Sexson Latest Casualty

The Mariners called up two players from Tacoma today, INF Tug Hulett and RHP Jared Wells. Tug has been playing primarily second base, but he has also played some shortstop and has limited experience at third, first, and even in the outfield. He primarily batted lead-off for the Rainiers, and while he will not be a star, he is a pretty solid player. He has more power than his size implies, and he has good plate discipline. Hulett was the player the M's received when they traded 1B Ben Broussard to the Rangers. Jared Wells was a promising prospect in the Padres system until he started to suck, to put it bluntly. He still possesses plus stuff, and he has pitched better since joining Tacoma. He was the player the Mariners received from San Diego when they traded RHP Cha Seung Baek to them after designating Baek for assignment.

Now to the real news. The new players took two spots vacated by much more noteworthy moves. There was room for Wells once the M's placed Erik Bedard on the 15-day DL. Popular thought was that Bedard would go on the DL to clear a spot for Felix's return, so either Wells is only around for a few days, or another move is in the works (my hunch is that Batista might head to the DL). As for Hulett, he takes the spot formerly filled by Richie Sexson. After weeks of speculation and a year and a half of lackluster production, Big Richie finally became the latest casualty in this debacle of a season. The timing was a little odd, especially with Richie being on a mild hot streak by Richie standards, but Jim Riggleman said he could tell that Richie was not pleased with being benched, and Riggleman did not see how he would get off the bench much with how the next couple weeks were going to go. Whatever the reason, this move seemed inevitable ever since the Mariners started making major changes.

Richie became a popular target for 2008's frustrations, but the collapse is not his fault. This team won 88 games a year ago with him underperforming just as badly at first base last year. He worked hard to regain his old form, but he just could not find it. Despite the boos and benchings, Richie never complained. The closest he did was apparently on Tuesday night, when Riggleman felt his body language showed frustration over not playing. Frankly, I would be concerned if an everyday player did not react somehow to being benched. It is easy to point a finger at the man hitting around .200 with minimal power and limited defense making $15.5 million, because the team definitely did not get its money's worth. However, Richie did not become lazy, or a clubhouse cancer. He tried as hard as he could. The reality is that Richie is what he is at this point. This is more than a slump. This is what a player past his prime looks like.

Fingers should be pointed at the man who signed Richie Sexson, Bill Bavasi. I guess they already have been pointed since he was fired, but the contract he offered Sexson was doomed the second Richie inked it. Let's flash back to when Richie was a free agent. He was coming off of a major shoulder injury that cost him nearly all of his lone year as a Diamondback. However, while with the Brewers, he had developed into a feared power hitter. Despite the shoulder injury, Bill Bavasi decided to sign the then 30-year-old Sexson to a whopping 4 year, $50 million contract.

It is easy to say that was a bad decision now, but even then it should have been obvious that this was a bad contract. Even if the M's had full confidence that the shoulder was fine (and it turned out to be), most teams were concerned, and I doubt the Mariners really needed to give Sexson as much money as they did. Plus, injury not withstanding, Richie in his prime was still 6'8" and struck out a ton. He offset both of these significant disadvantages by developing great plate discipline and shortening his stroke. Though his height is a major source for his power, the list of hitters as tall as Richie Sexson succeeding is painfully short. This game is just tougher for taller hitters, likely due to a larger strike zone to cover and naturally longer swings. So, was it reasonable to expect Richie Sexson to continue to produce at a high level as he entered the twilight of his physical prime? The answer is obvious now, but given how difficult it was going to be for Richie to beat father time with his body type, the Mariners should have known back when they signed him that there was a decent chance he would not age gracefully.

What is even worse is that the previous Mariners regime was completely oblivious to all the warning signs. In 2005, Richie's first year with the M's, he was fantastic. Even in 2006 he was still good, but he slipped noticeably. Some noticed, but then-manager Mike Hargrove did not bat an eye, claiming Richie was here to hit home runs and nothing else mattered. True, Richie still swatted his share of bombs. But, at the very least an observant baseball person should have furrowed their brows over the drop-off, noticed the complete lack of first baseman in the farm system that precipitated Richie's signing in the first place, and drafted a first base prospect. Year after year the Mariners did not, all while Richie went from regressing to plummeting off the face of the earth.

That is how the Mariners got to this point. That is how a team dumps a light-hitting first baseman making $15.5 million with no legitimate replacement. I am rooting for Bryan LaHair, and I have to give credit to Bavasi and scouting director Bob Fontaine for finding a talent as good as him in the 35th round of a draft. But, he is not starting material, and I do not think he ever will be. Marshall Hubbard and Johan Limonta both offer a little promise in AA, but the fact remains that the previous leadership was relying on fringe prospects to pan out in the farm system. They never had a legitimate long-term plan for first base despite every indication that disaster would strike if the issue was not addressed. Bavasi and company seemed to all close their eyes, cover their ears, and tell themselves over and over, "Richie hits the ball a country mile. Richie hits the ball a country mile. Richie hits the ball a country mile..."

Well, Richie did hit the ball a country mile, but he does not so much anymore. It is as if he continues to get older. Fancy that. Thanks, Bill Bavasi. Thanks alot.

Fixing the Mariners

Now that Lee Pelekoudas is taking over, the Mariners are clearly looking towards 2009. The team is already off to a good start with the news that Wladimir Balentien has been sent down and Jeff Clement called back up. Balentien needs to play every day, and hopefully he can get some confidence back with regular playing time in AAA. As for Clement, I expect him to show he is much better than what we saw in his first stint. He should assert himself as one of the best hitters in this lineup in little time. Bringing Clement back up was the obvious move that needed to be made, but here are some out things I would do to start turning things around:

• Send Brandon Morrow down to Tacoma (with a purpose) and recall Eric O'Flaherty - It is time to stretch out Morrow and try him as a starter. If this team were in contention it would be a dumb move, but this is one of the only times it pays to be out of the race. There is no need to pull off a Joba Chamberlain here. Morrow has all the time he needs to stretch out in AAA, and when he is ready to go, I put him in the M's rotation for the rest of the year. I am not convinced that O'Flaherty has his command back, but if he is that bad he can be sent back down once Putz comes off the DL. With Morrow in the minors, I would insert Miguel Batista as the closer until J.J. is back. There is a purpose behind picking him over what would seem to be the more logical option at this point, Mark Lowe. I would also make it clear to Jarrod Washburn that if he does not start pitching better, his rotation spot will go to Morrow. Otherwise, R.A. Dickey goes back to long relief.
• Place Jose Vidro, Kenji Johjima, Richie Sexson, Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista, and Carlos Silva on waivers - It is time to start assessing the market value of veterans on this team, especially the ones with significant contracts. Placing a player on waivers is not a real public thing, and there also is no commitment. If a team claims a player on waivers, one of three things could happen: 1) The Mariners could pull the player back off of waivers and keep him. 2) The Mariners could let the player go to the team that claimed him and get nothing in return. This sounds like a raw deal, but that also means the other team takes on all of the player's remaining salary. 3) The Mariners and the team that claimed him can work out a trade. I would cross my fingers and hope that Johjima and Batista are claimed in particular. Both of them could be replaced internally quite easily, and getting rid of their 2009 salaries would clear $16 million in payroll. More than anything though, I would be using the waiver wire as a cheap, quick way to assess the market value of the players I am most willing to trade. If a team is willing to claim one of these players, they may be willing to give up a worthwhile prospect to acquire him, especially if the Mariners pay some of the salary.
• If a team claims Vidro, work out a trade. If Vidro clears waivers, release him - There is absolutely no point in keeping Vidro around. With Jeff Clement back up, Vidro will see very little action the remainder of the year, and he is not part of the answer in 2009. I would expect him to clear waivers, and if he does, cutting him would give the Mariners another spot to play with on the 40-man roster. If some team does claim him, I would be willing to pay his whole salary to maximize whatever talent the team could get in return.
• Make it clear no veteran on the team is off-limits - I would entertain trade offers for any veteran on this team (including Ichiro), though I would not actively shop many of them. Still, I would be looking to maximize the number of trade offers at this point. Sometimes certain teams become enamored with certain players, and I would not want to stand in the way of that team offering a lop-sided deal.

That would take care of things up to the All-Star Break. Here is what I would do around the trade deadline:

• Actively try to trade Miguel Batista - There simply is not a place for Batista in my plan, thanks in large part to his poor performance, rather substantial contract, and availability of several cheaper arms in the system that could replace him (Morrow and Ryan Feierabend in particular come to mind). I think a market for Batista could be created by advertising him as the ultimate insurance policy. He can start, do long relief, short relief, or even be an emergency closer. He has experience in all the roles. Letting scouts watch Batista close is the reason that I would choose him to finish ballgames over Mark Lowe while Putz is on the DL. Since he still has good velocity, I think a team would take a chance on him around the trade deadline. If another team will take his whole salary, I would be tempted to give him away for nothing. More realistically, the M's will have to eat some of his salary, but it would be worth it. If Batista can't be traded, I hold on to him.
• Actively try to trade Richie Sexson - Unlike most, I would not cut Sexson immediately because I do not see anyone in the minors that is clearly better than him. However, at the same time, Richie clearly is not the answer moving forward either. It seems that some teams have shown tepid interest over the past couple years in him, and I would let it be known that I would pay his entire remaining salary to maximize interest. The Mariners were planning on paying him anyway, and it would make Richie much more attractive if he were free. Perhaps the Indians, Mets, or Rangers would give up a borderline prospect to try to revive Sexson for a few months, especially if it was at no financial cost. If Richie is traded, I would call up either Balentien or Bryan LaHair to take his place on the roster, whichever is performing better in Tacoma. Whoever is called up would play everyday. LaHair could directly take over at first, and Ibanez could be slid over to first to make room for Balentien in the outfield. If Richie cannot be traded before the deadline, I would release him and still call up either Balentien or LaHair.
• Trade Miguel Cairo and/or Willie Bloomquist - There will likely be a market for both players (especially in the NL), and there is no huge reason to keep either of them. They won't garner anything in return, and frankly I would prefer additional flexibility with the 40-man roster for September call-ups anyway. The first person I would call up to replace one of them is Bryan LaHair, if he is not already up. The next two in line would be Oswaldo Navarro and Tug Hulett, though Hulett's contract would have to be purchased.
• Hope for a lop-sided trade in the M's favor, and accept it if it comes - Wouldn't it be awesome to be on the other side of a Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb deal? Expecting something so gratuitous would be irresponsible, but maximizing slim odds cannot hurt. That is the idea behind exploring trades with all veterans, and adding flexibility on the 40-man roster by trading players like Miguel Cairo and Willie Bloomquist.

Once the dust settles after July 31, the next wave of roster moves would come with September call-ups. I would place Tug Hulett and Chris Jakubauskas on the 40-man roster if they are not already, and add Matt Tuiasosopo as well. All of them would come up in September, along with Ryan Feierabend. Tui is not having a sensational season in AAA, but adding him in September would hopefully add a little intrigue to the team for fans. It also would allow the M's to rest Adrian Beltre with his torn hand ligament, or maybe even shut him down for the remainder of the season altogether.

This season is not going to get any prettier, but the Mariners can get a head start on 2009. With Sexson and Vidro coming off the books after this season, the team already will have financial flexibility heading into the off-season. Freeing up spots on the 40-man roster by trading guys like Bloomquist and Cairo will add roster flexibility too. Flexibility is key in times of change, and the Mariners can add quite a bit while not making the team much (if any) worse this year and taking a look at some younger guys that could play important roles in 2009.

Sexson Charges Mound

If there was any doubt that the Mariners are frustrated over their lack of run production, there is none now. Richie Sexson, by all accounts and upstanding and mild-mannered individual, showed that even the calmest of people can only take so much. The entire offense is mired in a terrible slump that has only gotten worse during this homestand. John McLaren already chewed them out over the weekend in New York. Brad Wilkerson and Greg Norton were both designated for assignment to bring up the two brightest hitting prospects in the organization. The slump has progressed from panic to frustration, and it finally boiled over as Richie tossed his bat aside and charged the mound with authority, even going as far as spiking his helmet into Kason Gabbard's back.

There really is not much to analyze here. The Mariners are in a bad slump, and they will not break out of it until they start scoring some runs. They are not even leaving many runners on base; they simply are not even getting on base to start with. Given that this team is better than they are playing, and they seem themselves slipping farther and farther from first place, the frustration was bound to boil over at some point. McLaren was ejected last night, technically for arguing balls and strikes, but really for being so frustrated. Just how frustrating the slump is really came into focus tonight though, thanks to Richie Sexson.

Obviously, Richie was way out of line. The pitch was high and inside, but frankly not terribly far in. Maybe Kason met to hit him, but I buy that he did not mean to hit him in the head. Given how quickly Richie reacted to the pitch, he seemed to be anticipating it. He looked he might have been looking to charge the mound, and even if he were justified charging the mound, there is not much he can do to defend taking off his helmet and throwing it at Gabbard, much less drilling him in the back with it. I am curious to see how long Richie's suspension is (because I do not think there is much doubt he will be suspended); the helmet toss may make it rather severe.

Though I probably should not admit this, there was something gratifying about watching Richie charge the mound with such authority. I am frustrated as a fan too, and in some way he took some of my frustrations and threw them into Gabbard's back, along with the helmet. If not for the brawl, I would be sitting around thinking about the actual game, which was another anemic offensive effort. The Mariners have not scored in two games, just lost three out of four to Texas at home, and is squarely in the cellar. The game itself was terribly depressing. But, thanks to Richie, there is something else to talk about on the field besides the game, and that is worth something right now.

I did not think Richie had it in him to ever charge the mound. The helmet spike into Gabbard's back was even more unexpected. Sexson charged Gabbard with impressive authority, and definitely doled out a punishment that exceeded the crime. His actions should be condemned, but they were so unexpected, and they took the focus off of the M's depressing offensive woes. However long Richie's suspension is, I do not care. The repercussions will likely harm the team, but watching Richie take some of this team's frustrations away was worth it. I am tired of thinking about this team's offensive struggles. Optimally, they would start scoring some runs, but Richie charging the mound works for tonight.

Off-Season Dreaming 2.0

The off-season has really started to heat up since my first off-season post and with the new developments, I felt like revising my plan for the Mariners. Here is what I propose now:

MOVE 1: As part of a three-way deal, Mariners send 1B Richie Sexson to the Yankees, SP Joel Pineiro and 1B Ben Broussard to the Nationals, and acquire 1B Nick Johnson from the Nationals. The Yankees send SP Sean Henn and RP T.J. Beam to the Nationals in the deal as well – The Yankees are looking for a full-time first baseman that bats right-handed. Richie Sexson is clearly better than any option the Yankees could sign in free agency, so they would have to listen if the Mariners offered him. This deal makes sense for the Nationals too because they get a serviceable replacement for Nick Johnson in Ben Broussard at a great price, and they also add three pitchers that could all make their major-league squad. As for the Mariners, they dump payroll and acquire Nick Johnson, who should be a perfect fit for Safeco.

MOVE 2: Mariners trade RP Julio Mateo, RP Emiliano Fruto, and OF Jeremy Reed to the Florida Marlins for SP Yusmeiro Petit – The Marlins are looking for veteran relief help and a centerfielder at the winter meetings, and appear poised to give up a young starting pitcher to fill their needs. So, with this deal the M’s get a young starting pitcher that can come in and compete for a spot in the rotation immediately and the Marlins fill both holes. I’m not convinced this package is enough to net Petit though. I would be willing to take Renyel Pinto instead of Petit in the trade, or add another piece (such as Michael Garciaparra, Bryan LaHair, Greg Dobbs, et al) to make this trade happen. The whole deal would hinge on how much the Marlins like Jeremy Reed.

MOVE 3: Mariners sign DH Barry Bonds, SP Tomo Ohka, C Rod Barajas, and 1B Eduardo Perez – My guess is signing all of these free agents would take roughly $20 million, which the Mariners should have available even if they pick up as much as half of Richie Sexson’s remaining contract in my proposed moves. The most controversial signing is Barry Bonds obviously, but his bat would add an incredible presence to the lineup. A less risky (and even cheaper) option would be Luis Gonzalez and I would be content with that. However, with these deals I proposed the Mariners could give Bonds the $10 million he wants and it would not blow the budget. It is something to think about.

So, with these moves the 2007 Mariners would look something like this:

STARTING LINEUP
Ichiro, CF
Chris Snelling, RF
Nick Johnson, 1B
Barry Bonds, DH
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Raul Ibanez, LF
Kenji Johjima, C
Jose Lopez, 2B
Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

BENCH
Eduardo Perez
Greg Dobbs
Mike Morse
Rod Barajas
Willie Bloomquist

STARTING ROTATION
Jarrod Washburn
Felix Hernandez
Tomo Ohka
Cha-Seung Baek
Yusmeiro Petit

BULLPEN
Jake Woods
Eric O’Flaherty
Jon Huber
George Sherrill
Rafael Soriano
J.J. Putz

Once again, the lineup looks much improved over last year’s. Just look at Raul Ibanez, the big hitter from last year, dropping to sixth in the lineup. I love the idea of three extremely patient hitters like Snelling, Johnson, and Bonds batting behind Ichiro. This proposed starting rotation is not stellar, but it is better than the one I imagined in my first “Off-Season Dreaming” especially since Beak, Petit, and of course King Felix are all young. This scenario is even less far-fetched than my first plan too since all of these moves are based on reports of what other teams are looking for. The Mariners have been losers in the off-season so far, but there is certainly still hope.

Off-Season Dreaming

I did not think I would write a post with a bunch of hypothetical moves that the Mariners could make to save themselves, but after a conversation much too late a couple nights ago with a friend of mine I have to. He mentioned a few guys he would like to see the Mariners acquire and, after postulating a few scenarios, we came up with an interesting sequence of events. Here are three moves that would significantly alter the Mariners that are not far-fetched:

MOVE 1- Seattle Mariners trade Ben Broussard, Jeremy Reed, Joel Pineiro, and Wladimir Balentien to the Washington Nationals for Nick Johnson – This deal makes sense for the Mariners for a couple of reasons. First of all, the trade leaves Seattle with multiple spots open on the 40-man roster, which they need to have to sign free agents. More importantly though, this move nets a vastly underrated hitter in Nick Johnson. Each of the past two years Johnson has had a batting average of around .290 with an on-base percentage over .400 and in 2006 he hit a whopping 46 doubles to go along with 23 home runs. Moreover, he accumulated these numbers in pitcher-friendly RFK stadium and is only 27 years old, meaning he is just entering his prime. The trade also makes sense for the Nationals because they receive a first baseman who can replace Johnson’s average and home runs at a cheaper price and they also gain two promising young outfielders, plus a starting pitcher. Considering all the holes the Nationals have to fill they would have to consider this deal.

MOVE 2 - Seattle Mariners trade 1B Richie Sexson, RP Emiliano Fruto, and RP Julio Mateo to the San Francisco Giants for RP Armando Benitez, SP Pat Misch, and RP Billy Sadler – With Nick Johnson having been acquired, Richie Sexson becomes expendable and in this market his $14 million price tag for two years does not look terrible. The Giants are yet another team with several holes and tons of money to spend. This deal makes sense for San Francisco because they add a power bat to the middle of their lineup, two arms to their bullpen, and even get rid of Armando Benitez’s contract. The Mariners add some needed depth to their pitching staff but more importantly gain a bunch of money to spend, roughly $8 million in this deal. In the first move the Mariners also gained $3.3 million which, if Gil Meche’s $3.7 million earned last year is included, brings the Mariners to $15 million under the 2006 payroll. This clears the way for…

MOVE 3 – Seattle Mariners sign OF J.D. Drew – Like Nick Johnson, J.D. Drew sports a terrific on-base percentage and has all the tools in the world to become an elite offensive player. Drew is often criticized of being lazy and soft, but even if he puts up the numbers he has in the past he would be a huge addition to the Mariners lineup.

MOVE 4 – Seattle Mariners sign SP Tomo Ohka – Another beautiful feature of the first three moves is that no payroll was added, meaning the Mariners should still have enough money to add a decent starter like they are currently planning to do. Ohka is nothing special, but he is solid and would not break the bank.

With these four moves the 2007 Mariners would look something like this:

STARTING LINEUP
Ichiro, CF
Chris Snelling, LF
J.D. Drew, RF
Nick Johnson, 1B
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Raul Ibanez, DH
Kenji Johjima, C
Jose Lopez, 2B
Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

BENCH
Eduardo Perez
Greg Dobbs
Mike Morse
Willie Bloomquist
Rene Rivera

STARTING ROTATION
Jarrod Washburn
Felix Hernandez
Tomo Ohka
Jake Woods
Cha-Seung Baek

BULLPEN
Armando Benitez
Eric O’Flaherty
Billy Sadler
George Sherrill
Rafael Soriano
J.J. Putz

The starting staff and middle relief are shaky thanks to my proposed moves, but I thinking signing an offensive player like J.D. Drew in his prime is better than overpaying for Jason Schmidt or Barry Zito, both of whom may have already had their best years. Plus, the lineup looks fantastic. Ichiro could swing away to his heart’s content because behind him are three guys who will milk everything they can out of counts. The lineup also features five left-handed hitters, which suits Safeco Field very nicely. It does start with four left-handed hitters in a row, but that does not concern me greatly because Ichiro and Nick Johnson have both proven they can hit southpaws just as well, if not better, than right-handers. J.D. Drew’s three-year splits indicate that he can handle left-handers just fine as well. Even though the pitching staff would have everyone nervous, my moves do give the M’s some pitching depth in case of injuries/ineffectiveness.

This hypothetical team has flaws, but it is better than the 2006 M’s and also gives the team more flexibility in the future and even at the 2007 trading deadline (if Adam Jones is ready, the M’s could consider trading Ichiro). I would be excited if the Mariners off-season ended up emulating this.

Beginning To Believe

Thanks to last night's thrilling game between the Suns and Mavericks and the season finale of American Idol, I doubt many people saw the Mariners' 7-4 victory over the Orioles. The Rangers lost yesterday as well, which means the M's are a mere two games out of first place at the moment. On this date last year, Seattle was already 7.5 games out and in 2004 a whopping 12.5 games behind. Do the Mariners really stand a chance to contend this year?

The short answer is no. Though the offense has improved, it has unfortunately improved very little. As a team, the Mariners batted .256 last year with a .319 OBP and .391 SLG. This year, they are batting .262, still with .319 OBP but a slightly better .401 SLG. Simply put, this little offensive production is not enough to consider the Mariners contenders.

However, there are reasons for hope. It is safe to assume that the offense will improve significantly because Richie Sexson, Adrian Beltre, and Jeremy Reed are all better than what they have shown so far and there are signs that Sexson and Reed are heating up. If those guys just do what they are capable of the offense will be respectable. Also, the Mariners' pitching is noticably better than last year, though they are mediocre by most measures.

A mediocre offense and mediocre pitching may not sound like the makings of a contender, but unless some team really heats up in the division, that may be good enough. The Rangers are in first place right now with a .500 record, so by definition they are mediocre. To this point the AL West looks alot like last year's NL West, which means most around baseball will probably look at the pennant race as a joke. However, even if Seattle is able to contend just because they happen to be in an absurdly weak division, it would mean a ton for this franchise. A pennant race would make fans pay attention again and generate excitement around the team that has been lacking for a couple years. It would restore faith in the organization and instill confidence that the team is improving. It likely would make Seattle a much more attractive place for free agents too.

I still have plenty of problems with what the Mariners are doing (just watch Mike Hargrove's use of the bench or Bill Bavasi's quest to acquire every catcher in the known universe) but I still believe this team can succeed with the current front office. Watching the Mariners the last few years has been so frustrating not just because they have been old and bad, but also because it seems like they never caught any breaks. This year it looks like Seattle is catching a huge break and I hope they capitalize. A .500 record is within reach and I am more and more convinced that may be enough to cause an outburst of playoff fever around Puget Sound.

HOME

There Goes the Streak

I recommended watching the Pistons and the Heat tonight, and I should have taken my own advice. Instead, I decided to watch the Mariners to see if they could win their fifth straight, something they never accomplished in 2005. Going into the game I was getting excited for the Mariners. With last night's win the pulled to .500 on the season at home and were only three games out of first place. Richie Sexson was showing signs of coming out of his season-long slump and the middle infield combo of Yuniesky Betancourt and Jose Lopez was continuing to be better than advertised. Even better, the Mariners looked like they had caught a break tonight as the scheduled starter for the Orioles, Hayden Penn, had to have an emergency appendectomy. In his place would be a hodgepodge of relievers, "highlighted" by John Halama.

The good times lasted for four batters. Then, Ramon Hernandez stepped up to the plate and tattooed a Pineiro offering out of the park to give the Orioles a three-run lead before the M's could even bat. The Orioles ended up sending all nine hitters to the plate in the first inning and also tacked on another run to make the score 4-0 as Ichiro entered the box for the first time. He got a hit to extend his hitting streak, and as it turns out, that was the highlight of the night.

It didn't look like that would be the highlight for most of the game though. The Mariners got to Halama in the third inning and pretty soon Sam Perlazzo seemed to be throwing any reliever he could find at the Mariners in hopes of preserving the lead. His tactics worked, as the Orioles led 5-3 going into the bottom of the 8th.

The eighth started off very promising with a lucky single off the bat of Carl Everett. Then, Adrian Beltre stepped up to the plate and actually put a charge into a ball for a change. He drove a LaTroy Hawkins offering deep to right center and Corey Patterson was not able to catch it, allowing Everett to score and Beltre to make it all the way to third. Suddenly, Seattle was down only a run, the closest they had been the entire game, and the tying run was on third base with no outs! It looked as if the comeback not only could happen, but would happen.

Ah, but these are the 2006 Mariners and they are managed by Mike Hargrove. First up was Kenji Johjima, who has been everything the Mariners could have asked for both at the plate and behind it. Unfortunately, he left plenty to be desired this at-bat as he popped up to first base. Due up next was Willie Bloomquist but Hargrove decided to pinch hit Roberto Petagine in his place. This would have been a great move - except that Petagine's last appearance was as a pinch-hitter an entire WEEK ago in Oakland. It is absolutely ludicrous that Hargrove is not using Petagine more, especially considering how badly Richie Sexson has struggled. Even worse, when Hargrove finally does use him, he puts him in an extremely pressure-packed situation. Petagine was set up for complete failure and that's exactly what happened as he popped up to third base. There were now two outs in the inning and Yuniesky Betancourt was due up. Once again, Hargrove went to the bench and this time sent up Jeremy Reed. Hargrove likely made the move to set up the classic lefty-righty mismatch that managers absolutely love, but I really did not like the move for two reasons. First of all, I am not convinced that Reed is a better hitter than Betancourt. Though it is true Reed has heated up recently, Betancourt is in the midst of the longest hitting streak in his young career and Betancourt's numbers over the season are better than Reed's. Also, Seattle had to put someone else at shortstop for Betancourt in the ninth since they pinch hit for him, which greatly weakens the infield defense. The move seemed destined to harm the team. Sure enough, once Reed was announced as the pinch-hitter, the Orioles brought in their closer Chris Ray and it took him only four pitches to strike out Reed and preserve Baltimore's lead.

It felt like the Mariners may have blown their chance at winning the game in the eighth, but in the end it may not have mattered as the bullpen completely melted down and allowed nine runs in the top half of the ninth, highlighted by Ramon Hernandez's grand slam. Somehow, the Mariners found a way to squander a close game and get blown out in it at the same time, making this loss exotically painful.

Aside from the atypical bullpen meltdown, this game was painful because it pointed out how poorly Mike Hargrove has used the bench this year. It started back in mid-April when Seattle designated Joe Borchard for assignment just to keep Matt Lawton, supposedly because he was so valuable to the bench. That move backfired miserably as Borchard was snatched up by the Marlins and Matt Lawton is no longer with the ballclub because Hargrove never used him. In Lawton's place is Mike Morse, or as Mike Hargrove called him, "the infielder we've been looking for all year." Looking for all year? He's been sitting in AAA all year, just waiting to be called up. Did you forget about him? Maybe you did because he was only batting .227 and striking almost exactly once out of every four at-bats against AAA pitching. Please Mike, is this really the infielder you've been looking for? How does this make Hunter Brown feel, who plays every infield position and has clearly outperformed Morse this year in Tacoma? Brown is nothing special, but he would make a great utility infielder because he can play all over the diamond and you won't feel too guilty about not getting his bat in the lineup on a regular basis. On the other hand, hitting is supposedly Morse's strength, so if he is not getting to the plate (which he won't) he's a wasted commodity, kind of like Roberto Petagine right now. I got spoiled watching Lou Pineilla use a bench to perfection, but I expect more out of Mike Hargrove, especially now that he's got the infielder he was looking for. I really should have watched that Heat/Pistons game.

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