Saturday, February 25, 2023

Marco and Mariners Lose Saturday

This was only game two, however,  Marco 
Gonzales  lost game two  giving up four
runs in two  innings.

Marco winning the number five spot
will depend  in part how he does in the
spring.  Also, it will be how the youngsters
like Emerson  Hancock  and Bryce Miller 
do as well. 

If Marco doesn't  have  a  good  spring 
but none of the youngsters are ready
he likely  be  the 5th starter anyway. 
The best scenario  would  be Marco
has a good  spring and one of the
youngsters is ready as well.  Means
the Mariners  could trade Marco if
there is a taker or the youngster start
at double-A and come up in May like
George Kirby did last year. A lot will
depend on the health  of the starters
too. We give Marco at least two more 
starts at least to see how he goes.

Last year Marco  and Robbie Ray each
had at least one bad inning in most
starts. If Chris  Flexen is on the team
I could see Flexen  coming in early for
either one. He  most likely  be the long
reliever though he could pitch an inning 
if the all the starters are able to  go at
least five or six innings. 

With the depth of the bullpen  I wouldn't 
worry about how long one starter goes in
 one rotation. Example, if one of the starters 
is only able to  go through three or four innings
in one rotation  it would be ok though I 
wouldn't want that every time out. Someone 
like Chris  Flexen  pitches two innings every 
five days it is ok. Since Flexen is used to being
a starter having him go every five days is fine.
The Mariners have other pitchers to pitch in
other games. I expect  most pitchers will go
one inning. Penn Murfee is another one  who  
could go two innings every  five days if necessary.

Paul Sewald,  Diego Castillo, Matt Brash, and
Andre Munoz will all pitch seventh inning thru
the ninth. Depending on how they are needed 
we could see two of them on a game. Whoever
fills the other spots where we see these guys.
Like last season  it will depend where the other 
team lineup is when the seventh  inning  starts
and what the score is to. It will be  interesting 
how the bullpen works this year. I could see 
Sewald and Brash  in one game and Castillo 
and Munoz in another. Turn things around 
and see Sewald and Munoz in another. 

Saturday's  game the Mariners  started reserves
for the most part. Cooper Hummel started at
catcher. The Mariners  want to see how well he
does catching in the spring  to see if he fits into
the opening roster. AJ Pollock started in left. He 
and Kelenic are expected  to  platoon  when the
season  starts though during the spring  we could
see Kelenic  face lefties and Pollock righties.
Don't  want to see as much pinch hitting this season.

Sam Haggerty  started at second base and led off.
He got one hit in the game though he didn't play the
whole time.  This spring  the Mariners  are taking it
easy with Dylan  Moore  so could see Haggerty more
at second. We could see Haggerty  at third and shortstop 
too. 

Sunday the Mariners  play Kansas City Royals on the road. 
The Mariners  start Easton McGee who they picked up
from the Boston  Red Sox.  Boston  actually acquired 
McGee from Tampa Bay first on the off season. Don't 
expect many Mariners  starters in Sunday's game. They
will likely  workout on the home field in Peoria. See how
any of the reserves and minor leaguers do instead. Go M's.  

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