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.



Road trip = great success


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The White Sox and Orioles never knew what hit them.

The six-game road trip was undoubtedly a great success. After Jeff Weaver's brilliant five-hit 6-0 against Chicago yesterday afternoon, the M's return to the friendly confines of Safeco field having won fix of six on the road. The M's return home not only in the statistical lead for the Wild Card, but also with the third-best record in all of baseball.

This quite a scenario, and one that Mariners fans are unfamiliar in how to deal with. Here at BBB, celebration of the Mariners' success is the order of the day. We dole out criticism and snarky comments when deserved, but it's kind of hard to do that when the team is in the top 10% of all of baseball. Yes, I've said it many teams, the M's have been the benficiaries of luck all season, but if the results over the road trip prove anything its that the team can be a dominating one, beating up lowly teams and untalented pitchers when needed. It's not as if they won games that were squeakers, narrowly coming out on top in a one-run fashion. (J.J. Putz's "grand slam save" on Saturday notwithstanding.) Indeed, the M's typically came out to an early lead and either continued beating up on the other side- as with the Orioles- or simply denying the other side to catch up with them, as they did in the Chicago series.

The exception, of course, was the 5-3 loss to Chciago on Friday, a loss that has been called a "travesty" by some, mostly due to the fact that Raul Ibanez played left field rather than Adam Jones. And, of course, the White Sox implemented the best plan to beat the M's, which is to hit balls into left field. Raul's lousy fielding ability appeared almost contagious, as usual sure-gloved Ichiro misplayed a ball in the game, which rolled to the center field wall in the seventh inning, allowing Darin Erstad to have an RBI triple. However, in Raul's defense, he did almost emulate Adam Jone's 7-3 double play from the day earlier. And Raul didn't go hitless with runners on all by himself in Friday's game, as he picked up three hits and homered in a game that the M's out-hit the White Sox 11 to 7 yet left 14 runners on base. There were only thre innings in Friday's game in which the Marienrs never got on base, yet were only able to muster three runs. And that wasn't just bcause Raul Ibanez played in the field.

Do I think the M's would be a better team with him off the field and playing DH? Undoubtedly. But with the number of players that need to be rotated and kept fresh, there will be times when Raul- gimpy legs and all- will man the corner outfield spot. And even though he's been doing that for the majority of the year, somehow the M's have been able to put together the third-best record in baseball, despite all odds.

Jeff Weaver was absolutely brilliant last night, as he did what was necessary to shut down a moribund Chicago offense. It was his second complete game shut-out of the year, and considering he has four wins so far this season he may unquestionably have the highest percentage of wins that are complete game shut-outs. He mixed up his speeds and arm angles to tally up eight strike-outs, a season high and his most since last June 16, when he was pitching for the Angels against the Padres. The M's played home-run derby against White Sox starter John Danks, with both Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre hitting their 18th home-runs of the season, while Jose Guillen hit a line-drive shot for his 16th home-run in the fifth inning. Beltre picked up six RBIs over the road trip, while Sexson picked up hits in all five games he played, raising his average seven points to .206. (Maybe it helps not having the home crowd booing him in a mix of disappointment and anger.) Ichiro, of course, was Ichiro as he batted 12-for-29 on the road trip, picking up hits in all six games, including three straight three-hit games in Baltimore.

The M's have their work cut out for them in today's beauty of a pitching match-up. Left-hander Johann Santana, who is, for all intents and purposes the best pitcehr in the game, takes the mound for the Minnesota Twins tonight as they start a three game series in Safeco. Despite an uncharacteristic 12-9 record- more indicative of the team's inabaility to provide him with run support- Johann has been dominating against the M's in his career, winning seven out of eight decisions with a 2.83 ERA over 70 innings. The last time he pitched against Seattle, Santana allowed one earned run over seven innings in a 6-5 Twins victory last April. However, both Raul Ibanez and Ichiro Suzuki have roughed up Santana, with Raul picking up 11 hits in 28 at-bats (including a home-run and eight RBIS) for a .393 average while Ichiro picking up 11 hits in 29 at-bats- including two triples- for a .379 average. When it comes to who should play first for the M's in today's game, however, a challenge is raised as both Sexson and Ben Broussard have combined to pick up just eight hits- half for extra-bases- in 35 at-bats, with 14 strike-outs. Ugh.

Felix Hernadez starts for the M's tonight, his first career match-up against Santana. Considerng that Felix has allowed four earned runs in both of hislast two starts, here's hoping that he doesn't allow an ybasket case tendencies and can buckle down against the Twins. In five career starts against Minnesota, Felix has split two decisions with a 2.67 ERA over 30 innings. As long as Felix keeps the ball away from Joe Mauer (6 for 11 for a .545 average against Felix) things should be fine, as the rest of the Twins' line-up has struggled to produce against Felix.

So, yeah. Johann vs. Felix in Safeco = pitcher's duel. It may even be decided by the bull-pen but in the end I think the Twins will be able to squeeze out on top. I'm saying 4-3, Twins as Felix and Johann compete against themselves to see who can rack up the most strike-outs....

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