The Mariners have settled down a bit from their spring training rampage, letting the rest of the Cactus League catch up with a four game losing streak. Today, they’ll try to repair their reputation against the Kansas City Royals, with Hisashi Iwakuma on the mound against Ervin Santana.

…a great blogger. You’ll be missed, Jeff.

Lookout Landed — Jeff Sullivan, founder of Lookout Landing and baseball blogger extraordinaire, is retiring from Baseball Nation. His entertaining, engaging coverage of the Seattle Mariners, his ability to make even the most mundane moves intriguing, and his dedication to the Mariners community will be dearly missed. You can find his current and upcoming work at FanGraphs and U.S.S. Mariner.

Spring Synopsis: Mariners to win 111 games — In yet another spring training analysis, Matthias Kullowatz separates the meaningful spring training stats from the misleading ones. Will the dinger-crushing Mariners of the Cactus League usher in the AL West-leading Mariners of the regular season? Well, that’s a little bit harder to predict.

Finding Jon Garland — Jon Garland’s return to form this spring looks promising, but is it enough to help a rotation that is already stretched thin this year? Michael Barr examines Garland’s career, his pitch offerings, and the way he might fit with the staff come Opening Day.

Kinney Likely to miss rest of Spring Training — RHP Josh Kinney will be out for several weeks with a stress reaction in his left shoulder. Although he appears confident in a quick and complete recovery, the Mariners won’t be rushing the right-handed reliever’s return anytime soon.

Mariners turned a profit of just under $5.9 million last season — 2012 marked the fourth consecutive year that the Mariners have turned a profit after a disastrous, 101-loss season in 2008. Geoff Baker breaks down the numbers, revealing why Seattle has remained so successful at filling seats while offering underwhelming performances on the field.

What have you read this week? Share it with us on Twitter or in the comments below!

In just three hours, the Mariners will kick off their exclusive single-game ticket presale for the 2013 season. If you signed up for Mariners Mail, you’ll be able to purchase tickets for the next two days before they’re released to the general public on March 16.

Whether you’re looking to purchase tickets this week or willing to wait for some StubHub steals, here’s your guide to the hottest series and promotions of the upcoming season.

Opening Day: vs. Astros | April 8 | 7:05pm

Interleague series:
vs. Padres | May 27-28
vs. Pirates | June 25-26
vs. Cubs | June 28-30
vs. Brewers | August 9-11

Special promotions and events:
Beard Hat Night (and yes, this is as awesome as it sounds) | vs. Angels | April 26
Tom Wilhelmsen Train Engine Nights | vs. A’s | May 11
Felix Hernandez “Perfect Game” Bobblehead Night | vs. Rangers | May 25
Fireworks Night | vs. Cubs | June 28
Dustin Ackley Gnome Night | vs. Angels | June 13
Fireworks Night | vs. Brewers | August 9
Ken Griffey Jr. “Mariners Hall of Fame” Bobblehead Night | vs. Brewers | August 10
Oktoberfest | vs. Royals | September 24
Fan Appreciation Night | vs. A’s | September 27

Dynamic pricing is back for the 2013 Mariners season, with some games offering prices as low as $5 per seat. Opening Day ticket prices start at $15. For a full list of ticket prices and available seating, check out Mariners.com.

While the Mariners shop for free agents, you can shop at Mariners.com for Cyber Monday deals. They have ornaments. They have toasters. They even have temperature-sensing garden gnomes.

• The Mariners are in talks with Mike Napoli, according to this report from Jon Heyman. Napoli is slated to meet with the Rangers later this week, although the Yankees and Red Sox are also in the mix.
• Jeff Passan believes that the Royals are on the hunt for starting pitching in return for center fielder Wil Myers (via MLB Trade Rumors). Potential trade partners include the Diamondbacks, Rays, Athletics, and yes, the Mariners.
• Although the highlight of last week’s roster moves was the overdue ousting of Chone Figgins, a handful of MiLBers received promotions to the 40-man roster: pitchers Brandon Maurer, Anthony Fernandez, and Bobby LaFromboise, infielder Vinnie Catricala, and outfielder Julio Morban.
• There may not be a single soul left in Seattle who wishes for the return of Ichiro Suzuki. For the few clinging to the hope of a re-signing, however, let me put your mind at ease: Ichiro has announced his desire to don the pinstripes again in 2013. His agent, Tony Attanasio, reports that Ichiro’s first preference is New York, although offers from other teams will be weighed if a deal is not struck (via MLB Trade Rumors).
• Needle Ball took a tour of Safeco Field yesterday, and had the privilege of seeing the field in all its half-finished glory. Currently, the scoreboard area is still vacant, and tentative lines have been drawn on the warning track for the re-formatted fences. As for the hand-operated scoreboard, no adjustments seem to have been decided upon quite yet. The Mariners offer year-round tours of Safeco Field, running Tuesday – Sunday at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and tickets can be purchased online or at the team store.

After sweeping the Kansas City Royals in four games, the Mariners now welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to town to finish up the longest homestand of the year. While the talk over the next few days around baseball will be understandably dominated by the upcoming trade deadline on Tuesday night, there will still be three games played at Safeco—three games that could either help the Mariners prove that they are improving or bring them back down to earth against a tougher opponent. Jose Bautista is still on the disabled list for Toronto—a lucky break for the Mariners.

Current record: 51-50

Last series: vs. Tigers. On Friday night the Blue Jays cashed in on some timely hitting with eight of their nine starters getting at least one hit. Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera both hit homers off of starter Carlos Villanueva, but the Jays’ offensive attack led to an 8-3 win. Saturday saw more of the same—Toronto knocked ten hits off of Anibal Sanchez, Brayan Villareal and Phil Coke, cruising to a 5-1 victory. They weren’t able to complete the sweep on Sunday, however, as Doug Fister gave up only one run over eight innings.

Last series against Seattle: April 27 – April 29, 2012. Remember that extra innings game where Michael Saunders hit his tenth inning grand slam to give the Mariners a 9-5 victory? Less memorable are probably the 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Brandon Morrow and the series finale in which Steve Delabar and Charlie Furbush gave up five runs over the final two innings. Hopefully the Mariners are able to reproduce the excitement they created in the first game and forget about the following days.

Familiar Faces: The Blue Jays’ roster has a couple of interesting names on it with ties to Seattle, with the most prolific by far being Omar Vizquel. Signed by Seattle as a 17-year-old free agent back in 1984, Vizquel broke into the big leagues with the Mariners on April 3, 1989, six months before I was born. He went on to play for the Mariners for five years, growing up with a young team that included Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner and Ken Griffey, Jr. Omar has won eleven gold gloves at shortstop, but his biggest impact for the Mariners came on April 22, 1993, when he flashed his defensive prowess to secure a no-hitter for Chris Bosio.

Tuesday’s starter, Aaron Laffey, played for the Mariners for part of 2011 and, for a few months, looked like he could become a mainstay in the Mariners bullpen for years to come. Through July 17th and over 34.1 innings, he had only given up seven runs, good for an ERA of 1.83. Ironically, the Mariners then went to Toronto and in 3.1 innings during that series, he gave up three runs, making his ERA jump to 2.39. Between July 19th and August 16th, Laffey made eight appearances for the Mariners and gave up 12 runs over 8.1 innings for an ERA of 12.96. Understandably, the Mariners waived Laffey, who was picked up by the Yankees and then the Royals, the last two opponents the Mariners faced.

There’s also Brandon Morrow, but he’s on the disabled list and I don’t want to talk about Brandon Morrow. Not one bit. » Continue reading “Series Preview: Toronto Blue Jays”

Final score: Mariners 7, Royals 6

On July 10, 2005, the Mariners defeated the Anaheim Angels. Miguel Olivo ripped a home run off Ervin Santana. Gil Meche notched his ninth win of the year. The Mariners’ record inflated to 39-48, and would plummet to 93 losses and just 69 wins by the end of the season.

These four games have been mostly forgotten, mostly lost in the last 7 years. In fact, they are only significant in light of today’s game, the clincher in a four-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals—the first four-game sweep since that day in 2005.

And you thought the Mariners couldn’t top their run in Kansas City last week.

Last week, the Mariners produced 31 runs and only allowed 19. Jesus Montero went 10-for-17 with 5 R, 8 RBI, and 3 XBH. Felix put up a line of 8 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, and 3 SO in an 8-inning start.

This weekend, the Mariners produced 21 runs and allowed 9. Mike Carp, newly-promoted first baseman, went 8-for-15 with 3 R, 8 RBI, and 3 XBH. With a sweep on the line, Felix finished his outing at 7 IP, with 5 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, and 6 SO.

While there were plenty of things to enjoy about today’s game, it was not without a healthy dose of drama. In the 4th, Felix caught a nasty comebacker from Eric Hosmer on his left wrist. Within minutes, he had returned to the mound for another 1.1 innings, and postgame x-rays were reported as negative.

In the 8th, backed by a comfortable 3-run lead, Brandon League brushed off a flurry of trade rumors by allowing 3 hits, a stolen base, a run, and a mess for Oliver Perez to clean up.

You know the end of this story. The Mariners fished out a 2-run rally. They sent Kansas City home with a 1-7 record. More important than a handful of wins, however, is the inkling that the Mariners of July – October will be a different bunch than the ones we saw from April – June.

Perhaps it’s the way they score early and often, rather than loading and leaving the bases in the 9th. Perhaps it’s the home runs that have sneaked past the Safeco Field fences. Perhaps, though I feel guilty saying this, it’s the absence of Ichiro and the presence of Casper Wells and Carlos Peguero in right field.

Perhaps, against many odds, the Mariners will break .500 by October 3. Then again, that may only happen if the Royals can be persuaded to play their remaining 48 games in Seattle.

Next game: vs. Blue Jays | July 30 | 7:10pm

Final score: Yankees 5, Mariners 2

This was almost a lucky game.

After a quick, one-home run-two-three inning by Hisashi Iwakuma, the Mariners piled on Ivan Nova’s 1.41 WHIP with 2 singles, 3 walks, and an RBI forceout. Through 7 innings, they led 2-1 on just 2 hits.

Of course, you can’t expect to win a one-run, two-hit ballgame against the Yankees. Not in a non-Felix start. Not with the fences drawn a mile back. Not with Ichiro putting on a show for his last appearance in Safeco Field this season.

Iwakuma exited in the 6th with a line of 6 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, and 3 SO in 5 IP. It still feels strange to profile him as a starter, even after his 4 starts in the past 3 weeks. In this series, he logged the fewest earned runs by a starter, but extended his home run streak to 7 consecutive appearances.

By the 8th, the Yankees’ frustrated attempts to get on base were rewarded by Wedge’s decision to keep Josh Kinney in the game. Kinney made it through the 7th with a pristine two strikeouts and a pop-up by Ichiro that looked to be his last AB in Seattle. The game looked impossibly winnable.

When he reemerged from the ‘pen the next inning, however, Kinney struck Jeter squarely on the thigh with a 89 MPH sinker. From there, Wedge spun the carousel of relievers with even worse results. Lucas Luetge was quickly brought in, and quickly apologized to the Yankees with a pair of base hits. Shawn Kelley finished off the inning, sending Jayson Nix a 3-RBI double and Russell Martin an RBI single. Ichiro got a chance to redeem his final AB with two men on… and grounded out to third.

One lone hit, three relievers, and four swinging strikeouts later, the Yankees took the series 2-1 on a Carlos Peguero strikeout. As Ichiro departs for New York and the Mariners prepare to host Kansas City this weekend, it will be interesting to watch the situation play out in right field with Peguero, Wells, and Robinson vying for playing time. As for the emotional state of the team, you only had to witness the delight on Kawasaki’s face after putting the tag on Ichiro to know that they’re going to be just fine.

Next game: vs. Royals | July 26 | 7:10pm

Final score: Mariners 9, Royals 6

The Mariners have not won a series in a month.

Let that sink in just a little. In 22 games and 7 match-ups against the NL West, AL East, and AL West, the Mariners have lost 14 games and 6 series. Their best consistent performance was against the Red Sox, when they managed a 2-2 split at home.

Tonight didn’t change much. The Mariners won their second game in a row against the same team, a feat that has gone unperformed since June 15 -16, and resurrected some of the hope that’s left for this season.

That may be an exaggeration, but I’m sticking with it. On to the stats!

In lieu of Everett Teaford’s unexpected showing last night, LHP Ryan Verdugo was hastily penciled in for Kansas City this afternoon. Verdugo arrived with Jonathan Sanchez in the Sanchez-Melky Cabrera trade last winter, and remains the only trade piece still with the Royals, as Sanchez was promptly DFA’d today after his last disastrous outing.

Just for kicks, here are their pitching lines against the Mariners in this series:

Sanchez: 1.1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR
Verdugo: 1.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR

Not only was it a rough outing for Verdugo, but a rough MLB debut as well. Justin Smoak rocked his first at-bat with a bomb to left field, Jesus Montero came through with 2 RBI hits, and Kyle Seager cleared two bases with a double. Following an array of Royals relievers, Michael Saunders shot a 421-foot homer over the center field wall, bringing the score to a lofty 8 runs before Dustin Ackley followed with a stand-up RBI triple. » Continue reading “Mariners Postgame Recap: Dumb Luck Or True Talent?”

Final score: Mariners 9, Royals 5

There are certain rare games when everything seems to come together. Take Saturday night, for instance. With Felix on the mound, the offense provided a cushy 7-run backing, including one home run that defied the impossibly distant fences of Safeco Field.

Today’s outing followed a slightly different script. Jonathan Sanchez made his shortest MLB start in five years, issuing a leadoff walk, 4 back-to-back base hits, and 2 home runs in 1.1 IP. By the time Ned Yost pulled him for Louis Coleman, he had written a line of 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, and 2 SO.

The Mariners took full advantage of an extended bullpen showing (including tomorrow’s scheduled starter Everett Teaford), with 3 home runs, 2 triples, and a consistent lead of at least 4 runs. The MVP of the game, as named by the Mariners Twitter personnel, the fans, and common sense, was Casper Wells, who put up a first-pitch homer, stand-up triple, and 5 RBIs in his first two at-bats.

By the time the bottom of the 1st inning rolled around, I was fairly confident that Jason Vargas was in for a quality start. While he didn’t fall quite as hard as Sanchez, however, he leaned heavily on the run support gathered in the previous half inning. In 6 IP, he apportioned 7 hits, 3 walks, and 3 runs to 25 batters—including 2 home runs on identical pitches to Salvador Perez and Billy Butler.

From there, Wedge sent in his arsenal of relievers, escaping the final three innings with just 4 additional hits and an earned run. Of special note is the performance of Brandon League (the version that doesn’t have me screaming at the television in horror), who is currently riding a streak of five scoreless appearances.

Tomorrow, the Mariners look to extend their winning streak to two games. Blake Beavan has been spotted with the team, and is tentatively slated to start against Everett Teaford. Brendan Ryan is likely out for a few days with a left kneecap contusion, so like today’s game, we may see more of Munenori Kawasaki filling the infield gaps. And though it doesn’t need to be said, more Mune is always a good thing.

Next game: @ Royals | July 17 | 5:10pm

After a short three-game stretch at home following the All-Star break, the Mariners take their show on the road with their first stop in the city that hosted the All-Star festivities – Kansas City.

Current record: 38-49

Last game: vs. White Sox. The Royals lost a tough 2-1 ballgame to Chris Sale, who boosted his W-L record to an impressive 11-2 for a second year starter. While the Royals were able to rack up 11 hits, going 2-12 with runners in scoring position isn’t quite the way to seal a victory, a fate that Mariners fans are all too familiar with this year.

The Royals are now 3-8 in July. The Mariners are 3-7.

Familiar Faces: Yuniesky Betancourt is the lone member of the Royals that used to play for Seattle, but his presence likely doesn’t instill fear in any Mariner fan. Once a top prospect, Yuni broke into the majors with Seattle in 2005 and started out as a decent shortstop, hitting .284 over his first three years with mediocre defense. Over his time in Seattle, however, he quickly declined both offensively and defensively, leading the Mariners to ship him to Kansas City in 2009 for two minor leaguers, neither of whom panned out.

Miguel Olivo played for the Royals in 2008 and 2009 and his stats wouldn’t shock anybody. Over 198 games he hit 35 homeruns… while only putting up an OBP of .286 (although Mariners fans would do anything for kind of production from him at this point).

Last series against Seattle: September 8 – September 11, 2011. The Mariners and Royals played four games in September that I honestly don’t remember anything about, looking at the box scores. They split the series 2-2 and both teams remained in fourth place in their respective divisions. It turns out the series saw Michael Pineda’s last start in Safeco Field – a start in which he went eight innings and gave up three runs with an impressive eight strikeouts to go along with one walk. Because the Mariners’ offense was his support, he took the loss. » Continue reading “Series Preview: Kansas City Royals”

Final score: Rangers 4, Mariners 0

No good comes of batting Brendan Ryan in the leadoff spot.

You can argue that since Dustin Ackley took the day off, Wedge was backed into a corner with today’s lineup. Ichiro has been firmly planted in the No. 2 spot, Jaso was out, and while Kawasaki has the energy of a thousand Red Bulls, he is far from a viable starter.

Still, no good comes of batting Brendan Ryan in the leadoff spot.

You can argue that I’m just searching for a scapegoat in Matt Harrison’s complete game shutout, a 5-hit, 4-walk, 3-strikeout performance. You wouldn’t be wrong. To be fair, Ryan went 1-for-4 with a double, doing his part to fill the bases for a Casper Wells flyout in the 5th.

Hisashi Iwakuma made his second MLB start of the season, surrendering 7 hits, 3 walks, and 4 runs. In 23 batters faced, he failed to log a single strikeout. By the 6th, Wedge trotted out the bullpen, appointing Tom Wilhelmsen Closer of the Game. Wilhelmsen provided the highlight of the afternoon, tossing 8 strikes in 9 pitches and recording a single strikeout. His scoreless streak continues with 18 consecutive appearances and 22 IP.

Tomorrow, the Mariners head to Kansas City for a week-long road trip before their next homestand. With any luck, the Mariners will get back on their feet and give Eric Wedge good reason to find a competent leadoff hitter.

Next game: @ Royals | July 16 | 5:10pm