Two years into a five-year, $64 million contract, Adrian Beltre has produced a .262 average, 44 home runs, and 176 RBIs. However, after the All Star break in 2006, Beltre slugged .552 with a whopping 18 home runs. Does this strong second half bode well for a turn-around in 2007, or will Mariners fans have to deal with 'A-Drain' once again? This blog intends to follow the 2007 season for Adrian Beltre, and the Seattle Mariners, and promises to hold no punches.
Of course when Horacio Ramirez is facing Jae Seo in a pitching duel the scoring would get out of hand. I need to stop being so conservative on my final score predictions!
Once again, a sweep of the Devil Rays in Tampa Bay was averted, as a seven-run third inning fueled a 13-12 victory by the D-Rays. For a change, blame can't be placed on Ramirez's alter ego Horror-Arm, as he was removed from the game in the bottom of the third inning due to tightness in his left shoulder. Sean White, who has done such an excellent job of long relief filling in for Felix Hernandez in Felix's last two starts, channeled Horror-Arm instead. In two-thirds of an inning in the third, White allowed seven runs on nine hits, including six consecutive two-out baserunners.
Although this may have temporarily out the Devil Rays up by a 10-4 score, the Mariners refused to roll over and continued to claw back. Three-run innings in the sixth and seventh made it a 12-10 ballgame, and when closer Al Reyes came on to preserve a 13-10 lead in the ninth, Ichiro made it interesting when he hit a two-out two-run home-run after pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez was walked. After Jose Vidro reached on a single, Jose Guillen struck out swinging to cap an 0-for-6 day, and on to Kansas City we go.
Still, despite the ugliness of the final score a couple of questions could be asked: Namely, why was Beltre and his 6-for-9 career numbers against Seo riding the pine in favor of Willie Bloomquist getting the start at third? And what kind of poor reflection is it on third base coach Carlos Garcia that Jose Lopez got thrown at home twice during the game? Sure the reason why the Mariners lost begins and ends with the lousy pitching, but certainly those decisions added to the final outcome as well.
This evening's game has the potential to be a rare pitching duel down in Kansas City. Gil Meche is taking the mound for the Royals, and he's looking to make his record 2-0 in two starts versus his former team, after allowing three unearned runs and ten hits in an 8-3 win over the Mariners on April 28. Both Vidro and Ibanez touched Meche for three hits in that game, so let's see if Raul can return to the line-up to continue to inflict damage on his former teammate. Jose Guillen is the only Mariner batter who has a home-run off Meche in his career, so here's hoping he can make a comeback from his awful day at the plate yesterday.
However, the biggest difference in Meche's last start against Seattle at Safeco and tonight's is the fact that his opponent on the mound won't be Jeff Weaver, but rather Felix Hernandez. Felix hasn't faced the Royals since his third major league start as a precocious 19-year old on August 15, 2005, in which he held the Royals to one run on three hits while striking out 11 in an 11-3 victory. None of the current Royals batters have given Felix any trouble in their career, and as the kid gloves have been taken off Felix, if he's economical with his pitches he might be able to pitch into the eighth inning.
Final: 4-1, Mariners as they return, once again, to .500.
Once again, a sweep of the Devil Rays in Tampa Bay was averted, as a seven-run third inning fueled a 13-12 victory by the D-Rays. For a change, blame can't be placed on Ramirez's alter ego Horror-Arm, as he was removed from the game in the bottom of the third inning due to tightness in his left shoulder. Sean White, who has done such an excellent job of long relief filling in for Felix Hernandez in Felix's last two starts, channeled Horror-Arm instead. In two-thirds of an inning in the third, White allowed seven runs on nine hits, including six consecutive two-out baserunners.
Although this may have temporarily out the Devil Rays up by a 10-4 score, the Mariners refused to roll over and continued to claw back. Three-run innings in the sixth and seventh made it a 12-10 ballgame, and when closer Al Reyes came on to preserve a 13-10 lead in the ninth, Ichiro made it interesting when he hit a two-out two-run home-run after pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez was walked. After Jose Vidro reached on a single, Jose Guillen struck out swinging to cap an 0-for-6 day, and on to Kansas City we go.
Still, despite the ugliness of the final score a couple of questions could be asked: Namely, why was Beltre and his 6-for-9 career numbers against Seo riding the pine in favor of Willie Bloomquist getting the start at third? And what kind of poor reflection is it on third base coach Carlos Garcia that Jose Lopez got thrown at home twice during the game? Sure the reason why the Mariners lost begins and ends with the lousy pitching, but certainly those decisions added to the final outcome as well.
This evening's game has the potential to be a rare pitching duel down in Kansas City. Gil Meche is taking the mound for the Royals, and he's looking to make his record 2-0 in two starts versus his former team, after allowing three unearned runs and ten hits in an 8-3 win over the Mariners on April 28. Both Vidro and Ibanez touched Meche for three hits in that game, so let's see if Raul can return to the line-up to continue to inflict damage on his former teammate. Jose Guillen is the only Mariner batter who has a home-run off Meche in his career, so here's hoping he can make a comeback from his awful day at the plate yesterday.
However, the biggest difference in Meche's last start against Seattle at Safeco and tonight's is the fact that his opponent on the mound won't be Jeff Weaver, but rather Felix Hernandez. Felix hasn't faced the Royals since his third major league start as a precocious 19-year old on August 15, 2005, in which he held the Royals to one run on three hits while striking out 11 in an 11-3 victory. None of the current Royals batters have given Felix any trouble in their career, and as the kid gloves have been taken off Felix, if he's economical with his pitches he might be able to pitch into the eighth inning.
Final: 4-1, Mariners as they return, once again, to .500.
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