI single by Ibanez, who finished with three hits, but in a fitting display of the offensive woes that plagued them all night, Jeremy Reed stranded a runner on third in the ninth.

Part of the problem was Byrd, who broke a two-game losing streak by employing his typically frustrating array of pitches in the 80-89 mph range.

"He threw some cutters and some sinkers and he threw me a good changeup, too," said Mariners second baseman Bret Boone, who went 1-for-4 with a double.

"Paul isn't gonna go out and blow you away. He's gonna finesse you. He's a good pitcher. But still, it's no excuse. We're still not swinging the bats collectively as a group."

That was something most of the Mariners seemed to agree on.

"We swung the bats and hit the ball pretty well, but we just couldn't get the big hits when we needed to," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "Sometimes you have to give credit to the pitcher. He didn't make many mistakes in the middle of the plate."

And Sele made two too many.

He gave up six runs on eight hits while throwing 67 pitches, 40 of them strikes. Byrd, meanwhile, threw only 104 pitches in his eight innings, and 78 of those were strikes.

Sele was deemed expendable after his three-year, $24 million contract with the Angels ran out at the end of last season, because he never seemed fully recovered from rotator cuff surgery in late 2002.

After winning 82 games in the five seasons before he joined the Angels, he went 24-24 in the three seasons in Anaheim.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia limited Sele to five-inning outings for a period in 2003 and made him the long man in the bullpen for stints last year.

Sele was brilliant in two starts leading up to Monday, and Scioscia said he could see why.

"Aaron feels a little bit of a rebirth of his arm," Scioscia said. "He didn't make too many mistakes, but he threw a breaking ball to Vlad. The pitch to Darin wasn't too bad, but Ersty dug down to get it. Aaron is one of those guys that is a winner."

Just not Monday, although the offense took its share of the blame for that.

"Stuff like this is going to happen," said third baseman Adrian Beltre, who matched Boone's production with a 1-for-4 night and a double.

"We have to hang with it. We're going to be better and we know it."

Born Ready

2005-04-04T15:04:00.000-07:00

What is there to be said about third baseman Adrian Beltre, nothing bad at all. The guy can play some baseball and has always contributed to the teams he has been on. Last season with the Dodgers he posted a .353 batting average; he had seven home runs, and 20 RBI’s.

And this spring he batted well over .300 for his new team, the Seattle Mariners. When Beltre went to the plate he hit everything hard. In doing so the team feels he is ready to take on his roll as the Mariner’s hard hitting third baseman.

Updates

2005-03-10T13:32:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

If all the hard work catcher Miguel Olivo has put in during the offseason pays off, he will emerge from spring training as the No. 1 catcher. The 25-year-old spent almost two months working on his defense with minor league coach Roger Hansen, who helped make Jason Varitek an All-Star. . . .

The camp bad luck award goes to outfielder Chris Snelling. The Australian has played just 67 games since tearing the ACL in his left knee while playing for the Mariners in 2002, and this season already is off to a rotten start. He suffered a torn meniscus while taking batting practice and had surgery on March 1.

Soft Spot

2005-02-24T11:57:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

There will be nine pitchers competing for five starting rotation spots this spring, and none of them won more than nine games at the MLB level last season. That's the bad news. The good news is that the competition could be furious. Among the goals Hargrove has this spring, he said putting together a solid rotation is one of the top priorities. Righthander Gil Meche, a former first-round draft choice, has the kind of stuff to be No. 1 on the staff, and his confidence is high following a superb second half last season. Ryan Franklin, another righthander, could become a big winner with some offensive support. And righthander Joel Pineiro is a star waiting to happen.

On the to-do List

2005-02-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

The primary objective is to get a starting rotation that doesn't have even one eight-game winner in it last season to build some confidence heading into the regular season. The Mariners also must make sure righthanded starter Joel Pineiro (elbow) and lefthanded closer Eddie Guardado (shoulder) are healthy. The pitching is so thin as it is that having them available is a must if the team has any chance of challenging for the A.L. West title.

Jeff Nelson signed

2005-01-31T16:08:00.000-08:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Righthanded reliever Jeff Nelson will be getting another shot with the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners on Monday signed Nelson, who began his major league career in Seattle and played in parts of seven seasons with the team, to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Nelson, 38, spent 2004 with the Texas Rangers, going 1-2 with a 5.32 ERA and one save in 29 appearances.

Acquired via the 1986 Rule V draft, Nelson debuted with the Mariners in 1992, going 1-7 with a 3.44 ERA in 66 games. He pitched with Seattle through the 1995 season and again from 2001 to 2003, emerging as an American League All-Star in 2001.

In between stints with the Mariners, Nelson won four World Series rings with the New York Yankees. A setup man to closers John Wetteland and Mariano Rivera, Nelson appeared in 307 games with New York from 1996 to 2000, going 22-19 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves.

Nelson also was a member of the Yankees for the final two months of the 2003 season and the postseason, in which he made headlines for his involvement in a fight with a bullpen attendant during Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox.

Known for his nasty slider, Nelson has gone 47-41 with a 3.38 ERA in 690 career relief appearances.

One more step to an even better season. Lets hope he does what is needed this year. GO MARINERS!

Signing update

2005-01-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

The Seattle Mariners signed righthander Aaron Sele, who won 32 games for them in 2000-01, to a minor league contract Wednesday and invited him to spring training.

Sele spent the last three seasons with the Anaheim Angels, going 9-5 in 2004 with a 5.05 ERA in 28 games, including four relief appearances. In his 12-year career, Sele is 131-92 with a 4.52 ERA in 1,880 innings.

Two of Sele's best campaigns came in Seattle. After posting a 17-10 record in 211 2/3 innings in 2000, the 34-year-old went 15-5 with a 3.60 ERA in a career-high 215 innings in 2001.

The Mariners also signed 14 other players to minor league deals, including infielders Benji Gil and Ricky Gutierrez, righthander Dan Reichert and catcher Wiki Gonzalez.

With the mlb trading starting to get into swing, it will be a critical part for us, if we want to turn around this team. This is a first step to building a better team, let's hope we can build a stronger team this year. Go Mariners!

Giving a year-round affair in Seattle

2004-12-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

By Jim Street / MLB.com

Giving is much more than an occasional event for the Mariners organization, and that explains why the players have won so many national awards for their charitable activities.

This past year was no exception.

For the fifth consecutive year, more than $1 million was raised through Mariners Care, a non-profit organization that benefits more than 1,500 Northwest charitable organizations, including the King County Boys & Girls Clubs, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center.

"We look at this partnership as a natural fit," said Greg McGill, the Children's Hospital's director of development. "Baseball is a nice, clean-cut, all-American, family-oriented sport, and it makes a lot of sense for us to be involved with the Mariners."

The Mariners' work in the community is well known throughout Major League Baseball. Left-handed pitcher Jamie Moyer and recently retired designated hitter Edgar Martinez are the first teammates to win the coveted Roberto Clemente Award in back-to-back seasons, being honored in 2003 and '04, respectively. The Clemente Award is given for exemplary achievement in the areas of sportsmanship and community activism.

Moyer also received the Branch Rickey Award earlier this month for his work with The Moyer Foundation, and recently committed to a five-year, $1.25 million endowment to the Children's Hospital.

"That is a huge gift," McGill said.

But it shouldn't come as a big surprise, because the Mariners are among the MLB leaders in giving back every year.

"It is a great source of pride for every member of the Mariners organization that we and our corporate partners can make a significant investment in our community each year," Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln said.

Plenty of Hits, not Many Runs in '04

2004-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

By Jim Street / MLB.com

SEATTLE -- The Mariners' table-setters did more than expected this season, giving the run-producers in the middle of the lineup plenty of chances to produce runs.

When batting leadoff, Ichiro Suzuki reached base 300 times with either a hit, walk or being hit by a pitch, but didn't score his 100th run until the 160th game of the season. When batting second, Randy Winn was on base 179 times, but scored just 62 runs.

That is a lot of runners left on base, and to understand why the Mariners went from 93 wins and competing for a playoff spot one year to almost 100 losses and the franchise's first last-place finish since 1993 the next, all you need to do is take a look at the 3-4-5 spots in the lineup.

"A combination of things led to the year we had," manager Bob Melvin said. "But the middle-of-the-order guys we counted on to knock in runs, all had off years. Guys are going to have off years, but you don't see that many having off years at the same time."

If anyone had suggested going into the season that Ichiro would have more hits than anyone in the history of Major League Baseball and Winn would approach the career-high 181 hits he had during his 2002 All-Star season with the Devil Rays, you would think the Mariners would have one of the highest-scoring teams in the American League.

Only five American League teams had more hits than the Mariners, but every team scored more runs and had more RBIs than they did.

Bret Boone, who set a Major League record for second basemen with 141 RBIs during Ichiro's sensational rookie season in 2001, might have challenged his own record this season if he had produced the same way. But he didn't, and that was a problem.

Boone went from being one of only two big league players to win a Silver Slugger Award and Gold Glove the same season in 2003 to probably winning neither in '04, as he finished the season with 84 RBIs.

Revisit the highlights of the 2004 season: Watch full-game archives with MLB.TV and more plays of the game from throughout the year. Video Central >

But Boone wasn't alone when it comes to having an off season.

The game plan coming out of Spring Training was to bat left-handed hitter Raul Ibanez in the cleanup spot against right-handed pitchers and designated hitter Edgar Martinez against lefties, leaving holdover first baseman John Olerud and switch-hitting newcomer Scott Spiezio to handle most of the fifth-place hitting duties.

Ibanez and Martinez drove in fewer than 70 runs apiece. Olerud drove in 22 runs in 166 at-bats and was released following the All-Star break. And Spiezio had the worst season of his big league career. He barely batted .200 and hardly played the final month of the season. Spiezio drove in two runs between July 9 and Sept. 20.

"We brought in Spiezio and [Rich] Aurilia to give the offense more playoff-experienced players, and both were disasters," Melvin said.

Aurilia was to the 2004 Mariners what Jeff Cirillo was to the 2002 and '03 Mariners.

And Spiezio, who signed a three-year, $9 million contract as a free agent following four productive years with the Angels, has some serious kiss-and-make-up duties ahead of him.

Melvin and the Mariners had to overcome injuries to key members of the bullpen, especially right-hander Rafael Soriano, who basically missed the entire season, and closer Eddie Guardado, who pitched like an All-Star the first half of the season, and hardly at all in the second half because of a small tear in his left rotator cuff.

Right-hander Joel Pineiro, projected as the top starter in the future, missed the final two months with an arm injury.

Even before that happened, though, an underachieving offense put added pressure on the starting pitchers. Seattle went from having five starters with at least 10 wins in '03 to no double-digit winners among 12 starters in '04. Ouch.

But through the ashes emerged some bright spots.

Left-handed starter Bobby Madritsch went from being a low-paid, little-known pitcher in the independent Northern League two years ago to arguably the best pitcher on a starting staff that included two-time 20-game winner Jamie Moyer.

Madritsch went 6-1 in his final nine starts and pitched himself into the rotation on a full-time basis heading into the 2005 season.

"He's an intense competitor, and it's great to see," Melvin said. "He's a tiger out there, and it's something we can all learn from. It's something to see, just how badly he wants to win."

The second half of the season also introduced Mariners fans to some next-generation players. First baseman-designated hitter-cult hero Bucky Jacobsen hit 35 home runs and drove in 114 runs this season. Sure, most of that was done at Triple-A Tacoma (26 homers, 84 RBIs), but he showed that Safeco Field isn't too big for a real slugger.

Bucky's season ended a few weeks early because of knee surgery.

Center fielder Jeremy Reed, acquired in the July trade that sent former staff ace Freddy Garcia to the White Sox, turned a September callup opportunity into a potential starting role next season. A perennial .300 hitter in the minors, the left-handed hitter batted well over .300 the final month of the season.

A 90-something loss season is the last thing anyone expected to see in 2004. But what most fans will remember is that Friday night at Safeco Field when Ichiro became the single-season hits king, breaking an 84-year-old record established by George Sisler. Ichiro, who surpassed Sisler's total of 257, finished with 262 hits.

And the Sultan of Singles returns for an encore in 2005.

252!

2004-09-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ichiro Suzki is nothing less of spectacular. Infact Ichiro is ever so close of breaking an 84 - year old record. The last time we left off (Spet. 21) Ichiro had 238 hits and was 20 away from breaking George Sissler record.

Ichiro was always 18 hit away from breaking Bill Terry's record for most hits in a for season span.

Well now Ichiro has 252 hits and is just 6 hits aways from setting this record that every person in sports media well be following. One has to wonder is this will have in effect on Ichiro has he prepares for a four game series agaisnt their division leading rivals the Oakload A's.

Despite what Ichiro has already made history to so many of his fans from his native land in Japan. Ichiro is already a hero in the eyes of the little kids that are growing up in Japan. Ichiro has my support.

Go Mariners!

238 and Counting...

2004-09-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Last time we checked, Ichiro Suzuki was at 224 hits(Sept. 6), and in hot pursuit of George Sisler 1920 record of 257 for most hits in a season. Last night Ichiro tallied two more hits and has totaled 238 hits so far with 12 games left. Ichiro needs 20 hits to break Sislers' record and 18 away from breaking Bill Terry's record for most hits in 4 seasons. Right not Ichiro has totaled 901 in his past four seasons.

Yet Ichiro chasing history is one of the only positive things going on in Seattle (besides the Seahawks). The Mariners are now 56-94, a ugly .373 winning percentage. Something needs to happen. The Mariners are on the verge of their first 100 loss season since 1983, that's 21 years ago.

In their 5-2 lost the Mariners had runners on base in six of eight innings leaving 13 of them stranded. The Mariners had 12 singles, that didn't seem matter, since they are 0-7 with runners in scoring position.

Go Mariners!

Samson's Appeal

2004-09-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

Up until 10 minutes before the first pitch of Friday's doubleheader, Marlins president David Samson was lobbying to have his team get the last at-bat in one of the two games.
But Major League Baseball denied Samson's appeal, citing the precedent that teams in their own park always bat last.

"I got a stamped thing that said, 'Denied,' " said Samson. "I have a feeling it's going to change next year. But since it is a rule this year, that team is the home team and bats last, period. I think it should be changed. I'm lobbying for that to be changed, and hopefully, it will be changed for next year."

An awkward situation arose after Hurricane Frances wiped out the Sept. 3-5 series with the Cubs at Pro Player Stadium. As part of the makeup plans, the Marlins agreed to give up a home game by playing a doubleheader at Wrigley Field on Friday.

Ichiro to Make History?

2004-09-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

This hasn't been the best season, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Ichiro Suzuki had 56 hits in the month of August. The record for most hits in a month is held by Jeff Heath for Cleveland in 1938. On top of that, Ichiro has stacked up 224 hits so far this season. That's a lot! The most however is 257, by George Sisler for the St. Louis Browns in 1920. Ichiro has 26 games left before the regular season is over. All Ichiro needs is 33 more hits to tie and of course 34 more hits to hold the record for most hits in a season. So, for all you Mariner faithful out there, keep watching.

Go Ichi-roooooo!!!

Mariners head home

2004-08-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

The Mariners finally put together a solid game on the road, avoiding a sweep by the Tigers with a 5-3 win Sunday.
On Monday, they return home to a compelling game between two young pitchers.

Bobby Madritsch, who saw his first action just one month ago, will take the mound to face the team he's fared best against thus far. On Aug. 5, Madritsch pitched eight innings of one-run ball against the Devil Rays, giving up only five hits in the outing.

Since being moved into the starting rotation, the 28-year-old righty has pitched lights out. The team has won all three games in which he has pitched, and Madritsch has allowed only five runs while tallying 16 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched.

Taking the mound opposite of Madritsch will be Scott Kazmir, called up from Double-A Montgomery on Sunday. Kazmir will be making his first ever appearance in the Major Leagues, but boasted a 1.44 ERA in four starts with Montgomery.

Edgar Martinez to retire

2004-08-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

The urge to keep playing never abandoned Edgar Martinez, but his 41-year-old body told him enough is enough.
So, with his pregnant wife, Holli, and their two kids looking on in the interview room at Safeco Field Monday afternoon, the Mariners' designated hitter announced that he would be retiring at the end of the regular season, ending a 22-year playing career with the organization.

It'll be truly sad to see him go, but he has a family to devote his time to and they deserve his time more than we do. We love you, Edgar!

In yesterday's game, Gil Meche allowed only two runs in eight innings against the Twins. The Twins' Terry Mulholland tossed Martinez a fastball that he knocked over the manual scoreboard for a two-run homer, reassuring all of us that Edgar doesn't plan to go out quietly. Mariners took the win 4-3.

Tonight Bobby Madritsch will square off with Brad Radke of the Twins for the second of a four-game series. He's 2-0 for 2004 with a 2.12 ERA. Expect the roof to be open tonight at Safeco with temps in the mid 80s.

Good luck tonight, Mariners!!!

Mariners play in Tampa Bay

2004-08-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

It won't be a cause for much joy, but the Mariners did end their six-game losing streak by beating the Devil Rays in the first game of the series Thursday.
The team still has its troubles on the road, winning twice in 11 games on its current road trip. Before that, Seattle dropped 12 in a row away from Safeco Field.

Ryan Franklin gets the call Friday, having suffered a tough loss a year ago to the Rays when he was on the wrong end of a 1-0 game.

Tampa Bay's Jorge Sosa held Seattle to an unearned run over seven innings in Thursday's game. However, first-time starter Bobby Madritsch dazzled everyone by throwing eight innings of five-hit ball. In just the fifth game of his Major League career, Madritsch struck out six, but was unable to get the win as Seattle had to wait 11 innings before claiming victory.

Ichiro Suzuki singled three times in the contest and could be on the way to his third 50-hit month of the season, which would be a Major League record.

Keep your heads up, Mariners! Good luck this weekend!

Bucky Jacobsen Interview

2004-08-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, check out Bucky Jacobsen's interview with MLB.com!

The Mariners are trailing 5-7 against the Orioles right now in the top of the fifth inning. We are hitting rather well, however. Hope you're following the game!

some news and notes

2004-07-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Manager Bob Melvin acknowledged July 28 that INF Dave Hansen and LHP Mike Myers could be candidates to be traded and have drawn interest from other teams. "Other teams look for left-handed guys," said Melvin. "We've got four in our bullpen."
RHP Joel Pineiro was placed the disabled list July 27 with a strained right elbow, and INF Ramon Santiago was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma.

Mariners look for road win tonight

2004-07-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

From MLB.com:

[Travis] Blackley makes his second consecutive start against Oakland. He held the Athletics to three runs over five innings at Safeco Field last Wednesday. All three runs scored on solo home runs, including a first-pitch blast into the right-field seats by Mark Kotsay in the first inning.
Manager Bob Melvin said the fact his team played better at home coming out of the All-Star break could bode well for the upcoming 13-game road trip through Oakland, Anaheim, Baltimore and Tampa Bay.

Let's hope Blackley has a rabbit in his hat tonight - we took a 2-gamer against the A's on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, so we should be feeling confident going in.

GO MARINERS!!!

Mariners beat Boston

2004-07-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

Martinez, Olivo, and Boone all knocked down home runs last night to secure a win against the Red Sox in extra innings. Tonight our own Joel Pineiro will face Derek Lowe as we look for a sweep of the Sox. That would sure be nice after the split series vs Cleveland. Look for more impressive batting from the Mariners lineup tonight - we'll be going in with confidence.

9th straight

2004-07-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Nine straight losses. That's pretty dismal. The last game we won was almost two weeks ago against the Rangers. I can only hope we come up with a new way of thinking over the break. We'll be hosting Cleveland over the weekend...let's do this thing right, Mariners! Please?!

On the upside, congratulations to Ichiro Suzuki!!! Ichiro will be playing his 4th straight All-Star game tonight at Minute Maid in Houston. Make us proud, Ichiro!!!

Let's Finish this Series on a Positive Note!

2004-07-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

So the Mariners have lost twice to Toronto in this series, with one game left. Toronto is definitely playing well, but there are still holes in their game. We simply have to capitalize on their mistakes if we're going to win this one and carry some momentum into our next series with the White Sox. Anyway, call me captain obvious, but that's all the time I have for now. Otherwise I'd elaborate a little more. GO MARINERS!!!

Welcome to my Mariners Blog!

2004-07-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks!

Thanks for visiting my site. There isn't much here yet, but expect that to change! This page will be all about the Seattle Mariners and how they are faring this season. I've seen them play a lot better, but I'm not just a fan of whoever's good at the moment. After all, you need your fans most in the tough times, right?

I'll be posting a few times a week to this blog, so if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello!

GO MARINERS!!!