Only two days remain before the Mariners take the field for their first spring training face-off with the Padres. Here are some of the latest developments from camp:

Taijuan Walker throws first live batting practice, unveils new curve — Larry Stone provides some insights on the 20-year-old prospect’s new pitch, something called a “spike curve.” While none of his BP pitches were tossed into the Peoria parking lot, Walker will be honing in on his command as the year wears on.

Shawn Kelley Traded to Yankees for OF Abe Almonte — U.S.S. Mariner delves into the Mariners’ latest acquisition, providing us a little backstory and analysis for Abe Almonte.

Mariners’ Kyle Seager ready for increased expectations — Seager explains the difficulties many Mariners players had with Safeco Field last year, as well as necessary adjustments he’s making to improve before Opening Day. Although he led the team in home runs last year, Shannon Drayer relayed the following quote: “Seager sees himself as more of a average/doubles type of player.”

A closer look at the off-season training done by Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak — On Monday, Eric Wedge told Geoff Baker that Justin Smoak would be the starting first baseman for the Mariners, barring “something drastic.” To prepare for the role—and keep the level of production he sustained in September 2012—Smoak is working closely with his agent, Hunter Bledsoe. While part of his training is devoted to making minute changes in his mechanics, a big part of the adjustments will be mental.

Risky Business – In light of Felix’s contract, Marc Normandin lists the pros and cons of signing the King to such a lengthy, expensive extension. Don’t be fooled by the title: there’s much to be excited about here.

Felix Hernandez’s Velocity — Fangraphs’ Bill Petti runs through the warning signs of injury and velocity loss in light of Felix’s new deal with the Mariners. Historically speaking, the chance of Hernandez handing Seattle 28 WAR over his seven-year contract does not seem likely.

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

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”

With the end of No Shave November approaching this weekend, another beloved tradition faces its final test: the Mariners’ Movember Madness. It’s time to take sides between the skipper’s handlebar mustache and Brendan Ryan’s facial topiary. You can cast your vote here, or simply enter to win a baseball autographed by Eric Wedge.

• As the winter meetings draw ever closer, Jack Zduriencik offers a glimpse at his offseason plan—and it’s not quite what you might expect. From Greg Johns:

“Offense would be a focal point, but if there are other avenues, if we could add a starting pitcher, who knows what might present itself both for this year and with the bigger picture in mind.”

While the Big Four (Danny Hultzen, Taijuan Walker, James Paxton, and Brandon Maurer) have shown considerable progress in the past season, Jack Z appears to be holding a short leash so far.

• Minor league Mariner and second baseman Stefen Romero was elected to Topps’ 2012 Double-A All Star Team. He joins the outstanding cast of Darin Ruf (PHI), Jurickson Profar (TEX), Mike Olt (TEX), Ali Solis (SD), Oswaldo Arcia (MIN), Alfredo Marte (ARI), Oscar Taveras (STL), and Chris Heston (SF).
• Three Mariners cracked the list of the 2012 AFL Top 25: catcher Mike Zunino (#3), shortstop Nick Franklin (#10), and lefty James Paxton (#25).
• The Mariners are officially on the hunt for a suitable Miguel Olivo replacement. Their latest target? Yankee backstop Russell Martin, who posted a slash line of .211/.311/.403 in 2012. Via MLB Trade Rumors:

“Free agent catcher Russell Martin is receiving significant interest from the Pirates and Mariners, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Yankees remain the favorites to sign Martin, but it appears that they’ll have to duke it out with the Bucs and M’s in addition to the Rangers.”

• Ken Rosenthal also appears fairly certain that the Mariners will make significant efforts to boost their offense, potentially including Mike Napoli and other, non-Josh Hamilton hitters. The biggest draw for Napoli, Rosenthal says, would be a legitimate shot at consistent playing time.
• The team released its 2013 spring training schedule yesterday, with pitchers and catchers slotted to begin workouts on February 13. The full list of Mariners’ Cactus League games can be found here.

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.

As the Hot Stove continues to simmer, Jack Zduriencik reminds Mariners fans that the team is still maintaining a fairly frugal approach in their rebuilding process.

• The Mariners have shown interest in Nick Swisher, according to reports from Jon Heyman and Mark Feinsand. Swisher rejected a $13.3M qualifying offer from the Yankees at the Friday deadline, officially making him a free agent.
• In a one-on-one with Lyle Spencer, Jack Z made his first statements concerning the team’s approach to potential trades this winter. While specific names are, of course, kept under tight wraps, Jack hinted that the Mariners’ targets may be a little less flashy than fans hoped for:

“Everyone would say get a big this or that,” Zduriencik said. “Sometimes that’s not the thing you can do. No doubt a veteran bat would be great to have. We like what we have, but if we can add another piece who carries a heavy load … that can be good for you.”

• Award season is right around the corner, and while the Mariners have escaped the attention of the BBWAA this year, they are well-represented in the Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards, which is open to fan voting here.

Starting Pitcher: Felix Hernandez
Defensive Player: Brendan Ryan
Breakout Pitcher: Tom Wilhelmsen
Oddity: Munenori Kawasaki’s dugout dance
Must C Play: Brendan Ryan’s 9th inning grab during the combined no-hitter
Pitching Performance: Felix Hernandez’s perfect game
Pitching performance: Combined no-no
Cut4 Topic: Young fan reuniting with military dad

• Barry Zito received the annual Hutch Award, presented to the player who embodies the tenacity and dedication of former Seattle Rainier Fred Hutchinson. The award ceremony will be held at Safeco Field on January 30, 2012, during a Hutch Award luncheon and silent auction. Event information is in the sidebar.

Final score: Mariners 5, Indians 1

Going into tonight’s game, there were three major storylines to follow. The first one, obviously, would be Felix Hernandez’ first start since his perfect game last Wednesday. Would he falter after securing his mane in the history books, like so many before him have? Or would he shine like the pitcher we have grown to love here in Seattle?

The second tidbit surrounding this game was the fact that the Mariners were on a six game winning streak. It was their second six game winning streak since the All-Star break, a period of time in which they were 23-13, leading the American League. Would the winning streak be extended to seven, bringing the Mariners within four games of .500 and that much closer to potential playoff conversations?

The third is something that has been missing in Safeco Field for years. Sure, Opening Night is always a lock to draw a sell-out crowd. Bobblehead nights bring out certain parts of the ‘fanbase’ and visits by the Red Sox or Yankees bring out others, but Safeco has lately become more of a consistent home for the seagulls that feed on the scraps of the 14,000 or less fans that show up on weeknights. Kevin Martinez and the marketing team, however, had a vision. They had a vision of expanding the popular King’s Court section to the whole stadium, engulfing Safeco Field in a sea of yellow and the letter K. Would the promotion actually draw fans to the ballpark? Would Seattle show Felix the love he has shown Seattle over the years?

» Continue reading “Mariners Postgame Recap: Felix’s Victory Lap”

Final score: Mariners 4, Angels 1

On Saturday, Mike Trout robbed Miguel Olivo of a home run with a perfectly executed leap at the center field wall.

Yesterday, Trout made the same well-timed move… and watched a solo shot land just out of reach of his glove for Jesus Montero’s first home run of the game.

That’s right, I said first. After going 7-for-13 in his previous three games, Montero piled on two homers and 3 RBIs in Sunday’s rubber match against Anaheim.

These last two games notwithstanding, it’s been a rough week and a half for the Mariners. Coming off of a 7-game winning streak, they lost five straight games in a 6-3 road trip against the Yankees, Orioles, and Angels.

Today, they return to Safeco Field for a 9-game stretch against the Rays, Twins, and Indians—one that will hopefully follow the script of last month’s 8-2 homestand.

Next game: vs. Rays | August 13 | 7:10pm

Final score: Yankees 6, Mariners 2

No one expected Hisashi Iwakuma to repeat his 13-strikeout performance when he took the mound in New York today. Still, it wouldn’t have hurt.

In this weekend’s rubber match, the Mariners took their second loss in ten games on five hits and two runs. Excepting Trayvon Robinson and Eric Thames, each player managed to reach base, while the bulk of the offense was fueled by a pair of RBI singles from Jesus Montero. While the team saw over 44% of outs on ground balls and over 14% of outs on the first pitch, they also recorded just 3 strikeouts, their lowest strikeout total since a 5-0 shutout by Boston on June 29, 2012.

Iwakuma, looking more like the spot starter we saw last month and less like the powerhouse that showed up against the Blue Jays, lasted just 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, and a moonshot to center field by Raul Ibanez. Josh Kinney broke a scoreless streak of 3 appearances, padding the Yankees’ lead by 2 runs, while Oliver Perez, Shawn Kelley, and Lucas Luetge polished off the last 3 innings with 3 hits and a walk.

Tomorrow, the Mariners head to Baltimore for their second series of this 9-game road trip. Both Brendan Ryan and Mike Carp, who sat out with elbow soreness and paternity leave, respectively, are scheduled to return in the next day or so.

Next game: @ Orioles | August 6 | 4:05pm

Final score: Yankees 6, Mariners 3

The Mariners are 7-1 over their past eight games. They are seemingly one of the hottest teams in baseball. They’re hitting well. They’re pitching well. Their defense is stellar and the mood in the clubhouse appears to be great.

I’m not going to fault this team for losing a game to the Yankees. Not in Yankee Stadium, not when they were facing one of the best teams in baseball. Not when Kevin Millwood, who has no part in the Mariners’ future, gave up some runs to a lineup that contains no fewer than four likely future hall-of-famers.

I’m not upset with Carter Capps for seeming a bit rattled in his major league debut. He reached 101 on the radar gun and has a bright future ahead of him.

I’m not disappointed in the offensive performance against C.C. Sabathia, one of the best pitchers of our generation. While the team only mounted three hits, two of them were homeruns. Progress.

I’m not angry with the Mariners for losing tonight against the Yankees. I have to tell you though – eight wins sure would have been awesome.

Next game: vs. Yankees | August 4 | 10:05 am

Final score: Mariners 5, Blue Jays 3

Blame Canada for trading Eric Thames to the Mariners and only getting Steve Delabar in return. In his first appearance with Toronto, Delabar gave up one hit and struck out one former teammate. In his first appearance for Seattle, Thames crushed a pitch to dead center field for a game-tying, 2-RBI home run.

Blame Canada for looking unbeatable through the first four frames. Carlos Villanueva retired nine batters before Dustin Ackley’s single poked a hole through the infield. Colby Rasmus and Kelly Johnson took liberties with Beavan’s 91 MPH fastball, launching it to center field for an early lead.

Blame Canada for making Blake Beavan look bad (just kidding, we know he’s bad already) and then forgetting how to hit baseballs in the last four innings. Tom Wilhelmsen notched his 15th save of the season, while Lucas Luetge set down the only batter he faced with a called strikeout.

Blame Canada for choking during this series and handing the Mariners their second series sweep and seventh consecutive win in a ten game homestand.

And, when you’re done blaming Canada, don’t forget to thank the Mariners for all they’ve done to make this homestand possible. Let’s go for win #8 in New York!

Next game: vs. Yankees | August 3 | 4:05pm