Mariners’ First Twenty-eight Games

 

The Seattle Mariners having a record of 17-11 going into Wednesday’s game against the Oakland A’s after beating them on Tuesday night 6-3. Looking at the offense in general  has been  good despite the fact that they didn’t have the whole position players until recently because of injuries.

Starting at the top of the lineup Dee Gordon has made the spot his own and makes the Mariners one of the best offenses in the American League. On Tuesday he went five for five scoring one run and raising his batting average to .339 with an on base percentage of .367 having scored eighteen runs and stolen twelve bases in this period of time. The amazing thing he isn’t even leading the team in scoring runs however he allows the team to get going early in the game. His defense has been good to though he has had a few miscues. It is good for someone who has never played center field before this season.

Jean Segura has done an excellent job being the number two hitter in the lineup and is currently batting .291 and his on base percentage of .320 isn’t bad for someone who doesn’t walk often. Even though he has been known as a free swinger he has become more of a discipline hitter at the plate. Tuesday he scored a run and drove in two runs without getting a hit. He has only two home runs on the season but has driven in  twenty-three runs which is pretty good for a number  two hitter and the bottom of the batting order hasn’t contributed a whole lot either.

Robinson Cano is having probably his best start to the season. At one point he was batting over four hundred even though now he is right at three hundred. He has struck out nineteen times however he has walked nineteen times to let Nelson Cruz and Mitch Haniger drive in runs in the cleanup spot. His defense continues to be solid as well.

Nelson Cruz missing some time being on the disabled list has had a solid season. He has had his ups and downs hitting because he missed eight games while being on the disabled list. He has hit six home runs including a three run homer on Tuesday night. Also have a total of fourteen runs batted in. That is pretty good for a guy who not only missed eight games but hasn’t been healthy on his return.

Kyle Seager had a rough start to the season like usual but in the end he has been hitting the ball pretty well. His batting average right now is .239 however he has hit four home runs and driven in fifteen runs. His home runs all seem to be in key situations.

Mitch Haniger has had an outstanding first twenty-eight games. He looks like a superstar in the making. He hit in the cleanup spot while Cruz was out and didn’t meet a step when returned to the six hole when Cruz returned. His batting average is .303 and he leads the Mariners in home runs with ten and twenty-seven runs batted in.  No doubt the Mariners offensive player for April.

The seventh thru ninth in the order has been low point because the three projected starters were out for most of the month. Zunino who now is primarily batting in the seventh spot in the lineup has only played in ten games. In those seven games he has three runs out of his seven hits and driven in eight runs with a batting average of .189. The Mariners are hoping he will settle in and bat between.230 and .250  with power and drive in runs. His defense continues to be good. His backup is David Freitas who started in Tacoma coming out of spring training but called up when Mike went on the disabled list after the first game of the season. His batting average is .235 but has no home runs and driven in only one run. He does look like he could hit for power when given a chance. Mike Marjama who started the season as the backup was sent down to Tacoma on Zunino’s return. He was batting only .111 didn’t drive in a run or hit a home run. Most likely the reason he was sent down to Tacoma.

Right now Ben Gamel is the left fielder playing against righties. Ichiro Suzuki and Guillermo Heredia shared the spot platooning before Gamel returned. Ichiro didn’t fare well batting .220 without driving in a run. Heredia on the other hand has batted .310 with an on base percentage of .417. This is what upset fans when Gamel returned and Heredia was sent down. Mariner’s management reasoning was that the Mariners would be facing primarily right handed hitting on the last road trip. Now Heredia has returned because Erasmo Ramirez and Dan Altavilla both have gone on the disabled list. Gamel on the other hand has started out slow so far after being activated. He did spend some time in the minor leagues on a rehab assignment. In thirteen games Gamel is only batting .139 has no home runs and batted in one run in the eighth spot.

Ryon Healy returned and activated when the Mariners were in Cleveland. He hit his first home run of the season Saturday and then two more on Sunday. This was really needed since Dan Vogelbach had struggles at the plate before being sent down to Tacoma. He did have his moments though hitting a home run up and beyond Hit Here Café. His batting average was .204 in nineteen games driving in five runs besides hitting two home runs. He was designated hitter in a few games while Cruz was out too. He primarily was in the lineup against righties while Taylor Motter was in against lefties until he was sent down to Tacoma. At that point Vogelbach did play in a few games against lefties. Ryon Healy on his return is batting .190 with three home runs and driving in ten runs. Now back in the lineup we should see him hitting better. His power is well for someone who is batting ninth in the order at this time. Depending Zunino and Gamel I would see Healy moving up in the order at some point. Now with the whole order in good health and should be in the lineup every game the Mariners offense should even be better in May and the rest of the season. There is talk that Ichiro may retire at the end of this current home stand on Sunday. At that point the Mariners will bring up another pitcher for the bullpen since right now they are going with seven. Go M’s.