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.



A Sweet Sweep in San Diego


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Admittedly, I was not looking forward to how the Mariners started off their second four-city, ten-game road trip. Three games against the San Diego Padres' major-league best pitching staff in the unfriendly confines of Petco Park. Urgh. Any games I watched would be viewed through fingers clasped over my face. It had the makings of an ugly series.

But somehow, the Mariners were able survive both three games against the padres' pitching and the re-emergence of Jeff Weaver, who made his first start after spending a month on the DL. After winning both games Friday and Saturday by identical 6-5 scores, the Mariners finished their unbelievable weekend with today's 4-3 win over Padre starter Chris Young. Young has been incredibly tough in his home ballpark, allowing just three runs over his last five starts at Petco coming into the ballgame, a span of nearly 35 innings. Somehow, the M's were able to get to the dominating Young and score three runs in seven innings.

Adrian Beltre got his first start on Friday's game, batting seventh and going hitless in five at-bats. He went 1-for-4 in Saturday's game, with a double, as his average has currently settled at .267. After his OPS peaked at .816 at the end of May, it's now dropped 30 points to a still-respectable .786. The slack was picked up, however, by the top of the order, as Ichiro and Jose Lopez combined to hit .345 on the weekend (10-for-29) while knocking in seven runners. But the truly big bat was wielded by Raul Ibanez, whose second home run of the season won the game on Friday evening, and despite going hitless on Sunday, contributed a .400 weekend while providing ten total bases for a .667 slugging average. Despite getting hits in the first two games, Yuniesky Betancourt went hitless as well in Sunday's game, thus ending his major-league best 20-game hitting streak.

And the bullpen was once again fantastic, as it has been one of the Mariners' strong suits all season. Minus Jason Davis's two innings of three-run relief for Jeff Weaver on Saturday, the Mariners' bullpen contributed10.1 innings of scoreless relief over the weekend, allowing seven hits, walking four, and striking out nine. J.J. Putz continues to be perfect with 16 saves in 16 chances.

Listing the accomplishments by the team can only do so much justice. But more than anything, one needs to simply look at the M's record: 33-26, seven games over .500. Look, I know it's the first week of June and its absolutely crazy to talk wild card or playoff spot right now, but as the standings currently stand there are only a handful of teams that the M's are currently in competition for a playoff spot with. The Tigers and the Indians look like they're going to be a dog-fight for the Central all season long- and you can never count out the rest of that division, besides the Royals of course- while the M's are in fierce competition with the Angels and the A's, neither of which are willing to lay down like the Rangers and allow the other teams to run away with the division. With the drama all but drained from the AL East so early this season- when was the last year the M's had a better record & higher standing in the playoff slot than the Yankees at the middle of June- it appears that the Al West will be the source of some juicy, juicy plotlines as the season develops. And this was the division (or the Mariners at least) that was all but dismissed by the baseball experts in nearly every preseason forecast.

Speaking of the Indians, the Mariners make another one-game stop in Jacobs Field on Monday. I feel much more optimistic about the team's chances against the Indians then I did last time. Sure, Cha Seung Baek allowed five runs in 6.1 innings the last time he faced Cleveland, but Baek had kept the Indians hand-cuffed to two runs and four hits through six innings before melting down. And that was the last game before the Maribers' suddenly started pulling up double figures in hits in every contest, ripping off a 14-5 record- a .737 winning percentage- since then. Baek may have pretty lousy career numbers against Cleveland- two losses in two starts with 18 baserunners allowed and a 4.76 ERA in 11.1 innings- but the right-hander has been surprising when its been unexpected of him this year.

And the Mariners have their work cut out for them facing the Indians' Paul Byrd, who has owned the M's throughout his career, with a 6-2 career record, and a 2.29 ERA in 59 career innings. The last time Byrd faced the M's, he was one out away from throwing five official no-hit innings against them on that fateful day in May in which the first game of the four game series was snowed out in Jacobs Field. Raul Ibanez may be a good "pick to click" and continue has hot hitting, as he holds a .529 average in 17 career at-bats against Byrd, and Jose Vidro has seven hits in eleven at-bats against Byrd- including two doubles and two home-runs- for a .636 average and a 2.030 OPS. Adrian Beltre, however, has been able to muster little against Byrd's offerings, hitting just .238 in 21 at-bats.

Why I'm feeling much more better about this Mariners teams as they've won nearly three of four games over the past few weeks, sometimes you have to go with the logical conclusion. Playing at Jacobs Field against a strong Indians offense does not bode well for the Mariners' chances in today's game. Byrd and the Indians will come out on top, 7-4, unless something absolutely amazing happens, like a low-hit game from Baek, or a multiple home-run afternoon from Willie Bloomquist....

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