Early thoughts on another sunny — but breezy, so bundle up— day at Safeco Field.
The Mariners’ lineup is on the board and, against left-hander Joe Saunders, the M’s have the long-lost Mike Sweeney at DH. Also, there’s hope against Saunders. Not only is he having a tough season (1-5, 7.04 ERA), but being left-handed he’ll turn Chone Figgins around to his other-worldly side. Figgy is batting .343 against left-handed pitching but .121 against righties. Also, Rob Johnson is catching his fourth straight game and Ryan Langerhans is back in left field.
Mood music driving to the ballpark this afternoon was supplied again by ELP (Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends) with a finishing touch of Toxicity by System of a Down (or, as I’m calling them until this Mariners miniscule-ball offense changes, System of a Downer).
A little more on former Mariner Joel Pineiro, who’s in the Angels’ rotation (but not starting in this series). He and his wife Shirley have four kids now after twin boys were born 18 months ago. That makes four kids, one a girl. And if you think Pineiro is on his way to becoming the next Jamie Moyer from a family perspective (The Moyers have eight kids), he isn’t. Pineiro said they’re stopping at four.
One of the new “attractions” near the ballpark this year is the showgirls establishment about a block south of Safeco Field. Next to it is the Seattle Canine Club. I’d rather have a lab dance.
Tonight’s lineups:
ANGELS
Aybar, shortstop
Abreu, right field
Hunter, center field
Morales, first base
Matsui, DH
Rivera, left field
Kendrick, second base
Napoli, catcher
Fransden, third base
Left-hander Saunders, starting pitcher
MARINERS
Suzuki, right field
Figgins, second base
Kotchman, first base
Gutierrez, center field
Lopez, third base
Sweeney, DH
Langerhans, left field
Josh Wilson, shortstop
Johnson, catcher
Right-hander Fister, starting pitcher
