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.
Even though Raul Ibanez hit a fourth inning to help bring the Mariners to an early 8-1 lead, the M's bullpen so desperately tried to give the game back to the A's. After Jeff Weaver tossed seven innings of three run ball before being replaced by Eric O'Flaherty, who promptly hit Daric Barton with a pitch before walking the next two batters. After loading the bases, O'Flaherty was replaced by Sean Green who allowed a bases-clearing triple to Mark Ellis. Suddenly, the game was 8-6, and Green gave up Jack Hannahan's second RBI double later in the inning as the A's pulled within run. But that's as close as they got, as Brandon Morrow and George Sherrill shut Oakland down with 1.1 scoreless innings, with Sherrill striking out the side in the ninth to fend off the A's for an 8-7 win.
The win was now the M's seventh in eight games so far this season in Oakland, a complete opposite to the throttling the A's gave the M's last season. Unfortunately, the dominance of the A's by the M's isn't going to lead to a division title, unlike the A's coasting on a 17-2 record against the Mariners last season to a playoff spot last year.
Raul's slam plus a first-inning RBI double gives him 100 RBIs on the season for the second consecutive season. Adrian Beltre also had an RBI double for his 94 th RBI, as he went 1-for-5 for the game, bringing his average to .278. Ichiro had a lead-off double in the first inning- the first of three consecutive doubles, before Raul's and Beltre's RBI doubles- for his only hit in three at-bats as his average dips to .352, four points being AL leader Magglio Ordonez's .356 average. In the end, the M's made full use of their eight hits for the game, scoring their eight runs, while the Athletics scored their seven runs on eight hits.
The pitching match-up for today's early afternoon game looks one-sided and bodes favorably for the M's chances for a sweep this series. Felix Hernandez, fresh off holding Tampa Bay to one run in 7.2 innings in a 2-1 no decision last week, takes the hill for the M's against Dan Meyer, who has pitched all of 13 big-league innings in his career. Felix has dominating numbers against the A's, including a 1.96 ERA with 37 hits allowed in 46 innings to go with a 4-2 record. In his last start against the Athletics last July, Felix allowed one run over seven innings in a 7-1 Mariners victory. Mark Ellis, with six hits in 19 at-bats, is the only Athletic batter who has hit Felix slightly well, with the low numbers against Felix by Shannon Stewart (five singles in 19 at-bats) and Dan Johnson (two singles in eleven) give an example of the low offense the M's are able to muster against Felix's offerings.
Dan Meyer was a one-time prospect who's past few years have been shelved due to shoulder injuries, including a ghastly injury of a piece of his shoulder blade breaking off and getting lodged in an 'inconvenient' place. In his last outing, Meyer allowed six runs on five hits and three walks over 2.2 innings against the Rangers. Although I've pointed out numerous times that first-time pitchers tend to have dominating outings when the face the M's, as it appears that the once-talented Meyer has dropped due to the mediocre level and also considering the fact that the M's have beaten up on left-handed pitching all year, the sweep of the A's is all but a sure thing. I'm picking it for the M's as an easy win, by an 8-1 score.
The win was now the M's seventh in eight games so far this season in Oakland, a complete opposite to the throttling the A's gave the M's last season. Unfortunately, the dominance of the A's by the M's isn't going to lead to a division title, unlike the A's coasting on a 17-2 record against the Mariners last season to a playoff spot last year.
Raul's slam plus a first-inning RBI double gives him 100 RBIs on the season for the second consecutive season. Adrian Beltre also had an RBI double for his 94 th RBI, as he went 1-for-5 for the game, bringing his average to .278. Ichiro had a lead-off double in the first inning- the first of three consecutive doubles, before Raul's and Beltre's RBI doubles- for his only hit in three at-bats as his average dips to .352, four points being AL leader Magglio Ordonez's .356 average. In the end, the M's made full use of their eight hits for the game, scoring their eight runs, while the Athletics scored their seven runs on eight hits.
The pitching match-up for today's early afternoon game looks one-sided and bodes favorably for the M's chances for a sweep this series. Felix Hernandez, fresh off holding Tampa Bay to one run in 7.2 innings in a 2-1 no decision last week, takes the hill for the M's against Dan Meyer, who has pitched all of 13 big-league innings in his career. Felix has dominating numbers against the A's, including a 1.96 ERA with 37 hits allowed in 46 innings to go with a 4-2 record. In his last start against the Athletics last July, Felix allowed one run over seven innings in a 7-1 Mariners victory. Mark Ellis, with six hits in 19 at-bats, is the only Athletic batter who has hit Felix slightly well, with the low numbers against Felix by Shannon Stewart (five singles in 19 at-bats) and Dan Johnson (two singles in eleven) give an example of the low offense the M's are able to muster against Felix's offerings.
Dan Meyer was a one-time prospect who's past few years have been shelved due to shoulder injuries, including a ghastly injury of a piece of his shoulder blade breaking off and getting lodged in an 'inconvenient' place. In his last outing, Meyer allowed six runs on five hits and three walks over 2.2 innings against the Rangers. Although I've pointed out numerous times that first-time pitchers tend to have dominating outings when the face the M's, as it appears that the once-talented Meyer has dropped due to the mediocre level and also considering the fact that the M's have beaten up on left-handed pitching all year, the sweep of the A's is all but a sure thing. I'm picking it for the M's as an easy win, by an 8-1 score.
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