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.



Mariners 6, Athletics 5


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Somehow, they pulled it out. Once again, Yuniesky Betancourt came through wit the clutch hit in the bottom of the ninth to help lead the M's to a 6-5 victory- just their third win in the last 18 games. Of course, Yuni's game-winning single atoned for him striking out with two outs and the bases loaded in the 7-4 loss to the Athletics the night before. But, batter-wise, nobody's perfect in baseball, and I'll take Yuni's numbers with runners on any day (.344 average, .839 OPS).

Last night's game was a nail-biter, with the lead-changing hands six times before the mob scene of Mariner players stormed from the dugout and danced around the infield. Miguel Batista danced in-and-out of trouble throughout the evening, allowing the lead-off Oakland batter to reach base in the first five innings yet was able to abstain from allowing the big inning. Jose Vidro picked up three hits (including two doubles) in the game, but they went for naught as he was thrown out twice at home on groundballs to the third baseman (I'm assuming Vidro never played little league). Ichiro appeared to get distracted by a charging Raul Ibanez and flubbed Nick Swisher's deep drive to center, committing his first error on the season. Adrian Beltre went 1-for-4 to bring his average to .281.

And John McLaren got the managerial best of Athletics manager Bob Geren, who responded to McLaren's pinch-hitting Jeremy Reed for Jamie Burke by allowing Alan Embree to replace Santiago Casilla on the mound. McLaren switched Reed out for Adam Jones, who promptly hit a game-tying home run. Jones's home-run was only the second pinch-hit homer for the M's this year, the other being Ben Broussard's dramatic eight-inning grand slam against the Angels last April 21.
Exciting stuff. Glad to see that the M's realize that there's still a season going on, even as their implosion has dropped them from contention over the past few weeks. It'd still be nice to see the team put forward an effort that doesn't look like they're just dialing it in. And staving off another sweep with last night's dramatic win exhibits such an effort.

Let's hope the emotional high of the victory for the M's continues through this weekend's four-game series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Tonight's kick-off game features Jeff Weaver on the mound for the M's. Jeff has been inconsistent throughout his career against the Devil Rays: in 99 innings spanning 17 games (16 starts), Jeff holds a 5.00 ERA and a 4-8 record. And after a four-game winning streak, he hasn't won in his last three starts- losing the last two- while giving up 17 runs and 5 home-runs in 12.1 innings. It appears that after a flirtation of excellence, Weaver has reverted to his horrible early-season form.

And Jason Hammel takes the mound for the Devil Rays in his debut outing against the M's. This never bodes well for the Marienrs, as we have seen time and again young pitchers coming in and shutting the M's down. And when they're in a Devil Rays uniform, it's incredibly maddening. (Doug Waechter pitching a two-hit shutout against the M's in 2003 anyone? Admittedly, it was his second outing against the M's, but do two scoreless relief innings count?) And his last two outings couldn't be much more of the opposite of Weaver's, allowing three runs over 11 innings.

I'd like to think the M's could stretch their one-game winning streak into multiple games. But the chances of doing that with Weaver on the mound don't seem very liekly. Especially against Tampa Bay's explosive line-up. I'm picking the Devil Rays to come out on top in this one by a 7-2 score, with the M's being out of it early. Again.

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