The bid for first base just got a little easier. As Greg Johns wrote on Monday, Mike Carp was on the trading block after being designated for assignment last week. Today, he has been traded to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later or cash.

From Greg Johns’ report:

“Mike is tremendously excited to be in Boston,” said Carp’s agent Tom O’Connell. “We’re very grateful that [Seattle general manager] Jack Zduriencik worked with Mike to put him in a good situation — and he’s just looking forward to starting the next chapter of his career.”

Carp split his time between the big club and the Triple-A Rainiers in 2012, filling in during Smoak’s pre-September slumps. In 59 games, he batted .213/.312/.341 with a .645 OPS, and contributed a 0.1 fWAR overall. His career peaked in 2011, when he saw half a season’s worth of playing time and reached a batting line of .276/.326/.466 with 12 home runs and a .791 OPS.

We’ve officially cleared the two-week mark until Mariners pitchers and catchers report to Peoria for spring training. If you haven’t already, stop by Mariners.com for the complete schedule and ticket information—with sunshine and Mariners baseball, could you ask for a better way to pass the rest of the offseason?

• Yesterday, San Francisco Giants’ pitcher Barry Zito became the 48th recipient of the Hutch Award, given by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to the MLB player who exemplifies the humanitarian efforts and character quality of Seattle Rainier Fred Hutchinson. Safeco Field opened its gates to Mariners media and fans for a lunch on the field, silent auction, and keynote address by former Seattle Mariner Lou Piniella.
• While Zito received his award, another pitcher made the trip to Safeco Field: veteran reliever Kip Wells. MLB.com reporter Evan Dellich tweeted that the former Padre arrived in Seattle to throw a bullpen session for the Mariners yesterday afternoon. In 2012, Wells posted a 4.58 ERA and 5.49 xFIP over 37.1 IP with San Diego.
• Kelly Shoppach, veteran catcher and a potential back-up backstop for Seattle, has stopped by the Mariners facilities as well. A deal depends on the results of his physical, which he was scheduled to take yesterday at Safeco Field. Shoppach split his playing time with the Red Sox and Mets in 2012, batting .233/.309/.425 in 76 games and 245 PA.
• According to Greg Johns, Shawn Kelley avoided arbitration with the M’s and signed a one-year contract for $935,000. Potential performance bonuses could boost this number to $1.1M if Kelley notches 150 days with the club.
• On Tuesday, MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo released the Top 100 Prospects list for 2013, including five of the Mariners’ up-and-coming stars. Taijuan Walker ranked 5th, followed by Danny Hultzen (18th), Mike Zunino (23rd), Nick Franklin (47th), and James Paxton (61st). From Greg Johns:

“Based on a point system giving 100 for the No. 1 overall prospect, 99 for No. 2 and so on down the line, the Mariners received 351 points for their five prospects among the Top 100. The Cardinals were second in that scoring system with 340 points, followed by the Rays (310), Twins (295) and Marlins (281).”

• Single-game tickets for the Mariners’ 2013 season will go on sale March 16 at 10am. Interleague match-ups include the Padres, Cubs, and Brewers. You can find the promotional calendar here, and sign up for an exclusive pre-sale opportunity on Mariners.com.

A parting look at John Jaso, via his Twitter account (@johnjaso27). We’ll miss him, but that beard had to go.

Should you need a bit of a breather from Wednesday’s trade news, here are some offseason events to shift your focus to the exciting additions the Mariners have coming their way.

• Yesterday, Ryan Divish broke the news that Boston’s Triple-A broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith will be joining Rick Rizzs in the broadcast booth this season, eliminating the rotating panel of broadcasters that temporarily filled Dave Niehaus’ spot. Goldsmith is 28 years old, with six years of experience scattered across the Cape Cod Baseball League, Frontier League, and minor league systems of the Red Sox and Rangers.
• Baseball America’s Ben Badler reports that the Mariners have signed Dominican prospect Luis Liberato to a $140,000 contract. Liberato, a 17-year-old outfielder, is currently projected as a power-hitting center fielder. From the scouting report:

“Liberato is 6-foot-1, 175 pounds and has flashed a mature approach to hitting from the left side with gap power and advanced baseball instincts for his age. Like many young Dominican amateur hitters, he’ll try to sell out for power at times, but when he’s at his best he’s shown a solid swing.”

• Per the Mariners’ official blog, Erasmo Ramirez was invited to speak at a FESA banquet in San Salvador this offseason. FESA is a leadership organization that provides education and baseball training for Nicaraguan youth. During his visit, Erasmo described his journey to the majors, from FESA’s helping hand to his first year with Seattle.

Opening Day may still be a distant 122 days away, but Christmas is just around the corner, giving you the perfect excuse to ditch the offseason blues for some Mariners-themed memorabilia. Here are a few of our favorites:

King of Perfection DVD, $10

Relive each out of King Felix’s perfect game with this commemorative DVD, available exclusively in Mariners Team Stores. In addition to game footage, the film features postgame interviews with Felix Hernandez, a special video montage, and the choice of radio or TV play-by-play.

» Continue reading “Mariners Holiday Shopping Guide”

This week, the Mariners take a look at some catching depth, Brendan Ryan is awarded another defensive title, and the Javelinas make a push for the playoffs.

• Hardball Talk reports that Hisashi Iwakuma will not represent Japan in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Instead, he intends to focus on the upcoming 2013 season in Seattle.
• From Jon Heyman’s Twitter account: “#mariners have reached out to russell martin & mike napoli. also looking at corner OF bats.” The Yankees and Red Sox have expressed interest in Napoli, while the Red Sox and Rangers are currently linked to Martin.
• John Dewan of the Fielding Bible named Brendan Ryan and Dustin Ackley the Best Double Play Combo in 2012, with a combined 38 DRS. Close on their heels were Darwin Barney and Starlin Castro with 31 DRS.
• With three games remaining before the AFL Championship on Saturday, the Peoria Javelinas are clinging to a half-game lead over their division rivals, the Surprise Saguaros. They are coming off of a three-game losing streak, punctuated by Carson Smith’s loss and Logan Bawcom’s blown save. The singular highlight of the Mariners’ performance was a banner day from Vinnie Catricala, who went 2-for-4 against the Mesa Solar Sox with an RBI double, single, and walk.

Final score: Mariners 2, Red Sox 1

Tonight, the Mariners won their 67th game of 2012. If your Seattle fandom is more than a year old, you know that the M’s have now matched their win total from last season, when they finished with a record of 67-95.

For all the complaining about a slow rebuild, the sudden surge of wins that had us eying a postseason berth, and the steady decline that put them out of the running (again), it’s nice to have tangible proof of progress.

A few highlights from the game:

• 11 of tonight’s 12 hits were singles. Dustin Ackley drove in two runs on an RBI single in the 4th, while Cody Ross claimed the game’s only extra base hit on an RBI double in the 6th.
• Kevin Millwood boosted his record to 5-12 with four hits, a run, three walks, and three strikeouts in six IP. He made it through 5.1 innings and 21 batters before allowing a run on Ross’s double.
• Following Cody’s rally attempt in the 6th, the two teams allowed just four baserunners, a Mariner and two Red Sox. Jacoby Ellsbury was the only player to reach base on a hit.
• According to Todd Dybas, Aaron Cook set a season-high record of five strikeouts, all recorded within the first three innings and 14 batters faced. Trayvon Robinson recorded two of the five strikeouts.
• Following tonight’s game, the Boston Red Sox now sit a comfortable four games behind the Mariners.

Next game: vs. Athletics | September 7 | 7:10pm

Final score: Red Sox 4, Mariners 3

The Boston Red Sox create a certain kind of atmosphere at Safeco Field. You could argue that it’s exciting or electric, with Red Sox Nation jeering the dancing grounds crew and Mariners fans trying to bellow “root, root, root for the MARINERS” over the noise of their rivals.

On the other hand, the hand that handles the actual game, Red Sox games also create the kind of atmosphere that stretches an ordinary baseball game into an extraordinarily long event. Take, for example, a recent homestand against the Angels. On August 10, the Mariners fell 5-6 in 9 innings and 2.5 hours. Tonight, they took a 4-3 loss in 9 innings and 3.5 hours.

Of course, I don’t have any legitimate reason for pointing this out, except to say that I’m upset that I watched this team struggle for four innings without tying the game. Let’s see if I can wrap things up before this recap turns into another three-hour debacle.

Through five innings, the Mariners looked relatively untouchable. Jon Lester suffered back-to-back home runs by Franklin Gutierrez and Kyle Seager, padding Seattle’s 1-0 lead on a 1st inning RBI single by Jesus Montero. Guti left the game with a slight groin strain, the latest in an endless streak of bad luck and unfortunate injuries. At this point, the move was mostly precautionary, and more information will be known tomorrow when the team reassesses his condition prior to the game.

Blake Beavan held the score to a 3-0 lead through five innings, then worked his way through a disastrous 6th, where he surrendered 4 hits and 4 runs on a 3-RBI jack by Cody Ross and Ryan Lavarnway’s game-winning solo shot.

Despite the never-ending carousel of relievers and pinch-hitters, the Mariners managed just three hits, two RISP, and zero runs in the remaining four innings. In an almost-exciting finish, Eric Thames tripled in the 9th, but Seager turned down the opportunity to be the two-out hero with a shallow fly ball to Ross.

Lost in the failed rally attempts was the major league debut of veteran Rainier Luis Jimenez, who pinch-hit for Brendan Ryan and popped up on his second pitch. He’s no Jurickson Profar, but watching September call-ups, especially with a Cinderella story such as this one, makes losses like tonight’s a little more palatable.

Tomorrow, Kevin Millwood faces off against RHP Aaron Cook in the rubber match of this three-game series.

Next game: vs. Red Sox | September 5 | 7:10pm

Final score: Mariners 4, Red Sox 1

“This is the best fifty dollars I’ve ever spent on a minor league game!”

“Oh yeah? Well, welcome to the bottom of the big leagues… you’re gonna be here for a long time!”

So went the shouting match between Red Sox Nation and the Safeco faithful this afternoon. For 3.5 innings, the Red Sox held the upper hand, a one-run lead on a double that bounced just over the wall of the ‘Pen and Cody Ross’s RBI single.

By the 4th, the Mariners had the next—and final—laugh, scoring four on a pair of throwing errors and four base hits. Jason Vargas completed his 14th win with six hits, a run, and five strikeouts over seven full innings, his lowest earned run total since a seven-hit outing against the Angels in mid-August.

After the Mariners claimed their three-run lead, neither team managed more than a single run in an inning. Boston debuted James Loney and Chris Carpenter; for Loney, his first appearance with the team since the trade from L.A., for Chris, his first 0.1 IP as a major leaguer. Both escaped with relatively little damage done, taking a base on an errant throw from Dustin Ackley and allowing Trayvon Robinson an extra base before inducing a groundout from Miguel Olivo.

Tomorrow, the Mariners will attempt to extend their lead in the wild card race to four games above the Red Sox.

Next game: vs. Red Sox | September 4 | 7:10pm

Series split: Angels 2, Mariners 1

You wouldn’t know it from this weekend’s boxscores, but the Angels aren’t exactly poised to take over the AL West. They sit 8.5 games back of the Rangers, and 5.5 games behind the Athletics (pinch me, I’m dreaming and I want to wake up). Of course, I only point this out to reassure you that while the Mariners may not be headed for a World Series run, neither is the Mike Trout Club.

Game One — Angels 9, Mariners 1

Kevin Millwood tacked on loss No. 12 to his record, handing over 9 hits, 5 runs, and 4 walks in a brief 5 inning appearance. The Mariners scored early, getting aboard in the 1st on a pair of singles by Franklin Gutierrez and John Jaso. However, the ‘pen provided extra insurance runs for the Angels, allowing an additional 4 runs and burying any realistic hope of a comeback.

Game Two — Angels 5, Mariners 2

Felix pitched. On any given Felix Day, I could leave the recap at that simple statement. Despite Trayvon Robinson’s home run and Guti’s RBI double, the Angels caught a clown ball inning from the Mariners, taking a 3-run lead on a fielding error, wild pitch (Pryor’s, not Felix’s), and passed ball.

Game Three — Mariners 2, Angels 1

Not only was this the first win of the homestand, but it marked the first time this year that the Mariners beat the Angels at Safeco Field. Hisashi Iwakuma extended his streak to 10.1 scoreless innings, allowing just 5 hits in 7.1 innings and 7 strikeouts. He struck out Mike Trout. He struck out Mark Trumbo three times. The Mariners managed two runs off Jered Weaver, both solo shots by Jesus Montero and Carlos Peguero.

Tomorrow, the Mariners celebrate Labor Day with a series opener against the Boston Red Sox. Here’s a fun fact for you: though neither team looks anywhere close to playoff contention, the M’s lead the Sox by three games. So, while I’ve lowered my expectations enough to simply hope that the Mariners will be a constant source of frustration for their AL West rivals this month, it would be nice to see Boston sitting a full 5.5 games behind Seattle this Wednesday.

Next game: vs. Red Sox | September 3 | 1:10pm

Final score: Mariners 5, Twins 4

When the Mariners made their eight-win run last week, we knew that their next road trip had the potential to kill any momentum they gathered at home. Not to discredit their run, fueled by a pair of walk-offs and a perfect game, but robbing wins from the Rays, Twins, and Indians is not exactly a sign of an impending postseason run.

Fortunately, or perhaps not so fortunately, this road trip lived up to our tempered expectations. Against a first-place team, the Mariners took three losses; against the Twins, they captured three of four games.

In this morning’s series capper, Blake Beavan earned his ninth victory with 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, and 1 SO over 7 IP. It marked his lowest strikeout total since a disastrous two-inning outing against the Dodgers in mid-June, and his longest outing since the beginning of August.

The offense kept up their end of the deal, scoring on back-to-back hits in the 1st for a quick dose of run support. By the 6th inning, the Mariners trailing 2-1 while Brian Duensing retired 12 consecutive batters, they managed a four-run outburst on a 2-RBI single by Trayvon Robinson and a pair of sac flies (well, one sac fly and one case of a blinded Josh Willingham).

Right now, the Mariners are hanging onto a postseason chance of 0.5%. Heading into September, they’ll split the remaining 30 games with the Angels (9), Red Sox (3), Athletics (6), Blue Jays (3), Rangers (6), and Orioles (3). With roster expansion beginning this Saturday, let’s hope that Seattle finds enough of a spark to be more than a stepping stone for teams still in playoff contention.

Next game: vs. Angels | August 31 | 7:10pm