Mariners
Changing the rules
Major League Baseball is once more tinkering with its rules. Is that a good thing? Bad? Just weird? Grandsalami.net's Erik Lundegaard and Tim Harrison try to sort it all out.
See full post: "Changing the rules"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
MLB,
Rules,
Rob Manfred |
Posted
on March 23, 2019 at 9:00pm | Permalink |
| 
No Comments yet
Game 2: Curtain Call
We didn't know when the game began that Ichiro was calling it quits. That news came a few innings in. Kyodo News had the story and those of us keyed in to Twitter started getting the alerts. The ESPN broadcast caught up to us a bit later, and for half the game or so half the drama was how was Ichiro going to leave the game.
See full post: "Game 2: Curtain Call"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Ichiro Suzuki,
Opening Day |
Posted
on March 21, 2019 at 11:44pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
One Down, 161 to Go
Konbanwa, baseball fans. Are you ready to pull another all-nighter for Game 2 from Tokyo tonight/tomorrow morning (game time 2:35am PDT)?
See full post: "One Down, 161 to Go"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Opening Day |
Posted
on March 20, 2019 at 9:20pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Next Year is Here
Winter is over. Well, not technically, but hey, it was nearly 80 degrees today in Seattle (in your face, Miami!) and tonight the Mariners take the field for the first official game in the 2019 championship season. Or tomorrow night, or tomorrow morning, based on your time zone. It's complicated. Temporal mechanics and all. Anyway, come 2:30am PDT the Tokyo Dome will be abuzz with excitement when the Oakland A's take the field as the "home" team against our Seattle Mariners.
See full post: "Next Year is Here"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Opening Day |
Posted
on March 19, 2019 at 8:03pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Meet the Mariners
With Opening Day only ... let's see, carry the one ... 27½ hours away in Tokyo, it's time to get familiar with the 2019 Seattle Mariners. Who are these guys? With so much change form the 2018 roster will we recognize even a handful?
See full post: "Meet the Mariners"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Opening Day,
Players |
Posted
on March 18, 2019 at 10:55pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
What should we call the home ballpark?
Though officially dubbed T-Mobile Park, here at GrandSalami.net we've chosen not to refer to the Mariners’ home field by that name. What should we call it instead? Thoughts?
See full post: "What should we call the home ballpark?"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Site issues;
Tagged
Safeco Field |
Posted
on March 14, 2019 at 10:43pm | Permalink |
|
5 Comments
Shameless Commerce Department
Grandslami.net is now featuring prints of Mariner player portraits in the store. Four players currently available, with others to be added as the season progresses. If your favorite Mariner isn't yet in the mix, sound off in the comments and put in a request!
See full post: "Shameless Commerce Department"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Site issues;
Posted
on March 7, 2019 at 10:58pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
The New Staff
We all know the Mariners have churned their player roster something fierce this offseason, but what might have escaped notice is the turnover among the coaches. Aside from manager Scott Servais, only two of Seattle's 2018 coaches are returning this season, Manny Acta and Chris Prieto. Everyone else is new.
See full post: "The New Staff"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Coaches |
Posted
on February 26, 2019 at 1:14am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Change of Clothes
Looking at the Mariners' new spring training duds and the new uniform set the Marlins have this year got me to thinking about the Mariners' history of sartorial styles. The current uniform concept is, aside from some minor tweaks in the wordmark and number outlining and an early addition of the compass rose on the road jersey, unchanged since it was introduced in 1993. Which isn't bad. It's a nice design, and light-years better than what came before it. But might it be time for something new?
See full post: "Change of Clothes"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Tagged
Uniforms |
Posted
on February 24, 2019 at 5:18am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
M's Trivia Challenge
While we wait for spring training to gear up in force, let's take a walk down memory lane and see how well we know our Mariner history. Take the GrandSalami.net Mariners Quiz! When you've reached the end, you'll be brought back here and you can let us know what you thought. Onward!
See full post: "M's Trivia Challenge"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Spotlight;
Posted
on February 21, 2019 at 2:53am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
M's unveil new Spring unis
At a media event yesterday, the Mariners showed off new uniforms that they will wear in spring training. Instead of the northwest green jerseys and inverted trident "M" caps worn last spring, the new outfits consist of "powder blue" jerseys and a capital "M" against a four-pointed compass on the caps. The caps will also be worn for batting practice throughout the season.
See full post: "M's unveil new Spring unis"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Uniforms,
Spring Training |
Posted
on January 25, 2019 at 3:13pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Mariners sign free-agent Strickland
Right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland, last seen in the uniform of the San Francisco Giants, today signed a one-year contract with the Mariners. Financial details were not yet available, but the contract value is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $2.5 million. Strickland, 30, is still shy of the six years of service time needed for unrestricted free agency, so even though the deal is for one year, the M's still have team control through 2021 via arbitration.Released by the Giants last November, Strickland has a career record of 14-14 with a respectable 2.91 ERA over four-plus seasons in San Francisco.
See full post: "Mariners sign free-agent Strickland"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions,
Bullpen |
Posted
on January 24, 2019 at 1:55pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Ichiro officially returns
The Mariners announced today that they have re-signed franchise icon Ichiro Suzuki to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.It was an expected move, telegraphed all the way back in May, when the team moved Ichiro off the active roster and into a non-player role with the title of "special assistant to the chairman," an invented position that allowed Ichiro to train and travel with the club but not suit up for games. At that time it was clear that Ichiro was not retiring as a player and intended to try to play again the following year.The contract...
See full post: "Ichiro officially returns"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Ichiro Suzuki |
Posted
on January 23, 2019 at 5:53pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
"Thank you, sir"
He had to wait 10 years, often with low vote totals, before a push of SABRmetric dudes, the Mariners organization and its fans, and, maybe most importantly, the pitchers who faced him...
See full post: ""Thank you, sir""...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Caught Looking;
Tagged
Edgar Martinez |
Posted
on January 23, 2019 at 3:38pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
No one in the wings
If Edgar Martinez worked a corporate 9-to-5 job he’d be the guy who arrived early, performed, excelled, was slapped on the back by the boss, and when the time came for that big raise or promotion … someone else would get it.
See full post: "No one in the wings"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Caught Looking;
Tagged
Edgar Martinez |
Posted
on January 22, 2019 at 12:00am | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Where are they now?
Updated 3/1/19
See full post: "Where are they now?"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions |
Posted
on January 21, 2019 at 2:15pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Mariners sign different infielder Beckham than last year's infielder Beckham
The Mariners signed two free agents yesterday to Major League contracts, infielder Tim Beckham (not to be confused with veteran Gordon Beckham, who spent the last two years bouncing back and forth between the M's and their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma) and relief pitcher Cory Gearrin.Beckham, who will be 29 later this month, came up with the Tampa Bay Rays and spent the last season and a half with Baltimore. Primarily a shortstop, he's also logged plenty of innings at both third base and second base.
See full post: "Mariners sign different infielder Beckham than last year's infielder Beckham"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions |
Posted
on January 11, 2019 at 10:08am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
An odd reunion
In a weird but no-risk move today, the Mariners signed Dustin Ackley to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.
See full post: "An odd reunion"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions,
Dustin Ackley |
Posted
on January 9, 2019 at 9:15pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Yusei Kikuchi signing official
The Mariners have officially signed Japanese free-agent pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to a multi-year contract. The former Saitama Seibu Lions star was posted for Major League teams' consideration at his request by the Nippon Professional Baseball club last month and chose Seattle after meeting with representatives of several MLB teams in December.
See full post: "Yusei Kikuchi signing official"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions,
Yusei Kikuchi |
Posted
on January 1, 2019 at 9:59am | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Kikuchi deal coming?
According to Yahoo! Sports, the Mariners are close to signing Japanese southpaw Yusei Kikuchi to a multi-year contract. Details are sparse, but due to the rules of the posting arrangement with Nippon Professional Baseball, Kikuchi must sign by January 2nd or forfeit is right to leave NPB for 2019.Kikuchi had reportedly been open to signing with any Major League team when his posting became official early in December and has met with several clubs.An eight-year NPB veteran, all with the Saitama Seibu Lions, Kikuchi holds a career record of 74-48 with a 2.81 ERA and 1.177 WHIP to go with...
See full post: "Kikuchi deal coming?"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions,
Yusei Kikuchi |
Posted
on December 30, 2018 at 11:20pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Dipoto deals another
Mariner General Manager Jerry Dipoto has made another trade, this time with the Milwaukee Brewers. The trade sends outfielder Ben Gamel and 22-year-old minor-league pitcher Noah Zavolas to Milwaukee in exchange for outfielder Domingo Santana.Santana—not to be confused with first baseman Carlos Santana, whom the M's recently dealt to Cleveland—is a right-handed batter, offering some platoon balance to an outfield that had been overstocked with lefties. Since breaking into the Major Leagues with the Astros as a late-season callup in 2014, Santana has produced a career batting line of .261/.349/.458, mostly as a part-time player.
See full post: "Dipoto deals another"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions,
Ben Gamel,
Domingo Santana |
Posted
on December 21, 2018 at 5:50pm | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
So Long Santana
Well, that didn't take long.
See full post: "So Long Santana"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions,
Jerry Dipoto |
Posted
on December 13, 2018 at 6:55pm | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
Winter Meetings
Jerry Dipoto is bored.
See full post: "Winter Meetings"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Jerry Dipoto |
Posted
on December 11, 2018 at 9:23pm | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
How did we get here?
It's not exactly standard procedure for a team that won 89 games to go straight into a massive rebuild. When you just barely miss the postseason, you typically look to improve on one or two areas that could put you over the top, not declare defeat and look to try again in three years. So WTF, you might ask of the Mariners, why are they blowing up the team?
See full post: "How did we get here?"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Transactions,
Jerry Dipoto,
History,
Free Agents |
Posted
on December 5, 2018 at 9:28pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Trades are official
The deals are done, and the Mariners are no longer the team of Robinson Canó, Edwin Díaz, or Jean Segura.
See full post: "Trades are official"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions |
Posted
on December 3, 2018 at 9:08pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
The Demolition Continues
Another day, another big trade for the Mariners. Well, "big"; the word has a lot of room for interpretation. It's big in that General Manager Jerry Dipoto is dealing away another big name, All-Star shortstop Jean Segura. It's maybe not so big in what he's getting back. Or maybe it is, this one's hard to project.The deal isn't final yet, and what the whole package will include isn't known. What is expected is that Segura will be traded to Philadelphia and that in return the M's will get young Phillies shortstop J.P. Crawford and not-so-young first baseman Carlos Santana.
See full post: "The Demolition Continues"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Jean Segura |
Posted
on December 3, 2018 at 4:13am | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
Who's Left?
With General Manager Jerry Dipoto on another of his trading benders, the Mariners' roster is undergoing some stark change. Though Dipoto is by no means done tinkering—as we'll see, there are still some holes to fill—if games had to be played tomorrow, how things would look on the field?
See full post: "Who's Left?"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions |
Posted
on December 2, 2018 at 2:12am | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Trader Jerry ships Colome to Chisox
While the giant trade of Robinson Canó and Edwin Díaz to the Mets is still pending, Mariner GM Jerry Dipoto did trade a closer today. Reliever Alex Colome, who came to Seattle in an in-season deal with Tampa Bay last May, was dealt to the Chicago White Sox for catcher Omar Narvaez.Trading Colome leaves the Mariners without an established closer (presuming the deal with the Mets goes through), but adding Narvaez gives the M's a starting catcher, something they're in dire need of after trading Mike Zunino last month.Narvaez, who will be 27 in February, hit .275/.366/.429 in a part-time...
See full post: "Trader Jerry ships Colome to Chisox"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions,
Jerry Dipoto,
Alex Colome |
Posted
on November 30, 2018 at 8:26pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
End of the Canó era?
Reports are flying around the Interwebs (sourced to Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic) that Mariner General Manager Jerry Dipoto is close to unloading second baseman Robinson Canó and his giant contract onto the New York Mets.
See full post: "End of the Canó era?"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Robinson Cano,
Jerry Dipoto,
Edwin Diaz |
Posted
on November 29, 2018 at 5:19pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Voice of the Mariners
This interview originally appeared in the August and September 2008 issues of The Grand Salami.
See full post: "Voice of the Mariners"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Dave Niehaus,
The Way-Back Machine,
Interviews |
Posted
on November 27, 2018 at 10:54pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Pulling the Thread of a Trade
With so many similarities in the recent trade of James Paxton to the hated New York Yankees to the 1998 trade of Randy Johnson to the Houston Astros, we thought we'd look back on that RJ trade and see what became of it for the Mariners over time. Sure, the initial deal was Johnson for three then-Triple-A players, but what were the ripple effects? How'd those guys do for Seattle?
See full post: "Pulling the Thread of a Trade"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Trades |
Posted
on November 25, 2018 at 1:49am | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
By Any Other (Corporate) Name
We've known for a while now that the Mariners' home field would get a new name by next season. Safeco Insurance's deal for naming rights to the stadium expired at the end of the 2018 season and they were up front about not being interested in extending their association with the facility, so the speculation began in earnest last spring: Which corporate behemoth would step up to replace Safeco and brand their identity all over our beautiful ballpark?
See full post: "By Any Other (Corporate) Name"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Tagged
Safeco Field |
Posted
on November 23, 2018 at 1:55am | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
More trades coming
More Mariner players may soon be on the move.
See full post: "More trades coming"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades |
Posted
on November 20, 2018 at 7:31pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Big Maple to Big Apple
Prompting memories of 1998’s trade of Randy Johnson to the Astros, today Mariner General Manager Jerry Dipoto dealt his team's ace left-hander to an already-upper-echelon team: James Paxton is now a New York Yankee.Much like the Johnson deal made by then-GM Woody Woodward, Paxton was traded for three relatively-unknown minor leaguers, two pitchers and one position player. One of them, left-handed starter Justus Sheffield, may be ready for the bigs as soon as next season. The other pitcher, righty Erik Swanson, has a chance to crack the bigs but will likely play in Tacoma next year, while the position player,...
See full post: "Big Maple to Big Apple"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
James Paxton,
Transactions |
Posted
on November 19, 2018 at 10:53pm | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
Mariner Makeover Begins
Seattle General Manager Jerry Dipoto began rebuilding the Mariners for 2019 this afternoon, making a big trade with his favorite trading partner, the Tampa Bay Rays.Addressing one of the bigger questions of the offseason—do the 2019 M's try again with the 2018 plan of Dee Gordon in center and Robbie Canó at second, or do they get a new CF to play full time?—the Mariners acquired outfielder Mallex Smith from the Rays in exchange for defensive wizard and strikeout artist Mike Zunino and reserve outfielder Guillermo Heredia.Smith played all three outfield positions for Tampa Bay last year, most often in center.
See full post: "Mariner Makeover Begins"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades |
Posted
on November 7, 2018 at 9:58pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
M's are done, but 2018 continues
It's over.
See full post: "M's are done, but 2018 continues"...
Posted in
News,
Mariners;
Tagged
Playoffs |
Posted
on October 1, 2018 at 2:50am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Damn Yankees
The Yankees are here for a weekend series, and Salami contributor and world's only sensitive Yankee fan Bill Abelson brings us the goods on the Bronx Bombers. The Friday night matchup is a beaut, with Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka facing off against The Big Maple. Saturday will feature former Mariner J.A. Happ taking on Felix Hernández, while the Sunday afternoon affair has C.C. Sabathia scheduled for New York and a question mark for the M's. It's possible Marco Gonzales will be activated for that one, or Erasmo Ramírez could take the hill.
See full post: "Damn Yankees"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
New York Yankees,
Series |
Posted
on September 7, 2018 at 5:22am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
When a series win instills the air of defeat
The Mariners just finished a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles, winning two of the contests and finishing the season series with the Orioles at 6-1. Pretty good, right? A series win after some trying times in this second half is something one might think would lift the flagging spirits of Mariner fandom.
See full post: "When a series win instills the air of defeat"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Posted
on September 6, 2018 at 9:48pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Expanded Rosters
It's September, which means Major League roster limits expand from 25 to 40 for the rest of the regular season. Who have the Mariners added? Well, today we saw a number of moves:
See full post: "Expanded Rosters"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions |
Posted
on September 1, 2018 at 5:48pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Dodger Blues
I didn't go to any of the three Dodger games at Safeco Field this past weekend. I had other things going on and no affinity or special dislike of the Dodgers, plus I knew the ticket pricing would be exorbitant, so I skipped the series. This turned out to be a good choice.
See full post: "Dodger Blues"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Tagged
Contention |
Posted
on August 20, 2018 at 3:14am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Signs of Life
After dropping three of four to the underachieveing Blue Jays and two of three in frustrating fashion to the Rangers, the Mariners have somehow come back to take the first three of a four-game series in Houston against the first-place Astros. It's been a huge lift for the club and, frankly, for a fan base that was all but giving up on what has been a tremendous season until the past month or so.Credit manager Scott Servais for trying something different and shaking up his lineup for the Houston series.
See full post: "Signs of Life"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Posted
on August 11, 2018 at 9:32pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Updates
In addition to the standard update to the page for the current opposing team, player profiles for Felix Hernández, Denard Span, Zach Duke, and Ryon Healy have been updated/added. Others are still out of date and need attention, I know. If anyone wants to volunteer their help with that, I'm open to it...
Posted in
Mariners,
Site issues;
Tagged
Updates |
Posted
on August 10, 2018 at 2:06am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Texas Meltdown
Well, that was ugly.
See full post: "Texas Meltdown"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Felix Hernandez,
Marco Gonzales,
Scott Servais,
Bullpen,
Kyle Seager |
Posted
on August 9, 2018 at 1:58am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
The streak is over
The Mariners were on a winning streak (technically). Now they're not. The sad post-Independence Day fall from grace continues. There's still time for a recovery, but getting thumped by the Rangers is depressing.
See full post: "The streak is over"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Posted
on August 7, 2018 at 9:46pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Two in a row is a start(?)
The Mariners are on a winning streak. Not an impressive one, sure, but two games is technically a streak. And with the way the M's have performed since they broke their last actual win streak—eight games—on July 4th, two in a row feels like a notable achievement. We all hope this is the beginning of the resurgence Seattle needs to reclaim its playoff standing, but a win like tonight's doesn't do much to calm the nerves of the Mariner still-for-now-but-for-how-much-longer-faithful.
See full post: "Two in a row is a start(?)"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Tagged
Contention,
Adam Warren,
Zach Duke,
Ryon Healy,
Ben Gamel |
Posted
on August 7, 2018 at 1:49am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Are the Mariners collapsing?
With yesterday's loss to the woeful Toronto Blue Jays, The Mariners have been overtaken by the Oakland A's in the Wild Card race. The M's had held either first place in the division or a Wild Card position from May 18th through August 1st, but after their fantastic June—when they won 19 out of 28—they stumbled badly, playing under .500 for the month of July (10-13) and they've now dropped the first two games in August. Meanwhile, Oakland has surged, going 18-8 since July 1st, and the Astros and Yankees have held their own to hold onto their playoff positions.
See full post: "Are the Mariners collapsing?"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Contention,
History |
Posted
on August 3, 2018 at 6:30pm | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
Mariners trade for Maybin
As today's 1:00pm trading deadline approached, GM Jerry Dipoto was, naturally, still working the phones. His efforts landed the Mariners one more piece as we head into the dog days of August, outfielder Cameron Maybin.
See full post: "Mariners trade for Maybin"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions |
Posted
on July 31, 2018 at 4:51pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Mariners trade for more relief help
The Mariners made two more trades today, bolstering their bullpen with two veteran rental pieces.
See full post: "Mariners trade for more relief help"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades,
Transactions |
Posted
on July 30, 2018 at 6:23pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Trade Winds Pick Up
Now that the All-Star Game is behind us, July Trade Season begins in earnest. Manny Machado has finally been traded (to the Dodgers, for five minor-leaguers) and serves as an unofficial starting gun; let the wheeling and dealing begin!
See full post: "Trade Winds Pick Up"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Trades |
Posted
on July 19, 2018 at 1:12am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Marcomania
When the Royals were last in town, I was offered a ticket to my choice of one of the three games in that series. I looked at the schedule, saw that the Saturday game had the fun "Turn Ahead the Clock" promotion and nearly picked that one, but then I looked at the pitching rotation and saw Marco Gonzales' name for the Friday game. "Friday," I told my friend with the ticket connection, "no question." The King still reigns and Big Maple is the undisputed ace, but the guy I want to see pitch is Marco.
See full post: "Marcomania"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Around the Horn,
Columns;
Tagged
Marco Gonzales |
Posted
on July 13, 2018 at 5:00am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
All-Star Snubs
So, the fans, the players, and the Commissioner's office have spoken. Only three Seattle Mariners have been selected for the 2018 AL All-Star team: Edwin Díaz, Mitch Haniger, and Nelson Cruz. Something is broken.
See full post: "All-Star Snubs"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Tagged
All-Star Game |
Posted
on July 8, 2018 at 10:39pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
M's lose Zunino to DL again
Mike Zunino was getting the day off on July 4th. Chris Herrmann started at catcher and Z was kicking back in the dugout. But then the Mariners mounted a threat against the Angels and Z was asked to pinch-hit and finish out the game. He walked and singled in his two plate appearances, a very good sign after he spent a good deal of pre-game time working on his batting mechanics with Edgar Martínez and Minor League field coordinator Mike Micucci, but rolled his ankle while running the bases.
See full post: "M's lose Zunino to DL again"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Mitch Haniger,
Mike Zunino,
Injuries |
Posted
on July 5, 2018 at 6:19pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Midsummer Classics
It's All-Star season once again, and the 2018 contest in Washington, DC, should have plenty of Mariner representation. Jean Segura, James Paxton, Mitch Haniger, Edwin Díaz, Nelson Cruz, and perhaps Dee Gordon and Marco Gonzales are all deserving of a spot on the AL squad, and in the Mariners' best years they've sent a hefty contingent to the All-Star Game.
See full post: "Midsummer Classics"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
All-Star Game |
Posted
on July 3, 2018 at 11:55pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
The Halfway Mark
Even though the All-Star break traditionally marks the start of the second half of the season, in terms of games played, the Mariners are there now. Having swept the Baltimore Orioles, the M's are now 51-31, 82 games into the 162-game campaign.
See full post: "The Halfway Mark"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
First place,
Contention,
Playoffs |
Posted
on June 29, 2018 at 2:19am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
First-place(!) M's begin homestand on a roll
It was looking bleak for Your Seattle Mariners not too long ago. On a Sunday afternoon in Detroit, Robinson Canó was hit by a pitch and left the game with a broken hand, and fans began to wonder how the M's would manage without him for perhaps a month or more. Then it was revealed that Canó had also flunked a PED test, so he'd actually miss half the season. Their third-place hitter and MVP candidate gone for half the year?! How could they survive?!
See full post: "First-place(!) M's begin homestand on a roll"...
Posted in
News,
Mariners;
Tagged
First place |
Posted
on June 10, 2018 at 8:57pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Cast your ballot
All-Star voting season is upon us. Sadly, you can no longer vote in person at the ballpark; gone are the days of whiling away the between-innings time by amusing your fellows with ballots filled out for the "all-disabled list team" or "worst-stats-ever team" along with your real choices, consigned to history are seating areas littered with little paper ballot chads.
See full post: "Cast your ballot"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Mitch Haniger,
All-Star Game,
Dee Gordon,
Jean Segura |
Posted
on June 2, 2018 at 11:27pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Is this for real?
Don't look now, but Your Seattle Mariners are just one game out of first place. On Memorial Day. While their arguably-best player is out on suspension and their other arguably-best player (really, there are several guys you could argue for) on the DL with a broken toe. After a week when the offense couldn't scratch out more than 2.7 runs per game. It's...unsettling.
See full post: "Is this for real?"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Posted
on May 28, 2018 at 12:42am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Trader Jerry Strikes Again
General Manager Jerry Dipoto made his first in-season trade of the year earlier today, acquiring relief pitcher Alex Colomé and outfielder Denard Span from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league pitchers Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero.Colomé led the American League in saves last year with 47, but won't be asked to close in Seattle so long as Edwin Díaz remains effective. Instead, he will slot into a setup role, where Juan Nicasio has struggled.But the big piece of this deal, at least in the short term, appears to be Span.
See full post: "Trader Jerry Strikes Again"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Jerry Dipoto,
Transactions |
Posted
on May 25, 2018 at 5:37pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
You Get Nothing!
Because of a rainout in Detroit last week, the Mariners needed to bring up someone from Triple-A to make a spot start against Texas this past Wednesday afternoon. To make room, the M's designated reliever Erik (don't call him Eddie) Goeddel for assignment.This move struck me as problematic. Goeddel had been very effective in his short time with the Mariners and would certainly be lost to the organization with the DFA; meanwhile, other pitchers had been, shall we say, bad, and probably ought to be cut anyway.Today Goeddel was claimed off the waiver wire by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
See full post: "You Get Nothing!"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Transactions |
Posted
on May 18, 2018 at 2:23pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Canó Suspended for PED violation
On Sunday, Robinson Canó was hit by a pitch and broke his right hand. Today he was handed down an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball for violating policy on performance-enhancing drug use. He is not having a good week.
See full post: "Canó Suspended for PED violation"...
Posted in
News,
Mariners;
Tagged
Robinson Cano,
PEDs |
Posted
on May 15, 2018 at 11:50pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Peak Paxton
I think I can lay my concerns about James Paxton to rest now. In is first start of 2018, Pax looked bad, allowing six runs to the Indians without getting out of the fifth inning. He had three pretty good starts following that, but not great, and then another bad one in Texas. Was there something wrong? Had the Big Maple been cut down to size?
See full post: "Peak Paxton"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News,
Spotlight;
Tagged
James Paxton |
Posted
on May 8, 2018 at 8:37pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Ichiro No More
Well, it's happened. Sort of.As rumored earlier this week, Ichiro Suzuki has hung up his spikes, at least for the remainder of this year. He is not officially retired, according to his agent, but for all practical purposes, the future Hall of Famer's Major League career ended last night, when he played all nine innings in left field for the Mariners in their loss to the Oakland A's.The Mariners are reporting the Ichiro will "transition" to a front office role currently defined as Special Assistant to the Chairman.
See full post: "Ichiro No More"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Spotlight;
Tagged
Ichiro Suzuki |
Posted
on May 3, 2018 at 4:53pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Irasshaimase! Tokyo Welcomes Mariners back to Japan
Major League Baseball has announced that the Mariners and Oakland Athletics will once again open the season in Japan in 2019. The two games will be held in the Tokyo Dome and the A's will serve as the "home" team. As was the case the last time MLB opened in Japan—also with the Mariners and Athletics, in 2012—the opening series will be held a week in advance of the rest of the league starting the campaign to allow for the M's and A's to readjust to the time difference between Japan and North America (Japan is 17 hours ahead during...
See full post: "Irasshaimase! Tokyo Welcomes Mariners back to Japan"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Japan |
Posted
on May 1, 2018 at 6:26pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
RUMOR: Ichiro may retire THIS WEEK
This is unconfirmed. To my knowledge, this remains informed speculation on the part of Root Sports' Brad Adam, based on a text exchange he had with Ichiro. But the scuttlebutt is that Ichiro may call it a career after this week's homestand.
See full post: "RUMOR: Ichiro may retire THIS WEEK"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Ichiro Suzuki |
Posted
on May 1, 2018 at 3:36pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
State of the M's: April
Don't look now, but Your Seattle Mariners are a playoff team.
See full post: "State of the M's: April"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Game notes |
Posted
on April 30, 2018 at 9:40pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
The Return of Roenis Elias
Following the 2015 season, the Mariners traded one of their promising young starting pitchers, Roenis Elias, to Boston along with reliever Carson Smith, for more seasoned starter Wade Miley. (Miley has since been traded himself, for pitcher Ariel Miranda.) Elias only made four appearances with the Red Sox after that, spending the majority of his time with Boston's Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket, and had a lengthy stint on the disabled list with a strained oblique. This week the Red Sox traded Elias back to the Mariners in exchange for either a player to be named later or cash considerations.
See full post: "The Return of Roenis Elias"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Roenis Elias,
Trades |
Posted
on April 25, 2018 at 3:41am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Mid-Road Trip Exam
The Mariners are halfway through their current road trip through Dallas-Ft. Worth, Chicago, and Cleveland, having taken the series with the Rangers two games to one and split the first two with the White Sox. How has it gone? Let's examine.
See full post: "Mid-Road Trip Exam"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Mitch Haniger |
Posted
on April 25, 2018 at 3:16am | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
It's a Beautiful Day for an Off Day
Thank the schedulemakers that today is a bizarre Friday off-day for the Mariners. After the last two games, a blowout loss to San Francisco and a fall-from-ahead defeat at the hands of the Twins, this team needs a breather, a chance to reflect on their performance. It's not that the M's lost two straight. That's not that big a deal, and it's going to happen again—I daresay more than once—during the course of the season. It's the squandering of opportunities. The Mariners left 21 runners on base in those two games, going 3-for-29 with runners in scoring position.
See full post: "It's a Beautiful Day for an Off Day"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
LOB,
Fundamentals |
Posted
on April 6, 2018 at 6:28pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
San Fran Split
Random thoughts on the just-completed San Francisco series...
See full post: "San Fran Split"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Game notes |
Posted
on April 4, 2018 at 11:04pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Game One: Random Thoughts
Game 1 of 162 is in the books, and it was a nailbiter win for Your Seattle Mariners against the Cleveland Ethnically Insensitive Caricatures. Some random observations:
See full post: "Game One: Random Thoughts"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Opening Day |
Posted
on March 30, 2018 at 2:39pm | Permalink |
|
2 Comments
Mariners Figure to Extend Streak in 2018
In all of the major sports, what team has gone the longest without appearing in a playoff game? That's right, your Seattle Mariners, who haven't tasted the postseason since 2001.
See full post: "Mariners Figure to Extend Streak in 2018"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Spotlight;
Posted
on March 28, 2018 at 5:31pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
Marjama the Man
New catcher Mike Marjama is the subject of the latest mini-documentary from LeBron James' UNINTERRUPTED. In the eight-minute film, Marjama details his struggle with body image and masculinity, which manifested as an eating disorder in his teen years. "I was going to be a man," he says.Professional sports has long been a domain rife with machismo, and whether that's a good thing or not I'll leave to your own sensibilities. But one thing is certain: It takes courage and guts—or, if you prefer the coarse macho language of the locker room, balls—to confront a personal demon like this, persevere, and...
See full post: "Marjama the Man"...
Posted in
Mariners;
Tagged
Mike Marjama |
Posted
on March 27, 2018 at 9:16pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet
Ichiro's Return
Some Mariner fans are elated. Some are skeptical. And some are disgusted. Whichever camp you may find yourself in, the fact of the matter is that, at age 44, Ichiro Suzuki is a Mariner once more. Personally, I am in the first camp. I have always loved watching Ichiro play, and I'm delighted to get the chance to see him in person once again at Safeco Field. That Ichiro has the opportunity to continue his Major League career at all is satisfying, and getting to see him climb up the hits leaderboard back in a Mariners jersey is a sweet,...
See full post: "Ichiro's Return"...
Posted in
Mariners,
News;
Tagged
Ichiro Suzuki |
Posted
on March 27, 2018 at 5:34pm | Permalink |
|
1 Comment
How Much is a Mariners Game Ticket?
Determining the price of a Mariners ticket is a complicated matter these days.
See full post: "How Much is a Mariners Game Ticket?"...
Posted in
Mariners,
Columns,
Around the Horn;
Posted
on March 23, 2018 at 4:53pm | Permalink |
|
No Comments yet