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.
It was yet another uneven match-up before last night's game even began. The Tigers' Justin Verlander- who coming off a Rookie of the Year season has to be amongst the front-runners for the Cy Young Award in his sophomore year- against the Mariners' "ace" (national media's words, not mine) Miguel Batista. To the surprise of, well, not me but I'm sure anybody else who paid attention, the Tigers routed the M's last night 6-1 as the Mariners fell further behind in the standings, their possibility of a play-off spot receding farther than Rudy Giulani's hairline.
Verlander tossed eight innings of one-run ball, with a Raul Ibanez sacrifice fly accounting for the M's only run. The Tigers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings and the rest, as they say, was history. Jose Vidro picked up three hits, and Beltre had a double, but with Ichiro putting up a rare 0-for-4 night (only his fourth hitless night in his last 29 games), the M's offense were unable to get anything going against Verlander, as he struck out three without walking anybody.
For anyone who wondered what kind of toll the long stretch on the road would take, it's pretty clear that it's fatigued an already weary team. Not looking to make excuses, but every year the Mariners are the most-traveled team, due to location and divisional rivalries, traveling at least 5,000 miles. Now throw in the make-up games against Cleveland and road trips that take a haphazard, circuitous routes around the country, and it's of little surprise that the M's have managed just a 5-10 record in their last fifteen games, excluding the three-game sweep by the Angels at home. However, in the 'not making excuses' vein, the Mariners have been the benefit of a remarkable amount of luck that led to late-inning comeback wins, and coupled with a dynamite bullpen that's repeatedly locked-up the games at seven innings- stepping in for a troubled starting rotation that sports an ERA above 5.00- the Mariners have exceeded expectations. And now they have come crashing back to earth.
If there's a bright spot left in the Mariners' season, it's the fact that they play two-thirds of their last three weeks at home, playing the likes of Oakland, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland. Is that too little, too late? Especially when the Yankees get home-and-home series against the Orioles and also face the Devil Rays at their tail end of the season. And the Tigers also receive some breaks from the schedule, with two of their last three series of the season facing the Royals and the White Sox.
There are reasons to feel optimistic about this evening's game. Nate Robertson takes the mound for the Tigers, and he's not exactly one of Detroit's most prolific starting pitchers. However, he's maintained a 3.26 ERA over 47 career innings against the M's, with a 4-3 record against Seattle. Yet, Detroit has dropped Nate's last four starts, and Nate was blown-out in a 9-2 loss to the Mariners the last time he faced them in Comerica Park last May, allowing 10 hits- including a home-run to Jose Guillen- and six runs in 4.2 innings. However, Jeff Weaver, tonight's starter for the M's, got blown-out by the Tigers when he faced them last, allowing seven runs and ten hits over five innings in an eventual 11-7 Tigers victory. Marcus Thames, currently a part-time fill-in for Gary Sheffield, homered off Weaver.
Adrian Beltre has only three hits in 16 career at-bats against Robertson, but all three have been for extra-bases, including two doubles and a home-run. Yuniesky Betancourt has hit Robertson well, with five hits in 10 at-bats, while Ichiro has gone 8-for-25, all singles, against Nate. For Detroit's line-up, Magglio Ordonez has made Jeff Weaver his personal punching bag, tattooing Jeff at the tune of a .316 average and .945 OPS- including three home runs- in 38 at-bats. Sean Casey has a .316 average in 19 at-bats, while two of Brandon Inge's three hits against Weaver have left the yard.
In the end, which ever team is able to knock the opposing starter out of the game early stands the best chance to win. There may very well be the chance that both starters may not make it much past the third inning, but regardless I'm going to have to give the Tigers in the edge in today's game, as they'll continue the M's misery by a 10-8 score.
Verlander tossed eight innings of one-run ball, with a Raul Ibanez sacrifice fly accounting for the M's only run. The Tigers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings and the rest, as they say, was history. Jose Vidro picked up three hits, and Beltre had a double, but with Ichiro putting up a rare 0-for-4 night (only his fourth hitless night in his last 29 games), the M's offense were unable to get anything going against Verlander, as he struck out three without walking anybody.
For anyone who wondered what kind of toll the long stretch on the road would take, it's pretty clear that it's fatigued an already weary team. Not looking to make excuses, but every year the Mariners are the most-traveled team, due to location and divisional rivalries, traveling at least 5,000 miles. Now throw in the make-up games against Cleveland and road trips that take a haphazard, circuitous routes around the country, and it's of little surprise that the M's have managed just a 5-10 record in their last fifteen games, excluding the three-game sweep by the Angels at home. However, in the 'not making excuses' vein, the Mariners have been the benefit of a remarkable amount of luck that led to late-inning comeback wins, and coupled with a dynamite bullpen that's repeatedly locked-up the games at seven innings- stepping in for a troubled starting rotation that sports an ERA above 5.00- the Mariners have exceeded expectations. And now they have come crashing back to earth.
If there's a bright spot left in the Mariners' season, it's the fact that they play two-thirds of their last three weeks at home, playing the likes of Oakland, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland. Is that too little, too late? Especially when the Yankees get home-and-home series against the Orioles and also face the Devil Rays at their tail end of the season. And the Tigers also receive some breaks from the schedule, with two of their last three series of the season facing the Royals and the White Sox.
There are reasons to feel optimistic about this evening's game. Nate Robertson takes the mound for the Tigers, and he's not exactly one of Detroit's most prolific starting pitchers. However, he's maintained a 3.26 ERA over 47 career innings against the M's, with a 4-3 record against Seattle. Yet, Detroit has dropped Nate's last four starts, and Nate was blown-out in a 9-2 loss to the Mariners the last time he faced them in Comerica Park last May, allowing 10 hits- including a home-run to Jose Guillen- and six runs in 4.2 innings. However, Jeff Weaver, tonight's starter for the M's, got blown-out by the Tigers when he faced them last, allowing seven runs and ten hits over five innings in an eventual 11-7 Tigers victory. Marcus Thames, currently a part-time fill-in for Gary Sheffield, homered off Weaver.
Adrian Beltre has only three hits in 16 career at-bats against Robertson, but all three have been for extra-bases, including two doubles and a home-run. Yuniesky Betancourt has hit Robertson well, with five hits in 10 at-bats, while Ichiro has gone 8-for-25, all singles, against Nate. For Detroit's line-up, Magglio Ordonez has made Jeff Weaver his personal punching bag, tattooing Jeff at the tune of a .316 average and .945 OPS- including three home runs- in 38 at-bats. Sean Casey has a .316 average in 19 at-bats, while two of Brandon Inge's three hits against Weaver have left the yard.
In the end, which ever team is able to knock the opposing starter out of the game early stands the best chance to win. There may very well be the chance that both starters may not make it much past the third inning, but regardless I'm going to have to give the Tigers in the edge in today's game, as they'll continue the M's misery by a 10-8 score.
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