| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 SUNDAY, JULY 5, 2009 4:16 pm |
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• This is a big road trip, but it's not the biggest June 26 • Betancourt going on DL, Johjima coming off June 25 • Just like last year, Beltre's shoulder has gone bad again June 24 • Breaking news: Ichiro has a grass stain, thanks to Yuni June 24 • Ailing Beltre can't make the offense's late wakeup call June 23 |
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• Mariners score in 9th, beat Red Sox 3-2 July 5 • The curious case of Brandon Morrow July 5 • Applaud baseball fans for their All-Star vote July 5 • Mariners score in 9th, beat Red Sox 3-2 July 4 • Mariners win 7-6 on Johnson's two-run double in 11th inning July 4 • Diamondbacks rally for 11-7 win over Rockies July 4 • Guerrero homers, drives in 4 as Angels beat Orioles 11-4 July 4 • Sizemore homers as Indians beat A's July 4 • Marlins beat Bucs for 4th win in past 5 games July 4 • Mariners' minor leaguer McOwen hits in 40th straight game July 4 |
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This is a big road trip, but it's not the biggest Let me be the one-millionth person -- is there a prize for that? -- to write about the importance of the Mariners' nine-game road trip to play the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox. If you believe some, the season will either be saved or lost on this trip. If you believe others, a rough trip would mean nothing because there's still half a season to play. If you believe me, it's somewhere in between. Yes, this is a trip that will show how the Mariners measure up against the best team in the NL and two of the best in the AL. But, as Mariners closer David Aardsma said, it's not the number of wins and losses on this trip that will determine whether the Mariners are legitimate contenders for the postseason. It's how the Mariners compete. “It’s not even about winning," Aardsma said. " It’s about playing tough and being with them every step of the way. "In all honesty, it is just nine games. It’s the middle of the season and it’s still June. The big trip is going to be our second-to-last road trip when we’ve got all three teams in our division." He's right. Unless the Mariners fold big-time (I don't see it happening as long as the pitching stays healthy) or the Angels or Rangers make a huge run (don't see that happening, either), we'll be talking about a 10-game stretch on the road in September that'll make the current nine-game trip seem trivial. From Sept. 3-13, they play four games at Oakland, three at the Angels and three at Texas. I'd be surprised if the division isn't won or lost then. "That's going to be the biggie," Aarsma said. "But if we can play on this trip like we have been playing, we can play with anybody.” So enjoy this nine-game trip. Just don't get too wrapped up in it. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Betancourt going on DL, Johjima coming off Welcome to the land of the walking -- or hobbling -- wounded, where if you're not a Seattle Mariner with a strain, bruise, impingement or bone spur, you're probably not a Seattle Mariner. Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is the latest to be struck down, having pulled up with a strained right hamstring while running to first base in the eighth inning Wednesday night. Manager Don Wakamatsu said Betancourt won't have an MRI until this afternoon, but the Mariners have placed him on the 15-day disabled list. In the meantime, Ronny Cedeno will be the stop-gap shortstop. No other roster move is needed today because Jose Lopez is back from bereavement leave in Venezuela. Friday, however, catcher Kenji Johjima will come off the disabled list and start against the Dodgers. If you're keeping score on this homestand, this makes Betancourt, Adrian Beltre (shoulder), Ken Griffey Jr. (knee), Russell Branyan (forearm) and Chris Woodward (groin) who've missed games because of injuries. It got so bad that someone in the press box mentioned yesterday that with all these ailments around him, pitcher Erik Bedard may need another week to get his shoulder back in shape. Well guess what? Bedard needs another week. Wakamatsu said this morning that Bedard won't return to the rotation next week in New York as originally planned. The team hopes he'll throw on the side and a simulated game in New York with an eye toward starting him July 4 at Boston. Bedard, who had a general surgical cleanup of his shoulder last September, felt discomfort early this month and had an MRI, which didn't show any structural problem. Here are today's lineups: PADRES Everth Cabrera, shortstop David Eckstein, second base Scott Hairston, center field Adrian Gonzalez, DH Kevin Kouzmanoff, third base Chase Headley, left field Kyle Blanks, first base Edgar Gonzalez, right field Henry Blanco, catcher Left-hander Wade LeBlanc (0-0, 9.00), starting pitcher MARINERS Ichiro Suzuki, right field Russell Branyan, first base Adrian Beltre, third base Mike Sweeney, DH Jose Lopez, second base Franklin Gutierrez, center field Rob Johnson, catcher Ronny Cedeno, shortstop Wladimir Balentien, left field Left-hander Jarrod Washburn (3-5, 3.24), starting pitcher ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Just like last year, Beltre's shoulder has gone bad again Adrian Beltre is back in the Mariners' lineup tonight after manager Don Wakamatsu pulled him for a pinch hitter last night because of pain in his left shoulder. But Wakamatsu will keep an ultra close eye on Beltre, who is dealing with the same problem that caused him considerable pain last year. Beltre had surgery last September to have bone spurs shaved from the shoulder, and they're back again. Wakamatsu said doctors don't believe Beltre will do any damage structurally to the shoulder by playing in this condition, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. The Mariners are hoping Beltre can get through the next 24 games, then use the All-Star break to let the inflammation subside. However, it appears now that nothing short of another surgery will fix the shoulder this time. "It's just a matter of his pain tolerance," Wakamatsu said. "He's going to be playing in pain." The Mariners went so far as to consider batting Beltre second in tonight's game against the Padres, figuring the demands of that spot in the order might be less stressful on the shoulder. Wakamatsu scrapped that idea and Beltre is back at third behind Russell Branyan. Here are tonight's lineups: PADRES Tony Gwynn, center field David Eckstein, second base Scott Hairston, left field Adrian Gonzalez, first base Kevin Kouzmanoff, third base Chase Headley, DH Will Venable, right field Elizer Alfonzo, catcher Everth Cabrera, shortstop Right-hander Josh Geer, starting pitcher MARINERS Ichiro Suzuki, right field Russell Branyan, first base Adrian Beltre, third base Ken Griffey Jr., DH Franklin Gutierrez, center field Wladimir Balentien, left field Yuniesky Betancourt, shortstop Rob Johnson, catcher Ronny Cedeno, second base Right-hander Brandon Morrow, starting pitcher ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Breaking news: Ichiro has a grass stain, thanks to Yuni Tonight's game hadn't even started and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt took out another of his teammates. This time it was Ichiro Suzuki, who performed a four-point face-plant trying to avoid Betancourt as the Mariners sprinted from the dugout before the first inning. Ichiro had come out of the opening in the rail near the middle of the dugout and Betancourt from the opening at the end toward right field. They ran what would be a perfect crossing pattern in football, coming so close to making contact that Ichiro tried to pull up in order to avoid Betancourt. If they touched, it was lightly, but it was enough for Ichiro to lose his balance and take a head-first dive into the first-base coach's box. Betancourt, meanwhile, had jogged into the infield before looking back to see Ichiro on the turf. Nobody was hurt, although Ichiro had a grass stain above his right knee. If you're keeping score, that makes three teammates who've come in various stages of peril around Betancourt in this homestand. Friday, he had a hard collision with left fielder Endy Chavez, who suffered season-ending ligament damage. Tuesday night, he bumped into Wladimir Balentien as the two converged in a ball that had rolled to a stop in shallow left field. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Ailing Beltre can't make the offense's late wakeup call In the midst of a late-inning offensive surge that fell just short in the Mariners' 9-7 loss to the Padres, there was one interesting omission. Adrian Beltre missed his last two at-bats when his sore left shoulder barked again. Manager Don Wakamatsu noticed it during Beltre's sixth-inning at-bat, when he popped out to shortstop, and he was lifted for a pinch hitter -- .156-hitting Josh Wilson -- when Beltre's turn came up in the eighth. Wakamatsu said it's better to be cautious at this point, although caution already cost Beltre games Saturday and Sunday. He hurt the shoulder (it's not on his throwing arm) Friday while diving back into second base. Any time Beltre comes out of a game, you can bet he must be hurting. He played through considerable pain all last season because of injuries to the shoulder and his left thumb. He reluctantly yielded to surgery on both last September only becuase it would allow him to be healthy when this season began. Despite eight errors, his fielding has been a boon to the Mariners' pitching-and-defense needs. And his hitting has been coming around. Beltre's average fell to .254 after an 0-for-3 game tonight before Wakamatsu pulled him. But coming into this game he's batted .329 in June with two homers, six doubles, nine RBI and three steals. Beltre's absence in his last two at-bats didn't lose tonight's game. The Mariners lost this one by giving up five runs in the sixth inning and misfiring in the second when they loaded the bases with nobody out but scored only once. This is about the long haul, and the Mariners can't afford to play without Beltre. His defense is too important and the recent turnaround in his hitting has been a sorely needed element to whatever offense the M's can muster. Wakamatsu said Beltre's shoulder "is something we've got to protect a little bit." For the Mariners' sake, a "little bit" is only a day or two. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! With rehab stint over, Mariners option Rowland-Smith to Tacoma The Mariners' pitchers are on the field for PFP (pitchers fielding practice), and lets hope they don't wear down relievers Mark Lowe, Sean White and David Aardsma any more than they already are. Those guys already are nosing toward highs in innings pitched and the Mariners can't afford a bullpen meltdown as they progress toward the later stages of the season. But that's a topic for another time. The news of the moment concerns left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith, who made one start before landing on the disabled list with triceps tendinitis. He started five games for Class AAA Tacoma on a rehab stint, going 1-3 with a 6.92 ERA, and with him reaching the rehab max, the Mariners have optioned him to the Rainiers. Technically, the Mariners recalled him from his rehab assignment, activated him from the DL, then optioned him to Tacoma. The gist of it is that Rowland-Smith will remain with the Rainiers and work on the consistency he needs in the big leagues. He allowed 20 earned runs in his five rehab starts, although 12 came in one game. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Get out the ice packs, it's Father's Day with the Mariners The Mariners are a beat-up bunch today, and their different-looking lineup goes well beyond what you'd expect in a day game after a night game. Third baseman Adrian Beltre, first baseman Russell Branyan and DH Ken Griffey Jr. all are out because of ailments that manager Don Wakamatsu considers day-to-day. The plan is to give them today off, then use Monday's off day as an extra day of rest before the series against the Padres begins Tuesday. Beltre is out with a bad left shoulder, the result of an awkward dive into second base Friday night. He tried to play with it Saturday night but it stiffened up and he came out of the game after three at-bats. Chris Woodward, 4-for-7 in two game since he was called up, will start at third base today. Branyan has a tender right forearm after being hit by a pitch Saturday night, and Mike Carp is starting at first base. And Griffey's left knee remains tender, the result of five games in the field during the last road trip. Mike Sweeney is the DH today, although he would have been in the lineup anyway against Diamondbacks left-hander Doug Davis. And don't forget that second baseman Jose Lopez remains away from the team on bereavement leave because of his sister's serious illness in Venezuela. Ronny Cedeno will start at second today. Here are today's lineups: DIAMONDBACKS Felipe Lopez, second base Stephen Drew, DH Justin Upton, right field Mark Reynolds, third base Gerardo Parra, center field Miguel Montero, catcher Tony Clark, first base Eric Byrnes, left field Augie Ojeda, shortstop Left-hander Doug Davis, starting pitcher MARINERS Ichiro Suzuki, right field Chris Woodward, third base Mike Carp, first base Mike Sweeney, DH Franklin Gutierrez, center field Wladimir Balentien, left field Yuniesky Betancourt, shortstop Jamie Burke, catcher Ronny Cedeno, second base Right-hander Felix Hernandez, starting pitcher ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Chavez is out for season, and Mariners need someone to step up in left field The Mariners got the brutal confirmation today of what they suspected with outfielder Endy Chavez. He had an MRI this morning that showed his right knee suffered major ligament damage Friday night in the fifth-inning collision with shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. It's a huge blow to Chavez, who was having a nice season (.273, nine steals, five sacrifice bunts). He'll have surgery when the swelling goes down, which could take three weeks, and the recovery period could take the better part of a year. Chavez tore just about everything that could be torn in the knee. It's also a hard hit to a Mariners team that needed Chavez's defense in left field (and as Franklin Gutierrez's backup in center), along with the spark he gave to a fairly sparkless offense with his speed. How do the Mariners react? At this moment, Wladimir Balentien is on the lineup card in left field for tonight's game against the Diamondbacks and there's quite a huddle near the Mariners' dugout involving manager Don Wakamatsu, GM Jack Zduriencik, assistant GM Lee Pelekoudas and team medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan. Right now, the Mariners will see if Balentien can play left and bring something to the offense. The leash will be short, however, because Balentien has shown neither the offensive pop nor the feel for left field that the Mariners need. If he's not the guy in left, then Ronny Cedeno will get more playing time. And if Cedeno and his current .132 average can't hack it, don't be surprised to see the Mariners look elsewhere. And it could be somewhere other than Class AAA Tacoma because there's no sure-fire answer there. Jerry Owens, picked up early this season, entered Saturday batting .297 with 10 steals for the Rainiers. He has major league experience, having led all rookies in the big leagues with 32 steals for the White Sox in 2007, but that's about all he might help the Mariners with. Owens is essentially a one-tool player (his legs) and doesn't have the arm to make him a viable candidate in the outfield at Safeco Field. Michael Saunders was batting .296 with eight homers and 22 RBI in 162 at-bats with the Rainiers, but he's extremely young in his development and it would be a rush to bring him up now. And Prentice Redman was batting .305 with 11 homers and 29 RBI, nice numbers although he has fallen off recently. Also, the Mariners remember Redman's horrible spring training, when he seemed overwhelmed trying to make an impression in the Mariners' big-league camp. What about Mike Carp? He's a sweet-swinging 23-year-old whose patience at the plate as a left-handed hitter has impressed the Mariners. He also has played some left field this year at Class AAA Tacoma, but not enough for the Mariners to feel comfortable sending him out there as the answer. That doesnt' mean Carp won't keep working to make himself a better left fielder -- he was out there during early batting practice this afternoon. However, in the all-else-fails situation that may occur in left field, Carp may be out there sooner rather than later. Ken Griffey Jr., last night's hero with his game-tying homer in the eighth inning, was scratched from tonight's lineup because his left knee is sore after he played five games in the outfield last week during the road trip. Here are tonight's lineups: DIAMONDBACKS Felipe Lopez, second base Stephen Drew, shortstop Justin Upton, right field Mark Reynolds, first base Gerardo Parra, center field Miguel Montero, catcher Eric Byrnes, left field Chris Snyder, DH Ryan Roberts, third base Right-hander Billy Buckner, starting pitcher MARINERS Ichiro Suzuki, right field Russell Branyan, first base Adrian Beltre, third base Mike Sweeney, DH Franklin Gutierrez, center field Wladimir Balentien, left field Chris Woodward, second base Rob Johnson, catcher Yuniesky Betancourt, shortstop Left-hander Jason Vargas, starting pitcher ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Chavez injury looks serious A quick post here after coming upstairs from the clubhouse, where Ken Griffey Jr. made a fairly rare postgame appearance after his dramatic home run in the Mariners' 4-3 victory (Griffey typically shuns the spotlight after a big moment, but not this time). Of interest here is the condition of left fielder Endy Chavez, who injured his right leg in an ugly collision with shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. An MRI is scheduled for Saturday morning, but the Mariners seemed fairly certain it's a significant injury with ligament damage. It's a big blow to the Mariners, who will badly miss the speed and athleticism that Chavez gives them. Stay tuned for how the Mariners react roster-wise to this injury. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Bedard's shoulder is fine, plus notes and lineups Manager Don Wakamatsu says the MRI on pitcher Erik Bedard's sore left shoulder showed no damage. That's great news to a team that badly needs Bedard to pitch like, well, Bedard if the Mariners hope to make a run in the division. He's 5-2 with a 2.47 ERA and pretty much guarantees a good outing when he's healthy. Wakamatsu said one theory is that Bedard has been dealing with some bursitis in the shoulder, and he also said the MRI made it clear that this ailment isn't related to the September surgery when Bedard had a cyst removed, along with a general cleanup. Bedard will need a few days to recover from the MRI and return to the rotation during the Mariners' next road trip. In other news: - Ken Griffey Jr. gets the night off to allow his legs to recover after playing five games in the outfield during the last road trip. -Pitcher Shawn Kelley (oblique strain) will throw today, pitch a simulated game Tuesday, a bullpen Thursday and, if those go well, begin a minor league rehab assignment. -Brandon Morrow will continue his transition back to a starting pitcher in the big leagues, which puts him in line to start Wednesday's game against the Padres. Wakamatsu said he'll throw 85-90 pitches. -Ryan Rowland-Smith will continue to start at Class AAA Tacoma as he builds consistency with his pitches. "He's heading in the right direction," Wakamatsu said. -First baseman Russell Branyan returned to the team today after missing Thursday's game to attend his grandfather's funeral. Second baseman Jose Lopez remains away on bereavement leave because of his sister's serious illness. Tonight's lineups: Mariners Ichiro Suzuki, right field Russell Branyan, first base Adrian Beltre, third base Mike Sweeney, DH Franklin Gutierrez, center field Endy Chavez, left field Chris Woodward, second base Rob Johnson, catcher Yuniesky Betancourt, shortstop Left-hander Jarrod Washburn, starting pitcher Diamondbacks Felipe Lopez, DH Stephen Drew, shortstop Justin Upton, right field Mark Reynolds, third base Gerardo Parra, center field Tony Clark, first base Eric Byrnes, left field Miguel Montero, catcher Ryan Roberts, second base Right-hander Jon Garland, starting pitcher ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! M's claim Padres infielder; catcher Johnson returns While we wait for results of the MRI on Erik Bedard's ailing left shoulder, the Mariners already have made some news this afternoon. They claimed light-hitting infielder Josh Wilson from the Padres, and he's expected to join the team tomorrow. Catcher Rob Johnson, on bereavement leave after the death of his mother-in-law last week, has returned and will be in uniform for tonight's game against the Diamondbacks. And the Mariners designated catcher Guillermo Quiroz for assignment, meaning they have 10 days to trade, release or outright his contract to the minor leagues. The Mariners will have to make another roster move tomorrow if Wilson joins them. Wilson started the season with the Diamondbacks organization before they designated him for assignment May 13. The Padres claimed him off waivers two days later. In 27 big-league games this season with the two teams, he batted .156. He's a career .219 hitter in 356 at-bats since 2005 with the Marlins, Nationals, Rays, Diamondbacks and Padres. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Draft, Day 3: Mariners hope for a gem in the late rounds The third and final day of baseball's amateur draft is complete, and the Mariners grabbed 20 more players in rounds 31-50. This is the part of the draft where a familiar name often pops up, as do players whose draft clout was hammered by injury. The Mariners added a name known fairly well around these parts, taking lanky right-handed pitcher David Holman in the 47th round. He's a tall drink of water at 6-4 and 170 pounds, and also a kid with pedigree, being the son of former Mariner Brian Holman. One that intrigues me? Try the Mariners' 38th-round pick. They took University of Minnesota outfielder Matt Nohelty, a two-time All-Big 10 outfielder who was the Twins' 18th-round pick last year. He's a speedster, with 26 steals this year for the Gophers but spent the entire season at DH because of an arm injury. The Mariners have leaned strongly toward athleticism in this draft, and they apparently like Nohelty's legs enough to see how his arm comes around this summer. There's also the 50th-round pick -- Evan Sharpley, a left-handed-hitting third baseman who’s better known for what he did on the football field at Notre Dame. He was Jimmy Clausen’s backup last fall and, in 2007-08, became the first athlete in Notre Dame history to throw multiple touchdown passes and hit multiple home runs in the same academic year. Here are the Mariners' 20 picks today from rounds 31-50 (overall draft number in parentheses): (923) Clint Dempster, left-handed pitcher from Mississippi Gulf Coast College, 6-1, 185. Struck out 113 in 69 2/3 innings, going 6-3, 2.84. (953) Bennett Whitmore, left-handed pitcher from the University of Oregon, 6-3, 230. Drafted last year by the Red Sox in the 44th round after going 11-2, 1.35 with Fresno CC. Went 1-6, 6.17 this year for Oregon. (983) Hawkins Gebbers, second baseman from Biola University, 6-2, 200. Gebbers, from Brewster, batted .344 with 15 homers and 53 RBI, and struck out only 10 times in 212 at-bats. (1013) Scott Griggs, right-handed pitcher, San Ramon Valley High School in San Diego, 6-3, 185. Committed to play at UCLA, scouts believe Griggs could develop with work on his delivery. (1043) Eric Valdez, right-handed pitcher from Indiana State University, 6-1, 195. (1073) John Housey, right-handed pitcher from the University of Miami, 6-3, 180. He had a 9.33 ERA in 10 games, nine in relief, for the Hurricanes. The Reds drafted him in the 42nd round in 2006. His father, Joe, is a scout for the Cubs. (1103) Chris Kessinger, right-handed pitcher from Nebraska-Omaha, 6-0, 195. He went 9-4, 3.02 in 14 starts and struck out 82 in 86 1/3 innings. (1133) Matt Nohelty, left-handed-hitting center fielder from the University of Minnesota, 6-1, 185. Speedster batted .331 and stole 26 bases in 31 attempts for the Gophers, but was the DH all season because of an arm injury. He’s a two-time All-Big 10 outfielder who returned to Minnesota for his senior year after being drafted in the 18th round by the Twins last year. (1163) Greg Waddell, left-handed-hitting outfielder from Florida International University, 6-1, 210. Limited to 66 at-bats because of injury, he batted .414 with four homers and 20 RBI. He tied the school record this year by hitting safely in eight straight at-bats. (1193) Jorden Merry, right-handed pitcher from the University of Washington, 6-1, 190. The Pasco native struck out 41 in 38 innings and went 1-2, 5.98 in 10 games, eight of them starts. (1223) Kyle Witten, right-handed pitcher from Cal State Fullerton, 6-4, 195. He went 4-3, 6.14 in 16 games, including 10 starts. The Twins drafted him in the 26th round last year. (1253) Stephen Hagen, third baseman from Eastern Oklahoma State College, 6-2, 225. The redshirt freshman from Peninsula High School batted .315 with 29 home runs and 89 RBI. (1283) Cameron Perkins, outfielder from Southport (Ind.) High School. 6-5, 195. He batted .531 and was named Indiana’s Gatorade player of the year. He set a state record last year with a .723 batting average. (1313) Mark Angelo, left-handed-hitting outfielder from East Stroudsburg University, 6-2, 195. Angelo, the second player in Stroudsburg history to be drafted, batted .421 with 12 homers, 21 doubles and 58 RBI. (1343) Kevin Mailoux, second baseman from Canisius College, 5-11, 195. Mailoux batted .381 with 16 home runs and 56 RBI, and was held hitless in consecutive games only once in his two years at Canisius. (1373) Clay Cederquist, left-handed-hitting first baseman from Fowler (Calif.) High School. He has committed to Fresno State. (1403) David Holman, right-handed pitcher from Hutchinson (Kan.) CC, 6-4, 170. The son of former Mariners pitcher Brian Holman went 0-3, 6.75 at Hutchinson. (1433) Sean Nolin, left-handed pitcher from San Jacinto College North, 6-4, 240. He was 4-1, 2.91 and struck out 61 in 43 1/3 innings. He’s the teammate of left-handed pitcher David Rollins, who the Mariners drafted Wednesday in the 23rd round. (1463) Dane Phillips, left-handed-hitting catcher from Central Heights (Texas) High School, 6-1, 195. (1493) Evan Sharpley, left-handed-hitting third baseman from Notre Dame University, 6-2, 210. Known more for his time as a quarterback with the Fighting Irish, Sharpley is the only athlete in school history to throw multiple touchdown passes and hit multiple home runs in the same academic year in 2007-08. He batted .223 with five home runs and 15 RBI this spring. He was Jimmy Clausen’s backup at quarterback last fall, and played in eight Notre Dame football games in 2007, throwing five touchdown passes. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Sadly, Ibanez must defend his success In this age of so-called social networking and community journalism, it's easier than ever for a person to begin their own blog, twitter their own tweet or air their own video. I'm all for the public's right to know and the public's right to an opinion, and the online world we live in offers a forum for everything. There are some great sites that provide avenues for thoughtful discussion, but there are places where rude, crude, thoughtless behavior is allowed and encouraged. What's frightening is that baseless theories and thoughtless ideas can spread quickly among people either gullible enough to believe this stuff or naive enough to give it attention. A rumor at the neighborhood bar this morning can spread to the next coast by noon. Early this month, Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa sued the Twitter folks when someone started a TonyLaRussa account and put out messages making it look as if he were writing them. This week, one of the most model citizens I've ever met in baseball, former Mariner Raul Ibanez, found himself defending accusations that began on a blog. Ibanez is having a great season with the Philadelphia Phillies, leading the National League in RBI, and those of us who've seen first-hand his work ethic over the years aren't surprised he's playing this well at age 37. But on that Midwest-based blog, the notion was raised that Ibanez could never do this naturally at his age, that he's benefitting from more than his natural swing and a ballpark conducive to strong offenisve numbers. A Philly newspaper columnist responded to the blog, and the story gained such legs that Ibanez responded tersely. Here's what he said today in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I love the internet. I love the ability it gives us to provide information as it happens. I enjoy the opportunity, through this blog, to toss out an opinion or two of my own. But I'm also bound to the same standards for the material here as I am for what I write in the daily newspaper. If I'm going to write that someone has been on the juice, there'd better be a positive test to prove it. No assumptions allowed. Everybody has the ability to broadcast whatever they want and watch their message spread. It's the world we live in now. In this case, it's so wrong. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Draft, Day 2: Mariners load up on college players The second day of baseball's amateur draft has just finished, and 24 of the Mariners' 27 picks are college players. The Mariners' first 10 picks today, in fact, were collegians. The Mariners also leaned toward the left, with seven left-handed pitchers, six left-handed hitters and two switch-hitters. Other breakdowns look like this: eight right-handed pitchers, three catchers, two first basemen, one middle infielder, three third basemen and four outfielders. Here are today's picks in Rounds 4-30 (Rounds 31-50 will be held Thursday on the final day of the draft): 113, James Jones, left-handed-hitting left fielder from Long Island University, 6-4, 193 pounds. Here's a story on Jones from LIU. 143, Tyler Blandford, right-handed pitcher from Oklahoma State University, 6-2, 220. Here's a story from OSU's site. 173, Shaver Hansen, switch-hitting third baseman from Baylor University, 6-0, 190. Here's bio material on Hansen from Baylor. 203, Brian Moran, left-handed pitcher from North Carolina, 6-, 185. Here's what the Carolina site says about Moran and other Heels taken today. 233, James Gillheeney, left-handed pitcher from North Carolina State University, 6-1 (no weight listed). NC State's site has this story on the lefty. 263, Trevor Coleman, switch-hitting catcher from the University of Missouri, 6-1, 210. 293, Vincent Catricala, right-handed-hitting third baseman from the University of Hawaii, 6-2, 220. 323, Timothy Morris, left-handed-hitting first baseman from St. John’s University, 6-3, 225. 353, Andrew Carraway, right-handed pitcher from the University of Virginia, 6-2, 200. 383, Matthew Cerione, left-handed-hitting center fielder from the University of Georgia, 6-2, 192. 413, Adam Nelubowich, left-handed-hitting third baseman from Vauxhall High School, 6-2, 185. 443, Blake Keitzman, left-handed pitcher from Western Oregon State College, 5-11, 185. 473, Tillman Pugh, right-handed-hitting center fielder from Gateway (Calif.) CC, 5-11, 190. 503, Joseph Terry, left-handed-hitting second baseman from Cerritos (Calif.) College, 6-0, 200. 533, Anthony Vazquez, left-handed pitcher from Southern California, 6-0, 190. 563, Eric Thomas, right-handed pitcher from Bethune Cookman College, 5-11, 180. 593, John Hesketh, left-handed pitcher from the University of Mexico, 5-11, 195. 623, Daniel Cooper, right-handed pitcher from Southern California, 6-3, 205. 653, Andrew Hayes, right-handed pitcher from Vanderbilt University, 6-1, 205. 683, David Rollins, left-handed pitcher from San Jacinto (Calif.) College North, 6-1, 185. 713, Carlton Tanabe, catcher from Pearl City (Hawaii) High School, 6-0, 190. 743, Brandon Josselyn, right-handed pitcher from Yale University, 6-5, 200. 773, Chris Sorce, right-handed pitcher from Troy University, 6-1, 195. 803, Austin Hudson, right-handed pitcher from University of Central Florida, 6-4, 185 833, Regan Flaherty, left-handed-hitting first baseman from Deerling (Maine) High School, 6-2, 185. 863, Brandon Haveman, left-handed-hitting center fielder from Purdue University, 5-9, 165. 893, Brandon Bantz, catcher from Dallas Baptist University, 6-1, 210. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Stark clears waivers, remains in Mariners' system Sunday was a rough one for Denny Stark, who the Mariners designated for assignment through no fault of his own. Stark had pitched well in relief this season -- one bad outing, when he essentially was left in a game to save the rest of the bullpen, inflated his ERA to 6.55. Remove the six runs he allowed in that inning against the Rangers on May 5, and the ERA would be 1.80. But the Mariners were in crisis mode with their catching over the weekend (Rob Johnson banged up; Guillermo Quiros ineffective) and needed to call up Jamie Burke. So the team designated Stark, meaning they had 10 days to trade, release or outright his contract to the minor leagues provided he cleared waivers. He did, and today the Mariners announced that Stark has been outrighted to Class AAA Tacoma. It's good to see Stark not only remain with the organization where he started (with the AquaSox in 1996) but also with the team that gave him a second chance. Stark's career seemed over in 2007 after two Tommy John elbow operations. Former scouting director Greg Hunter tried out Stark in Arizona in the spring of 2008 and signed him, again with no guarantee how his arm would respond. He went 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 outings late last season at Tacoma, and spent a month with the Mariners this year when they needed bullpen help. And he truly was a help. It may be difficult for Stark to make it back to the big-league club because he's not on the 40-man roster anymore, but don't bet against it. He already has come back from much, much worse. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
It's a Tar Heel kind of day. Mariners take NC slugger Ackley 7:10 p.m. The Mariners have finished their first day of the draft by taking a teammate of Ackley, North Carolina infielder Kyle Seager in the third round (82nd overall pick). He was rated the 97th overall talent by Baseball America. He played second and third base. More to come tomorrow, when the draft resumes at 9 a.m. with rounds 4-30. 6:30 p.m. The Mariners got power-hitting first baseman Rich Poythress with the 51st overall pick (second in the third round). The right-handed hitter from the University of Georgia fell in the eyes of some scouts who weren't impressed with his bat speed. Numbers-wise, he was pretty good -- 25 home runs and 86 RBI for the Bulldogs. 6 p.m. The Mariners have taken Steven Baron, a catcher from Ferguson High School in the Miami area. He's a 6-2, 210-pounder who bats right-handed and is considered to be the most highly skilled high school defensive catcher in this year's draft. 5:45 p.m. And now, a few words from the guy the Mariners would love to see pumping balls into the right-field seats at Safeco Field soon. We bring you Dustin Ackley via conference call from Chapel Hill, N.C.: What's your reaction to being taken by the Mariners? "It’s just exciting to be the Mariners’ first overall pick. I’m excited about Omaha, and after that being ready to play for the Mariners." What would it mean to play center field in the some organization where Griffey and Ichiro have starred? "It's crazy to think I’m following in their footsteps. It's exciting to think that I can fill that role" Is center field your best position? "I’ve played all of them. If I had to play one of them, I’d play center field. But wherever they want to play me, that’s where I’ll play." How is the elboe (after Tommy John surgery last summer)? "My arm now is the best it’s ever been and I feel like I could play every day out there if I needed to." How far can you go in this game? "Hopefully I can play at the highest level. Pro ball definitely will be new to me. Hopefully I can make it at the highest level. But if not, I’ll give it my best." What's the reason for the dramatic increase in your power numbers this year? "Last year we played in an enormous ballpark and that had an effect on my home runs. We’re in a new stadium this year and it’s a smaller stadium. I’m not a guy who’s going to put up enormous power numbers. I’ll hit balls that will get out on shorter fields. Squaring balls up and elevating helps me too." Scott Boras is your agent. How do you see the negotiating process and how long might it take to sign? "I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that. The main thing I’ve though about is focusing on the College World Series and I’m putting that on the back burner right now. I’m just focused on winning a national championship." 5:10 p.m. We're within minutes of not only learning the Mariners' selection with the 27th pick, but also speaking with Dustin Ackley via conference call. First, the Mariners' pick: High school shortstop Nick Franklin of Lake Brantley High in Florida. He's 6-1, 170 pounds and a switch-hitter. He has committed to Auburn. We'll feed you some Ackley quotes when we're finished speaking with him. 4:50 p.m. Ackley just spoke with Harold Reynolds on the MLB Network and let me tell you, the conversation was riveting. Harold: Were you surprised to go with the second pick? Ackley: I was really surprised. I'm very fortunate they picked me and took a chance on me. Harold: How about the distractions as you've gone through the (NCAA) regionals: Ackley: I don't feel like the draft has been a distriction. I'm looking forward to playing out there (in Omaha). Harold: You know, the pressure is one. You've got to bring it (the NCAA title) back. Ackley: Yeah. 3:19 p.m. It's official. The Mariners take Dustin Ackley. Here's what M's general manager Jack Zduriencik just said about Ackley: "We think this kid was the best hitter in the draft. This was the guy we thought could be there in a short period of time and help this organization as we move forward. He’s an athleteic kid. He can run. He’got a great swing. He’s not going to be that far away (from the major leagues), but you don’t want to put labels and time frames on kids." We're having problems with the main Heraldnet site, so here's a story on Ackley that was to be posted the moment the pick was made: The Seattle Mariners have taken power-hitting first baseman/outfielder Dustin Ackley of North Carolina with the second overall pick in today’s amateur draft. Ackley is considered the best hitter and second-best player overall in the draft behind pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who the Washington Nationals selected with the first pick. Ackley, a left-hander, has a .412 average with 22 home runs and 70 runs batted in this season for the Tar Heels. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound junior had a .776 slugging percentage and a .513 on-base percentage in 250 at-bats this season. He has 12 steals. He hit a three-run homer Sunday when the Tar Heels beat East Carolina 9-3 to win their NCAA super regional. They will begin play Saturday in the College World Series against Arizona State at Omaha, Neb. While most of Ackley’s playing time has come at first base, scouts like his athleticism and he may play a considerable amount in the outfield as a pro. The Mariners have the 27th overall pick in the draft and also will chose 33rd (supplemental pick between the first and second rounds) and 51st (second overall pick in the second round). This is the third time in franchise history that the Mariners have made two picks in the first round. In 1983 they took pitcher Darrell Akerfelds with the seventh overall pick and catcher Terry Bell 17th, and in 1989 they took pitcher Roger Salkeld third overall and pitcher Scott Burrell 26th. Burrell chose basketball instead and went on to win an NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1998. 3:15 p.m Everything is falling into place for the Mariners. The Nationals have just taken Strasburg. The Mariners are, as commissioner Bud Selig says, "now on the clock." Is the hair starting to stand up on the back of your neck? It's 2:50 p.m., and we're about 30 minutes from learning who the Mariners will take with the second overall pick in baseball's amateur draft. Who will it be? As you'd expect, the Mariners are as mum as mummies. However, I'm looking for subliminal messages. One of the scouts passed through the media workroom a few minutes ago wearing a baby-blue tie (North Carolina colors), which can only mean the Mariners will take Tar Heel hitting star Dustin Ackley. Other executives walking through the room were wearing light blue shirts under their blazers (hmmmmmm). What's next, the Tar Heel fight song playing as someone's ringtone? Of course, it doens't take a subliminal message to deduce that. Unless the Washington Nationals shock the world and pass on super pitcher Stephen Strasburg, Ackley will be there for the Mariners to take. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Need for a catcher costs pitcher Denny Stark his job The cold reality of this game stood in the Mariners' clubhouse this morning packing his bags for a flight home to Denver, then an uncertain future. The Mariners designated pitcher Denny Stark -- the best feel-good story on the team after he'd made it back from two major elbow surgeries -- for assignment after selecting Jamie Burke from the Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers. The Mariners are in dire straits with their catching because Rob Johnson remains so banged up he won't be available until Tuesday (if then) and backup Guillermo Quiroz frightened everyone with a critical passed ball in the ninth inning of Saturday's 2-1 victory. Through no fault of his own, Stark is gone. That's the way this business works. The Mariners couldn't afford another day of catching peril and Stark was expendable simply because he was a long reliever who wasn't being used much (11 innings in nine games). Stark's 6.55 ERA was the product of a horrendous outing against the Rangers on May 5, when he gave up six earned runs in one inning. Take away that outing, and he'd have a 1.80 ERA. In otther notes of interest: --Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt remains benched (Ronny Cedeno will start a third straight game). The Mariners want to see a greater commitment to off-field work from Betancourt and it's obvious they're not getting it. --Pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith, who Wakamatsu told us Saturday wouldn't make the planned start Thursday at Baltimore, is back with the Tacoma Rainiers for an indefinite period. He had a horrible outing Friday at Tacoma and, while Rowland-Smith pleaded with the Mariners that he was ready to come back, they weren't convinced. His velocity and command told a different story and Wakamatsu said this morning that there's no timetable for bringing him back. No announcement yet on who'll start Thursday, although the team is leaning toward Garrett Olson. --Closer David Aardsma isn't available today as Wakamatsu wants to make sure he doesn't wear out his right-hander. Aardsma has struggled through his past two outings and, going into Sunday, was tied with Tampa Bay's Jay Howell for the league lead with 28 appearances. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Talented Balentien, Betancourt also can be killer Bs No surprise that Wladimir Balentien isn't in the lineup today, regardless of his 10th-inning adventure in left field Friday night. Against a right-handed pitcher, Endy Chavez is playing left. As the Mariners might be saying, Thank-you God, for making Chavez a left-handed hitter (and a heck of a defensive player). It is a little surprising that Yuniesky Betancourt is on the bench and Ronny Cedeno is starting at shortstop a second straight day. The reason manager Don Wakamatsu gave Friday was that he wants to use Cedeno at a variety of positions as his infield/outfield utility player. Today's lineup? This one has everything to do with Betancourt and his growing reputation for not exactly working his tail off -- especially on days he doesn't play and has an opportunity to show those who count (Wakamatsu and the coaches) that he's committed to excellence on and off the field. Betancourt continues to have the potential to be a special player, particularly as he becomes a more disciplined player offensively. Discipline, however, must be all-inclusive in this game -- offensive, defensive and, particularly, off-field work habits. One thing Wakamatsu has shown this year is an intolerance for sloppiness that can be avoided with better preparation. What about Balentien? He literally clanked away the game Friday night with his two misplays on catchable balls, the second for an error that allowed the Twins' go-ahead run to score. When something like that happens, you come to the ballpark the next day hearing all sorts of things about a player -- from he's being shipped off to Class AAA Tacoma to he'll be right back in the lineup. Balentien is still here, having spent time during batting practice off the field with hitting coach Alan Cockrell. Manager Don Wakamatsu says the Mariners need to learn if Balentien can truly play left field in this ballpark, which tells me he'll probably run the kid back out there. A couple of things come to mind with Balentien: One, he impressed me at spring training -- and early this season -- with his athleticism in left field. In Peoria, where playing any outfiefield position is a challenge because of the high sky, he broke well on balls, chased down flies in the gaps and bloops down the line. Two, left field at Safeco is a tough, tough place to play. It has made some good outfielders (Randy Winn comes to mind) look feeble and some average-at-best defensive players (Raul Ibanez, for instance) look overmatched. We won't talk about Al Martin. Ibanez, by the way, seems to be flourishing in left at Philadelphia and, according to a scout who's seen him a lot this year, the reason is the smaller amount of ground to cover in Philly. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! |
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