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.
I guess it was too soon to completely write off Jarrod Washburn for the season, saying it was unlikely that he'd pick up another victory on the year.
Against his former Angels team- a team that had nothing short of man-handled the Mariners all season on their way to the division title- Jarrod tossed seven innings of five-hit shut-out ball as the Mariners were able to put the Angels away by a 6-0 score. Considering his career 4-2 record against his former team, Jarrod's strong start couldn't be considered entirely unexpected, as he tossed at least seven scoreless innings for the third start this season. However, Jarrod had dropped his last five decisions and won just one of his past ten heading into last night's game. But he had everything working for him, as he mixed up speeds and tossed 64 of his 95 pitches for strikes as he combined with two scoreless innings from Brandon Morrow to toss the M's twelfth shut-out of the season, and the second of the Angels for the season.
Jose Guillen, who's obviously making me feel very silly for questioning his acquisition as a free-agent during the off-season, helped spear-head the offense for the Mariners, picking up three hits including his 21st home run and 94th RBI. Guillen is having one of the strongest seasons in the former can't-miss prospect's career. Though he may not meet his career highs in home runs (31) or RBIs (104), he'll come within sniffing distance which is quite an accomplishment for a player that managed a meager .216 average in 241 injury-plagued at-bats for the Washington Nationals last year.
Beltre also helped with the offensive attack, picking up three singles and two RBIs- his 95th and 96th on the season. Beltre is also having his strongest season in Mariner teal, and to get an idea of what he's meant to the Mariner offense, consider the fact that he has more RBIs than Manny Ramirez (86), Travis Hafner (95), and Lance Berkman (95). The team's offense wasn't helped- last night at least- by the normally reliable, who went 0-for-5 for the first time since two uncharacteristically similar games at the beginning of last month against Boston. By being held hitless, Ichiro's average drops to .350 and his ability to catch up with Magglio Ordonez's .354 average over the last week of the season seems doubtful at best.
The series continues tonight with Miguel Batista- who tossed the other scoreless start against the Angels this year, seven innings in a 2-0 Mariners win last July- matched up against 2005 Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon. The Mariners have won Miguel's last two starts, including his masterful six scoreless inning outing against Oakland last week. If Miguel wins tonight, he'll be the first Mariner pitcher to win 15 games since 2003, when all five members of the starting rotation reached double figures in wins. However, the scoreless start against the Angels notwithstanding, Miguel has been hit pretty hard by the Angels throughout his career. His most recent start against Los Angeles, a 6-0 shutout loss during the season-inflating sweep by the Angels at Safeco at the end of August, Miguel allowed ten hits and six runs, including a home run to Garret Anderson, over six innings. Vladimir Guerrero has feasted on Miguel's offerings, picking up 13 hits and a home run in 26 at-bats for a .500 average and 1.249 OPS, while Orlando Cabrera has picked up ten hits and a home run in 31 at-bats for a .323 average and .848 OPS. The only Angel batter who's struggled against Miguel is the normally expected Mariner-killer Gary Matthews Jr., who's hit just .190 in 21 at-bats.
Bartolo Colon has had strong numbers against Seattle throughout his career, with a 12-9 record over 25 starts. Except Bartolo has been a different pitcher since winning 21 games and the Cy Young in 2005, winning just seven of 19 decisions since. He's won two of three decisions against Seattle this year, despite allowing 13 runs in 21 innings, with the Angels scoring seven runs in both of his victories. However, in his last start against Seattle, Bartolo was hit extremely hard, allowing nine runs and 11 hits over 6.1 innings in a 12-5 Mariners win, with both Guillen and Beltre homering off Colon. The Mariners' line-up is stocked with batters who've had great success against Colon, including Beltre (a .389 average and four home runs for a 1.294 OPS in 36 at-bats), Raul Ibanez (.326 average in 45 at-bats), and Ichiro (a .304 average and three home runs in 56 at-bats). However, other Mariner batters have struggled, including Ben Broussard (a .176 average in 17 at-bats), Jose Guillen (.188 average in 16, despite homering off Colon in their last match-up), and Jose Vidro, who's only picked up two singles in 12 at-bats.
In the end, tonight's game will be a good old-fashioned rock 'em-sock 'em match-up. But I'm picking the Mariners to come out on top, and I'm predicting a 9-7 score, as the M's stave off the Angels' singular cliam to the division for one more day.
Against his former Angels team- a team that had nothing short of man-handled the Mariners all season on their way to the division title- Jarrod tossed seven innings of five-hit shut-out ball as the Mariners were able to put the Angels away by a 6-0 score. Considering his career 4-2 record against his former team, Jarrod's strong start couldn't be considered entirely unexpected, as he tossed at least seven scoreless innings for the third start this season. However, Jarrod had dropped his last five decisions and won just one of his past ten heading into last night's game. But he had everything working for him, as he mixed up speeds and tossed 64 of his 95 pitches for strikes as he combined with two scoreless innings from Brandon Morrow to toss the M's twelfth shut-out of the season, and the second of the Angels for the season.
Jose Guillen, who's obviously making me feel very silly for questioning his acquisition as a free-agent during the off-season, helped spear-head the offense for the Mariners, picking up three hits including his 21st home run and 94th RBI. Guillen is having one of the strongest seasons in the former can't-miss prospect's career. Though he may not meet his career highs in home runs (31) or RBIs (104), he'll come within sniffing distance which is quite an accomplishment for a player that managed a meager .216 average in 241 injury-plagued at-bats for the Washington Nationals last year.
Beltre also helped with the offensive attack, picking up three singles and two RBIs- his 95th and 96th on the season. Beltre is also having his strongest season in Mariner teal, and to get an idea of what he's meant to the Mariner offense, consider the fact that he has more RBIs than Manny Ramirez (86), Travis Hafner (95), and Lance Berkman (95). The team's offense wasn't helped- last night at least- by the normally reliable, who went 0-for-5 for the first time since two uncharacteristically similar games at the beginning of last month against Boston. By being held hitless, Ichiro's average drops to .350 and his ability to catch up with Magglio Ordonez's .354 average over the last week of the season seems doubtful at best.
The series continues tonight with Miguel Batista- who tossed the other scoreless start against the Angels this year, seven innings in a 2-0 Mariners win last July- matched up against 2005 Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon. The Mariners have won Miguel's last two starts, including his masterful six scoreless inning outing against Oakland last week. If Miguel wins tonight, he'll be the first Mariner pitcher to win 15 games since 2003, when all five members of the starting rotation reached double figures in wins. However, the scoreless start against the Angels notwithstanding, Miguel has been hit pretty hard by the Angels throughout his career. His most recent start against Los Angeles, a 6-0 shutout loss during the season-inflating sweep by the Angels at Safeco at the end of August, Miguel allowed ten hits and six runs, including a home run to Garret Anderson, over six innings. Vladimir Guerrero has feasted on Miguel's offerings, picking up 13 hits and a home run in 26 at-bats for a .500 average and 1.249 OPS, while Orlando Cabrera has picked up ten hits and a home run in 31 at-bats for a .323 average and .848 OPS. The only Angel batter who's struggled against Miguel is the normally expected Mariner-killer Gary Matthews Jr., who's hit just .190 in 21 at-bats.
Bartolo Colon has had strong numbers against Seattle throughout his career, with a 12-9 record over 25 starts. Except Bartolo has been a different pitcher since winning 21 games and the Cy Young in 2005, winning just seven of 19 decisions since. He's won two of three decisions against Seattle this year, despite allowing 13 runs in 21 innings, with the Angels scoring seven runs in both of his victories. However, in his last start against Seattle, Bartolo was hit extremely hard, allowing nine runs and 11 hits over 6.1 innings in a 12-5 Mariners win, with both Guillen and Beltre homering off Colon. The Mariners' line-up is stocked with batters who've had great success against Colon, including Beltre (a .389 average and four home runs for a 1.294 OPS in 36 at-bats), Raul Ibanez (.326 average in 45 at-bats), and Ichiro (a .304 average and three home runs in 56 at-bats). However, other Mariner batters have struggled, including Ben Broussard (a .176 average in 17 at-bats), Jose Guillen (.188 average in 16, despite homering off Colon in their last match-up), and Jose Vidro, who's only picked up two singles in 12 at-bats.
In the end, tonight's game will be a good old-fashioned rock 'em-sock 'em match-up. But I'm picking the Mariners to come out on top, and I'm predicting a 9-7 score, as the M's stave off the Angels' singular cliam to the division for one more day.
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