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.



Not even close (Mariners 10, Orioles 3)


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As I predicted, the Mariners put the game away in the later innings in tonight's 10-3 victory over the Orioles. But despite leaving the game with a 3-2 deficit, Jeff Weaver was able to pick up his third win rather than the M's bullpen picking up the decision, thanks to a two-run home-run by Raul Ibanez put the M's ahead to stay.

This was Ibanez's second home-run of the game, including a solo shot in the first inning. This ended a prolonged slump by Ibanez, who hadn't hammered a home-run since June 23, and was just hitting just .173 since the All-Star break. Speaking of slump-breaking, Richie Sexson picked up two hits, his first multiple-hit game in nine games. Indeed, with Ben Broussard off to visit his wife in Texas and celebrate the birth of his second child, John McLaren retreated to using the standard M's line-up in tonight's contest, and it paid off in dividends. With Adam Jones riding the pine, chemistry was "restored" to the tune of 19 hits churned out by the line-up. A bona-fide offensive explosion.

Similar to Horacio Ramirez's outing last Friday, Jeff Weaver weaved in and out of trouble all night, allowing 11 hits in six innings. However, despite two lead-off doubles, Weaver minimized the damage the Orioles hitters were able to muster, resulting in him leaving the game with the M's down by only a run. Ramon Hernandez roughed Weaver up, as he tends to do, knocking in two of the three runs with RBI singles. But that was not enough to put the Orioles on top. And with the Orioles' bullpen allowing eight runs over the last three innings while the M's bullpen kept the O's scoreless, the game was put away quickly. Any approximation to a close-knit low-offense game vanished with the crack of Raul's bat.

I'd be surprised if tomorrow night's game didn't, however, result in a low-scoring pitching-dominating affair. Jeremy Guthrie has slowly established himself as a dominating pitcher in the Orioles' rotation, and would be the ace if it wasn't for the dominating presence of left-hander Eric Bedard. Guthrie has been quietly having a fantastic season, not giving up more than three earned runs in his past four starts, and has only given up more than three earned runs twice in his 18 starts. Guthrie's season includes six innings of two-run ball in a 8-3 Orioles victory over the M's last July 17, his only career start against the M's, which included three hits by Jose Vidro and a solo home-run by Kenji Johjima.

The losing pitcher in that match-up was Felix Hernandez, who is taking the hill to avenge that loss. Felix allowed just three runs in six innings himself, before five runs were allowed by Eric O'Flaherty that dug a huge hole that the M's were unable to climb out of. For his career, Felix doesn't have very good numbers against the Orioles, with a 2-2 record and 5.65 ERA in 28.2 innings. Felix has, however, won his only two starts at Camden Yards. A number of Orioles hitters have had success with Felix's offerings. The hot-hitting Corey Patterson (.363 average and .895 OPS since the All-Star break) has hit Felix to the tune of a 1.273 OPS in 11 at-bats, with three of his four hits going for extra bases. Jay Gibbons, despite a lousy .228 average on the year, is coming off a four-hit game his last game played against Tampa Bay, and has a 1.255 OPS in ten at-bats against Felix. Nick Markakis (.545), Melvin Mora (.600), and Brain Roberts (.385) have also hit Felix pretty well.

I'm not optimistic that Felix will be able to shut the O's down in tomorrow's game, or that the M's will be able to continue their offensive fireworks against Guthrie. It will be close, but I expect the O's to eventually come out on top. Final score: 6-2, Orioles.

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