Truly Baseball Season

It is nice to see that spring training is coming to the end this weekend and real baseball will start.

The Seattle Mariners still have a couple things to wrap up as far the opening day roster goes. They have to decide who will be the backup catcher whether Steve Clevenger or Rob Brantly. The thought is the Mariners will try to pass Brantly through waivers you see he is out of options. I am not sure how many catchers the Mariners need in triple A however it would be nice to keep him around for depth. Brantly and Clevenger are the only left handed hitting catchers the Mariners have with experience. It would be nice though to trade one of the two for someone in return.

The Mariners have several choices for the last spot in the bullpen far as right handed pitchers. There is a possibility they could obtain a pitcher through trade or the waiver wire besides those who are still around. This is where the trade of Clevenger or Brantly could come in too.

The candidates remaining that the Mariners can choose from are Donn Roach, Blake Parker and Mayckol Guaipe. All three of them have had really good spring trainings. The advantage that Guaipe has is that he is on the 40 man roster while Donn Roach who has had the best spring training among them would have to be added on so someone would have to be removed. Of course with Clevenger and Brantly one of them not making the cut the Mariners will have their spot open.

Felix Hernandez will be making his last spring training start today against the San Diego Padres. The Mariners have Thursday off and then complete exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday. The season begins on Monday April 4 against the Rangers in Texas. All these games will be on TV.

Having Thursday as the day off it is real possible the decisions for the final bullpen spot and catcher will be done on that day. It is nice to see that we see what the team looks like now. Go Mariners!

Mariner Twenty-Five Man Roster Coming Together

The Seattle Mariners season now is six days from today to start in Texas against the Rangers with King Felix taking the mound. Also he will be pitching the last game of the first home series against the Oakland A’s.

The Mariners have announced how the starting rotation will go in those first two series. Besides Felix opening at Texas on April 4 he will be followed by Iwakuma and Miley. TaiJuan Walker will pitch the opening game at home on Friday April 8. Nathan Karns who won the battle for the fifth starter over James Paxton who is starting the season in Tacoma will go on the Saturday before Felix on the Sunday.

It looks like Robinson Cano is ready for the season since he hit three home runs on Sunday and then a towering one on Monday in Peoria. Not only has hitting been good his defense looks more like the old Cano before last season.

The Mariners twenty-five man roster is close to being completed with Dae-Ho Lee winning the right handed hitting first baseman with Stefan Romero being optioned to Tacoma and Jesus Montero being claimed on waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays. It looks as though Montero will be on their opening day roster since they are expected to name the twenty-five man roster today. Hard to know how many at bats he will get with Toronto since he will be the backup at both first base and DH. Manager Scott Servais let Lee know that it is important that he hit well off of lefties to keep the job. It may take a little while because he doesn’t know the opposing pitchers very well however they like the fact he is good at making adjustments. Depending on how many lefties the Mariners will be facing starting the season it is possible that Adam Lind could start against some lefties himself though his history shows he doesn’t hit lefties very well. I would say if the Mariners faced three lefties in a row Lind likely would start against the third one depending on how Lee is hitting since they probably would not want Lind to have that many games off in a row.

Luis Sardinas who has had a really good spring training as expected won the job as the utility player for the Mariners over Chris Taylor and Shawn O’Malley who both were sent down to Triple A. Expect both of them to play some at short and third base. O’Malley especially the Mariners want him to play short because it is the position he lacks experience in and if he is called up at some point in the season he will need to play some short. Since Cano and Seager don’t take a lot of days off the utility player will play mostly short with some at first base and in the outfield. The Mariners expect Sardinas to pinch run in the late innings for either Lind or Lee so Servais wants him to play first base late in the game so they won’t use up two players.

The Mariners still have one spot in the bullpen left for a right hander to be used. There is a possibility they may pick one up in a trade or on the waiver wire depending on who is available. They have had talks with the San Diego Padres about three different right handed relievers since they have too many on their roster.

The last position would be the backup catcher for the Mariners. Steve Clevenger who the Mariners traded with Baltimore Orioles for Mark Trumbo likely is the choice however Rob Brantly who they acquired from the Chicago White Sox on waivers has had a good spring training since coming over to the Mariners. It is anyone’s guess who wins the job. I am sure the Mariners are talking to other teams about them both so the winner for the position will depend who gets traded. I am sure the Mariners will want to get something instead of losing one of them by release.

The Mariner has four games remaining on the  spring training schedule; One today and tomorrow along with two on Friday and Saturday. I am sure the twenty-five man roster will be completed on Thursday the off day if not before. Enjoy the final four games and be ready for opening day. Go Mariners.

Open Day of Baseball Season Coming Soon to a Park Near You

First of all I want to wish everyone in Mariner Land a Happy Easter and that you enjoy having a really great day.

Yesterday of course being Saturday I went to the open house at Cheney Stadium home of the Tacoma Rainiers the Triple A team of the Mariners.  Sure made me hungrier for baseball. One older gentleman said that he was ready for baseball two days after last season was over. When you’re a true baseball fan his statement very true.

Also, I was able to talk to the voice of the Tacoma Rainiers Mike Curto. He is a very nice gentleman who we spoke Mariner and Rainier baseball for several minutes while in the Rainier’s clubhouse. I took a seat in several spots around Cheney Stadium as well. Every seat has a really good view to watch a game. I prefer though watching a game on the second level on the first base side. Of course, you have to watch to be sure don’t get hit by a ball.

The Rainiers have ticket plans beyond full season tickets and daily tickets. They have a twenty-four game plan, an eighteen game plan and a seven game plan. They were shown on the seats and how much went for. The twenty-four game plan was for a little more than $30 a game in a very good location. The eighteen plans was about $11 a game and the seats were high up and so was the seven-game plan. The seven-game plan was for either Wednesday or Sunday games only. Sure is a great way to go if you want to see a good amount of games.

I was able to spend some time on the ball field to seeing a lot of kids running around as well. I figured that if I could not hit a home run in Cheney Stadium I could hit a good solid double anyway. Though I don’t consider myself having a great arm I know I could throw to first base from either short or third base; however the runner may beat my throw though.

The weather was nice to for a change so feeling baseball in the air was just great. Today or at least this week coming up we will have more of an idea who will make up the completion of the Mariner roster and who will be playing at Cheney Stadium for the beginning of the season anyway. Remember Franklin Gutierrez started last year in Tacoma and then made a really good contribution to the Mariners last half of the season. Now he will be roaming right field against lefties at least and sometimes at dh. I am sure we will see him in left occasionally and who knows where we used to see him a lot several years back in center field for a few games.

So spring is now here, we can smell the flowers and most of all let’s play ball!

 

 

Mariners Coming Down to Decision Time

With about a week left in spring training the Mariners need to make a few decisions to the opening day roster.

One of the big decisions is who will be the right handed hitting first baseman. Tomorrow March 27 the Mariners have to decide whether to add Dae-Ho Lee to the 40 man roster. In this case he would be that player however   the Mariners will have to either trade Jesus Montero or hope that he goes through waivers and no one picks him up so he can be sent to Triple A. Also, the Mariners can send Stefan Romero to Tacoma because he still has options. In any case this is not an easy decision to make. The Mariners like all three players who have bot upside and downside. Lee could decide go to Triple A however the Mariners would have to make new promises like being brought up by a certain take and likely would have to pay him a major league salary.

Another decision the Mariners have to make as well is to add Joel Peralta to the 40 man roster as well.  Peralta is a veteran relief pitcher who has had a good training camp however we know from last year that does not guarantee you anything. Most likely if he is added to the 40 man roster then Charlie Furbush who looks not to start the season with the Mariners would be the choice to be put  on the disabled list otherwise the Mariners would have to remove someone else off the 40 man roster.

Another pitcher who is having fine spring training is Donn Roach however he is not on the 40 man roster either so he is another one that will be a tough decision. At this point the Mariners have two spots in the bullpen for right handed pitchers. The Mariners still have to decide between James Paxton and Nathan Karns to be the fifth starter. The one who loses out can either go to the bullpen or be sent to Triple A. This again is not an easy decision to be made. Both are on the 40 man roster so no problem there and they both have options as well. If Paxton is not the fifth starter then the Mariners would have to send him down or be the second lefty in the bullpen. In that case Vidal Nuno would likely be sent down because Mike Montgomery is out of options and it does not look like the Mariners want to lose him because they are pretty sure he would not make it through waivers. If the Mariners decide to put Karns into the  bullpen than it leaves one choice for the Mariners to make far as adding two remaining right handers relievers.

In the case of Lee being added to the 40 man roster he would likely take the spot of Jesus Montero who is currently on the roster. I like Lee, Montero and Romero for different reasons that I have mentioned before. It will be interesting to see how the Mariners actually do in this situation. Hopefully the Mariners will find a taker for Montero in a trade. We will see. Go Mariners!

Mariners Pitching Continues to Struggle

Tai Walker had a bad outing Thursday afternoon giving up six runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. The positive sign is he only walked one batter.

Last spring Walker had a fantastic spring however came out struggling in April. Maybe the tables will be turned this year. We can hope that Walker will improve over last season for the Mariners. Everyone sees his potential and hopes that he will be the number one starter in a few years and take over for Felix in that spot.  What I like about Walker is that he doesn’t walk a lot of batters and general that is the undoing of pitchers especially the young ones. We can tell in the history of spring training what happens in Arizona usually does not transfer over to regular season either good or bad. The important thing is that he keeps up his confidence and he does not add pressure to himself. It does really help that he is still the number four starter at this point in his career.

Felix goes to the mound this after for his next to last outing during the spring. Next Wednesday should be the last outing before opening the season on Monday April 4 against the Texas Rangers. I am sure we will see improved Felix over his last performance which was OK. It would be nice if he could pitch five or six innings depending on the pitch count.

Starting catcher Chris Iannetta will be in the lineup today and is expected to catch a full game. So far he is having a good camp and he will be ready for opening season. Steve Clevenger and Rob Bentley are still in competition two be the backup catcher to him. I expect Clevenger has the edge however we will see if that changes at all.

Franklin Gutierrez is listed in the starting lineup playing right field however he still might be down with the flu so he could be replaced in the lineup. We will see in a few minutes. It is nice that he is having a really good spring training and we will see him in the lineup  against lefties during the season either in right field or designated hitter depending where Nelson Cruz plays.  

Kyle Seager will be batting second today for the Mariners. We have to see however it looks like he will be spending time batting second or sixth in the lineup. I would not be surprised if he bats sixth against lefties.

Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Adam Lind are all in the lineup today as well. I am sure we will be seeing a lot of them the rest of spring training. Most likely Lind will be taken out somewhere in the middle of the game to give one of the candidates who will hit against lefties. I can’t wait until spring training is over so we know for sure who will be playing first base along with Lind and who the utility player is which I am sure will be Luis Sardinas. I would really be surprised if he is not on the roster.

Anyway time go see the game on TV. . Enjoy the rest of the day and Go Mariners!

Mariners and A’s Have Slug Fest

I have to say for the game the Mariners had against the A’s on television Thursday was entertaining if you like a game that scores a lot of runs. The final score was 13-12 with Luis Sardinas hitting a grand slam home run for the Mariners. If he did not have the job as the utility player before I think he likely sowed it up now. Though I like both Chris Taylor and Shaw O’Malley however he is the best choice for the Mariners.

I don’t think we still have any idea who the fifth starter will be between Paxton and Karns since the latter had a poor performance last night. Neither one has had solid spring training. It looks like it will come down to both of their last starts next week. I prefer that Paxton is the starter so they have two lefties in the rotation. Actually if I had my way it would be a four man rotation at home and five man on the road. This is especially true in April when there are several days off in the month. Five man rotation makes more sense when they play twenty days in a row later on. Also I think it can depend on the pitchers in the rotation as well. If you see the history of the five man rotation the fifth man almost always has a very poor record. Makes a difference if close at the end of the season; remember the Mariners in 2014 missing the playoffs by one game.

The first base job still is not settled yet though it looks like the odds of Jesus Montero being there is pretty slight now. Probably go with Lee seeing how he will do in April and Romero being down in Tacoma since he still has options. If Lee doesn’t work out can bring up Romero. I am sure we will see some of Sardinas at first base late in the games.

We should be seeing transactions and players being sent down this weekend. Maybe Montero and Chris Taylor could be traded for a relief pitcher since the Mariners could use another one. I am sure the Mariners will be looking at the waiver wire as well. Until next time Go Mariners!!!!

Mariners Resume Action Tonight

The Seattle Mariners had a day off on Tuesday except James Paxton who pitched better than his previous outing however he faced the Chicago White Sox minor league club. He pitched five innings giving up two home runs in the last inning and walked only one which was a good sign since he walked four and gave up seven runs in two innings.

Tonight Karns who is competing with Paxton for the fifth spot in the rotation goes tonight at 7:10 pm against the Oakland A’s a game you will be able to see on Roots Sports.  I have the feeling that Karns has the edge over Paxton right now for the fifth spot. The thing about Paxton though he has such a high side to him and the Mariners could use another lefty in the starting rotation besides Miley also Karns would fit in the bullpen better than Paxton. Whatever the case the Mariners have good depth in the starting rotation.

Speaking of the bullpen the next twelve days will decide who will be the relievers for the Mariners. Nuno and Montgomery will be the lefties unless Charlie Furbish is ready for the season. Steve Cishek will be the closer with Benoit being the primary setup man. Tony Zych and Joel Peralta should be two of the right handers coming ahead of those two. This leaves one reliever left for the bullpen.

The remaining question marks is the right handed hitting first baseman and the utility player though it seems that Luis Sardinas has the edge. We will see him playing some first base as well as Christ Taylor and Shawn O’Malley the two other candidates for the utility player during rest of spring training. According to manager Scott Servais they will get in some action there because when the regular season starts he figures late in games he will likely pinch run for the first baseman and doesn’t want to use up two players. He used the example of pinch running for Adam Lind.

This weekend will be more news about roster changes to the Mariners. Players will either be released or sent to the minors. The roster will likely be reduced down to 30 players before making the final 25 players the following week. If the Mariners pick up any players from another team it will likely be for the bullpen only. It could be for an experienced left handed specialist. In that case Nuno who still has an option would be sent to Tacoma.  Go Mariners!

Chancellor To Stay

Right now the Owner’s meetings are happening so I would say not a lot of news happening.

Seattle Seahawks General Manager John Schneider that safety Kam Chancellor is going to stay a Seahawk no matter what happened last season and his holdout. I guess if you are someone who is NFL football all the time especially the Seahawks that is news or at least good news however I don’t really care at this point. If it was the eve of the college draft I probably care a bit more. You see I am more into baseball and March Madness then football. I keep my eye on what happens this time of the year in football but I consider it more the off-season.

Though it would be great if Kam Chancellor were still a Seahawk in the 2016 season I would not cry over spilled milk if he actually was traded especially if the Seahawks got a good draft pick or a good player in return. Of course, he is still a good player for the Seahawks and makes a big difference on the defense however knowing John Schneider and Pete Carroll if he was no longer on the team I am sure they would have someone taking his place.

I wish that Russell Okung was still a member of the Seahawks however I can understand why the Seahawks did not want to resign him to a new contract. He has been hurt off and on for the last few seasons and we are not sure if he will return to his old self. In fact I am sure the Seahawks no something that we don’t and this is the reason he is now with Denver. The contract he signed with Denver was interesting to say the least. I expect that he will be with them for only a year unless he plays a full season and is outstanding which I am sure won’t happen. His contract is only guaranteed one year and I don’t think Denver will complete the rest of the contract at least if they are in their right mind that is.

We all know that the Seahawks offensive line is adequate at best. Right now the Seahawks have nine picks in the college draft so I would not be surprised if at least three of them are offensive linemen. I am sure the first lineman they pick will likely start with them.

According to most experts the first pick for the Seahawks in the draft most likely will be a defensive lineman. I know the Seahawks do have a lot of questions going into next season however I will wait to see what happens in the meantime  I will watch more of March Madness hear me Gonzaga and spring training baseball to get ready for opening day. You see I trust John Schneider and Pete Carroll enough that I don’t really have to pay attention every day. Right now it is boring anyway when it comes to the NFL. Good Day!

 

Look At The Tacoma Rainiers

Since the Seattle Mariners are not playing today Aug 22 I decided to look at what maybe the team that will be the Tacoma Rainiers. I live in Gig Harbor so I am ten minutes away from Cheney Stadium the home of the Rainiers so likely I will go to several games this season. Since they are close and less expensive to see than the Mariners I will go to more of their games.

My advice is that Roots Sports show handful games of the Rainer each year so fans can see and look at players that someday may play for the Mariners. The games shown would be when the Rainiers are at home and the Mariners have an off day so likely it would be a Monday or Thursday game. The thing is that they carry sports on those days that no one really watches anyway. So if someone from the Mariners or Roots Sports is reading thing please do it. Also I may contact Root Sports as well. Since the Mariners have ownership in cable company why not.

The Rainiers will have several players that are still in the camp of the Mariners and won’t make the club. They will have a veteran club mostly however it will be good to see some young players as well especially Boog Powell who likely will be playing in center field. There is a good chance that he will be called up sometime during the season if there is an injury to any of the outfielders. Depending how this season goes he will probably be starting for the Mariners next season. A veteran player who will start most likely in Tacoma is Daniel Robertson. He has had a good camp with the Mariners however there is really no spot for him on the roster. He can play any of the three outfield spots and may have a call up if the Mariners have an injury. Stefan Romero maybe another playing in the outfield and some at first base if he doesn’t start the season with the Mariners.

Efren Navarro is veteran triple A player who will play some at first base and in the outfield. He is a left handed hitter so he hasn’t been in the mix to make the Mariners roster however if something happens with Adam Lind he likely will be called up to the Mariners. He is another one that general manager Jerry Dipoto calls having depth at every position on the Mariners.

Luis Sardinas will likely win the job as the utility player for the Mariners so Chris Taylor and Shawn O’Malley will start the season with the Rainiers. Both of these guys will play all over the infield for the Rainiers. Probably see Taylor more at short than O’Malley however he will see some action there too. Both of them will see action at third base because the Mariners will need insurance if an injury happens to Kyle Seager. They could be called up to the Mariners if either Sardinas or Marte struggle hitting for the Mariners or either is injured. We hope both these guys do well with the Rainiers because the Mariners need their depth. Another veteran of triple A is Ed Lucas who recently was sent to minor league camp. He is another who adds depth to the Mariners and will play a lot of third base. He could be sent up as well if someone happens with Kyle Seager.

Mike Zunino who we all know was the starting catcher last year for the Seattle Mariners however struggled at the plate all last season and then was sent down to Tacoma at the end of August will start with the Rainiers this season. He likely shares the catching duty with Steve Baron who has been in the Mariner minor league system for several years. Baron played about half of the season last year with the Rainiers and was called up to Mariners in September however saw little action. He has been better known for his catching than his hitting but has progressed the last couple years. The Rainiers often share the catching duty so we will probably see Zunino at designated hitter when he isn’t catching. His primary duty with the Rainiers is to cut down on strike outs and hit for a higher average. The Mariners have not given up on Zunino at this point however this season is important for him to make it back to the majors. He could be back up with the Mariners some point in the season if he progresses really well and any of the catchers struggle or get hurt especially Chris Iannetta.

The Rainiers likely will be going with a veteran staff this season. The most well-known name to Rainier fans is Forrest Snow who has been with the Rainiers all or part of the last five years. He could be starting or relieving for the Rainiers since he has done both. If he is pitching well could be brought up to the Mariners and be part of the bullpen however that could be a long shot.

Adrian Sampson who has local ties to the Seattle area will likely start for the Rainiers; they signed him during the off-season to add depth to the pitching staff. Justin De Fratus who recently was cut by the Mariners and resigned by them on a minor league contract will start in the Mariner bullpen. He could be either the setup or closer for the Rainiers. There are several other names that we are not too familiar with the Rainiers starting or relieving. David Rollins will be the lefty specialty coming out of the bullpen for the Rainiers. Looking over their roster I don’t see many prospects that will be playing this season for the Rainiers. D.J. Peterson a previous number one pick of the Mariners could start in Tacoma after struggling last year. If he does most likely play first and third base; he could start the season in double A and move up to Rainiers during the season.

The next two weeks will show who stays with the Mariners and who will be sent down to the Rainiers. We hope that the new regime will help the minor leaguers move up the system in a good timely manner. Anyway this is it for now. I am sure more news about transactions coming up this week.

Two Weeks Until Opening Day Mariners!

We now have two weeks to see what the Mariners do to their 25 man roster when opening day starts against the Texas Rangers.

Both questions and answers are still the same. The everyday lineup is pretty much the same except who will play first base against left handed pitchers. I don’t have the answer at this point than likely anyone else does. This is a key week to see who might separate themselves from the others. Romero, Montero and Lee who shall it be?

Another question is who will be the utility player. Do we really care at all? I have to say that Luis Sardinas is still the leading candidate however who wins doesn’t really matter except to them of course and the Mariners! If Sardinas is the choice then Chris Taylor and Shawn O’Malley will start in Tacoma. I am sure Chris Taylor is OK except he doesn’t have flair which maybe fine too. Shawn O’Malley can play anywhere and something always happens when he is in the game. This is why he may be my best choice. He doesn’t play short stop as well as Sardinas or Taylor however he likely only plays there once a week anyway. I like him in centerfield when Martin needs a day off and he can pinch run for whoever is playing first base or catcher late in the game. I wonder to who is the best pinch hitter among the three as well. It was the weakest part of the team last year except when Gutierrez came up in the second half of the season.

Who is going to be the left handed hitting catcher backing up Chris Iannetta? I have to say Steve Clevenger has to have the edge since he has been in camp longer and the Mariners traded for him from Baltimore. The other candidate Rob Brantley the Mariners got in a waiver acquisition just two weeks ago. I am sure whoever wins if the hitting is equal than it will be who is the better one defensively. Being a former catcher himself manager Scott Servais may have a favorite. Both guys have options so one of them will either be traded or put on waivers.  I am sure other teams need a backup catcher so a trade is in the offering especially if the Mariners can get a relief pitcher in exchange.

Speaking of relief pitching it looks like Mike Montgomery will be one of the left handed relievers after moving over from being a starter. He is another one who is out of options and the Mariners do not want to lose him. The other candidate Vidal Nuno may start the season with the Mariners because Charlie Furbush will likely not be ready for the opening of the season. Nuno has options still so he can be sent down to Triple A without a problem and be ready when or if the Mariners need him. The Mariners are fine with Joaquin Benoit as the setup man and Steve Cishek as the closer however who will be the other three to round out the right handed pitchers in the bullpen. Two of the three likely will be Joel Peralta and Tony Zych. One or both be coming in the game in the sixth or seventh inning. It is anyone’s guess who will be the final right hander.

The fifth starter in the rotation is still open though Nathan Karns has the edge over James Paxton. It is very important that Paxton has good showing this week. His last outing he gave up seven runs including four walks in two innings so he needs to improve his control. Most likely if he isn’t the starter he will go to Tacoma unless the Mariners decide that he could be in the bullpen. The problem though do you want two lefties in the bullpen that have little experience in the role; if Paxton is the fifth starter than Karns could be the fifth right handed pitcher in the bullpen.

I am sure we have our favorites to see who makes the final roster spots, who gets traded or released and who are sent to the minors. These two weeks are always the most exciting part of spring training. I enjoy seeing some the future Mariners to who will be in the minors but will come into the games late. In the meantime Go Mariners!

Felix and TaiJuan Walker Have Good Outings

The Seattle Mariners had two games yesterday one in the afternoon and the other in the evening that was on Root Sports as well.

The Mariners won the first game 5-4 over the Kansas City Royals while in the nightcap they lost to Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2. TaiJuan Walker pitched in the first game giving up four hits, no walks, striking out five and not allowing a run. I would say that was a really good outing for sure. It is nice that he had good control pitching like he did most of last season.

Felix gave up three hits and one run in four innings. He felt good in the outing however did not want to go another inning.  Left handed reliever Mike Montgomery went in for Felix and pitched one inning. This is the second outing Montgomery has made coming out of the bullpen after making a start earlier. The Mariners felt it was important to put him in the bullpen instead of keeping him starting since he was not in contention for the fifth spot in the rotation and the Mariners needed another lefty reliever especially with Charlie Furbush who may not start the season in the bullpen. So far Furbush has been only throwing in the bullpen and has not gotten in a game yet. Furbush is important as the primary left handed specialist for the Mariners. The Mariners want him to feel right after being out the second half of last season before getting going. Last year showed how important he is to the Mariners. The Mariners may have to go and shop for another lefty for the bullpen depending on how the other ones work out. Besides Furbush and Montgomery they have Vidal Nuno and Dave Rollins who likely start in Tacoma. Another possibility is James Paxton if he is not the fifth starter however he likely starts in Tacoma or is a long reliever. The chance of making him a short reliever is remote.

The Mariners have 47 players still on the roster with two weeks until the regular season begins so I would not be surprised if they narrowed it down to 35 players after this weekend. Going into the last week of spring training they likely will be at 30 on the roster before getting down to 25 when the season begins.

So the players who are on the bubble will need to make a really good performance this coming week to be sure of being among the 30 before reducing down to 25.

The right handed hitting first baseman position is still open for the taking. Stefan Romero who can play the outfield position as well does have an option remaining while Jesus Montero is out of options and Dae-Ho Lee who is on a minor league contract has an option to buy out of his contract. He may do so if he sent to Triple A unless the Mariners can promise him a promotion during the season.

So it will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple weeks and whether the Mariners will look to make a trade or get someone off the waiver wire. Until next time! Go Mariners!

Bad Pitching Great Hitting By Mariners

James Paxton had another bad outing on Thursday for the Mariners. He gave up seven runs on six hits and four walks in two innings. The Mariners expected Paxton to go at least four innings if not longer in the game.

The Mariners salvaged the game by scoring eight runs in the top of the ninth inning. The Oakland A’s scored two in the bottom of the inning making an 11-11 tie to end the game.

It is hard to judge the hitting and the pitching down in Arizona right now for what it will be when the season starts in seventeen days however Paxton needs to turn things around in the next two starts to have even a chance to be the fifth starter in the Mariners rotation.

Karns who is competing with Paxton to be the fifth starter will be going on the mound for the Mariners today against the Texas Rangers. It is hard to know which one the Mariners brass prefers to be the fifth starter coming out of spring training however I believe Paxton would be the best one for the team because he would be second lefty matching up with Miley. The order for the Mariners would be best served Felix followed by Iwakuma, Miley, Walker and Paxton.

The Mariners do have another option would be to have Mike Montgomery being the fifth starter  but right now he is competing for a spot in the Mariners’ bullpen. The Mariners are looking to have two lefties in the bullpen with Charlie Furbush being the main lefty specialist however he has not been in any games of yet only throwing on the sidelines. No one really knows if he will be ready for opening day. If this is the case the main two lefties look like Montgomery and Vidal Nuno. So Karns becomes the fifth starter Paxton maybe sent down to Triple A. The case is if he is on the opening roster in the bullpen Nuno will probably be sent to Triple A since he does have an option remaining. Montgomery has to be on the opening roster because he is out of options and the Mariners feel he will be picked up by another team. The Mariners could trade Montgomery before opening day however they really like what they see in him. The Mariners also have Dave Rollins but likely he will start the season in Tacoma.

When it comes to an everyday player sure looks like Franklin Gutierrez will be playing more than just against left handed pitching either in right field or designated hitter. Of course a lot depends on his health and that of Nelson Cruz. In today’s game Gutierrez is designated hitter while Cruz is in right field. You could see Gutierrez playing against some right handed pitching if he continues in the regular season he has done in spring training. At this time he looks like another hitter in the lineup besides Cruz, Lind and Seager. You could see him in the lineup in place of Martin or Aoki against some right handed pitchers depending on how many days in a row the Mariners face right handed pitching. The same goes for Seth Smith as well.

Nelson Cruz I can see playing some right field when the team is on the road. I don’t see him playing very often there when they are at home in Safeco Field since it is a larger field. This could depend on who the pitcher is for the opposing team.

The Mariners will have Lind at first base starting against Texas along with Seager at third and Marte at shortstop. Shawn O’Malley will be starting at second for the Mariners in place of Cano. Don’t really see O’Malley making the opening roster because he is weak at shortstop and the Mariners want a good defensive shortstop on hand when Marte needs to be rested.  Martin will be in center starting the game today for the Mariners. Starting regular catcher Chris Iannetta will be behind the plate as well. Speaking of catchers Mike Zunino was optioned to Tacoma this morning along with outfielder Boog Powell and pitcher Cody Martin.  The game will be on television for all to see. Go Mariners!

Justin De Fratus Released

On Wednesday March 18 the Mariners released relief pitcher Justin De Fratus however they are looking to bring him back on a minor league deal. According to general manager Jerry Dipoto they hope he can sign a minor league deal so he can work on things and be back where he once was at.

Dipoto was on the Mariner TV broadcast on Wednesday. He said it has been tough with injuries to some of the guys in the bullpen. The Mariners will be in a bad position if another pitcher goes down especially Charlie Furbush is not ready for opening day. The Mariners will need to look to see what is out there to help the bullpen.

When spring training started the Mariners were talking about getting a veteran infielder to be part of the competition for utility player however I haven’t heard anything at this point so they could be satisfied with what is there or waiting to see who could be released. So far Luis Sardinas is having a really good spring training including hitting with some power.

The right handed hitting first baseman is still up in the air. It looks like that will go down to the wire. If Stefan Romero continues hitting well and he can field the position Ok he could be the guy. His main downside is how much the Mariners want to keep either Montero or Lee. So we won’t see what will happen there for the next ten days to two weeks. I like Romero because he can play the outfield as well. The major question is whether he is now ready to play in the major leagues regularly or not. Of course, that is the same question for Montero and Lee. If the Mariners can’t answer the question on any of the three they may have to go out and pick up a veteran right handed hitting first baseman. Another answer would be to play the utility player who makes the team at first base against lefties. This could open a spot for Ed Lucas who can play first, third and the outfield.

The Mariners take on the Oakland A’s today with James Paxton making on his next start. Depending on how he pitches will decide four innings or he will go five or six innings.

Boog Powell will be leading off and playing in center field for the Mariners. Luis Sardinas will bat second and play at third base. Sure shows likely the utility player when the season begins. Marte will be at shortstop however batting ninth. Besides Marte the only other regular player in the lineup today is Robinson Cano. Romero will be at first base to see if he can still be that right handed hitting bat. Steve Clevenger and Robert Brantley who are competing for the left handed bat at catcher both will be in the lineup. Clevenger will be the designated hitter while Brantley will be catching. The remaining two in the lineup will Efren Navarro in left and Daniel Robertson in right. Both of them likely will start the season in Triple A.  Good added depth to the team.

I expect that we will see more cuts, releases or players being sent down on the weekend since the Mariners are still around fifty players on the roster. So for now Go Mariners!

On Monday Felix and Walker a Bit Off

The Mariners had split squad games on Monday losing both of them. Felix Hernandez pitched in one while TaiJuan went in the other. Felix looked a bit rusty however it was his first live action against major league pitching and he gave up three runs in three innings. TaiJuan went a total of four innings in his third outing.

Last year TaiJuan had outstanding spring training and then started out poorly when the season begins though he recovered the second half. This shows us that spring training has only so much importance. Other words TaiJuan could struggle during spring training and have a real good season. This becoming his second full season he could go through some trouble as well. The nice thing though is the Mariners have more starting depth this year so if needed he could go down to triple A to get things corrected.

Today the Mariners are facing the Los Angeles Angels. Miley who normally would have started the game has already faced the Angels in spring training and the Mariners do not want him to face them too often before the regular season begins since they will be facing them early. He most likely won’t face the Texas Rangers or Oakland during the rest of spring either. Today Miley will be going against a minor league team while Cody Martin starts for the Mariners against the Angels. Martin most likely will start the season in triple A.

Since the Mariners are in about the middle of spring training not much else to talk about. Seth Smith is out a few days with a tight groin so Dan Robertson who is having really good spring training is playing in right field today against the Angels.  He is a former Angel that general manager Dipoto knows well however he likely will start the season in Triple A. He can play any of the three outfield positions so he would be a good call up if necessary though Boog Powell and Stefan Romero are ahead of him. Speaking of Romero he is starting at first base since he is in the race for the job as the right handed hitting first baseman. Right now hard to say who will win the job for the Mariners; no one is really taking the job over. I would say if Romero had more work at first base he would be the leader. There is a good reason to have any of the candidates to win the job as well as question marks too.  The Mariners could go out and get another right handed hitting first baseman too.

In other local sport news the University of Washington men basketball team will be facing Penn tonight in the NIT in Seattle. So good luck to them though we all wish they were in the big dance this week. The Huskies are looking at bringing in a new Athletic Director so it will be interesting to see if Romar keeps his job.

The Seattle Seahawks have brought in free agent players on the offensive line, defensive line and linebacker. It will be interesting to see whether Russell Okung will stay at left tackle or sign elsewhere. There are other details about the Seahawks we will learn over the next couple months as well.

I am not a big fan of the MLS and the Seattle Sounders however they have started out poor losing first two games and having some injuries. I see part of the problem is that they only play about three to six games a month during the MLS season so how can they recover to win games. If I were a player after losing two games I would want another game to be played as soon as possible to get a win. I don’t understand how they play not many more games than the Seahawks. They play about thirty-three games over eight months not including some other games that are not part of the MLS schedule. More of them later at another time; enjoy the rest of your week.

King Felix Makes Exhibition Game Debut Today

For everyone that plans to go to Mariners spring training this is the best time to show up. The Mariners are now almost half way through the spring training games and Felix makes his debut.

Felix has been pitching in the bullpen along with facing minor league players however he now will pitch in one or two major league exhibition games. Most likely his last game before the start of regular season will be against a minor league team as well. Felix usually doesn’t take as much time as the other starting pitchers to get ready for the regular season. I am pretty sure he is ready to go right now. Since he pitches over two hundred innings a season he can’t be overworked during spring training. It has worked for him so far I see no problem keeping it this way. I found that there should be no problem getting an autograph from Felix. Usually the best time is in the morning around 10 am.

The Mariners first base candidate for right handed platoon hitter was narrowed down on Sunday. Gabby Sanchez was released by the Mariners. He was signed to a minor league contract however the Mariners felt they had no place for him. At this point it will allow him to catch on with another organization. The main two candidates are Jesus Montero and Dae-Ho Lee. Stefan Romero who is having a really good training camp is another possibility though he hasn’t played much first base. If he doesn’t make the club out of spring training I expect that he will play a lot of first base in Triple A. He still has an option to be sent down. I expect the Mariners will see him some time during the regular season if he doesn’t start the season with them. Another candidate who is having very good spring training is Ed Lucas. He has been playing a lot of third base during spring training however he has played almost every position on the field so he could be another choice. He may start the season in triple A as well. He is a veteran triple A player who isn’t ready to retire yet so like Romero he will probably play with the Mariners at some point in the season. This is especially true if injury happens to Kyle Seager and he is out for a while.

The Mariners picked up catcher Rob Brantly on waivers from the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. He actually has gotten into two games with the Mariners right away. He is left handed hitter who will compete as the backup catcher with Steve Clevenger. I saw on line yesterday that the New York Mets are looking for a backup catcher so maybe the Mariners could trade Clevenger to the Mets for someone especially since he is out of options.  Brantly is also out of options so if he doesn’t make the ball club he will have to go back on waivers ago.

The Seattle Mariners have moved left handed starting pitcher Mike Montgomery to the bullpen. Montgomery had a real good outing starting in a split squad game against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. The Mariners are concerned about Charlie Furbush who hasn’t been in a game as of yet. They are not sure whether he will be ready or not. He is the number one lefty out of the bullpen. The Mariners have only two other lefties in major league camp Vidal Nuno and David Rollins. Nuno has the best chance making the squad as one of the two lefties. He can pitch either one inning or longer. Rollins though was a rule 5 draft pick last year however he did not have a good season like most of the bullpen. Not really sure he is ready for prime time as of yet. He most likely choice to start in triple A and be ready for call up if necessary. Montgomery never has been a reliever so it will be a new experience for him however it is the best chance for him to make the ball club since he is only giving the Mariners depth in the starting rotation. Also he is out of options as well. When Charlie Furbush came to the Mariners from the Detroit Tigers he had only starting pitching experience as well so it is possible that Montgomery could transition over to relief. I would not be surprised if the Mariners go out and gets a veteran reliever before spring training ends especially the concern for Furbush is real. If Furbush can only pitch a couple days a week I believe he is still better than what they can get for a second reliever. If the Mariners do go out for another lefty reliever it should be a number one whether Furbush is ready or not.

Let you know that the Mariners game is on Root Sports starting at 1 pm so you can see Felix pitch for three innings. I am sure most of the starting nine will be in the game to. Go Mariners!

Third Start For Paxton A Good One

We all know that spring training doesn’t have a lot of meaning except for those who are fighting for a job. James Paxton is one of those guys wanting to nail down a roster spot. We all know it is between him and Karns. I do think he has the edge right now.

Like I said in an earlier post that I thought having another left hander in the starting rotation would be a good idea. Really hard to say what Manager Servais is thinking right now for that spot.

Though the Mariners lost to the Los Angeles Dodger 8-4 in ten innings last night Paxton gave up only an unearned run in four innings. Karns will be pitching today for the Mariners in afternoon game against the Cincinnati Reds. We can hope that he has a really good game to make this matchup good.

The Mariners sent down seven players to the minor leagues leaving 51 players remaining. The Mariners will need to be down to the 25 man roster on April 3. The Mariners first regular season begins on April 4 against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas. First home game will be on April 8 against the Oakland A’s. More players will probably be sent down during this week since minor league camp just started. Give more detail and report tomorrow.

Iwakuma is Smooth Sailing

We all know that spring training doesn’t mean a whole lot. For a veteran pitcher like Iwakuma the importance is to get his work in and the results don’t mean anything however so far he is going along great in his first two outings.

Iwakuma pitched three innings giving up one hit and one walk while striking out four batters. Also he did not yield a run either. The most important thing for Iwakuma is to keep up the innings and stay healthy. He hasn’t always been healthy coming out of spring training so this is good news for the Mariners.

Though he is considered the number two starter of the Mariners in many ways he looks like a number one starter. On many teams he would be a number starter including the Mariners if they didn’t have King Felix. The Mariners ended up beating the San Francisco Giants on Friday 5-4. The Mariners had four other pitchers go besides Iwakuma. Two of them did not do so well while two did a good job. Donn Roach who entered the game as the third Mariner pitcher after Peralta gave up two runs in two innings after entering the game for Iwakuma. Roach also pitched two innings giving up just one hit and no walks or runs. Left handed reliever Dave Rollins came in for one inning following Roach and gave up just one hit and no runs. He is in the competition for the second lefty in the bullpen. There is a good possibility he could start the season in Triple A. Also Roach is expected to start in Triple A as well.

The ninth inning the Mariners were leading 5-2 when Tony Zych entered the game. He did not have a good game giving up three hits and two runs. The Giants had runners on second and third base when Zych struck out the final two batters to preserve the victory. He went to his slider since his fastball was allowing the hits. The Mariners still hope that Zych will be in the bullpen when the season begins. He likely will be pitching either the sixth or seventh inning most of the time. He might pitch the ninth inning on occasion if the closer needs a day off.

Right now like the bullpen who will be the second lefty and the three right handed relievers besides setup man Benoit and closer Cishek it is hard to know who they will be. Despite his performance Friday Zych is still a good choice of being one of the three. Also at this point it is hard to say who the right handed hitting first baseman will be. It is a tight race though Stefan Romero is having a really good spring so far and has more versatility than the other candidates. Since the season is still about three weeks before starting the spot is still up for grabs. Probably wait another week before estimating who the true leader to win the spot will be. It would be great for the Mariners if the decision is not made until just before the season begins.

Anyway the Mariners have a split squad playing two games tonight. There will be one game broadcasted on television tonight at 6 pm. So all the regular players on the Mariner’s 40 man roster should get action tonight along with some minor leaguers; right now I say over and out. Go Mariners!

Iwakuma Takes on Giants

The Seattle Mariners are now taking on the San Francisco Giants with Iwakuma taking on his second turn in spring training.  We will see how he does this time around. He is the last of the guys in the starting rotation to complete two games except Felix Hernandez who will make his first appearance on this coming Monday. Felix has pitched some in the bullpen as well as asked the minor leaguers. Most likely he will pitch a second turn against major leaguers before throwing a final game in spring training against minor leaguers. This is the routine that Felix follows through every spring training each year.

The Mariners one again yesterday with Jesus Montero getting two hits and driving in two runs in the eighth inning. Stefan Romero continues to have a really good camp. At this point it is hard to say who will win the right handed hitting platoon first baseman position. It could go any three ways with Romero, Montero and Lee. It is really hard to say where Dipoto and Servais will go if they are equally matched. What makes good for Romero is that he can play the outfield and infield. He started out in the Mariner minor leagues as a second baseman. Also, he has played some third base and most recently the outfield. He hasn’t played much center field however he could play there if necessary.

It is important that Iwakuma continues what he did in his first outing getting all six batters out. Like the other starters we would expect him to go three innings. Just like Paxton it is nice to see that Iwakuma is injury so far. I hope that I am not jinxing them right now.

Speaking of injury it looks like former first round pick Danny Hultzen is at it again. According to Dipoto Hultzen has to decide whether try to continue his baseball career or end it now. The Mariners were hoping that he could continue this year after he was out the last two years and most of the year before by going to the bullpen. He most likely will be out the rest of this year if he expects to continue and if not where will he do next. I am sure the Mariners will try to keep him the organization somewhere possibly as a coach. The days ahead we will find out the next step for Hultzen. We hope the best for him.

At this point Luis Sardinas it looks like he is still the leading candidate to be the utility player when the regular season starts. He is ahead of Chris Taylor and Shawn O’Malley who is starting today at second base.

The other players starting today’s game for the Mariners are Kyle Seager at third, Marte at shortstop and Lee at first base. Efren Navarro will be in left field, Leonys Martin in center and Stefan Romero in right field. Franklin Gutierrez is designated hitter and Chris Iannetta is at catcher. Again Nelson Cruz is not in the lineup. I am sure the Mariners want him healthy and ready for the opening of the season. Most likely he will get some at bats against minor leaguers in same manner that Edgar Martinez when he played for the Mariners. It will be interesting to see who may shine for the Mariners today. Go Mariners!

NFL Free Agency

Wednesday afternoon at 1 pm began the beginning free agency signing in the NFL. Although I am more interested in Mariner spring training and March Madness I do keep my eyes open on the subject.

So far the Seattle Seahawks have lost three guys in free agency and it does look like Cornerback Jeremy Lane is going to stay on. The days ahead we will learn more about the Seahawk free agents.

The first one we heard about on Tuesday that Bruce Irvin was going to sign with the Oakland Raiders. Though he kept saying he wanted to stay with the Seahawks he was the most likely one to leave.

The next one announced in leaving was Brandon Mebane to the San Diego Chargers. Since he had been with the Seahawks for a long time I was hoping he would end his career here however that is not happening. On Monday the Seahawks signed Ahtyba Rubin to a reported three-year $12 million contract so Mebane moving on is now not a surprise. It was expected the Seahawks would retain one of the two but likely not both.

J.R. Sweezy is now going to Tampa Bay. I know that some people are disappointed that he is leaving however the offensive line is not that great we know from last year;  the question really now will Russell Okung return at left tackle for the Seahawks or will he go elsewhere. It sounds though he is a high priority for the Seahawks though the amount of money is a question as well. Will the Seahawks sacrifice some other players to keep him?

I thought by what he was saying that he likely be leaving the Seahawks I would have thought Jermaine Kearse would have announced who he was signing with. Of course, it may be just a ploy on his part.

Back to Mariner baseball and spring training the Mariners had their first game on television against the world champion Kansas City Royals beating them 7

-3. The Royal has a split squad though a few of their regulars started against the Mariners. TaiJuan Walker started the game pitching three innings for the Mariners and giving up just one run on a homer and three hits. He looked just fine in this game for the Mariners in his second outing. He probably has either two or three outings remaining before spring training is over. Right now he is slated to be the fourth starter in the rotation. The Mariners are hoping the Walker will have even a better year than last year which ended on a good note. He started out slow in April however came on good in the second half of the season. I would say he was better than expected since it was his first full season in the major leagues. The Mariners take on the Chicago Cubs on another television game at noon.

Speaking of noon the Washington Huskies men’s team takes on the Oregon Ducks today that you can see on Pac-12 network. The Ducks won the Pac-12 and are favored to win the Pac-12 tournament so it will be a hard time on the Huskies though fortunately they beat Stanford easily on Wednesday 91-68. So if you are a Husky and Mariner fan like me may have to switch back and forth to see both games or watch the Mariners later at night.

In the meantime lets enjoy what is happening in our local sports. Yeah!

Mariners Lose To Cleveland and Other Local Sports

The Seattle Mariners lost on Tuesday to the Cleveland Indians 4-3. The game was not live on the radio and was time delayed so I have not a lot of news on it.

Karns pitched his second game of spring training giving up two runs on five hits in three innings. Only one of the runs was earned. So the matchup between Karns and Paxton look like still even though Karns may have a slight edge. 

Outfielder and leadoff batter Aoki started in center field. He is expected to play some there when Martin needs a day off. Otherwise he will spend most of his time in left field. He has been working in center field on one of the fields to be comfortable at the position. He actually played center field all of his time in Japan. He feels that he can play the position.

In other notes Tuesday’s game was the first one that both right fielder Seth Smith and utility infielder Luis Sardinas did not get a hit in the game. It does seem to be that Sardinas still has the edge over Chris Taylor and Sawn O’Malley for the position of utility player. Sardinas has played a little in center field as well.

In other local sports the University of Washington men’s basketball team takes on Stanford today at noon in the Pac-12 tournament. The game will be shown on the Pac-12 network followed by Washington State Cougars taking on Colorado at 2:30 pm. I believe the key for the Huskies to beat Stanford will be the play of senior guard Andrew Andrews who led the Huskies and the Pac-12 in scoring. His last game against the Cougars he scored 47 points. If he scores again like against the Cougars the Huskies will be Stanford easy. The winner takes on number one seed and league champion Oregon Ducks on Thursday.

It is reported that outside linebacker and pass rusher Bruce Irvin is expected to sign with the Oakland Raiders. He is the first of the Seattle Seahawk free agents to leave. Today at 1 pm that any free agents in the NFL can sign with any team of their choice. We will have to see if the Seahawks will lose any other free agents in the coming days. Most likely Irvin will be replaced in the upcoming college draft. Irvin wanted to come back to the Seahawks however it came all down to the money. The Seahawks could not afford to sign him to a high contract. It is reported that the Seahawks are $15 million under the cap so for them to sign some of their own free agents they may have to release some other players. Now we have to wait to see what happens.

Anyway the Mariners game today will be on Roots Sports at 12 noon. Nelson Cruz will be making his first appearance playing in the field in right. Franklin Gutierrez be in left and Leonys Martin Center. Marte, Seager and Cano will be in the field with Jesus Montero starting at first base. Lee is expected to go into the game later for Montero. Regular catcher Chris Iannetta will be catching while Gabby Sanchez will be the designated hitter.

It looks like right handed reliever has a good chance to make the Mariner roster in the bullpen since Evan Scribner and Ryan Cook are both out with strained back muscles. Cook is expected to be out longer and most likely start the season at Tacoma. Have to see whether Scribner who was expected to be in the bullpen will be ready by opening day. So if you have the chance see the Mariners game today on TV. If you can’t watch it live I am sure it will be replayed tonight as well. Go Mariners along with the Huskies and Cougars!

Paxton’s Poor Outing

On Monday James Paxton had the worst outing among the Mariner starting pitchers during spring training. It was his second outing where he gave up four runs on six innings in three innings.

If Paxton can rebound in his third outing this should not put him behind becoming the fifth starter in the rotation. Today Karns who is competing for the fifth starter goes against the Cleveland Indians. How he does will show us whether Paxton and Karns are even or that Karns has the edge. The Mariners coaching staff of course have been watching both of their bullpen sessions as well so I am sure they have a better idea than we do who maybe the fifth starter.

Early in the regular season there will be some off days so the fifth starter may not pitch the first couple times through the rotation. Manager Scott Servais has not given any indication whether this will happen or not. If Paxton or Karns is sent down to Tacoma at the beginning of the season likely means the surviving pitcher will start in the bullpen. If both are on the roster than the fifth starter likely won’t be skipped in the rotation. Paxton says that he would not have a problem starting in the bullpen. He most likely would be the long reliever because he doesn’t seem to be the type of pitcher who could be one of the two situational left handers in the bullpen.

If Charlie Furbush is ready to go at the beginning of the regular season then the second lefty will be much clearer for the Mariners. If he is not ready it will be interesting to see who the primary lefty will be. In either case the answer may not come until the last week of spring training unless someone is really dominant. Personally I hope that Vidal Nuno will be the second lefty in the bullpen. I really like how he goes after hitters and he can pitch one or more innings at a time. The Mariners don’t have any other veteran lefty candidates on the rosters. It is possible they may have to go and get a veteran lefty. Also they may use a right handed pitcher who can get left handed hitters out on occasion.

Today Aoki who is expected to be the Mariners starting left fielder will be starting in center field. The Mariners want to see him play there so when Martin needs a rest in center field he could play there too. The Mariners have Robertson in left field and Seth Smith in right field. Smith is expected to be left handed platoon right fielder along with Franklin Gutierrez as the right handed hitter. Dae-Ho Lee will make a start at first base while his completion Jesus Montero will be designated. The Marines want to see how Lee works defensively at first base along with his hitting. Today the Mariners will be facing a right hander pitcher starting the game. This will give the Mariners a chance to see how Lee and Montero can do against right handed pitchers too.

Luis Sardinas who looks like the leading candidate for the utility player so far will start at third base. The other two candidates Chris Taylor will start at shortstop while Shawn O’Malley at second base. If Sunday gave indication we could see those three doing a lot of running again today if they get on base. Mike Zunino who expected to start season in Tacoma will be the starting catcher today.

For those who are interested tomorrow’s game which starts just after 12 pm will be on Roots Sports.

After yesterday’s loss good luck to the Mariners. Though there is more than winning manager Scott Servais still wants to see the Mariners win during spring training. Until next time Go Mariners!

Iwakuma Good First Outing

I know that Iwakuma is very popular here since his no-hitter last year is the number story on this blog. If you like you can go ahead and reread again.

Anyway Iwakuma had a very good first out breezing through the two innings he pitched. He was really happy that most of batters for Texas hit the ball on the ground. Though he is the last of the pitchers in the rotations except Felix he is expected to pitch the second game of the regular season against the same Rangers. We can hope that game will start in the same fashion.

Again the Mariners offense had a good game winning 7-3 and giving the Rangers their first loss of the spring. The Rangers are now 3-1 in the spring training games.

What made the game really exciting was the stealing of bases by the three guys competing for the utility role on the team. Luis Sardinas who looks like he is the front runner for the utility role had a stolen base along with Sean O’Malley and Chris Taylor. The Mariners had a total of six stolen bases with center fielder Leonys Martin swiping two bases as well. One of the stolen bases was on the back end of a double steal with Chris Taylor stealing third. Unfortunately on a grounder Taylor was caught at home. He was told to run on contact so not his fault. When spring training began manager Scott Servais wanted those who can run go ahead and do so. Most likely we will not see the Mariners steal so many bases during the regular season however I am sure we will see more bases stolen than last year. Former Mariner Julio Cruz is in camp working with guys like Boog Powell on their running skills. You see Powell has the speed but has been caught stealing a lot during his minor league career so Cruz is working with him to become a better stealer of bases. Likely Powell will be starting the season in Tacoma so he will have the chance to see what he has learned from Cruz in stealing bases.

Manager Scott Servais says that hitting will be a priority for the player who makes the roster as the right handed hitting first baseman if thing are even than the one with the better defense will win the position. Lee and Montero are the leading candidates I have to say it may be hard to see who plays the better defense if it is down to the two of them. Though he isn’t known for his defense last season I did see Montero make a few outstanding plays at first base so I think he is adequate as long he can hit the ball. Being out of options he could be the leading candidate however we don’t know the thinking behind either Dipoto or Servais. I like the fact that Montero can hit the ball to the opposite field with power which works well in Safeco Field. So far several of his hits have been to the opposite field including a double on Sunday.

Today James Paxton makes his second turn starting for the Mariners against the Arizona Diamondbacks. I am not sure whether he will stay on pitching two innings or go three this time. I am sure a lot will depend on how many pitches he throws.  Nathan Karns again will pitch tomorrow. At this point the fifth starter seems to be the competition between Paxton and Karns. Last week general manager Dipoto hinted that both could be on the roster when the season begins with the loser for the fifth starter going to the bullpen. He still expects to have seven pitchers in the bullpen with five right handers and two lefties.

The starting infield will be in the lineup today for the Mariners while the outfield will be Navarro in left, Powell in center and Romero in right. Steve Clevenger will be catching today’s game. Nelson Cruz will be back in the game at designated hitter. Since he has had an injury likely he won’t be in the field for a little while. I am sure when he feel completely right the Mariners will play him out in right field.

The game again will start just after 12 pm and be on the radio. The first television game will take place on Wednesday at the same time. Go Mariners!