Some times, a picture comes around...

How're you feeling about hitting third in the lineup, Ichiro?

Mark and Eric Good Show GO! 4/24/12

Mark and Eric Good Show Go! 4/18/12

Mariners victim of a perfect game

Well that sucked.

Mariners win series 3 over Oakland

I'm sure Oakland's bloggers are saying the same things about us (do the A's HAVE bloggers?) but I'm so happy we won't be seeing the balancing Elephants again until mid June. Baseball's 162 game schedule is exacerbated when it feels like you're playing every single game against the same team. And for the last month, that statement has been nearly true. 

Since opening day in Japan, the Mariners have played seven games over two series with the Oakland A's,  going 5-2. By this time next week, the Mariners will have played over 1-10th of their games in the 2012 season, and almost have of them will have been against the A's. To which I say, at least our opponents can only get more interesting from here. I mean, outside of Yoenis Cespedes, I'm not sure there's a single interesting player on that team. Okay, Eric Sogard is interesting, but that's just because you don't usually see ballplayers wearing prescription glasses. He's interesting in the same way that Nascar is interesting, in that you watch to see if something terrible is going to happen. If it were me, I'd be constantly terrified that a wayward pitch or a funny bounce is about to lodge both baseball and shards of glass in my eyes. 

Which is one of the many reasons why I haven't posted about the Mariners much over the first few weeks. I don't know how stat-oriented guys like Jeff Sullivan and Dave Cameron make posts on baseball after every game (sometimes MULTIPLE posts!) because in effect, these guys (who are clearly allergic to small sample sizes) are forcing themselves to find even a little bit of meaning in 1/162nd of a season. Even after two weeks, it's not clear

• Whether Chone Figgins or Ichiro have truly bounced back (my gut says the latter has, but the former has not)
• Whether Michael Saunders or Justin Smoak are going to take that next step
• Whether Kyle Seager is legitimate
• Whether we should be worried about Felix (no?)
• What the hell the Mariners are going to do with the rest of their starting rotation when the phenoms are ready
• When the Mariners will drop Olivo (I like the guy, but three catchers on the roster is like two kickers on a football team).

Sullivan, Cameron, and Baker have tough jobs, and only one of those guys is getting paid to do what they do (I think?). I find it remarkable to say the least. 

But anyway, what Seager and Jesus Montero have done so far this season has been encouraging. While having two rookies leading your team offensively isn't typically a good sign, It's nice that the Mariners finally have multiple players hitting .280 or higher. Off the top of my head, I'm not sure the Mariners had anyone like that last year, at least over a full season. Interesting to note that Jesus' OBP is lower than his average right now, thanks to his lack of walks and a sac fly or two. But if he keeps having eight-game hitting streaks and home runs to dead center, I'm not sure the free bags are going to bother me too much. 

I didn't think much of Seager prior to this year, and he could just be having a hot streak, but right now he's the best hitter on a Mariners club that isn't last in hitting. He doesn't seem to have the traditional corner power expected of a third basemen, but then again, he's already hitting the ball much harder than his size would suggest. I hope and believe that the Mariners will ride his train as long as he keeps conducting it. I assume he's playing 3rd base because he doesn't have the range for SS, but if he continues at his pace, I don't know what the Mariners will do if Alex Liddi or Vinnie Catricala start knocking at the MLB door. Perhaps Ackley to the outfield, Seager to second, and Liddicala at third? But as usual, I'm getting ahead of myself. 

It's true that a traditional batter to bat third in your lineup would be someone that hits 30 hrs a year, but Ichiro has looked like a natural in the role so far in 2012. Not that he was a stranger to hitting in an RBI spot (it was his position in the order for nearly his entire career in Japan) but he has had no trouble finding the outfield grass and has four extra base hits on the season. If Ichiro manages another 200 hits this year, I'll be disappointed if the Mariners don't sign him for another two or three years. The Ichiro hate wagon has been riding strong for more than five years now, but he stuck with this team through thick and thin, and he deserves another playoff appearance in a Mariners uniform. Ichiro may be a first-ballot hall of famer, which would be a first for a career Mariner. Unlike other past Seattle icons, maybe this time we don't have to drive them out of town, instead letting him retire on his terms. 

Brandon League, 5 for 5, 0.00 ERA. Hard to take any meaning from it, but if he learned anything from those rough stretches last year, he could be the game's best this season.

Next up is Cleveland. I feel like the Mariners will take two of the three and retain second place in the west. And on that note, I don't know if I put it in writing on this blog, but if not, I'll say it here for everyone to see: The Angels aren't going to compete for the AL West this year. They weren't that good in 2011, and they didn't get much better in 2012. Their core players are mostly old, and Pujols is simply blocking a roster spot that Trumbo or Trout could be taking. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost 80 games this year. 

Sounders 1-0 Rapids

Under normal circumstances, Saturday's match would be pretty forgettable. Other than an excellent header by Zach Scott in the final third of the match, the Sounders faithful were treated (or...not...) to a game lacking a lot of excitement or close plays. Scott had another chance on goal in the first half that missed just left, Fredy Montero came close with a few free kicks, and Eddie Johnson almost found his first assist in a near-perfect service to Montero, denied only thanks to a great read from Colorado keeper Matt Pickens. Outside of those plays, and a couple of cards, it was about as lackluster a win as the Sounders will take all season.

But this matchup, which sent the Sounders into a tie for third place in the west with 10 points, had added significance, especially for the near 40,000 standing at attention on the sunny Saturday afternoon. It was the return of public enemy number 1, Brian Mullen, for the first time since his horrific tackle on Steve Zakuani about a year ago. And as was to be expected after 350+ days of hate and vitriol were unleashed on the internet in the aftermath, and with Zakuani himself in attendance, the crowd let Mullen know how they felt about him with their voices. Every time Mullen touched the ball (which seemed to become less frequent as the game went on, perhaps out of pity from his teammates),  something between a smattering and a cacophony of boos rained down upon the pitch (though not quite to the effect of the weather in Sunday's Chicago-Houston matchup).

On top of that, the game had even more meaning for myself, inviting an old co-worker and friend to his very first Sounders match. In town for a week from him home in St. Louis, we had a few drinks before the March to the Match, before I treated him to a Sounders gameday. He came away impressed, and I fully expect the Sounders population in Missouri to grow by one. Few things bring me more joy these days than creating new fans of Sounders and the "Beautiful Game".

Back to the game itself... The finishing is still a concern, but the coming week off should do wonders for this battered team. When Seattle next takes the pitch at Toyota Park in Illinois, they should have their best 11 on the pitch, with Rosales, Johannson, Fernandez, and Hurtado all returning to duty, and Johnson ready to play the full 90. Assuming Rosales doesn't get hacked down for the fourth straight game, it will be our first look at the true potential of our team.

Elsewhere in Cascadia:
Vancouver-Bye
Portland 1-3 LA

Sounders tie DC in frustrating match

The Sounders came close to pulling out a victory at dilapidated RFK Stadium in Washington DC today, as substitute Marc Burch nearly scored the winner on a diving header in stoppage time. But that shot bounced harmlessly away off the post, and Seattle now flies home to Seattle in a game that easily could have gone either way.

Michael Gspurning used his frame well in punching away a number of threatening balls brought in by Chris Pontius and crew, and the woodwork did it's fair share as well in keeping intact Seattle's second clean sheet of the year.

As good as the Sounders back line has been over the first month of the season, it's a little frustrating watching the team send long ball after hopeless long ball up the side lines in hopes that a Rave Green will win it, frequently to no avail. Scott and Levesque simply can't play ball possession the way Johannson and Rosales can (not that the left flank was free of guilt). It's equally frustrating that the Sounders haven't been able to field a healthy lineup yet this year. But I assume the goals will come, and as long as the defense continues to play well, Seattle's destined for big things.

(watching the Mariners while I type this; Smoak, I like you, and expect you to be a Mariners cornerstone for years, but you are a TERRIBLE base runner. Just saying. )