| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008 12:32 pm |
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• Mariners aren't only ones feeding the playoff teams October 10 • Underachievers, overachievers and Griffey October 7 • Frick Award voting continues without Rizzs October 6 • What to do with a stubborn first ... uh .. second baseman September 30 • Riggleman on discipline and the Mariners' future September 28 |
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• Rays even series, beat Bosox 9-8 in 11 October 11 • Dodger pitchers need to send a message October 11 • Phillies are winless in L.A. this season October 11 • No call yet for postseason replay October 11 • Dice-K helps Bosox blank Rays in ALCS opener October 10 • Phillies beat Dodgers, take 2-0 lead in NLCS October 10 • Manuel's mother dies before Game 2 of NLCS October 10 • Phillies beat Dodgers 3-2 in Game 1 of NLCS October 9 • Padres downplay sale report October 9 • TBS's baseball studio show needs a touch of Charles October 9 |
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Mariners aren't only ones feeding the playoff teams It's easy for Seattle baseball fans to watch the postseason and groan over all the ex-Mariners who've made an impact on playoff teams this year. Former GM Pat Gillick put together a Phillies team that has the Dodgers in a tough spot in the NLCS. Playing key roles for the Phillies are Jamie Moyer and Greg Dobbs. Every time Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek shows why he's that team's captain, or Derek Lowe pitches well for the Dodgers, it rekindles the incredible tale of the day former M's GM Woody Woodward traded those two to Boston in 1997. Woodward, on the phone completing a deal that would bring reliever Heathcliff Slocumb to the M's, was told by the Sox, "We want Varitek or Lowe." Woodward thought he heard "We want Varitek AND Lowe," and he said OK. We know where Varitek and Lowe are right now; no idea on Slocumb. We saw Ken Griffey Jr. return to the postseason with the White Sox (along with former M's pitcher Matt Thornton) and Mike Cameron back in the playoffs with the Brewers. In all, 10 former Mariners reached the postseason this year. That may seem like 10 too many for M's fans who cringe every time one of their guys does something well with another team. But it's nothing compared with other teams. Besides being the defending World Series champions, the Red Sox are kings of sending good talent elsewhere, with 21 former players in the postseason this year. A scan of the rosters of the eight playoff teams shows the M's are in the lower end of the pack. Here are the numbers: Team Ex-players in postseason with other teams Red Sox 21 Indians 18 Dodgers 17 Braves 16 Blue Jays 15 Padres 15 Pirates 14 A;s 13 Rangers 13 Royals 13 Marlins 13 Cardinals 13 Yankees 12 Mets 12 Nationals/Expos 11 Cubs 11 Mariners 10 White Sox 10 Twins 10 Astros 10 Rockies 10 Reds 9 Giants 9 Tigers 8 Rays 8 Orioles 7 Phillies 7 Brewers 7 Diamondbacks 7 Angels 6 What to make of this? Hard to say. You could look at the Red Sox, Indians and others at the top of the list and conclude that it shows their strength in scouting and player development. Then again, that argument isn't so strong with the Angels, Phillies and Brewers at the bottom of the list. It probablly illustrates the mobile nature of baseball these days more than anything. And the fact that M's fans aren't alone when they gripe about all their ex-players in the playoffs. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Underachievers, overachievers and Griffey Some quick impressions now that the first round of the playoffs has ended: Playing tight The Cubs played like they were staring straight into the teeth of The Curse, the billygoat itself, or Steve Bartman. Could it be, as a good friend suggested, the Cubs were tight because of Lou Piniella? They played like they were afraid of something, and I've seen Lou have that effect. Playing loose The Devil Rays certainly didn't seem bothered by their first dip into the postseason. Not sure they can get through the ALCS, with the pitching the Red Sox are throwing at people now, but it should be a great series. The Dodgers couldn't help but be loose with Manny Ramirez being Manny. With him, Joe Torre and a bunch of young talent, it wouldn't shock me at all to see the Dodgers reach the World Series. Angels overrated? That's the first thing that comes to mind after the Red Sox beat them in four games, but I'm not sure I agree with it. The Angels have a heck of a team in all aspects; their 100 victories were no fluke. But they ran into a Red Sox team that out-pitched them in a tight, tight series. Take away Jon Lester, and the Angels win that series. Playing like his best days are done Ken Griffey Jr. went 2-for-10 and struck out five times in the White Sox' loss to the Rays. More relevant to Mariners fans who yearn to see Junior hitting home runs at Safeco Field, his bat looked slow. That's what scouts said about Junior throughout the season, and that's how he looked in the ALDS. Still, would you settle for that just to have Griffey back with the M's? Take the following poll and we'll see how the fans feel. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Frick Award voting continues without Rizzs Any chance of a one-two punch by the Mariners' broadcasters in the Ford C. Frick Award voting disappeared today when the 10 finalists for the 2009 ballot were announced and Rick Rizzs wasn't on it. Rizzs, the Mariners' longtime partner with Dave Niehaus, was on the ballot in early online fan voting. Niehaus won the 2008 Frick Award and was honored at the Hall of Fame in July. The 2009 finalists chosen in the fan vote are Joe Nuxhall of the Reds, Jacques Doucet of the Expos on their French Network; and Tom Cheek of the Expos and Blule Jays. The other seven on the final ballot, chosen by a Hall of Fame research committee, are Billy Berroa of the Mets on their Spanish broadcasts; Ken Coleman of the Indians, Reds and Red Sox; Dizzy Dean of the Cardinals and the national Game of the Week; Lanny Frattare of the Pirates, Tony Kubek of the Blue Jays, Yankees and the national Game of the Week; Graham McNamee of Westinghouse and NBC; and Dave Van Horne of the Expos and Marlins. The 2009 Frick Award winner will be announced Dec. 9 at the baseball winter meetings. A 20-member committee, including Niehaus, will vote on the award. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
What to do with a stubborn first ... uh .. second baseman Two days after the Mariners' 2008 season mercifully ended, there might be a problem with the 2009 picture. Jose Lopez doesn't want to play first base. Nobody knows if he'll be asked to play first, but he looked decent there for a dozen games in September while the Mariners played prospect Luis Valbuena at second. Valbuena showed nice range in the field and a glimpse of a line-drive stroke with the bat. So what happens if the Mariners' new general manager decides that 2009 truly is a rebuilding season and is willing to live with growing pains that will make the club better in the longrun? What happens if the M's decide to give Valbuena a season-long look at second and ask Lopez to stay at first? All we know now is how Lopez would feel about it. "No way," he said Sunday. The Mariners need offensive production out of their first baseman and, if they're not willing to go after it via trade or free agent signing this offseason, Lopez could be their best option. But, if they'll have to drag him to first base kicking and screaming, why bother? Lopez is young, he's cheap ($1.9 million in 2009) and seems to have rounded an important corner in remaining consistent from the beginning of the season to the end. The Mariners would love to keep that, but if it means his reluctance to play another position will stunt the progress of a kid like Valbuena, then maybe the club should look at what Lopez could bring via trade. It's one reason the next few months will be so interesting. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Riggleman on discipline and the Mariners' future Manager Jim Riggleman spent more than 30 minutes with reporters this morning answering questions that essentially became his end-of-the-season address. Riggleman didn't name names in describing the state of the team, but it's clear he demands that everyone give the manager, the coaches and the game a full effort and complete respect. And he made it clear that wasn't always the case with this team. This is long, but here is a half-hour with the man who managed the Mariners since June 20 and would love to return to the job next year: What are your reflections of the season? “You know what, and I have said it before, this atmosphere here for somebody to work in is as good as it gets. The fans, the media, the atmosphere to work in, is outstanding. The year that we’ve had, whether it’s a game decision I have made, or whether it’s a play a player has made or not made, fans seem to take the attitude that they know a good effort was given and they do not voice their displeasure. They seem to have a respect for what’s happening and that doesn’t go unnoticed by me and I really appreciate that.” Any regrets? “Well, not in general terms, I don’t. Specifically, there are always, any time you manage, there are going to be games you go home at night thinking you left a pitcher in one hitter too long, or should have played my shortstop a little over here. But as I have said before, some of the things you analyze afterwards, those happen in wins as much as they do losses. You can make a lot of bad decisions and still win the game and make good decisions and lose the game. Ultimately, the players decide the games. Billy Martin told me many years ago, and I took it to heart, the best managers in the game lose the fewest amount of games for their team. The manager doesn’t win games. Somewhere along the line, you are going to make decisions that cost your team the game, but you just hope you minimize that. Somebody has to make the decisions, somebody has to be in that role, so whoever makes decisions that cost their team the fewest number of losses are the best managers. Guys that lose three or four games are at the top of the list and guys that lose 10 or 12 are probably not the elite managers.” What pleased you the most abut the job you have done? “I know I have ruffled some feathers in there, but I feel like that’s something that needed to be done in some instances and the ballclub will be better for it. If I’m here, they are going to know there are certain standards that I appreciate and respect that have to be adhered to. If I am not here, then the next person I think would benefit from those standards being set. Now, if the next person would come in and say ‘I don’t believe in that’, it goes the other way. But I think in general all managers have the same standards _ be on time, play hard, respect the game, respect the fans and be professional. It is human nature that there will be times when someone deviates from that and it’s the manager’s job to address it. If he doesn’t address it, you can make friends and you will probably have a lot of people saying, ‘I really like playing for Jim, what a great guy.’ But sooner or later it’s going to come back and bite you. It is going to be short-lived because that lack of discipline, closing one eye to things and not addressing them, those things will multiply and be an atmosphere of just a lack of discipline and who is running the ship here. It will get you one way or another. You might buy some time by being their buddy. I don’t think anybody likes players more than I do. I love ‘em, but now and then you have to address something and now and then, and players have reacted in a manner that they felt I hurt their feelings. To me, any little issue that happens, it’s over when it’s over. You move on. Let’s go back to work. I wasn’t here to make friends, but it’s part of the process you go through. When you are losing games and go through this process, I think we are going to be better for it in the future.” Does this team need a similar philosophy next year? “Young players are outstanding. It’s like managing in the minor leagues. They will run through a wall for you. They will get on board with any standards you ask. The issues will come from players that have been around for a while and maybe things have been done differently somewhere else they played. So it’s that 7-10 year player that kind of feels like they have a little status and they can be a part of what the standards are, and they are. But again, it’s human nature, sometimes that veteran player will creep into bad habits and you need to bring it to their attention and they may not want to hear it. But they have to hear it. The young players will see them be on board with things. It’s basically just very simple. Every now and then there is za flat-out right-wrong issue. Close you eyes to all the wrong things, it will come back to haunt you later because you didn’t address them. Once you address it, they say you’re right and they won’t do it again.” Was this a dysfunctional team that you took over? “I never felt that when I took over. I didn’t think that when John (McLaren) had the club that it was dysfunctional. It was so predictable. We were losing and the way we were going, people were going to point fingers and abandon ship. I have never seen it not happen. Because there are people who have been around awhile, they say things and probably don’t mean it malicioiusly, but they say some things and the accumulative effect of those things being said seeps into the psyche of the ballclub and it becomes a problem. It is very predictable and it comes with losing. Let’s win so we don’t have any of that. Ultimately, you have to win.” What things did you have to point out to guys? “Just little things. Nitpicky stuff. Not being in the training room and clubhouse when you are supposed to be in the dugout during a game. Stuff that happened when I was with the Dodgers. Guys not in the game would be wandering. You’d look down the bench and the coaches were the only ones there. You hoped there wasn’t a fight on the field because coaches would get whipped out there. It’s a simple thing. We’re in this together, let’s be there together. You address those things and when someone backslides you deal with it again. There’s the body language when a coach addresses a player about something. Little things. When I got my first chance to manage, Bob Skinner told me, ‘You have to put out small fires before they become big fires.’ In doing that, you will ruffle some feathers, but I feel like I have put out some small fires before they became big fires. When you are doing that, you still think a world of the player. I really empathize with their struggles. I know how hard it is for them, but I can’t ignore it when they do something to show disrespect for the game and I have to address it. Sometimes players don’t receive the message the way they should and they point figures. These issues are there win or lose. Why I respect what (Phillies manager) Charlie Manuel and (Devil Rays manager) Joe Maddon did. They set players down. They were winning. You have to address it win or lose. The bottom line is all these things are not why you win or lose, they are things that have to be addressed win or lose. The bigger issue is you have to pitch better and hit better. I can control whether they can be in the dugout. I have to take care of the little things and the players take care of the big things.” Should there be a lot of looking into the mirror on this team? “I think that is a good thing to do. The goal is to win a championship. If you don’t win a championship, you should look in the mirror and ask yourself what you could have done differently. You don’t deflect blame or point fingers.” Team president Chuck Armstrong said you’re one of his 10 candidates to manage the team next year. What’s your reaction to that? “It doesn’t surprise me that I’m on the list. I can promise you that nobody wants to mange this club more than I do and nobody is more prepared to manage this club than I am. But if I don’t manage this club, I am not going to point to anything other than the fact I did not win enough games. That is what I would point to. If I had won more games, I would have a better chance of being here. If I take the ball from a reliever, maybe that reliever should say, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have walked that guy or given up that double.’ If a hitter gets pinch-hit for, he should think, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have struggled as much as I did lately and I wouldn’t get pinch-hit for’. You do have to look in the mirror and, for the most part, players do that. When they don’t, I have to call them out on it. You can’t have them fire equipment around and embarrassing you because of the decision you made. You can let it go and not address it, but it will come back to haunt you. Every decision you make that does snot please a player, they will feel that they can make a display of, which is disrespectful to you. I could go on and on about respect, that is my No. 1 issue in the game. I try to give respect, but I demand respect. Not for Jim Riggleman, but for the position of manager.” Do you think this team is close to competing? “Yeah, I do. Offensively, tremendous strides have been made. I think if you add one more bat, the team can get over the hump offensively. Pitching has a chance, but there are health issues involved. You hope (Erik) Bedard is healthy early on, hope that J.J. (Putz) is physically good and doesn’t have the nagging injuries he had this year, hope Carlos Silva is the Carlos Silva that pitched in Minnesota, and he certainly can be. There is no reason why Carlos can’t win here. This park is made for him. I understand why Bill Bavasi signed him. It didn’t happen this year. Felix Hernandez is one of the best right-handers in the game and with Ryan Rowland-Smith and Brandon Morrow, there are things to be excited about. But you really have to hope Bedard will be able to go and I think he will. Some of the other clubs might get older. Not only are you coming up, but the others might come back to you. A little of that happened to Tampa Bay this year." ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Bedard surgery report: No labrum tear The Mariners have announced the results of today's surgery on pitcher Erik Bedard, and the news is good if not terribly confusing. The Mariners said arthroscopic surgery on Bedard's left shoulder did not reveal any tears in the pitcher's labrum or his rotator cuff. Dr. Lewis Yocum removed a cyst from the shoulder and performed a minor debridement of the labrum. Here's the Mariners' statement on the surgery: "The Seattle Mariners issued the following medical update on left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard today: "Dr. Lewis Yocum performed arthroscopic surgery on Erik Bedard's left shoulder today, Friday, September 26. During the surgery Dr. Yocum removed a cyst from the shoulder and performed a minor labral debridement. "The arthroscopic procedure revealed that there are no tears in the left shoulder, in either the labrum or the rotator cuff. "The surgery report is very good news," Mariners Vice President & General Manager Lee Pelekoudas said. "There are no structural issues with the shoulder, which should allow for a positive timetable on Erik's full recovery." "Recovery time from this type of procedure is approximately six months. A better timetable will be available once rehabilitation begins." So there you have it. No labrum tear. It flies in the face of what Bedard told a reporter during the Mariners' last road trip when he said he has known since an MRI on July 22 that he had a torn labrum. After that MRI, the Mariners said there was no structural damage to the shoulder. Bedard hasn't pitched since July 4, when first told the team that his shoulder was bothering him. He told a reporter last week that he experienced shoulder pain during his second start of the season. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Upset teammates should accept Ichiro for what he is There's trouble in loserville. A story in the Seattle Times today contained a few juicy paragraphs about some Seattle Mariners who are upset that Ichiro Suzuki seems more enthralled with getting his 200 hits every year than helping this sorry team reach the 60-win plateau. Quoting an unnamed "clubhouse insider," the story said one player talked about "going after" Ichiro, presumably to turn him into a pretzel. If the clubhouse tension ever got that far, I can only imagine the supple Ichiro springing back to his feet and getting three hits. This is great stuff and keeps us interested during the final days of a miserable season. But clubhouse groans about how Ichiro plays the game, especially with nothing at stake in the standings, are nothing new. I've covered the Mariners all of Ichiro's career here, and every year it seems someone would like him to (a) hit for more power, (b) take more walks, (c) steal more bases, (d) take more aggressive routes to fly balls and (e) get a grass stain once in a while in the outfield. For eight years, I've seen players mutter, roll their eyes and shrug their shoulders about it, then accept the fact that Ichiro gives them more than 200 hits, 100 runs and 30-40 steals. Now I hear that one player -- presumably a pitcher -- has hinted at getting physical with him. Ichiro can frustrate everyone with the caution that he throws into his game. But what he does is pretty darned incredible and to expect him to become anything else at this stage of his career is wishful thinking. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! Riggleman irate over reports of "pettiness, jealousy" within clubhouse Mariners manager Jim Riggleman just spent 15 minutes responding tersely to a newspaper report today that clubhouse tension became so great this season that some players considered "going after" Ichiro Suzuki becaues of what they considered "selfish" play by the star outfielder. The story, in the Seattle Times, quoted an unnamed "clubhouse insider" who pointed out the turmoil that led to a team meeting to settle the situation. Riggleman said there was never a team meeting, although he met individually with nearly every player on the team to discuss multiple issues, including vibes he got that some players felt others should be doing more. Mostly, though, Riggleman scorched players for airing gripes in the media and not directly with him or Suzuki. Here's what he said: “We’ve had a real tough year and lost so many games. These type things surface when a ballclub loses a lot of games. You’re going to have some griping and finger pointing. “I can honestly tell you that I don’t remember any time when I was coaching or managing here where it was at the point where somebody was going to go after somebody. “People saying those things anonymously need to look in the mirror about their own performances. “Everybody has got some deficiencies, starting at the top. I feel like that I prepare myself as much as you can prepare, but my preparation pales in comparison to Ichiro’s preparation. Sometimes, if everybody prepared as hard and worked as hard as Ichiro and Ibanez, we probably wouldn’t have lost so many games. “The things they’re referring to, it’s almost a style of play, using the word selfish and stuff like that. It’s hard to comprehend that somebody is looking at 200-plus hits and it’s (considered) not helping the ballclub. If there are aspects of his game that people are upset about, they need to bring that to Ichiro or to me, not anonymously. “Just to snipe at each other, that’s junior high rumoring and cliques and stuff.” Riggleman was asked what would drive a player to say something. “Pettiness. Seventh-grade mentality. Jealousy, pointing fingers, deflecting responsibility, lack of accountability. It’s a lack of character. “You’re not seeing this happen on winning teams right now. But if those winning teams go out and lose 100 games next year, you’re going to see some of it. “Your character is tested in bad times, not good times. I feel like for the most part our guys have held up very well. There are examples of a lack of character when people take shots at each other in the paper. "You get a feeling for who those people are and try to eliminate those people. The rats are the first ones off the ship. They’re the ones scavenging everything on the ship while it’s floating good, but when it’s sinking the rats are the first ones to abandon ship. “Talk is cheap. You can go on and on about somebody pointing fingers, somebody who didn’t lead, all those things. “But the bottom line is we didn’t pitch good enough and we didn’t hit good enough. We as managers and coaches have to play attention to detail -- make sure the cutoff man is in the right place, make sure that we are doing our fundamentals, that we’re lined up right on a rundown, throwing to the right place. If we do all that and we don’t pitch well enough and don’t hit well enough, we’re going to come in last. If you pitch good and you hit good and you pay attention to detail, you’re going to have a chance to win. “We’re 11th in the league in pitching. I’ll guarantee you that some of those people pointing fingers are pitchers. Some of that sniping that’s going on is from pitchers. “If I was a part of a staff that’s 11th in the league in pitching, I don’t think I’d be saying too much.” ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Now batting third, your new DH? Don't count on it Raul Ibanez is the Mariners' DH tonight for a second straight game, and before you think this might be a glimpse at next year, think again. Having Ibanez as the DH in 2009 might be a dream scenario for a lot of Mariners fans, but certainly not for him. Considering he will be a free agent after such a productive season, he will have plenty of options. Chances are good they'll include more money, more years and probably a position to play that the Mariners may not be willing to offer. Ibanez won't talk about his future with the media, but there's a strong feeling among his teammates that he'll leave the Mariners for a competitive situation. After all, he'll turn 37 early next season and this is likely the last time he'll have such a lucrative choice. Ibanez still sees himself as a productive outfielder and said earlier this year that he'd like four years with his next contract. He may not get that, but it's not inconceivable to think someone will pay him $30 to $36 million over three years. Even if the Mariners are in that ballpark with their offer, Ibanez may choose to play where he has a chance to win. He's a team player all the way, but this season has been hard on him. Next year could be just as difficult if the Mariners follow through on their stated plan to rebuild even if it means losing. It's difficult to imagine Ibanez wanting any part in that, especially if he has other choices. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Bad back still a problem for Silva Carlos Silva won't make his scheduled start Thursday and there's a good chance he won't pitch again before the season ends Sunday because of his bad back. Silva was supposed to throw in the bullpen today or Wednesday before the Mariners decided whether he'd make another start. "His back is just not good enough," manager Jim Riggleman said. Riggleman wouldn't go so far to say that Silva won't pitch again until next year, but that seems very possible. He would need to throw in the bullpen Thursday or Friday in order to be ready for a game this weekend, and that isn't likely. If he doesn't pitch, it ends another dismal element of the Mariners' nightmare of '08. They are paying him $48 million over four years, and for that they got a 4-15 record and a 6.46 earned run average from Silva. He won three straight to start the season and suffered nine losses in his next 12 outings before he won again June 28 at San Diego. He's 0-6 in 11 starts since that victory. As for who will start Thursday night against the Angels, Riggleman will use his tried-and-not-so-true bullpen-by-committee approach. "We'll base it on who has not worked in the bullpen," he said The last time he did that, Cesar Jimenez gave up one hit in three scoreless innings Sept. 10 against the Rangers. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Wisconsin is out as M's switch minor-league affiliate to Clinton The Mariners have completed their minor league alignment for the next two years, and there's a significant change at the Class A level. They have reached a two-year agreement with the Clinton LumberKings of the Midwest League. It ends a 16-year run with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton, Wis. The Mariners also extended their agreement with the Class A High Desert Mavericks of the California League. Despite their long relationship with the Mariners, the Timber Rattlers landed the Milwaukee Brewers' Class A team. It should be an attractive setup in nearby Appleton, much like the Everett AquaSox are to the Mariners. All nine of the Mariners' minor league affiliates are signed through the 2010 season -- rookie-level Dominican Republic Mariners, rookie-level Venezuela Mariners, rookie-level Peoria (Ariz.) Mariners, rookie-level Class A Pulaski (Va.) Mariners, short-season Class A Everett, low-Class A Clinton LumberKings, high-Class A High Desert Mavericks, Class AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx and Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Mariners' 2009 schedule: A cleaner slate? As badly as the 2008 season played out for Mariners fans, 2009 can't get here soon enough. Can't do anything about the calendar, but M's fans got something to look forward to today: next year's schedule. Major League Baseball released its tentative schedule (starting times and broadcast information haven't been determined, but the dates are solid), and this one looks like a dramatic improvement for the Mariners. There won't be any early season trips to snow country (remember the four straight April snowouts in Cleveland in 2007?), and the East Coast trips have been cut from five this yeara to three in 2009. This year, the Mariners made five trips to the East Coast, three of them before the end of July. In 2009, they'll play at Baltimore from June 9-11, at New York and Boston from June 30-July 5 and at Tampa Bay and Toronto from Sept. 22-27. The Mariners will open April 6 at Minnesota, their first opener on the road since the 2003 season. They'll open their home schedule April 14 againt the Angels on what will be the only homestand the first month of the season. For those who froze their fannies on those windy, damp, chilly April nights the past few years, that could be a relief. Beware, because May sometimes isn't a lot warmer at Safeco Field, and the M's will play 15 home games that month. The Mariners will play three 10-game homestands in 2009, including a set May 15-24 that begins with three games against the Red Sox. The M's-Bosox games have been among the most spirited in recent seasons, mostly because of the energy provided by the hordes of Red Sox fans. That homestand will run through Memorial Day weekend with three games againt the Giants. Sorry, no Barry Bonds, although if the pitching rotation falls right we could get a first-hand glimpse of Tim Lincecum. The June schedule features a home interleague series against the Diamondbacks, with former M's manager Bob Melvin and pitching coach Bryan Price returning to Safeco Field for the first time since they were with the M's. August is the busiest month with 18 home games, including a four-game series Aug. 14-16 against the Yankees. The Yankees also return for three games Sept. 18-20, and the Mariners finish the season at home Oct. 4 against the Rangers. The late start and late finish to the season will mean the World Series could run until Nov. 5. And that would introduce the possibility of snow. My guess is that the Mariners would gladly put up with some wintry weather if they got that far. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Bedard's next appearance: on the operating table As if we didn't already realize it, the Erik Bedard trade last February officially has become a bust for 2008. The Mariners announced tonight that he will undergo exploratory surgery on the left shoulder that has troubled him much of the season. Bedard will have arthroscopic surgery on Sept. 26. It will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum, who examined Bedard's shoulder while the Mariners played the Angels over the weekend. In the least, Yocum will debride the shoulder, meaning he'll remove any non-healthy tissue or foreign material. The Mariners won't know how long Bedard will be out until the extent of the damage to his shoulder is determined. It's been a frustrating year for everyone concerning Bedard. The Mariners traded away a load of talent -- relief pitcher George Sherrill, outfielder Adam Jones and minor league pitchers Kam Mickolio, Chris Tillman and Tony Butler -- to get Bedard from the Orioles. They thought it was the piece they needed to complete a pitching staff that, in the team's eyes, would compete with the Angels for the AL West title. Bedard wasn't the horse atop the starting rotation that everyone had hoped he would be, especially considering how much the Mariners traded away. He went 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 starts. Those are nice numbers, but Bedard frustrated the team with his inability to pitch deep into games and his injuries. He spent time on the DL early in the season with a hip problem. Manager Jim Riggleman said he sensed there might have been a problem health-wise, and that became clear after Bedard's July 4 start. He went on the disabled list because of tightness in the shoulder. An MRI exam July 22 didn't reveal any structural damage, and the Mariners continued with their approach that Bedard wouldl tell them when he felt like throwing again. The problem is that Bedard never really said a lot. Riggleman, in fact, said early this month that Bedard rarely says anything. Bedard has been playing catch off and on for more than a month, and began throwing off the bullpen mound during the Mariners' last homestand. He never threw with full intensity, and last week while the M's were in L.A., they had Yocum examine Bedard. A timetable on Bedard's recovery will be announced following surgery. "Erik has worked diligently with our medical staff for the past two months attempting to rehabilitate his shoulder without surgery," M's GM Lee Pelekoudas said. "We have determined that surgery is the best course of action at this time." That Mariners can only hope that surgery will reveal -- and repair -- whatever has caused the problem in Bedard's shoulder. And then they all can get on with the process of proving this trade wasn't a bust. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! |
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