All right, so its been a couple of days, and for those of you who've visited this blog, you'll notice its got a different look. And its not done yet- consider it a work in progress.

So let's recap the past couple of games versus the Indians: Adrian Beltre has hit no home runs. Surprised? Don't be.

AB did, however, have a two-run double in the fourth inning, when the M's roughed up Indians starter for four hits and three runs to start the inning off. That's the type of 'hitting with runners on' that I've been harping about and waiting to see from AB for quite some time. (They have a link to Beltre's double over on the Mariner's official recap of the game.) It seems the last time he got a hit like that was 2004....

Of course, during this big inning versus the Indians, the M's dugout decided to get all cute and play small-ball versus the pitcher they had greeted with four straight hits (three singles and AB's double). Jose Lopez, who's gotten a hit in 21 of his last 25 games, sacrificed Kenji Johjima over after Johjima's RBI single knocked in Beltre. Needless to say, from that point on, the Mariners were runless and the inning soon ended. You can't blame Mike Hargrove for the M's strategy however- Grover was tossed in the third inning arguing balls and strikes.

Anywyas, the Mariners still won 4-1 behind the bat of Beltre (I love writing that, alliteration and all) and some vintage pitching from Joel Pineiro. Today the Mariners pit Jarrod Washburn versus C.C. 'Fat Man' Sabathia, who's only making his third start of the season as he had to be pulled out of his first start and placed on the DL due to a 'strained stomach.' (Strained from eating 12 hot dogs the night before, rumor has it.) Beltre has no hits in five at-bats versus Sabathia, so expect more of that and less of the doubles with runners on....

Oh yeah, on Friday the Indians walloped the Mariners 9-4. Beltre went 1 for 3, which raised his average to .209 and stole two bases. The speedster now has 9 SBs on the year, tying Ichiro for the team lead. Did Lincoln and Bavasi forget that they had one of the game's premier lead-off men when they signed Beltre to his contract?