Gonzaga Move On and More Sports

The Gonzaga Bulldogs had a tough outing on Thursday in the bigger dance but did escape with a narrow three point win against University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Boise Idaho. What made it a difficult win was that the Bulldogs missed more than ten foul shots otherwise it would have been an easier win. Greensboro though tried to tie the game at the end but the ball just came out of the basketball so the game could have gone into overtime and as you know anything can happen.

Today the Bulldog take on Ohio State Buckeyes in Boise. The Bulldog’s have

a decisive win over them early on in the season but for the Bulldogs to move into the sweet sixteen they will need to play much better this afternoon.

In other local sports it is now free agency for the Seattle Seahawks. If you

have followed it at all they have lost several players to other teams in the free agency period so far. This was after trading Michael Bennett to Philadelphia and releasing Richard Sherman who then signed with the San Francisco 49ers. In the last few days Jimmy Graham signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers and Paul Richardson went to the Washington Redskins. The Seahawks did sign some free agents themselves so far but no one with a name like Graham or Richardson. Actually lost two Richardson’s because defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

Whether you call it rebuilding or retooling the Seahawks will look like another team. At this point it is hard to know whether Earl Thomas will return either. He said that he wants to have an extension with his current contract has only one year remaining. Don’t really know the thoughts of the team right now whether to extend him or let him play out his one year left or trade him. Thomas mind is that he doesn’t really want to be in Seattle if they let him play out the year. If the Seahawks do trade him I am sure they will be looking to get a first round and a third round pick for him. I guess we will see what happens there. It will be story for the rest of the off-season.

What other moves the Seahawks make is anyone’s guess at this time. The did sign two free agents in Mingo a linebacker who  played last year for Indiana-polis. Also they picked up tight end Ed Dickson who played for Carolina Panthers. He is more known as a blocking tight end but did a good job in the passing game last season.

We will see who else they may get before the draft comes up in April. Who they will take with the 18th pick in the first round is a guess as well though could be a defensive end with Frank Clark being the primary returner. Clark is coming up on the last year of his contract as well. What they will do with him we will have to see too.  It would not surprise anybody if they trade down again in the first round. They don’t have a second or third round pick but losing Graham and the two Richardson’s they will pick up three picks. A reason that they aren’t picking up any big names because they don’t want to lose any of them. This coming week should be interesting. Keep your ears and eyes open.

Getting Ready For the Season

The time is ticking down until opening season with twelve days to go. It has been interesting spring training with surprises and injuries to some of the players. I am sure many are concerned about the injuries in spring training however most of them are minor. According to the new Mariners High Performance director Dr. Lorena Martin she isn’t too worried about the injuries that her job is to be sure everyone will be ready when the season begins. Outside of Ben Gamel and Erasmo Ramirez all the other players should be ready to go.

Ryon Healy who hasn’t started a game this spring because of surgery to his hand at the beginning of training camp is expected to play in a game this weekend. He has been taking grounders at first base for a couple weeks and this last week has been taking batting practice. One of the surprises of the camp is Dan Vogelbach who could start the season on the roster if Healy isn’t ready to open the season. With options still left the Mariners could decide to send Healy down to Triple A for a few weeks as well. Vogelbach who has been given extra time because of Healy’s injury along with Mike Ford looks like a different player both at the plate and in the field. Ford has shown power and driving in runs but his batting average is below two hundred so the thoughts of general manager Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais hasn’t really come out where fits in the picture. Being a rule 5 player he has to make the team or be sent back to the original team which is the New York Yankees or make a trade with them to send to triple A.

Marco Gonzales who is out of options would have to be on the roster or be sent through waivers before sent to Tacoma. The Mariners figured there likely would be little chance he would make it through waivers and he has been a good surprise throughout camp. He is expected to be the fourth starter for the Mariners. Another surprise is Rob Whalen who spent most of last year not pitching because of depression has not only recovered has had a real good spring as well. It looks like he will be on the roster as well. He could be the fifth starter if Erasmo Ramirez isn’t ready to go. The Mariners don’t need a fifth starter until the middle of April because of three off days early in the season.

Mike Marjama who looked like the leading candidate to be the backup catcher hasn’t been a disappointment at all batting almost three hundred and playing a good solid defense so at this point he looks like to make the roster on opening day. Andrew Romine and Taylor Motter are both having solid spring training competing for the utility player role. At this point I would give the edge to Romine because he is a veteran and Motter does have options so he could start the season in Tacoma. He would be ready that way if Romine doesn’t work out or an injury happens.

Guillermo Heredia is having a good spring training when he got going after coming back from his off-season surgery. He and Ichiro are expected to share the position since Ben Gamel will be out for the first month of the season or longer. Right now Ichiro is slowed by an injury so Heredia could get the bulk of work in left field. With his defense he will be valuable as a backup in center field and right field. Mitch Haniger who started spring training on the bench with an injury as well might not be ready to play full time either. So early in the season Heredia could see plenty of action and whoever is the utility player might get action in as well.

It was announced that on Monday Felix Hernandez will be pitching in a minor league game. The same goes for James Paxton as well. The Mariners haven’t announced yet who will open the season as the starter. They likely go with Paxton but they still might let Felix pitch opening day.

Rob Whalen

I heard general manager Jerry Dipoto of the Seattle Mariners that pitcher Rob Whalen has a good shot to make the opening day roster for the team.  He has been one of the big surprised in training camp for the Mariners. Last year he pitched very little and left the team because of depression. He is one of these good stories that come out every year it seems. At this time it seems he has overcome his demons and taking medication. I know what it means to have depression because of my life experiences. Fortunately mine hasn’t been a medical issue like his seems to be.

The likelihood is that Whalen will start the season as the long reliever depending on the status of the Mariner starters. Right now the starters look to be James Paxton, Mike Leake, Felix Hernandez, Marco Gonzales and Erasmo Ramirez. The Mariners don’t need the fifth starter until about the middle of April so they do hope that Ramirez who just started throwing will be ready to go however if he isn’t than Whalen could take his spot in the rotation until Ramirez is available.

Ariel Miranda who is another candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation or long reliever started on Thursday night against the Oakland A’s in the Mariners win 6-2. He gave up the Mariners two only runs pitching four innings. He had five hits walked a batter and struck out four.

Miranda was followed in the game by Mike Morin who recently was put on waivers before being sent down to the minors. Nick Vincent who just started pitching in games went in games went an inning didn’t give up a hit and struck out one. He was followed by Edwin Diaz who looked like midseason form striking out all three batters he faced.

The last two pitchers going for the Mariners were Wyatt Mills and Ryan Cook who each went an inning as well. They both likely will start the season in Tacoma. They give the depth for the bullpen the Mariners need.

The hitting hero for the Mariners was utility player Taylor Motter who has been using a new style at the plate this spring had a grand slam home run in the third inning and then a double driving in four runs. He and Andrew Romine have been in a good competition for that utility spot for the Mariners. No thinking at this time who will win it out.

Mike Leake who has had solid spring training goes Friday afternoon against the Texas Rangers. We hope that he will be able to extend out to five or six innings.  He is one guy who wants to go seven innings at least in each start when the season starts if he can. At this point he and James Paxton look to be the guys that can go that long while the others if the Mariners can get six innings out of them this will be a good season.

Two Weeks Remain in Spring Training

 

 

 

The biggest story in spring training with two weeks remaining is how many players have been hurt. It began with pitchers like Erasmo Ramirez and Felix Hernandez along with outfielder Ben Gamel. In fact the injury to Gamel along with Mitch Haniger coming slowly the Mariners had to go out and sign former Mariner Ichiro Suzuki who played in his first spring training game on Sunday. He is expected to share playing left field with Guillermo Heredia until Gamel gets back. How much he plays will depend on his hitting. Wednesday night he will start again in left and leading off but when the season starts likely he will be batting ninth.

On Tuesday night Nelson Cruz making his first start after being out because of the flu had a hit in the first inning driving in Dee Gordon to take 1-0 but had to leave the game because of a right quad strain will miss a few days. He replaced by Dan Vogelbach who has had a good spring so far including another hit and driving in a run in Tuesday’s game. He is scheduled to start Wednesday night’s game and playing first base. Ryon Healy who just started taking batting practice is expected to play in games next week. If he isn’t able to start the season Vogelbach looks to be the starting first baseman on day one. Mike Ford the rule 5 player has driven in some runs including two on Tuesday night doesn’t look to be making the opening night roster. The odds were against him in the first place and whether the Mariners will offer him back to the New York Yankees we may know in a few days.

The two big surprises in camp have been the pitching of Marco Gonzales who had to leave the game on Monday because of a line drive that hit his right arm. He said that he will be able to go for his next scheduled start on Saturday along with Rob Whalen who started Tuesday. He was the first Mariner starter to go five innings giving up three hits, one run, one walk and striking out nine. I would say that could put him in for being the fifth starter depending whether Erasmo Ramirez is ready to go. Ramirez just started throwing off the mound in the bullpen.

The Mariners had a 3-2 lead going into the eighth inning in Tuesday’s game when minor leaguer Arthur Warren who had looked good earlier gave up four runs. This was after the Mariners had scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning. Dan Altavilla who had excellent spring training had his first bad outing giving up two runs in bottom of the ninth inning to take the loss for final score of 8-7.

James Paxton will start Wednesday night against the San Francisco Giants. He has had two poor outing in his last two starts but isn’t too concerned. The important thing is that he is ready for the season and doesn’t get hurt in the meantime. Among the other pitchers who are expected to go in this game only David Phelps is expected to make the Mariner opening day roster.

Besides Ichiro leading off he will be followed by Jean Segura at shortstop, Mitch Haniger in right field, Mike Zunino catching, Dan Vogelbach at first base, Guillermo Heredia in center field, Taylor Motter at third base, Mike Marjama at designated hitter and Zach Vincej at second base.

All we hope for the next two weeks is that no one else gets hurt and those that are will be healed up besides Gamel. Go M’s.

 

 

The Bigger Dance

Here we are in March once again and many who don’t even watch college basketball during the season are ready for March Madness. In sports this is the tournament of tournaments. The other playoffs like college football don’t even measure up to it.

This year the Gonzaga Bulldogs go into the tournament as a fourth seed in the west. The three top seeds in the west are Xavier, North Carolina and Michigan. It looks like a tough bracket going into it. The first round the Bull Dogs play University of North Carolina at Greensboro a team that has been hot as of late winning eleven out of their last twelve games; they are seated thirteenth in the west so the Bulldogs should be favored well against them but like this tournament often happens and why it is called March Madness they could end up being upset. Gonzaga going into the tournament is 30-4. They won’t play top seat Xavier until the third round if they make it that far. They won’t face either North Carolina or Michigan unless they make the final of the west. Other words making it to the final four this year will be a tough road. Gonzaga made it to the final of the whole tournament last year. It would be nice to see again this year but they will have to overcome a lot to do so.

In the Pac 12 Arizona made the tournament as a fourth seed like Gonzaga in the south region. They will take on Buffalo a number thirteenth seed in the first round. The top three seeds in the south region are Virginia, Cincinnati and Tennessee so they will have a rough road to go through as well.

Only two other teams from the Pac 12 are UCLA and Arizona State. In both of their cases they are in the four play in games that happen. UCLA take on St. Bonaventure in the east region while Arizona State will play Syracuse in the Midwest region. So Arizona is the only for sure team in the Pac 12 in the tournament.

The other teams who are geographically in the west in the tournament are Nevada who is a number seven seed in the south, San Diego St. is in the same region as Gonzaga being in the west. CSU Fullerton is a fifteenth seed in the east and New Mexico State playing the Midwest as a twelfth seed.

So here out west we have seven teams we can start out rooting for sure or nine if UCLA and Arizona State can make it in. All the teams could be out of the first round  however Gonzaga and Arizona are favored in the first round while the others will have to find a way in doing an upset.

So today you can begin by setting up your brackets to see who you think will go all the way. Enjoy the tournament and all the madness that happens.

Mariners Start Sending Players to Minor Leagues

It is that time of spring training where the Seattle Mariners and other teams in major league baseball start trimming down the roster they started when camp opened.

There are some players being sent down as expected while others hang around for longer time and in some cases they make the surprise of making the team while others may not.

The Mariners primarily have a whole lot of pitchers so most of the roster moves were with them. Many of the pitchers sent down were names that you probably don’t know. The main name that was sent down that was expected to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation and spent some time in Seattle was Andrew Moore. He is still only twenty-three years of age so it shows that he isn’t ready to start in the major leagues at this time. A surprise move was reliever Tony Zych who was designated for assignment. He was on the forty man roster so that leaves a spot open if the Mariners decide to sign or trade for another pitcher. Zych again has been struggling with injuries so I am sure the Mariners felt it was time to move on with him. He is still in his twenties so another team might take a chance on him or he could return by starting the season in triple A.

The Mariners announced that Erasmo Ramirez has started throwing on the side line. They feel he could be ready to be the fifth starter in the rotation when the Mariners have the spot open to use in middle of April. With several off days early in the season the Mariners won’t need to have a fifth until the eleventh game in my estimation.

The Mariners are hoping that Felix Hernandez will be ready to go when the season begins. They haven’t left open the possibility of him starting opening day however I am not sure whether that will happen or not. The Mariners won’t need a fourth starter until game six in my estimation. So either Felix or Marco Gonzales can wait until that game to start. I figure that James Paxton and Mike Leake can start game one and two then games four and five. So game three could be Felix or Gonzales but I am sure the Mariners will hope that Felix will be able to start that game.

If Ramirez isn’t able to make the start when the fifth starter can likely the position now will go to Ariel Miranda. Most likely he will start a game in triple A before then unless they plan to use him in long relief when the season begins.  Miranda started Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. He did struggle in the first inning giving up two runs however did go three innings giving up four hits walked a couple batters giving a home run and striking out four.

The Seattle Mariners came back to win Saturday’s game scoring five runs in the sixth including inside the park home run by Mike Marjama with two runners on base. Marjama is still one of the main guys competing for the backup catcher for the Mariners. Mitch Haniger made his first start of the season in right field however didn’t get a hit in three at bats. Guillermo who had been in a few games as designated hitter did make a start in left field but walked twice in two at bats. Mike Ford who is competing for a roster spot got two hits in the game including a double and driving in two runs. Dan Vogelbach who is competing at first base as well did pitch hit for Marjama late in the game. At this point it is hard to know for sure who will be the backup catcher or utility player.

On Sunday Ichiro is going to make his first start in left field and lead off. Guillermo Heredia will start and play in center field. Segura, Cano, Cruz and Zunino will start as well with Haniger making his second start in a row playing in right field. Seager who played Saturday has the day off and utility player Andrew Romine who is having a good spring will start at third base. It will be a good chance for those there to see how Ichiro will do in his first game back. I will let you know how that goes next time. Go M’s.

Richard Sherman Released

Although it seemed to be expected it was still a surprise that Seahawks released Richard Sherman on Friday morning. Certainly shows the changes happening to the Seahawks. There will be a lot of new faces when next season starts it looks like.

I know that Sherman at times the last couple years was frustrated with some of the plays made behind him. When Earl Thomas was out the communication seemed to make Sherman upset. Sometimes he would let the receiver get past him believing that the safety would pick him up. This would happen to with Kam Chancellor being out to as well. I am sure he felt frustrated because fans and media would think it was his fault when he was just doing his job. I believe those who knew what was going on had an idea that it wasn’t his fault.

It was wonderful that he expressed himself that he enjoyed the time he was here and thanked Coach Carroll and general manager John Schneider. Also he thanked his teammates and the 12^th man as well.

I am sure everyone is rooting on that he will be able to recoup from his injuries and is able to play again at his high level wherever he ends up at. It is sad to think that likely his career won’t end in Seattle and seeing him in another uniform will be strange indeed.

Later in the day the Seahawks released Jeremy Lane as well. I am sure that didn’t come to a shock at all. He had his really good moments as a Seahawk but his time seemed to be up here.

Besides the coaches that have moved on from the Seahawks we now won’t see Richard, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, along with the unlikelihood of Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson. There will be some others moving on as well. We just hope that Earl Thomas will stick around for a bit longer though. With the way the league is now it is hard to see players retiring and them having a full career with the same team. Most likely a guy like Kam Chancellor will retire because of his injuries. Right hard to know whether he will be back or not.

Anyway best of luck Richard we will be rooting you on wherever you land. I am sure we hope it won’t be with the New England Patriots however you do land there we do understand. Go Hawks!