After splitting a weekend series with the Chicago Cubs- an ugly 8-5 loss in which Miguel Batista allowed four runs on seven hits in three innings, followed by a spectacular 2-1 win on Saturday in which Jeff Weaver tossed six innings of scoreless relief (maybe there is something positive to his signing after all?)- the Mariners had no more chances to prepare for Opening Day. But prepared they were, as the M's downed the hated Oakland A's 4-0 behind a dominating performance from Felix Hernandez, who struck out 12 in eight innings, the second most by a Marienrs' Opening Day starter behind Randy Johnson's 14 Ks in 1993 and 1996.

The youngest starter to take an Opening Day start since Dwight Gooden in 1985- Felix isn't even legal until next week!- Hernandez kept the A's off balance with a steady diet of 98-mph heaters, 90-mph sliders, and breaking balls that would bottom out around 68 mph. You almost felt sorry for the A's futility at the plate, until you remembered just which team was opposing the Mariners, and that sympathy disappeared very quick.

So, for the second time in the three years under manager Mike Hargrove, the Marienrs start out the gate at 1-0. To temper excitement a bit, the Mariners did win the first match-up against the A's last season as well, before promptly being shut out in the next two games versus the A's on their way to drop fifteen in a row versus Oakland. Still, you have to go back to that magical season of 1995 in which Randy Johnson held the Tigers to three hits over six innings for the prior Mariners' Opening Day shut-out. The M's had been shut-out three times on Opening Day since then, but it took another dominating starter for the M's to return the favor and establish the season on dominant footing.

The first hit of 2007 was provided by Jose Vidro, who lined a single up the middle in the fourth. The first run for the M's was scored by Ichiro Suzuki, who reached on a Raul Ibanez sacrifice fly. And the first home run hit by the M's was a two-out, three-run shot hit 415 feet to straight away center field by Richie Sexson, who knocked in Adrian Beltre and Jose Vidro. This all came after an inning-ending double play was miffed by Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby, who committed two werrors in the game. Taking advantage of extra outs is what good teams do. I'm not saying anything else besides that...

Perhaps the only Mariner batter who struggled today was Kenji Johjima who looked lost at the plate. Granted, Danny Haren is a good starter for the A's, but it appeared as if Johjima was taking wild guesses when he was up there to hack, which resulted in a hitless afternoon. That, coupled with the pased ball he allowed, was a blemish on an otherwise perfect day.

Tomorrow evening, the M's line-up faces their most dastardly enemy Joe Blanton, who went 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA versus the Mariners last year, and went 12-12 with a 5.40 against the rest of baseball. To see what I really think of Joe Blanton, check out some blog posts from last season. The Mariners will counter with left-hander Jarrod Washburrn who, in a fairly large sample size of 28 career games versus the A's, has a career record of 7-12 and 4.10 ERA. Will the Mariners be able to overcome the hypnosis that Joe Blanton used to overpower them with last season, forcing them to futilely wave their bats in a pathetic display of impotence versus his offerings? For the sake of being realistic, I'm going to say that its doubtful. The M's have to give Blanton a good pounding before I predict them to come out on top, and until that happens I'm going to have to give the edge to the young right-hander from Tennessee. Prediction for the final outcome: A's on top, 6-1.