No Mo' Rob-0!

Rob Johnson was traded to the San Diego Padres. He was designated for assignment last week and with ten days to sign, release or trade him, Jack Z sent him down the west coast for either money or a player to be named later. I applaud this as it means that Rob Johnson will not find himself on the Mariners' catching depth chart and that Z is not going to giving players too many chances. I know Olivo may not work out, but I'm glad if he doesn't, Johnson will be an option down the line. I'm indifferent to what we get for him as this more of a banishing than an acquisition.

Mariners get Brendan Ryan!

So, yeah Brendan Ryan! In an off season where people are watching Cliff Lee and have already seen big signings, this one will definitely not get anyone overly excited. However, it's another "solid" signing.

First off, he was cheap. Ryan has been with the Cardinals since being drafted in 03' and currently makes the league minimum. While he is eligible for arbitration, he won't be getting a giant raise due to a poor offensive year. In order to get Ryan, the Mariners gave up pitching prospect Maikel Cleto, who has never pitched above High-A in the minors and has an ugly 5.17 career ERA in the low minors.

Secondly, Ryan is primarily a shortstop, having played there in 312 games at the big league level, but he also has 59 games at second as well. Essentially, he can fill in at second base should Ackley not be ready for the bigs coming out of spring training, and when Ackley is ready, Ryan can start stealing time from the oft-injured, rapidly declining Jack Wilson.

Third, Ryan is a great defensive shortstop, having been #1 or 2 for the last two seasons in the following defensive categories: total zones runs as a shortstop, range factor per 9 innings as shortstop, and range factor per game as a shortstop. He's only 28, so he could hold down this spot for a while.

All in all, a good move.

Miguel Olivo

Also a Mariner. Many people are not too stoked for this, as the Miguel Olivo they remember couldn't bat over the Mendoza line and was painful to watch at the plate. Since then, he's batted .256 and plated 85 home runs. Since 2006, Mariners catchers have batted a collective .245 and knocked 68 homers. So, there is definite pop.

Unfortunately, Olivo is a horrendous free swinger and has never walked more than 27 times in a season. There will be big strike outs and off kilter hits, but there will be a semi-legitimate power threat. Also, there will be triples and stolen bases, as Olivo has some speed.

Defensively, Olivo has thrown out 42 percent of would be base stealer, but he's also allowed quite a few passed balls.

Jack Cust...

Is the new Mariner's DH. I am very pleased with this signing as Cust has been added for 2.5 mil with an extra $150,000 available in incentives. According to Cust, Zdurencik plans to have him in lineups against both righties and lefties. Career wise, he's twice as likely to homer off righties versus lefties, but his on base is respectable against lefties (.350). He's about half the cost of Matsui with the same amount of power production and about 1 million more than Branyan without the back issues. He strikeouts out a lot, but also reaches base a lot as well. Very Good Move!

Some New M's? (Part 2)

We all know the Mariners will not land a big free agent, such as Carl Crawford or Cliff Lee, but nonetheless, they find themselves interested quite a few free agent possibilities and trade candidates. Let's have a look at who the M's are tied to and I'll give my take on them:

Zack Greinke, Starting Pitcher, Kansas City Royals: So, the biggest high profile name that the Mariners have been tied to is also one that they would have to give the most up for.

Upsides: Greinke of course, beat out Felix for the 2009 Cy Young, but like Felix in 2010, did on one of the worst teams in all of baseball. His WHIP slid a bit, (1.245 compared to 09's 1.073) as did his strikeouts per 9 innings (7.4 compared to 09's 9.5), but 2010 was a lot like the rest of the years of his career, still be very consistent and strong seasons. He's still a potential elite talent and he's only 27 years old.

Downsides: He makes over 9 million a year which would serious limit any other moves we could make. Also, the only way he's getting to Mariners is by way of a trade that probably involves someone like Michael Pineda, Dustin Ackley, or Carlos Truifel. While I love a lot of the upsides of adding Greinke to the rotation, I don't like what may have to be lost for this deal.

I would make this deal if...: Only one major prospect was given up, the Royals pickup well over a majority of Greinke's remaining salary, Greinke is open to discussing a long term contract with Seattle and any other minor league players sent in this one are either blocked by a long term signed major leaguer 0r no longer being considered starters for the big league roster (Rob Johnson, Mike Carp, Matt Tuiasosopo anyone). Yeah, that is a long wish list, but with how well Hernandez, Vargas and Fister did last year with the possibilities of Bedard and Pineda added to the rotation, I'm not to worried about filling these needs. Since this is a rebuild year, I don't mind letting Luke French or David Pauley hold a spot for Pineda or take Bedard's spot for a while. However, if we were to have Greinke long term for an affordable deal, I'd be down.


Matt Diaz, Outfielder, Free Agent: A platoon outfielder that spent that last few years in Atlanta.

Upsides: The M's would hope to platoon Diaz with Michael Saunders in left putting Diaz in the lineup against left-handed pitching, who he's had a good career batting against (.335 batting average, .370 on-base percentage and .533 slugging percentage). Overall, he's a lifetime .301 hitter and can play an adequate leftfield, (led the league in range factor per 9 innings in 2007)

Downsides: He made 2.5 million in his last contract and that's a lot for the Mariners to pay a part time player. Especially, since his hitting against righties is passable at best and has only played over 90 games 3 out of the 8 seasons he's been at the big league level.

I would make this deal if...: We could spend less on Diaz than the Braves did. With the budget being tight, I'd rather not wrap a lot of money in a platoon player, even if he hits lefties well. I doubt that will be possible as quite a few other teams are interested in him.


Eric Chavez, Third Baseman, Free Agent: After 12 years in Oakland, Chavez hits free agency looking to rebound from injuries that have plagued him.

Upsides: Chavez, when healthy, is very similar to Adrian Beltre with the added bonus that he hits left handed. He won the gold glove award 6 seasons straight, starting in 2001 and for all those that follow new fangled statistics, he was in the top 5 in range factor, total zone runs and fielding percentage in nearly all those years. In fact, he has the sixth highest career fielding percentage as a third baseman and second highest among active players, but who the hell is going to put Mike Lowell (highest career fielding percentage for a third baseman) at the hot corner this year? Chavez also has 7 years of hitting 20 plus home runs, once led the league in walks (95 in 2004), and has a career .343 on base percentage.

Downsides: A lot of the praises I just sang about Chavez have not been evident since 2006. He played 90 games in 2007, and managed to hit 15 homers, but then he's only played 64 major league games since the start of the 2008 season. His fielding is still top notch, but his ability to stay healthy is a major issue when considering any contract with Chavez. Chavez also just made 12.5 million last year and while he would hopefully not expect a contract anywhere near that, he may have something of a high asking price.

I would make this deal if...: Chavez accepts a non-guaranteed contract or one with a small base salary laced with incentives for games played and plate appearances. I would want the whole to be null and void if he was unable to make it through spring training healthy. Also, if Ackley is ready bigs, I would like the M's to be prepared move Chone Figgins rather than play him at third and bat Chavez at DH. If healthy, Chavez's glove is too good to keep off the field.


Jack Cust, Designated Hitter/Outfielder, Athletics: Former A's slugger non-tendered and available.

Upsides: Since seeing ample playing time in 2007, Jack Cust has averaged 24 home runs over each of the last seasons, (28 if you don't include 2010, more on that later). He has a career on-base percentage of .378, (better than any Mariner posted last season), a career .452 slugging percentage (better than all Mariners in2010 except for the 57 games Russell Branyan played and 30 games of Mike Sweeney), and a career on-base plus slugging percentage of .830 (better than any Mariner in 2010 posted).

Downsides: He's a DH, and while he did play 16 games in the outfield last season, it's not something he should do regularly. Being the stereotypical big man power hitter of the long ball era, he has no speed. Also, he was sent to minors at the start of last season after leading the league in strikeouts for three consecutive seasons and strikes out about 30 percent of the time that he steps to the plate.

I would make this deal if...: He doesn't request a giant raise over last year's salary (he made 2.65 mil in 2010). For a guy that's probably a guaranteed 25+ homers, 3 million isn't that bad and he doesn't come with the back issues that Russell Branyan does.


Rich Harden, Starting Pitcher, Free Agent: Comeback hopeful of 2010 looking to make yet another comeback.

Upsides: With career 9.1 strikeouts per 9 innings and 3.65 ERA, Harden is a compelling case for solid veteran. He came out of the same Oakland system that saw the rise of Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, and Mark Mulder, and he has pitched at least 20 games over each of the last 3 seasons.

Downsides: Harden was brought into Texas with the hope that he'd anchor their staff, but he only started 18 games and did not make the playoff roster. His season was abysmal (5.58 ERA with a 1.663 WHIP with 18 homers and only 92 innings pitched) and he was paid 6.5 million for it.

I would make this deal if...: it was a year ago, maybe. While Rich Harden could comeback to form, which by that I mean 2008's or 2004's version, why risk it? In a lot of ways, Harden is like Erik Bedard, except he doesn't pitch that well when he's hurting. While the strikeouts per 9 innings is glitzy, he was no where near that total last year and I really don't like him over the options that we already have. I could suggest a non-guaranteed or incentive based plan, but enough teams are interested he would probably not want to go that route and I would not want to give him a higher base rate than the league minimum.


Greg Zaun, Catcher, Free Agent: Longtime veteran looking for work once again.

Upsides: Zaun is experienced, which in catcher's terms means he's probably got a managing gig setup once he quites playing. He can field the position and call the pitches better than any of our other options right now. Plus, he can get on base (.344), better than our other options and only strikes out once out every seven to eight at bats. Apparently, he's good at controlling the clubhouse and a real leader.

Downsides: Zaun is experienced, which in life terms means he's 39. He's a part time player at best, having only played over 100 games 4 times in his 16 big league seasons. He's also pretty easy to be when stealing a base as Zaun only has a 24% rate of catching base stealers.

I would make this deal if...: I could be sure to get at least 90 games out of Zaun and sign him for 1.5 million tops. If Adam Moore proves himself, I don't want to spend a couple million to see Zaun on the bench each day.


Hideki Matsui, Designated Hitter, Free Agent: A rival this past season, perhaps the answer to the need for a lefthanded power bat?

Upsides: Matsui can still swing a powerful bat and managed to stroke out 21 homers last year. He has a career .290 average with a .369 on-base percentage and a career slugging percentage of .479. Exactly the kind of numbers you would want from a full time hitter. Plus, by adding the former Japanese slugger, the club may see increased revenue from overseas.

Downsides: Matsui should not see field action, especially in Safeco's giant outfield. He's a fulltime DH which doesn't allow a lot of flex in the lineup. He also be turning 37.

I would make this deal if...: Matsui would accept a lower salary than the 6.5 million from last year. I don't mind a fulltime DH that would add much needed power, but that's a high price to pay.


Miguel Olivo, Catcher, Free Agent: Former Mariner around for another go?

Upsides: He has better fielding and offense than the current options.

Downsides: He's being considered a backup for Moore.

I would make this deal if...: Olivo was to get more playing time than Moore.


Luis Valbuena, Infielder, Indians: Another former Mariner.

Upsides: He can handle second base until Ackley is ready and he can takeover shortstop when Jack Wilson gets injured. Still young at 25 years old.

Downsides: Not an offensive threat, though an improvement over Wilson.

I would make this deal if...: If we could give up a cheap player of the farm system. Valbuena barely makes more than the league minimum so this could be a possibility.

Onto the Winter Meetings

Well, the Mariners had a semi-busy weekend before seeing Jack Z hop a plan to DisneyWorld. In true Z fashion, he managed to bring back starter Erik Bedard for a non-guaranteed contract, he cut ties with Ryan Rowland-Smith, he traded Jose Lopez for a former first round draft pick, and he tendered contracts to Jason Vargas, Brandon League, David Aardsma, and Josh Wilson. All great moves in my opinion.

Bedard had been offered a guaranteed contract by at least another team, but Bedard has made statements that show he wants to prove to the city of Seattle that he was worth what was given up for him in 2007. While Zdurencik decided to give Bedard that chance though Bedard missed all of last season and most of 2009, he did it by structuring a contract that will not give Bedard anything of consequence unless Bedard can show he's at the peak of health and earn a spot in the starting rotation. Again, even while hurt, Bedard has been a highly effective pitcher, but should his return fail again, he's a very low risk to the payroll.

Lopez was not going to be given a contract anyway and for the Mariners to pickup pitching prospect Chaz Roe from the Rockies was an excellent move. Roe shows some promise and strengthens the depth in the farm system where pitching is concerned. Sure, Lopez could bounce back from a dismal 2010 and in Coors Field, he should be able to stroke some homers, but his career on base is horrible and I'd rather make room for Ackley. Maybe Roe will even break into the bullpen later this year.

Wilson is a potential backup fielder again and with Jack Wilson an injury risk, Josh comes at a low cost and easily releasable or returned to the minors if a more valuable replacement is made available. Vargas figures to be the #3 starter and League or Aardsma the closer, depending on if Aarsdma is traded or not.

For a rebuild season ahead of us this year, the off season is playing to our favor. Jayson Werth was given 126 mil for 7 years by the Nationals, taking a big time outfielder away from the likes of the Rangers and Angels. Furthermore, with Carl Crawford still available, the potential contract he will be offered has now increased in value with the gaudy contract that was awarded Werth. Essentially this means that any major contract tendered by our rivals risks tying up their payroll for several years.

Also, quite a few high power free agents find themselves on teams that won't contend or affect the M's. Mark Reynolds, a strikeout prone 30+ homer per year third baseman has now joined the Orioles, placing a power bat in the worst team in the best division in baseball. Lance Berkman, a power hitting outfielder/first baseman, has joined the St. Louis Cardinals and another highly sought first baseman, Adam Dunn, finds himself on the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox finally got their highly coveted prize of Adrian Gonzalez, but gave up some of their best prospects, and will end up losing some other pieces, Adrian Beltre for one, in order to pay him.

Well, hopefully the M's make some exciting deals and at the very least, we can shoot for .500 this year!

Some New M's?

So, I figured with all the talk of who may not be coming back, let's have a look at some of the guys who might be available with their 2010 salaries in paranthesis.

Ryan Church, Outfielder (1.5 mil): The Diamonbacks have decided to non-tender Ryan Church. Church started off the season in a slump in Pittsburgh, but turned it around a bit when he reached Arizona. He's 32, so no spring chicken, but he's a good fit in the outfield with respectable defense and he can get onbase. He also has a little bit of pop and is a lefty. If he could be got for under his 2010 contract, he could be a steal.

Eric Threets, Relief Pitcher (League Minimum): Threets only pitched 12&1/3 innings for the White Sox, but did not allow a run and put up a 0.973 WHIP. His last couple of years in Triple-A for both the White Sox and Dodgers have shown promise and he could be a great addition to the pen as a low risk/high potential upside. Plus, he's a lefty.

Arbitration Deadline is Near

Tomorrow at 9:00 pm is the deadline for the Seattle Mariners to offer contracts to Starters, Jason Vargas and Ryan Rowland-Smith, Relievers David Aardsma and Brandon League, and Infielders Jose Lopez and Josh Wilson. Rumor has it, Lopez will not be offered a contract and will find himself a free agent. I like where this is headed.

While some people may feel loyalty towards Lopez and/or a sinking feeling that he may break out big for some other team, I am ready to try another option. Lopez has some power and in 2009, he knocked 26 homers, but using that attribute in the context of one good season as the deciding factor is trap that I no longer want to fall into. Lopez has a lifetime on-base percentage of .297 and is far from a clutch hitter. Sure, he can get some big hits, but not regularly, and he has never managed to draw more than 27 walks in a full season, meaning he has no plate discipline. He has no speed and defensively, he has always ranked in the top 3 for errors committed in each of his full major league seasons. While at times, there seemed to be a spark of talent and potential, but not consistent enough offensively or defensively, it seems he has become the next Yuniesky Betancourt though luckily, he won't injure Endy Chavez as a parting gift.

As for the others, Aardsma and League will be tendered. Both are worth the contracts they are paid and if the M's don't decide to keep Aardsma for this season, he will make a valuable trade chip. Vargas will also be tendered and should remain a bargain even with a raise as he was making the league minimum last season.

Hopefully, Ryan Rowland-Smith gets non-tendered. Great guyness aside, he had just about the most abysmal season a pitcher could have without packing it in. If the M's were to bring him back, it would hopefully be for the league minimum or even better, maybe an invitation to spring training without the offer of a contract unless he no hits every Cactus League batter he faces. Bottom line, nothing short of a miraculous 180 better see this guy on the M's' Big League Roster.

As for, Josh Wilson, I'm indifferent. He's a utility fielder that makes a minuscule salary. If there are better options, I'd want the M's to take it, but whose to say there will be.

End of the DA ERA?

David Aardsma is probably not returning next year. Kind of a shame as he's managed 69 saves over the past two seasons and has been the most consistent reliever on the staff for those two years. 2010 saw him start slow, but at the end of the year, he had the same WHIP (1.16) as the end of the year and though his ERA nearly went up a point, at 3.44, it wasn't to shabby for a closer.

While I hate seeing Seattle trade away another consistent closer, it makes perfect sense to do so when attempting to rebuild a team. After all, the Mariners are not expected to compete and a dominant closer is typically the last piece you add in order to make a truly competitive ball club. After all, it makes little sense to pay a considerable amount of cash for a closer when you aren't expecting to win a lot of games anyway.

Meanwhile, the M's have Brandon League at a cheaper salary and who will not get the kind of trade attention that Aardsma will. He saved 6 games in lieu of Aardsma in 2010 and can easily move to that role. It could also be a good time to see if League would be able to hold down that role long term. League also has pitched more innings in the bigs than Aardsma, so he has the experience necessary to replace the DA.

Additionally, the M's have plenty of young pitchers to fill into bullpen roles and try out for permanent spots. Though mired in controversy over criminal allegations, Josh Lueke has pitched exceptionally in the minors and has 226 ks in 177.2 innings compared to only 44 walks. If the M's can make things right with Lueke's past and feel that he deserves a second chance, then he could become a dominant big league reliever. Dan Cortes and Anthony Varvaro each had big league shots this year and have a chance out of spring training. Plus, there are the aforementioned free agents I mentioned in the previous post as well as veteran bullpen pitchers Shawn Kelley and Garrett Olson.

Finally, Aardsma could bring in 1-2 players that could make an impact on the M's roster. Other than Ichiro, Gutierrez and Figgins, the lineup is hardly set in stone. Smoak will get his chance at 1st, Ackley will get a shot at second Jack Wilson will start the season at short, and Moore and Saunders are sure to get looks at catcher and leftfield, but were a deal to arise that would include a more reliable player for either of these spots, (except maybe 1st or 2nd), Jack Z will probably make the move, especially if Aardsma can get it for him.

In conclusion, getting 1 outstanding or 2 reliable position player(s) is well worth trading Aardsma.

Slow Goings...

So while last year saw exciting free agent signings and some notable trades, this year is going to be a lot less explosive. Last week, the M's resigned minor league pitchers Chris Seddon and Yusmiero Petit as well as outfielder Mike Wilson. They all have spring training invites and a reasonable chance at cracking the big league roster.

-Petit has pitched in 71 games at the big league level (36 starts) and has lifetime ERA of 5.57 over 229.1 innings, mostly with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He pitched in 24 games for Tacoma last year with an unremarkable ERA of 4.85, but his WHIP was 1.18 and he had a 3.43:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Comparably, he out-pitched Snell and RRS at this level and is only 26 years of age, so there is time to grow.

-Seddon was brought up late in the season and pitched 14 games for the M's. His numbers over 22 innings were below average (5.64 ERA, 1.38 WHIP), but other than 7 games pitched in 2007 for the Marlins, it's all the big league experience he's had. For Tacoma, he had a 3.38 ERA primarily as a starter with a couple of shutouts and a respectable 1.22 WHIP. He is also only 27 years old.

-Mike Wilson had his longest tenure at Tacoma, playing 88 games for the Rainiers after starting at Double-A. Between the two teams, he it 25 homers and drove in 78 runs. At 27, Wilson has yet to make a big league debut, but it seems like this will be the year for him. If not with the Mariners, due to a pretty full outfield, maybe Wilson will make up as appealing trade bait.

Additionally, the Mariners added pitchers Justin Miller, Charlie Haegar, Fabio Castro, and Chris Smith as well as infielders Luis Rodriguez and Sean Kazmar, minor league free agents from other organizations.

-Justin Miller has ample big league experience, having pitched in 216 games. Statistically, nothing sticks out about him and if anything, it looks like the M's will give him a chance based on his experience. Don't see any other reason to.

-Haegar has 34 games at the big league level with an ERA of 6.40 and a grotesque WHIP of 1.746. Not very remarkable at the Triple-A level for the Dodgers either. He throws a knuckle ball, so he has that going for him... I guess...

-Castro pitched for Texas and Philadelphia in the 2006-2007 seasons, posting a 3.30 ERA as a reliever. He pitched 31 games for the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket and posted a 4.93 ERA, but managed to strikeout 102 in 104 innings. He's 26 at the start of 2011.

-Smith has the most big league experience with 50 games under his belt as what appears to be a garbage reliever for Milwaukee and Boston. His ERA of 5.19 and WHIP of 1.33 lifetime ain't pretty. He did pickup 26 saves for the Nashville Triple-A team while striking out 62 in 48 innings, so he could potentially work out as a good short reliever if he can translate those kinds of numbers in the big leagues.

-Rodriguez is a potential utility infielder off the bench. It has been noted that he banged out 16 homers for the White Sox Triple-A team last year and that potentially, he's found at power stroke at the age of 30. That would be a lot to hope for though, as his big league experience has not shown him to be much of an offensive threat. He appears to be an average fielder.

-Kazmar is a middle infielder and potential bench player. His big league experience amounts to 19 games for the Padres in 2008. He batted .275 for the Padres triple-A affiliate and appears to play about average defense. Josh Wilson better watch himself...

Some Progress

So, it has been a while since I've posted on hear and it has been hard after the horrible season we just had. While the off season is sure to stir some excitement, it's not the same as last year. With more money and movable players, we blew our hopes up and were even considered a front runner for the AL West. This year, there isn't a lot of money and with the success of triple-A Tacoma, a lot of prospects will be brought up and given reps to see if they can hack it at the big league level. If nothing else, this year is 2009 all over again, so we're really just trying to make some kind of step forward.

Eric Wedge has been tapped to manage from a list of candidates that included Bobby Valentine and Joey Cora. Honestly, I didn't want Valentine, because I feel like the level of potential disappointment was too high. His lifetime winning percentage as a manager is .510 (1117-1072) and he hasn't managed in the MLB since 2002. He's managed in Japan, but that's a completely different league with completely different players. While Wedge may not seem like he has a enough star power and perceived potential upside compared to Valentine, he won't create unrealistic expectations among the fan base so if this season goes down in flames it won't be as disappointing as if we put all our hopes in Valentine.

Besides, if Wedge works out, he's only 42 and could potentially be here for many years to come. He also has experience managing several of players on the Mariners while he was with the Cleveland Indians: Franklin Gutierrez (2005-2008), Josh Bard (2002-2005), Milton Bradley (2002-2003), and if he returns, Russell Branyan (2002). Bradley and Wedge didn't get along back in 2003, but they've both agreed to forget the past and try to work together. If not, Bradley will probably be waived mid-season.

Wedge in, Valentine Out

It's being reported that the Mariners have all but completely decided on former Cleveland Indian manager, Eric Wedge, to take the helm for the 2011 season. Wedge managed Cleveland from 2003-2009 and made the playoffs in 2007. He went 561-573 before he was fired. More on him later...

If 2011 Started tomorrow...

That's right, with the 2010 season over, let's plan for the next year. Here's some theories I have on how the M's could piece things together if no moves were made during the off season.

Starting Pitchers:

1. Felix Hernandez - This one's obvious as we all hope that Felix makes another Cy run next year and hopefully gets some run support to back him.

2. Michael Pineda ()- The top pitching prospect among the Mariner's minor league is rumored to get a chance to make the starting rotation, and with the stuff he's shown through all the levels of the Mariner's farm system, he could provide a great 1-2 punch with Felix for years to come.

3. Jason Vargas - Vargas made it through a whole season with nearly 200 innings under his belt and a solid season to show for it. He's one of few Mariners that should win his arbitration case, but since he's been making the league minimum, he'll be a bargain 3rd starter and a lefty as well. He'd also greatly profit from decent run support and improved fielding.

4. Doug Fister - Fister started the year strongly, but after spending time on the DL, he had issues finding the dominance that he began the season with. However, he pitched well enough to earn a spot in the rotation toward the back of the rotation and could have a very strong 2011 ahead of him. Again, improved fielding and more run support will go a long way.

5. Luke French, David Pauley, Ryan Rowland-Smith (2014) - Now, going into spring training will be interesting. RRS has the most experience, but he completely tanked this year and also pitched worse at Triple-A than either Pauley or French. The only thing I believe he has going for him is a strange undying faith from the front office and management. Pauley and French were statistically similar and would make adequate fifth starter material. Maybe go with French because he's another lefty and he's 3 years younger. Otherwise, it'd be nice to get a solid veteran to fill out a rotation where the average age is going to be about 26 going into spring training.

Bullpen:

Closer: David Aardsma/Brandon League

Much speculation has already begun as whether Aardsma will stay or not, due to the fact that he will earn a larger salary after winning his arbitration case. If so, he's got the closer spot locked down. Otherwise, League should take over this spot.

Rest of the pen: Dan Cortes, Anthony Varvaro, Garrett Olson, Chris Seddon, Sean White

Well, one positive is that the bullpen should get young with the team declining to resign Jamey Wright and Brian Sweeney. However, there are the young, relatively unproven guys (Cortes, Varvaro, Seddon) and the near useless (Olson, White). One reason to keep Aardsma would be that League could be used in non-closing situations. Also, RRS may end up here if he doesn't make the rotation.



Catcher: Adam Moore

This year wasn't pretty, but Moore won this spot from Rob Johnson halfway through the year. Towards the end of this season we saw some improved offense and hopefully, Moore can show more of his Triple-A numbers next year in the bigs.

First Base: Justin Smoak/Casey Kotchman

Smoak is definitely ready to take over as far as power is concerned. Next year, his offense should improve. Apparently, the Kotch may still be around too...

Second Base: Dustin Ackley

Yep, they believe Ackley should be ready to by mid-season if not sooner. His bat will be an asset for sure and hopefully, he's got his defense down, too.

Third Base: Chone Figgins

Figgins has said he wants to stay put at second, but his glove hasn't been the best asset and Ackley is the long term plan at second. Besides, Figgs is much better at third and it seems his batting turned around at the end of the season.

Shortstop: Jack Wilson

Kind of hoped that Wilson would retire. He's having issues staying healthy and his defense has slipped. Plus, he's know offensive threat, but he's signed through 2011.

Left field: Milton Bradley/Michael Saunders

Again, with Bradley as it is with Jack Wilson, we have him till 2011 with a high contract, so he'll be utilized. Saunders will get ample time in left as well.

Center field: Franklin Gutierrez

No Surprise here...

Right Field: Ichiro Suzuki

Or here...

Designated Hitter: Milton Bradley/Justin Smoak

Again, if Kotchman ain't release, Smoak will find some time here when Bradley plays the field. Otherwise, Milton will probably spend most of his time here.

Bench: Josh Bard, Josh Wilson, Matt Mangini, Ryan Langerhans

Pure specualtion. It's kinda late....

2010 Season wrapup

Well, I and all other people connected to Mariner's home site received an email today from Mariner's Chairman Howard Lincoln and General Manager Jack Zduriencik. It was mostly an admission that this season fell well below the expectations they had for the team and the positive prospects of the future that we have tied in our farm system. For all who dream of a Mariner's championship, prepare for the long haul.

Our minors system had a spectacular year, with 8 of the 9 teams getting to the playoffs, 3 getting to the championship series, and 2 being champions of their leagues. While rebuilding can be a long wait for any fan, most organizations that succeed do so from deep farm systems. Luckily, ours is deep in offense and starting pitcher, so we are on the right track. Hopefully, it doesn't take years....


Based off my not-so in depth analysis of each game, Felix was the greatest asset of this team, followed by Ichiro, Jason Vargas (he mostly earned these during the first half).

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

1. FELIX HERNANDEZ (28)
2. Ichiro (15), Jason Vargas (15)
4. Doug Fister (11)
5. Franklin Gutierrez (10), Cliff Lee (10)

David Aardsma: 2
Eliezer Alfonzo: 1
Josh Bard: 2
Milton Bradley: 4
Russell Branyan: 5
Chone Figgins: 6
Doug Fister: 11
Luke French: 4
Ryan Garko: 1
Ken Griffey Jr.: 1
Franklin Gutierrez: 10
Greg Halman: 1
Felix Hernandez: 28
Casey Kotchman: 5
Cliff Lee: 10
Jose Lopez: 4
Matt Mangini: 1
Adam Moore: 2
David Pauley: 1
Michael Saunders: 2
Chris Seddon: 1
Ryan Rowland-Smith: 3
Justin Smoak: 5
Ian Snell: 2
Ichiro Suzuki: 15
Brian Sweeney: 1
Mike Sweeney: 2
Matt Tuiasosopo: 3
Jason Vargas: 15
Josh Wilson: 4

Game 162 Summary: ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 3

So, the "Believe Big," Era ends with a sweep at home by AL WEST rival Oakland and with 101 losses, the second time in 3 years the M's have lost this many. The M's probably could have avoided the sweep if Felix had started, but management gave him a rest and opted for Ryan Rowland-Smith, who pitched okay through 5 innings. Ichiro provided the offense with a double, a stolen base , 2 hits, and and 2 rbis, but not enough... Not Enough... the on going slogan for this season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro

Game 161 Summary: ATHLETICS 5, MARINERS 3

Another loss, though better than the last. 3 homers smashed off David Pauley, including one hit by Jack Cust that had a little help from Michael Saunders' glove. Saunders hit one of his own and Greg Halman picked up his second hit of the season after a long dry spell, as well as his first big league stolen base. Smoak had a couple hits as well, continuing his offensive improvement.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Greg Halman for his stolen base.

Game 160: ATHLETICS 9, MARINERS 0

If you wondering how it could get uglier than the previous game, here you go. French beaten for 8 runs and the M's held to 6 hits, no runs.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

None...

Game 159 Summary: ATHLETICS 8, MARINERS 1

Fister just got hammered. Several homers and other extra base hits put the A's to far up before the 8th. The Mariners managed just one run off a fielder's choice by Greg Halman. A couple of hits, including a double from Smoak, were nice...

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Smoak again....

Game 158 Summary: RANGERS 6, MARINERS 5

Well, the Rangers avoided the sweep, but it was nice to take a Series in Arlington from them. Vargas pitched well for 6 innings and only gave up 1 earned run. Unfortunately, some bad defense and a combination of Jamey Wright and Dan Cortes were unable to hold onto the lead.

Can't blame the offense for this one. Justin Smoak hit his 3rd homer for the 3rd consecutive day and Chone Figgins had 4 hits, but through no fault of their own, the offense just didn't get enough for this one.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Smoak, powering 'em out!

Game 157 Summary: MARINERS 3, RANGERS 1

See! See! 3 is enough! That's right! When the M's can give Felix 3 runs, it usually results in a win. As usual, Felix went 8 innings, gave up only 1 run, 5 hits, 2 walks, and dominated. Hopefully, this start lingers in the mind of the writers when it comes to voting for the Cy Young Award. Brandon League filled in the role of closer with Aardsma being unavailable.

Offensively, Smoak smashed another homer to bring his total up to 12 for the season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Long Live the King!

Game 156 Summary: MARINERS 7, RANGERS 5

David Pauley was solid, but the big story was the offense. Justin Smoak was 3-4 with his 11th homer, while Lopez, Gutierrez, and Figgins each checked in with a few hits.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Smoak, our future and Texas' past.

Game 155 Summary: MARINERS 6, DEVIL RAYS 2

Luke French had a pretty good outing through 5 and then he handed it over to Wright, Cortes, and League to keep it intact. Josh Wilson hit a big 3 run homer and Smoak and Mangini each had some hits. A nice solid win.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Josh Wilson, because there isn't a lot of homers in him.

Game 154 Summary: DEVIL RAYS 9, MARINERS 1

Just ugly. Fister, Olson, and Seddon all got knocked around. 8 hits got scattered, 1 run and nothing. Yurg...

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Matt Mangini had a few hits and looks to be making a case for some playing time next year.

Game 153 Summary: DEVIL RAYS 5, MARINERS 3

Ugly start from Vargas. Knocked out of the 5th inning en route to his 12th loss. At least Ryan Rowland-Smith didn't add to the tally and the rookies, Dan Cortes and Anthony Varvaro, had solid relief outings. Meanwhile, there was some offense with Ichiro, Lopez and Moore having multiple hits, but as usual, it just wasn't enough.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Moore, for adding some offense.

Game 152: BLUE JAYS 1, MARINERS 0

Felix, as is customary, received no run support. He gave up Jose Bautista's home run, 2 hits and 4 walks, while going the distance through 8th. His offense was silenced with 12 strikeouts, 6 singles and 1 extra base hit. Where wins seem to matter to the sportswriters, it was painful to watch the King fall to 12-12, but at least it wasn't due to shoddy pitching.

Also, notable for this game, was Ichiro's 200th hit of the season, which means he's the only MLB player to achieve this milestone for 10 consecutive seasons (Pete Rose has 10 non-consecutive seasons with 200+). Just another stop along the road to Cooperstown.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix Hernandez for a well pitched game, Ichiro for another superb year.

Game 151 Summary: MARINERS 6, BLUE JAYS 3

After a pretty unproductive year, Jose Lopez showed up with 3 large blasts against the Blue Jays. He set this one up nicely for David Pauley, who had a solid outing himself. League closed out the 9th and this one went in the W column.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Jose Lopez, who played probably the best game of his career.

Game 150 Summary: BLUE JAYS 5, MARINERS 3

Well, the Blue Jays came to town and did what they do best: hit homer runs. Surprisingly, Jose Bautista was not among the sluggers, but Travis Snider, Vernon Wells, and Edwin Encarnacion all went yard off Luke French. The Mariners had 10 hits and turning out a big night was Ichiro. Ichi went 4-4 with a walk and 2 runs scored. He sits comfortably at 197hits for the season with 12 games left to get to 200. Too bad it's in the cellar.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro, a first ballot HOF'er.

9 Reasons for Felix's Deserving of the Cy Young Award

Alright, here we go.

1. Let's start with the Wins Debate. For the longest time, this stat has been used to gauge a pitcher's effectiveness, as a pitcher is the only player that can be awarded with a win in any team sport. As long as he puts in five inning and leaves the game with his team leading, the starting pitcher will walk away with the win, regardless of how many runs his offense put together to give him the lead, how well his defense did to deny the opposition of runs or how well his relievers pitched to maintain the lead for him. Essentially, we're rewarding a pitcher on an individual level for something he can't do alone. Sure, a dominating pitcher should have quite a few wins every season, but it no be the determining stat in deciding an individual award.

2. Now, if the pitcher receiving the win were pitches the entire game, there's more of individual effort. Felix has thrown 5 complete games to his 12 wins, meaning he's had to finish nearly half of his victories. Only Cliff Lee (7 CG to 12 Wins) and Dallas Braden (5 CG to 9 Wins) have better ratios than Felix, while the other Cy hopefuls haven't had to complete very many games at all: CC Sabathia (2 CG to 20 Wins), David Price (2 CG to 17 Wins), or Jered Weaver (0 CG to 13 Wins).

3. Then, consider why pitchers like Hernandez have nearly a 1:2 Complete Game to Win Ratio while Sababthia is 1:10 and Price is 1:8.5. Sabathia has future Hall of Famer, Mariano Rivera, awaiting to take the ball in the 9th. He's still got dominating stuff, (1.58 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and Opponent's Batting Average of .182). Meanwhile, Price hands the game over to Rafael Soriano, who is equaling as dominating as Rivera (1.82 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and Opponent's Batting Average of .166), and Soriano has only blown 3 saves in 46 attempts. Meanwhile, David Aardsma has been inconsistent for most of the season and with a 3.44 ERA and 1.17 WHIP and the big off season bullpen addition Brandon League has been a bust, (League has blown more saves (6) than he has completed (4)). So, basically, there has more pressure for Hernandez to finish his games since the guys he would have to turn it over to have hardly been reliable.

4. Speaking of pressure, Sabathia may be on a pennant contending team, but he's also part of an all star caliber pitching staff. Though Javier Vazquez and AJ Burnett haven't pitched spectacularly, Phil Hughes has been dependable and Andy Pettitte has been awesome in his 19 starts. Nonetheless, these are all high profile pitchers and at the least, they've kept the Yankees in contention and had a lot of help from a potent offense. Meanwhile, Hernandez is the only franchise pitcher on the Mariners and ever since they traded Lee, all the pressure has been on him as Vargas and Fister have regressed and the fill-in pitchers have been slightly mediocre to awful. The only games really getting any attention from fans are Hernandez's as most others are considered lost causes, so there is a lot of pressure for Felix to be one of the only non-let downs on this team. Sure, Ichiro is on pace for another 200 hits, but that hardly touched people and got their attention compared to Felix's no hit bid in his last start.

5. Plus, he's flourished under the pressure of being the only high level pitcher on the team. Since Lee was traded, Hernandez has an ERA 1.54 with a WHIP of 0.99 and nearly 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio (100 strikeouts vs. 22 walks). Ironically, Felix grew stronger without the option of 1-2 punch combination of him and Lee in the same rotation.

6. He's also been able to ignore all the clubhouse issues and work with a team that lacks any real unity. This team saw high profile players like Eric Byrnes and Ken Griffey Jr. simply walk away from the team without warning. It dealt with an emotionally unstable Milton Bradley, a scrapping and unrepentant Chone Figgins, and a vocally threatening Mike Sweeney. As it stands, there are no captains and this team will no doubt be retooled in many places in hopes of creating some stability in the clubhouse, but through all the general garbage that polluted relationships, it must be remembered that Felix didn't loaf, didn't fight, and rose above it all to pitch the fantastic season he did.

7. Speaking of stability and relationships, David Price has had the same manager, Joel Madden, and the same pitching coach, Jim Hickey, during his 2 full seasons with the Devil Rays and the cup of coffee he played in 2008. In fact, they've held those positions since Price was drafted in 2007.
CC Sabathia has spent 2009 and 2010 with Joe Girardi at the helm and Dave Eiland as the pitching coach. While Sabathia did spend half of 2008 with the Milwaukee Brewers, where Ned Yost was replaced with 12 games left to play, He spent the 5 years previously under Eric Wedge with Carl Willis as the pitching coach.
Jered Weaver has always played under Mike Scioscia as manager for the Los Angeles Angels and he has pitched with Mike Butcher as his pitching coach since 2007.
Since Felix was brought up to Mariners on 2005, he's played for 5 different managers: Mike Hargrove, John McLaren, Jim Riggleman, Don Wakamatsu and Darren Brown and he's played for 5 different pitching coaches: Bryan Price, Rafael Chaves, Mel Stottlemyre, Rick Adair, Carl Willis, (ironically, Sabathia's pitching coach in Cleveland). It deserves mention, because shows the history of instability that Hernandez has pitched through his entire career and because this is the 3rd season out of the last 4 that Hernandez has dealt with major coaching changes around mid-season.

8. Another point on the pennant race argument and the extra stress that it could cause pitchers like Sabathia and Price: even though the Devil Rays and Yankees are warring with each other for the AL East Crown, they've essentially had a large lead over Boston for months now and it would take a major upset for the Red Sox to fight their way back in from 6.5 behind the Rays in the wild card. No other team in the league is realistically close and hasn't been for months. So, while the AL East title means more than the wild card, these teams have pretty much been in the post season picture for a while now despite which ends up at the top of their division.

9. This year saw a major milestone for Felix as recorded his 1000th strikeout. For any major league pitcher that's around long enough, this is an inevitable conclusion, but Felix did it as the 4th youngest player in baseball history. Comparatively, Sabathia did it exactly 2 months before he turned 27, Price is 25 and only has 286 career strikeouts, Weaver turns 28 and has 766, and Cliff Lee picked up #1000 on July 22nd of this year, about a month before Felix, at the age of 31.

Game 149 Summary: MARINERS 2, RANGERS 1

It's always nice to take 2 out of 3 from Texas at home. Especially, when you have someone on the mound like Doug Fister, whose done well enough this year, even though his 6-12 record doesn't reflect it well. He through 7 innings in this one, only giving up 1 run and not walking a single batter. Brandon League kept it together for hold #13 and Aardsma picked up save #31. Meanwhile, Gutierrez drove in the tying run with a double and later, Jack Wilson put them ahead to bring this one home. If we can win 6 out of the last 13, we avoid an 100 loss season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Fister? Hardly even knew her?

Game 148 Summary: RANGERS 6, MARINERS 1

Only two months ago, Cliff Lee would be winning this one for us and giving us back to back victories with Felix. Instead, he won it for Texas and Vargas took loss #11. The only bright spot was Franklin's 12th homer of the year...

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Guti, playing dependable enough offense for a player valued primarily for his defense.

Game 147 Summary: MARINERS 2, RANGERS 1

With that Cy Young Award on the line, Felix pitched again as if he already deserved to have his name engraved on it. Through 7 innings, Felix had yet to give up a hit and had only walked one batter. Unfortunately, Nelson Cruz broke up the no-hit bid with a homer in the 8th, followed by 2 more Ranger hits, but nonetheless, it was another extraordinary outing for the King. In the 9th, Felix was pulled in favor of David Aardsma, even though Felix had only thrown 98 pitches. Yes, I know that he's thrown a lot of pitches this year and it would be risky to let him finish it and blah blah blah, but with Felix facing scrutiny in the Cy Young Race over how many wins he has, it seems that a stat like # of Complete Games may help his cause. Also, Aardsma has not been reliable enough for me to entrust him to close out a game if my other option is leaving Felix in the game.

Offensively, the Mariners ran the bases like mad men, with Ichiro and Figgins reaching 40 for the year, Guti getting #22, and Saunders picking up his 6th. Sigh... it's sad that # of stolen bases is the only team stat category that the Mariners are not last in the league.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix.

The End of the Line

Well, there are 16 games left in the season. The Mariners are currently 55-91, 36 games under .500, 27.5 games behind the Rangers, worst in the American League, and 2nd worst in all of baseball. Probably the worst if you consider that the Pirates are really trying and haven't been for at least a decade. To avoid losing 100 games, the Mariners need to win at least half of their remaining games.

Right now, the only upside is the #2 pick in next year's draft, but who really cares about that? A giant step backwards and of course, misgivings about turning it around next year. It's been hard to write this blog as this team has just slipped into last place, but maybe it will payoff. Maybe faith and hope and all that believe big stuff will mean something next year. Probably not, but you got to stand by your team even in the worst of times, despite living in a very apathetic and casual sports city.

Game 146 Summary: RED SOX 5, MARINERS 1

And we're swept at home... After being swept in LA... 7 game losing streak... Not the worst game played by a long shot, but just such a downer...

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

...

Game 145 Summary: RED SOX 9, MARINERS 6

3 homers from Boston including a big one from Big Papi and the losing continues. It was great day for M's base stealing with both Figgins and Ichiro getting their 39th of the season. There was a chance to take this one, but League blew the save. Just couldn't tussle offensively.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Figgins for going 4-4.

GAme 144 Summary: RED SOX 5, MARINERS 1

Some more errors, a homer hit by a virtual unknown and no offense equals a loss to open the homestead.

PLAYER OF THE...

Game 143 Summary: ANGELS 3, MARINERS 0

Thus, the sweep is completed with a 4 hit shutout. Vargas goes 7 and only gives up1 earned run, but he was given nothing to work with. Story of the damn year!

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Vargas, again losing but at no fault of his own.

Game 142 Summary: ANGELS 7, MARINERS 4

Well, not every Felix outing is spectacular. Though this outing is the worst in at least 2 months, which I guess he's allowed every now and then. Of course, I'd prefer those 4 runs to be moved over to a 2 or 1 run loss, but oh well. Ichiro hit his 6th homer of the year and drove in all the runs.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro, the only guy other than Felix playing what he's worth/

Game 141 Summary: ANGELS 4, MARINERS 3

After 14 innings, Abreu smashed one out and the road trip started like most, with a loss. Kotchman turned in 3 hits, but this was truly a test of which club had the slightly better lumber. Turns out, it was the Angels.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Kotchman for the 3 hits. He's almost hitting .230.

Game 140 Summary: ATHLETICS 4, MARINERS 3

Well, this one started off great with a two run homer from Branyan and a solo shot from Tui. After the second inning, there was no more. Then the A's scored 4 unanswered and it fell off.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Branyan, because at least he homers semi occasionally.

Game 139 Summary: MARINERS 7, ATHLETICS 5

A miracle: Doug Fister got win #5 and the M's offense showed up for this one. Adam Moore hit his 4th homer of the year and the runs kept coming. After all 13 hits is wonderful, especially spread through out the lineup.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

David Aardsma, who has quietly picked up 29 saves and lowered his ERA considerably since have a tough start.

Game 138 Summary: ATHLETICS 6, MARINERS 2

Wow, a few homers and extra base hits sent Vargas out of this one before the 5th. The M's managed 5 hits of their own, as Guti went yard for #11, but again, the other team just got too many in this one.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Gutierrez, because he's best defensive asset and he also leads the team in RBIs.

Game 137 Summary: MARINERS 3, INDIANS 0

I wouldn't be surprised if out in Marinertown, the fans that are still watching mark the calendars for when Felix will pitch and otherwise, find themselves with other things to do on the other days. Again, great stuff from the King: 0 Runs, 4 hits, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts. At this point, we probably won't see him finish any of his games, because of the amount of innings he's logged. Damn shame, because he would have managed a complete game shutout in this one for sure. Oh yeah, Branyan homered too.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Do you really have to ask?

Game 136: INDIANS 4, MARINERS 2

Pauley went 6 and gave up 4, and then Chris Seddon took over for 3 scoreless innings. However, the 2 run deficit was to big to answer and this one was lost. Branyan hit homer #22 and Ichiro contributed a few, but that was about it...

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro, because when all is said and done in the history books, this season will only be remembered for two things: Hernandez's dominating pitching for a futile cause and Ichiro's 10th consecutive 200 hit year.

Game 135 Summary: MARINERS 1, INDIANS 0

Wow, another good outing for Luke French. He 1 hits em for 7, then League and Aardsma do what they were made to do, and we make off with a victory. Fausto Carmona went the distance for the Indians and pitched a fine game, but sometimes the M's get lucky and the other dudes don't score.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

French. Next year's #5?

Game 134 Summary: INDIANS 6, MARINERS 3

Well, Fister couldn't get out of the 5th inning, leave the team trailing by 1. However, aged veteran Jamey Wright gave up 2 more, so 1 run became 3 and by then, its un-winnable. Branyan provided some pop with homer number 21, but again, not enough.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Branyan, for the homer and only real bright spot.

Game 133 Summary: ANGELS 4, MARINERS 2

Again, Vargas to the mound, but unable to get enough runs to get this one. Matsui got a big one off him and the Sean White gave up another homer to Callaspo. The M's top three in the order (Ichiro-Figgins-Guti) all had multiple hits and the bottom four (Kotch-Saunders-Moore-Wilson) all had one. Lopez did nothing and Branyan struck out 4 freaking times.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Vargas, because on any other team, this outing would have kept the team close enough to win.

Game 132 Summary: MARINERS 3, ANGELS 1

Well, the King was duped out of another win as he held the Angels to 3 hits and 3 walks over 7 innings, but didn't get any run support until he was pulled from the game. So Brandon League got win #9, which ties him with Jason Vargas for second most on the team. A good home 8th setup with Saunders, Moore and Wison bringing in the runs, but it was all Felix's dominating that prepared this victory.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Usual Suspect: Felix Hernandez.

Game 131 Summary: ANGELS 5, MARINERS 3

The Angels came to town and knocked 3 homers as housewarming gifts, all in the sixth inning and all off David Pauley. It wasn't the worst offensive game, but when the other team starts homering, the M's aren't usually up to the challenge. Ichiro did steal a coupe of bases and Gutierrez was 3-4, but not enough... just not enough...

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Gutierrez, whose hitting .250 and has the second highest batting average of any Mariners regular.

Game 130 Summary: MARINERS 2, TWINS 1

Sometimes, however, 2 runs is enough. Luke French, a guy sure to be a rotation hopeful for next year, matched Fister with 7 solid innings and 1 run allowed. The only difference is that the M's managed to eke out a couple of runs in this one and then League and Aardsma shut the Twins down.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Luke French, just a stellar outing.

Game 129 Summary: TWINS 1, MARINERS 0

Shutout at home again. Doug Fister had to suffer loss #10 as his teammates were only able to pickup 2 hits for the duration of the game. A real shame as Fister went 7 solid innings and gave up 1 earned run. However, most M's pitchers have learned that a single run scored against them is usually enough to signal their doom.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Doug Fister, whose probably wondering where that run support was.

Game 128 Summary: TWINS 6, MARINERS 3

Well, it was back home where the M's second best chance at winning, Jason Vargas, took the mound. Unfortunately, the Twins banged up for 9 hits and 5 earned runs. The fielding was ugly too, as Josh Wilson had his second consecutive game with an error and Ichiro, of all people, botched one as well. Adam Moore joined the mishaps by watching a ball slide by in the dirt.

Offensively, Ichiro did bang out a triple and Figgins had a few rbis, but as usual, the offense was scattered and ineffective.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

It was ugly, but I give it to Vargas for a lack of defensive backup and weak offense.

Game 127 Summary: MARINERS 4, RED SOX 2

Luckily, Felix Hernandez pitched the second game of the double header and as always, he gave the M's the best chance to win it. Only 4 hits, 1 earned and 2 walks while managing to go 7 1/3 innings and striking out 9. Pitching like that CY award that he deserves, Hernandez picked up win #10.

Tuiasosopo swung a hot bat with 3 hits and even Jose Lopez brought in a few.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Hernandez.

Game 126 Summary: RED SOX 5, MARINERS 3

Well, with this game being rained out from the day before, the M's were forced to play a doubleheader with Boston. A few bright spots through this game came from blasts from Branyan and Kotchman, but unfortunately, the BoSox did not need any homers to take control of this one. The took David Pauley for 4 runs and tagged another of Jamey Wright.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Russell Branyan, probably the only Mariner to hit 20 more homers this season.

Game 125 Summary: RED SOX 6, MARINERS 3

Well, Fister had some stuff going for him, but an error by Ryan Langerhans in left field helped put Boston over the top in this one. It's sad, because while the infield has been dreadful all year, the outfield has been usually reliable. Of course, Langerhans was filling in for Saunders, who is awaiting MRI results. Lame..

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Figgins had 3 hits as he continues to flirt with a .250 batting average.

Game 124 Summary: YANKEES 10, MARINERS 0

Wow, now yesterday seems like beautifully played game in comparison to this mess. Included was a 1 hour rain delay, but that didn't bother Sabathia. Only 6 hits, plenty of runs given up and 3 errors on the field that just made the team want to high tail out of here.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Nope...

Game 123 Summary: YANKEES 9, MARINERS 5

An ugly outing for Jason Vargas, who gave up 7 earned runs and took the loss. Kotchman's error free streak finally ended and most upsetting of all was a 2 homer effort from Ichiro that went to waste along with a Branyan homer. I guess thats what happens when you shut out the Yankees the previous night.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro for the 2 blasts and for calmly watching his chances of ever reaching the World Series slip away with each passing year.

Game 122 Summary: MARINERS 6, YANKEES 0

Now, I accept the loss in Felix's last start for this kind of an outing. A 4 hit shutout of the best team in baseball with 11 strikeouts backed by 2 homers from Russell Branyan and stolen bases from both Figgins and Ichiro. Outings like this alone are what should help Hernandez when it comes time to vote for the Cy Young.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix of course.

Game 121 Summary: MARINERS 6, ORIOLES 5

An up and down game that led to David Pauley's second win of the season, but once again, it was Tui that brought the offense with a 3 run homer. Aardsma got his 24th save and they managed to hold onto this one.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Tuiasosopo, because who knows if he will ever have another stretch of consecutive homer games in his career.

Game 120 Summary: MARINERS 4, ORIOLES 0

Well, Luke French 3 hit the Orioles for 7 2/3 innings and then Brandon League took over for his 3rd save of the year. Meanwhile, Matt Tuiasosopo brought the offense with a homer, a double and 4 runs batted in. Ichiro also swiped a base for his 30th steal of the year, padding his lead as all time stolen base leader for the Mariners.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

French and Tui share this, as they put out solid outings.

Game 119 Summary: ORIOLES 5, MARINERS 4

Fister had a pedestrian outing, going 5 and giving up 3 runs in this first game in Baltimore. The power game was in play as Branyan, Adam Moore and Jose Lopez all hit home runs, with Branyan's and Lopez's coming back to back. Moore's homer put the team ahead and setup David Aardsma, but unfortunately he gave up the tying run in his half inning of work. Then Adam Jones pulled off a bunt single in the next inning to put the Orioles over the top.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Adam Moore, as his homer came in a clutch situation and he had 4 hits. Hopefully, he continues to improve and maybe, becomes that everyday catcher the organization has hoped he would.

Game 118 Summay: INDIANS 9, MARINERS 1

The King was dethroned by one of his own, as Figgins made a key two out error that eventually led to a grand slam by aging slugger, Travis Hafner. Felix k'd 7 and this one was winnable, except this defense we setup to be one of the best in the league broke down at a key moment that broke this one open. Especially when the anemic offense could only muster 3 hits and 1 run in response.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Hernandez, for showing a lot of maturity and not killing Figgins for the error.

Game 117: MARINERS 9, INDIANS 3

Now, this is much more enjoyable. A victory with a lead of more than 6 and another great effort by Jason Vargas for his 9th win of the season. However, tonight's hero was Josh Bard, who went 4 for 5 with a double and a grand slam, raising his average to a respectable .256. Branyan and Kotchman also homered and all starters had a hit, except Michael Saunders. Again, it came against a weak team, but still, a thing of beauty.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Josh Bard, slugging it like the best for one night.

Game 116: MARINERS 3, INDIANS 2

Into Cleveland and it was average offense with good pitching that won this one. Anytime a team can reach 10 hits, they're doing some right, but usually, it should be complemented by more than 3 runs. Luckily, David Pauley had good stuff through 6 innings and then the bullpen held it down for the win. However, it's not too much to be excited about, as Cleveland is one of the worst teams in the league and would usually be resoundingly crushed by a superior team. I guess a win is a win.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

David Pauley, making some kind of case for a back end of the rotation spot next year.

Game 115 Summary: ATHLETICS 5, MARINERS 1

The series win was in the bag, but the sweep was snapped off at the broom handle. Unfortunately, nobody on the M's did anything remarkable or noteworthy. French pitched 6 innings and gave up 4 runs, the M's only managed 4 hits and 1 run. It's irritating to watch games like these, where the team just seems to weak to play at the major league level, but hopefully the rebuilding process at Tacoma is on its way.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro, another hit closer to 200. Pedestrian sure, but the only thing I could pull out.

Game 114: MARINERS 2, ATHLETICS 0

And now, that's two series wins in a row at home! All because whatever Doug Fister can do, Felix can do better! The King set a career high mark by striking out 13, and he managed 8 innings only giving up 5 hits and 1 walk. David Aardsma threw a perfect 9th for his 3rd save in as many days. Sure, the run support wasn't great, but it was better than what Felix is use to and it was more than enough.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix, duh.
Some fun facts for franchise fanatics:
-Tonight's Win ties Felix with pitcher Mike Moore for 5th all time in franchise history (66).
-The lack of runs allowed Felix to further pad his lead as the all time Mariner's ERA champ (3.35)
-With 48 games left to play, and Felix pitching 9 of those barring an injury or other mishap, he should pass Freddy Garcia as #5 innings pitched, (Only 9 1/3 to go) and #5 in games started (8 more)/

Game 113 Summary: MARINERS 3, ATHLETICS 1

Darren Brown showed up to Safeco a bit bleary eyed and not knowing what to expect for his first game as interim manager. Little did he know that in addition to getting his first win as a big league manager, he'd also witness the first Mariners triple play in 15 years. While the offense wasn't overpowering, the pitching was spectacular as was the defense. Doug Fister pitched his way through 6 innings and picked up his first win in more than a couple of months. League and White each held down for an inning for some holds and David Aardsma picked up save 21. All in all, it was a great night that ended in a beer shower for the new manager, and unfortunately for Wak, one that helped forget the old.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Doug Fister, getting back on track. Let's see those quality starts rack up!

The Ultimate Wak Off

So, today ends the era of "Believing Big." Already many people have speculated over the firing of Don Wakamatsu and many have come to his defense. After all, he was a popular enough guy and many felt that he wasn't given much of a chance as a second year manager. A lot of people felt he was thrown under the bus in the Griffey situation and that he was left to manage a team destined to fail.

I STRONGLY DISAGREE. I understand the arguments about his lack of veteran seasoning as a manager, but when I wrote that irritatingly long blog a week ago, something like this is kind of what I had in mind. This is the kind of move that I hope will separate the Mariners of the future from the unstable mess of a team for most of the post-Lou years. It's cold, it's calculated, and it's abrupt, but hey, it might just be what we need. After all, it kind of stinks of a Steinbrenner-esque move.

A lot of what Jack Z said during the press conference, I totally agree with. I lacked the confidence in this team's now former field management for creating a plan that sees us building towards anything positive. With all the accountability talk, I didn't see anything changing and if Wak had held this job, it seemed as if a lot of player issues would have remained swept under the rug to fester over time.

Now, I'm not defending players like Chone Figgins or Ken Griffey Jr. or Milton Bradley, but a manager has to deal better with these issues and from what I saw, Wak did his best to ignore them until they blew up and became public. Then, after all the fans already were aware of these issues, Wak still seemed content to remain non confrontational and offer no resolution. Sure, I didn't expect the guy to air all the dirty laundry and have a media war with members of his own team, but what I took away from it all is that Ken Griffey Jr. was benched and ignored until he gave up and Chone Figgins was allowed to fight in the dugout and be unrepentant to the media but still play the next day. In fact, a lot of players were allowed to play poorly day-to-day until they either managed to injure themselves.

I mean what were the plans here? From what I've seen, I expected that Ryan Rowland-Smith would have returned to the rotation to probably lose as many as 15 games with Wak's response saying something about us misreading the numbers and how much his delivery has improved from the last outing. I expected more guys to be picked off third and more loafing in the field. I expected to Lopez, Figgins, Kotchman, and Jack Wilson to all hit under .260, but keep their playing time. In a lot of ways, it just seemed like this team went on autopilot.

In a lot of ways, that is what happened last year. A great example is that we played Yuniesky Betancourt at shortstop until he was traded and then had Ronny Cedeno start there until Jack Z traded for Jack Wilson. Sure, Cedeno has improved offensively and defensively in Pittsburgh enough to be a starting a shortstop on one of the only teams worse than ours, but he was dreadful, positively dreadful here. It was easy enough to ignore, because we were winning, but had the Mariner's been a losing team, it definitely would have been talked about and should have been addressed. After all, who starts a position player on a regular basis that bats .167?

Then, there were the issues with Johjima. I will still stand by that he was overpaid, but his defense was many times better than either Rob Johnson and Adam Moore. Even his offense, while in decline, was better than theirs, but he became the backup. Sure, we were winning last year and Felix was pitching so great with Johnson it was easy to ignore, but we could have used him this year. Again, maybe there could have been intervention, maybe Wak could have worked to create better communication between Kenji and the pitchers, but in the end, Johjima felt slighted and moved on.

Now, I understand that maybe my view of a manager is a bit off. Maybe watching too many sports movies has put this vision in my head where these guys spend a lot of time keeping everyone on the same page and making difficult decisions, but managing to keep overall peace in the clubhouse, but shouldn't it be that way? Shouldn't everything be out in the open, (at least between the players and manager), and shouldn't there be solutions?

I mean, I have a hard time believing that Wakamatsu approached Griffey and said, "Hey man, you aren't producing as well as you used to, so I'm going to need you to be willing to accept a lesser role on this team. I know you are a true asset to this organization and to this team, but right now, I need you to be more of a leader on the bench." Maybe it did happen, but it seems doubtful, because of how Griffey left Seattle.

Also, Wak should have benched Figgins. A lot of people think that his hands were tied and that upper management forced Wak's hand, but my question would be, how can Wak bench Griffey without being able to bench someone of Figgins' stature?

Again, these are all small examples, but I believe they show a window into what we may have seen in the future. A manager willing to let problems remain unsolved. Sure, it never reached the heights of the 2008 season, but over the course of a few seasons, who knows what could have happened. We need a manager who can call guys out whenever they are out of line, but also mediate concerns among veteran players. Essentially, "Manage" the players.

Too bad, for the other guys, (Adair, Burkleo), but a house cleaning is necessary for this team to build a contender.

Game 112 Summary: MARINERS 3, ROYALS 2

Ah, the "rubber game." We use to win a lot more of these last year, so it was nice to see a return to "vintage" 2009. Vargas goes 6 and picks up number 8, while 8 hits and 3 runs appears to just be enough.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Jason Vargas, because he's done everything right this year.

Game 111 Summary: ROYALS 2, MARINERS 1

The law of the 2010 Mariners: if more than 3 runs are scored the previous night, the odds of scoring more than 2 the next are slim to nil. Yep, Bruce Chen, Bruce Freakin' Chen, 3 hits the boys and only allows Branyan's homer for an earned run. Pauley had a good outing, but where were his Hits?!?!

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

The Moosle, Branyan, for at least jacking one out of there an earning his paycheck.

Game 110 Summary: MARINERS 7, ROYALS 1

Nice to see some other than Wakamatsu's Mariners suffering a sophomore slump as the M's tagged last year's Cy Winner, Zach Grienke, for 6 of the 7 scored runs. Chone Figgins of all people drove in 3 and the not-so-often used Ryan Langerhans homered for the 3rd time this year.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Luke French, a guy I didn't think go a whole 8 innings and only allow a run. Maybe there's a future here.

Game 109 Summary: RANGERS 6, MARINERS 0

Well, not much to write home about. Felix held it for 6, got nothing, gave up 3 and then was matched by Jamey wright as Texas made this one impossible for the last at bat in the 9th. Ichiro doubled twice, but to no avail. It's games like these that have me hoping that the top Rainiers are making solid progress.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix, the guy who can't catch a break despite keeping that ERA under 3.00 and having 150+ strikeouts.

Game 108 Summary: RANGERS 11, MARINERS 6

Well, this got out of hand and as the slumbering Texan lumber from the night before showed us what it was made to do: put runs on the board. Fister got leveled for 7 runs in less than 5 innings and Garrett Olson gave up a late grand slam to Michael Young that put this one out of reach. There were a few positives: Ichiro stole 4 bases and Adam Moore showed a big league swing for his second homer of the season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro. Anytime a man of 35+ years not named Rickey Henderson can steal 4 bases in a game, he's earned it.

Game 107 Summary: MARINERS 3, RANGERS 2

Vargas was solid and the bullpen held this one. We also got a nice homer out of Guttierrez to finally have a Mariner reach the milestone of double digit home runs with about 1/3 of the season left to play. Eleven hits was a nice way to stick to Colby Lewis and 4 hitting the Rangers is never a bad ay to take it.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

While Vargas was definitely an asset for this game, I give it to Gutierrez, who has struggled recently, but for a large chunk of the season, has been one of the only offensive weapons on the team. This from a guy we signed for his outstanding defense.

A Long, Frustrated and Obnoxious Rant from a Fan

There are 56 games left this season. We need at least 24 of those games to avoid another 100 loss season. Only the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates have lost more games than the Mariners at this point. As a team, the Mariners are last in the major leagues in batting average, runs, hits, home runs, doubles, rbis, and slugging percentage. While some of our starters have been excellent (Cliff Lee, Felix), and others good (Jason Vargas, Doug Fister), the rest of our pitching staff has been weak to abysmal. Our defense has struggled, with the exceptions of Gutierrez and Kotchman, and our base running has been foolhardy.

While I lay this all out there, I want to be clear that I do it with a lot of love for this team. I plan to attend at least several more home games this year. I plan to listen 710 religiously, be it a live game or mere rumor chatter from Brock and Salk. I plan to flip on FSN when I get home from work to catch either the end of of a 5 PM road game, or the start of a 7 PM home game. I even plan to finish this blog with at least brief summaries and thoughts about every game to the end of the season. Finally, I plan to still spend a countless amount of hours chatting with fellow fans, friends, and just about anyone else about everything Mariners. And while, I'm keeping the faith and Believing Big, err Adequately, I'm frustrated as Hell like most of Mariner Nation.

Now this is an obvious conclusion for any sports fan dealing with a catastrophic losing season that still has a third of its games to play, but the worst part of it, is not seeing the light at the end of this dark, dark tunnel. Right now, I don't feel like this team is on the road to recovery and I'm at a loss a how a lot of the giant problems surrounding this organization will be solved. Right now I need some Accountability, because while that word has been tossed around a lot this year, as a fan, I'm not seeing it.

I am a bit disappointed with a few of the 710 reporters that cover the Mariners, because I'm growing weary of stories that attempt to endear these athletes to us. Ryan Rowland-Smith gives up 11 runs and receives his 10th loss, and Shannon Drayer stands up for him by enlightening readers about how he made a day special for a teenager with lymphoma. While listening to 710 AM, the trade deadline winds down as the Mariners decide to not make a move, but Drayer and Matt Pittman point out that there is some random 7 year-old David Aardsma fan that can rest easy.

Sure, it's good to hear that some of these athletes are wonderful people and have warmed the hearts of the children, but it comes off as defensive and even insulting. I'm irritated that my team is losing, which has nothing to do with the integrity or character of someone like Ryan Rowland-Smith. For whatever reason, his pitching just isn't at the level it should be to compete in the major leagues at this time and after consistently bad outings, it was aggravating to still see him taking the mound every 5 days. I'm sure he's the world's greatest guy, but I don't want to watch a guy continue to struggle like that and then on top of it, have reporters attempt guilt me into accepting the situation because he's a great guy. That's kind of low.

Especially in Seattle, the world's most forgiving city when it comes to sports franchises and their players. This is the place where Matt Hasselbeck jerseys are still worn like crazy even though the guy has had two awful seasons and probably won't be able to remain healthy for a third. This is the place where Ken Griffey Jr. can have a mediocre 2009 season, become an inspiration, be offered a second contract, have an awful 2010 season, and quit the team mid-season, but have most fans convinced the manager was the bad guy despite poor play and him leaving the M's without a leader in the middle of a season. This is the place where opposing players that perform well receive applause and boos tend to be limited to A-Rod and bad calls from the umpire. So, to attempt to endear athletes to the city of Seattle is like telling a hippie to hug a tree harder.

Right now, what I want is something to show me that the front office, players, coaches, Don and Jack Z have something planned to right the course, if not for this year then for next season. Yes, I like the pickup of Justin Smoak, but you are going to have to give me more than that. I'm sure when September rolls around, people like Dustin Ackley and Michael Pineda will be brought, get broken in and prepare for their spots last year. It's been rumored, but in the spirit of accountability, I need to see it happen. I need evidence that these guys are the future and will be used as such.

The Figgins debacle also needs to be solved. He either needs to speak up, Wak needs to something, or he needs to be traded or whatever. I find it unsettling that while I read positive stories about the actions of other Mariners, I know that there is either a lingering dispute between Figgins and Wak, or they decided to drop everything, but leave the fans in limbo. You can't do that, because it makes the front office look bad by being involved in talks with the Braves as a passive aggressive way of telling Figgins to shape up. Be accountable and clear the air: if Figgins is remorseful for his action, have him address it, if not, put him on waivers and then address it. I know what happens in the clubhouse stays there, but when you're dumb enough to brawl in the dugout and the entire fan base sees it, you can't hide in the clubhouse anymore.

Finally, the entire Mariner's organization needs to stop telling everyone about how bad they feel about losing and how tough it is for them. I mean that's a no brainer to start, because any other reaction to this situation would be ludicrous. Secondly, it reiterates a position of helplessness towards actually fixing the problems and actually is counter intuitive to creating sympathy amongst the fan base. I know everyone is working hard and doing their part, but constantly reading it and hearing it from members of the organization will make people question it if there is nothing to prove it. I know that the team can't simply turn a switch from "lose" to "win", but do something progressive rather than just telling me that your trying. Make a move, promote a guy, give some hints as to what you seek to accomplish for the rest of the season other than trying to win few games. Anything, be bold! Some of this will be accomplished with the September call ups, off season moves, and what have you, but we just started the month of August and I'm curious to see if the next chapter in Mariner Baseball will start sooner than later.

Which in the end, I'll still be at games, writing my hardly read blog, talking up a storm, and doing all things a Mariner Fan would do. With all my frustration, I love this team and want nothing more than it to succeed as an AL West Champsion, an AL Champion and eventual World Series champion. I want to see that happen and while I'm resigned to waiting many games, seasons, and years, I'd love to see it sooner than later. That's all.

Game 106 Summary: TWINS 4, MARINERS 0

Another day, another 4 -0 loss to Minnesota. Uglier was the 15 strikeouts, 11 coming from Francisco Liriano. Luke French, starting in place of the injured Rowland-Smith, went 6 innings and gave up 4 runs while watching his offense die like poisoned rats. Horrible roadtrip: 0-7.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

...

Game 105 Summary: TWINS 4, MARINERS 0

It started off rocky, with Minnesota scoring 3 off Felix in the 1st, but the King settled down and pitched a total of 7 innings without giving up anymore runs. His offense did not show up though, as the Mariners only scratched across 4 hits for the entire game. Embarrassing.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix, for pitching with nothing to work with. Yea, he even caused an error, but he isn't always going to be able to hold the other teams to 3 runs and pitch 7+ innings. Offense needs to show up.

Game 104 Summary: TWINS 5, MARINERS 3

Well, Fister went 5 innings again, absorbed another loss while only giving up 2 earned runs. The other runs came at the expense of our defense, which was heralded as one of the best at the start of this season. Chone Figgins and Josh Wilson each bobbled a few that were brought in by Minnesota homers. Figgins did get 3 hits, but I'd rather trade one for one less error.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Franklin Gutierrez. He drove in the first Mariner run, stole a base and then scored as the second.

Game 103 Summary: WHITE SOX 9, MARINERS 5

Nothing says sour like being beaten by former starter, Freddy Garcia. Especially when he has 4 homers to support his cause. Yeah, the Mariners stole 3 bases, Ichiro had 3 doubles, and the team got 5 runs of their own, but it just wasn't enough against the powerful South Siders. The only pitcher to go unscathed was David Aardsma, who pitched a garbage 9th.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro, because of the doubles.

Game 102 Summary: WHITE SOX 6, MARINERS 5

Well, this one was better than the previous night, but to no avail. Vargas had a short outing and threw a lot of pitches, but he's allowed some pedestrian starts on occasion. And hey, the offense should have been sufficient enough to win, especially with the lead coming early, but a mediocre outing by Vargas and the go ahead run was given up in the 7th.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Figgins, who got his first homer of the season and stole another base. Maybe the more trouble he causes, the better he plays.

Game 101 Summary: WHITE SOX 11, MARINERS 0

Wow. 11-0. Obviously, I wasn't overjoyed to see Ryan Rowland-Smith take the mound, but I didn't think it would be so bad that he would end up tying the Mariner's record for most earned runs in a single ballgame. Let's pass out some more blame to the offense of course, for doing nothing as usual, but 11 runs is deafening enough to make any response feeble whether its 0 runs or 8 runs.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Nobody this time.

Game 100 Summary: WHITE SOX 6, MARINERS 1

We headed into Chicago and immediately got slapped across the face. Felix, our ace, wasn't stellar, but if he had an adequate offense and bullpen, he pitches well enough for us to win. Only 6 hits and 1 run of support is unacceptable. Sure, Felix walked a few and gave up some walks, but only one extra base hit in an entire game is the definition of offensive stagnation.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Felix, because nothing else really happened.

Game 99 Summary: MARINERS 4, RED SOX 2

Well, it was nice to win a series against a team like the Sox. Doug Fister had his best start since returning from the DL, only last 5 innings, but only allowing 2 runs. It was a close 2-1 game looking all but lost until Michael Saunders singled in the tying and go-ahead runs in the 8th and Milton Bradley adding another as insurance.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Again, Saunders. Maybe he is the future.

Game 98 Summary: MARINERS 5, RED SOX 1

Somehow the M's did it with only 4 hits, a big one coming from last night's black sheep, Chone Figgins. Saunders also blasted his 8th homer to add to the runs. David Pauler had an okay outing, last 5 2/3 innings only giving up 1 run, and Garrett Olson of all people got a save.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Saunders, who might be the guy in left field for a while.

Game 97 Summary: RED SOX 2, MARINERS 1

This one was ugly. It was a close game, with the M's scoring in the first inning, but while it wasn't a horrible loss, the incident in the dugout was what made this one go down as shameful. Ex-Mariner Mike Cameron doubled to left and Michael Saunders threw routine relay to shortstop Jack Wilson. Only, the throw went over his head and passed by Chone Figgins, who didn't appear to care one way or another, and Cameron stretched it to a triple. When Figgins returned to the dugout at the inning's end, Wakamatsu benched him and Figgins erupted, causing a fight among the team. Just another damn bit of drama that wasn't needed.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Vargas, for being solid and absorbing another loss.

Game 96 Summary: RED SOX 8, MARINERS 6

Lackey stave off the Mariners for 8 innings, only giving up a run on a passed ball that allowed Milton Bradley to take home. Then, in the 9th, the M's brought out the fireworks to climb out of a 6-1 hole, with a homer by Guti, Kotchman doubling in a run and another coming in on a fielding error by Bill Hall. The bullpen held it until the 13th and then Garrett Olson did what he does best and blew it. Arrgh! And why are we still starting RRS?

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Milton Bradley for scoring a run by walking, stealing second, getting to third on a fielder's choice and taking home on a passed ball.

Game 95 Summary: MARINERS 2, WHITE SOX 1

Well, leave it up to the King. 8 solid innings of work, 8 k's, no walks, and 2 hits. It took 10 innings before the M's won it on a two run clutch single from Gutierrez, but luckily, dominant pitching from Felix set them up for a successful outing. Still, it is a little sad that Brandon League picks up his 7th win to tie Felix for the team lead.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

The King, still a contender for that CY in my book.

Game 94 Summary: WHITE SOX 4, MARINERS 0

Not the greatest outing for Doug Fister as he gave up 3 runs over 6 innings pitched, but what did he have to work with? Two hits from the offense and 4 walks, so obviously, none were plated. Good news for ex-Mariner JJ Putz, who picked up a hold against his former team.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Chris Seddon, for 3 solid relief innings as long as we ignore the homer he gave up to Alex Rios.

Game 93 Summary: WHITE SOX 6, MARINERS 1

The White Sox rolled into town and rolled over our M's rather efficiently. Russell Branyan brought a run in to start the game and promptly was withdrawn from the lineup with back problems. Could have used him as then the White Sox plated run after run through out the rest of the innings. The M's scattered seven hits and we found ourselves with another L.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Russell Branyan for the most efficient game played in less than 2 innings played.

Game 92 Summary: MARINERS 2, ANGELS 1

Another 1 run ball game, but this one turned out more like last year with the M's picking up a clutch base hit by Jose Lopez in the 10th inning. Unfortunately for Vargas, the runs came too late for him to pick up the win, especially when he contributed to by going nearly 8 innings, striking out 9 and only giving up 1 run. Sure the offense was weak, but Vargas pulled off a win ala Jarrod Washburn M's 2009 edition.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Vargas, hopefully a middle of the rotation starter with consistency to boot for years to come.

Game 91 Summary: ANGELS 7, MARINERS 6

Going into this game, I had my usual misgivings about sending Ryan Rowland-Smith to the mound. Totally justified when I tuned into the game and the Mariners were down 6-1 in the third inning. At this point, we Seattle fans have been ready to call it a game with maybe a couple runs being scored at the end, but altogether futile once the other team pulls away by more than 3 runs, typically.

However, tonight was different. The M's managed to rally back and tie this thing in the 7th. Sure, Brian Sweeney gave up a go ahead homer to Juan Rivera and we were unable to get that run back, but to get back 5 runs is something this team hasn't been able to do. At the helm of the offensive was new acquisition, Justin Smoak, 3-3 with a homer, a double and a couple of RBIs. Hopefully, a taste of things to come.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Smoak, starting to fit in nicely.

10 Keys of the Future

So, with all the talk about the Mariners season dwindling down to a rebuild session, here are 10 players to watch and will be who we depend on for more success next year and hopefully the years to follow:

1. Felix Hernandez, SP: Right now, Felix is the franchise player. He sets the tone for the entire pitching rotation and is our ace for the next 5 year, even managing as. He's proven himself having gone 65-46 since he first broke into the bigs, managing to start at least 30 games a year since his second season, and he currently stands to surpass the 1000 strikeout mark before he turns 25. He has the makings of a great and is the most dependable pitcher the Mariners have. As long as he continues to work hard and put out his greatest effort, he will always give his team the best chance any pitcher has to win.

2. Justin Smoak, 1B: Yep, the guy we traded for Cliff Lee. I put him second, because he's the other side of the coin. Jack Z has really focused on the pitching side of the game with a good defense in order to prevent runs, but what we've found out this season is that we need a better way to produce runs. Right now, Justin Smoak is our cornerstone, our future cleanup hitter and with good reason: he's already hit more homers than any other Mariner this season, sans Russell Branyan, and he did it as a minor leaguer rushed to the big leagues to fill holes in the Rangers lineup. This year is about getting him playing time and working him into the lineup everyday, but he projects to be the everyday first baseman and the big bat by next opening day. As long as he gets comfortable and finds his stroke, he should add more to an offense based on luck right now.

3. Chone Figgins, 2B/3B: Our biggest free agent that we brought in this season with an invitation to stay a while, Figgins hasn't quite lived up to the level of expectation we had for him at the beginning of the season. His hitting has been a bit off, as has his fielding, but luckily, the speed is there and he's starting to pickup more hits. Like Ichiro, Figgins needs to be able to get on base for guys like Smoak to knock in. Once Dustin Ackley reaches the M's, Figgins will probably move to the hot corner and maybe his fielding will improve. Either way, the Mariners need Figgins to play at the level he did in Anaheim and be a run catalyst in seasons to come.

4. Dustin Ackley, 2B: Our number one draft pick is coming along nicely in the minors. In 82 games at Double-A, he's got an on base pct. of .389, with more walks than strikeouts and 21 doubles. He just got promoted to Triple-A where he will likely play out the rest of the season, unless he gets the call up in September with opportunities to start. Ackley looks to fill out the lineup with semi regular power and great on base percentage abilities, but he still has this next level to get through. Should Ackley find his power stroke and continue to improve in the minors, he will be a great addition and hopefully an All Star second baseman for years to come.

5. Franklin Gutierrez, CF: Another franchise player extended to a lengthy contract, Franklin has more than proven himself defensively, but he has also shown great flashes at bat, with some power as well. He should win a gold glove this season, and until last month, was the second most consistent offensive player on the team. However, Guti has been placed in the 3rd slot more most of the season and while he's done okay at this spot for most of the season, but he'd be better suited in the 5th or 6th spot. Again, this is if Ackley and Smoak can be forces to reckon with, because while Gutierrez may not be much of a threat hitting out of a power spot on a team with no depth, but a pitcher who faces Ackley and Smoak, and then has to face Guti somewhere deeper in the order will have more to contemplate. Let's hope Guti keeps swingin and finds himself in a more complimentary position next year.

6. Michael Pineda, SP: The 21 year old phenom that a lot have heralded as another potential ace in the Mariner's rotation. He's well on his way, having gone 8-1 in double A and 2-0 since coming to Tacoma. He's been said to be a little wild, but he's striking out at least a batter an inning and is becoming a dominant force in the minors. If he finds his control and continues to abuse to hitters in the minors, he should be with the M's come September. Then, next year he should slot as the #2 starter and hopefully give us back the 1-2 punch.

7. Jason Vargas, SP: Vargas has really come around as a great middle of the rotation starter, and if he continues to pitch well this season, he may find himself a spot in that rotation for a while. He's not over powering, he's not dominant, but he gets grounders, he doesn't walk much, and he's only allowed 8 homers in 107 innings. With Felix and Pineda atop the rotation, Vargas can hold down the third spot, pitch 6 or 7 and give the M's another chance to win. With run support, he can even win quite a few. Vargas has to just stay healthy and remain consistent with his control.

8. Adam Moore, C: When the Mariners traded Lee for Smoak, Adam Moore probably breathed a little easier. He started in the bigs at the beginning of the season, but his offense and his defense both struggled. Now, in Triple-A, he's batting over .350 and slugging .488. He could be a definite force in the lineup if those numbers translate to the bigs, but if he can't the M's might end up trading or drafting another candidate. Of course, if they decide to keep their faith in Moore, he's gonna need to bring the lumber.

9. Michael Saunders, OF: Currently, Saunders is starting everyday in left field, and he's even added some power to his swing. His defense is great, but can he be a consistent hitter at the major league level? As of now the job is his, but if he can't at least find .250 then it will be hard to keep justifying playing him in left.

10. Greg Halman, OF: The guy currently blocked by Saunders who has hit 20+ homers in each of his last 4 seasons in the minors, and he has 20 already at the all star break in Triple-A Tacoma. Plus, he's only 22. He could be the answer to the Mariner's offensive woes, but he does strike out a bit and has a low on base pct. (this is common for power hits though). Hopefully, he gets his chance sooner than later.

Well, that's my list of ten impact players that the Mariners will need to build around in order to start winning divisions. I know that one player absent is Ichiro, but I left him off for several reasons:

1. Ichiro is the most consistent Mariner in the last decade, and probably one of the all time consistent Mariners that ever played. He really doesn't need to prove himself anymore, nor do we have to worry about him getting 200+ hits each season, fielding well in right, and scoring runs, (as long as someone can drive him in).

2. Ichiro is only signed through 2012 and while it would seem that the M's would resign him, nothing is ever for certain.

3. Ichiro is 36 and nearly in the twilight of his career. He still has some good years ahead, but when he hits 40, nothing is guaranteed. I would love for him to be the Jamie Moyer of position players, but would hate that conclusion to merely be assumed.

Game 90 Summary: ANGELS 3, MARINERS 2

Well, the King had another good outing wasted by a weak offense. He went all 8 innings, gave up 10 hits, but walked none and only allowed 3 runs. However, 2 cannot catch up to 3.

Meanwhile, we saw some Smoak blaze up. The rookie homered for the first time as Mariner and brought in the only runs. Saunders also had a couple of hits, but otherwise it was a few scattered hits and nothing strung together.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

The King. Pitching like a Cy winner for a team who can't give him enough support. Goddamnit, RRS starts tomorrow!

Game 89 Summary: ANGELS 8, MARINERS 3

Into Anaheim, first game back from the break and not how we wanted it to go. Fister took the ball and gave up 6 runs that was enough to keep our boys out of it. The bullpen let 2 get through as icing on the cake, because we still have an offense that can't get back 6 runs, let alone 8.

Speaking of offense, Ichiro was the big man at the plate, doubling in 3 runs. There a few other hits, 2 from Guti, but hardly threatening.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ichiro, extending his hitting streak and driving in all the runs.

Game 88 Summary: YANKEES 8, MARINERS 2

Well, not a great note to go out on to end the first half. RRS found himself knocked out by the 4th, the offense was kept in check by CC Sabathia, and the M's fell further out of contention. Kotchman had a 3 hit game and did those things we wished he could have done earlier, but to no avail.

PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Ryan Garko, the guy who we would have had platoon first base with Kotchman at the beginning of this season. My theory is that Kotchman is better offensively since his starting time has been threatened by the additions of Branyan and Smoak, so if we had held onto Garko, the Kotch could have been on an MVP-like season by now.